When we were in Ireland last week we took the windy road from Clifden to Bunowen Pier and the Connemara Smokehouse. The setting of the smokehouse is stunning perched out on a pier cutting the Atlantic shoreline.

The folks at the Connemara Smokehouse are friendly – and imagine our surprise to find ourselves being served by a frenchman! They even smoke french crooner Pierre Perret’s fish when he comes to Ireland!

The Smokehouse specialises in wild products and their range even includes smoked tuna – I was amazed to discover that tuna can be fished in Irish coastal waters but Nicholas explained that this is due to the famous mexican gulf stream. You have to be passionate to work at the smokehouse, with working weeks of up to 80 hours, as fish is smoked as it comes off the boats. The fish is smoked using beechwood. And have no fear your purchases are put in special insulated boxes ensuring they survive the journey home.

We bought lots of wild smoked fish but did not indulge in wild salmon choosing the organic farmed version instead. When so much effort has gone into a product you want to serve it with only the best, here is a simple blini recipe that you do no need to prepare in advance.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon each baking soda & salt
2 large eggs separated
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter

Method

1.Put all dry ingredients into bowl and mix well in another bowl whisk together egg yolks and milk then whisk into the dry ingredients

2. With an electric beater whisk egg whites until they form soft peaks and then fold into the mixture above taking care to keep mixture light and airy

3.Fold 3 tablespoons of the butter to this mixture until it forms a smooth batter

4. Brush a small non stick pan with some of the remaining butter and heat the pan until it is hot but not smoking

5. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons per bilini and cook until surface begins to bubble then flip over for about 2 minutes

This makes about 8 blinis I normally make in batches and then keep warm in over until ready to serve

To serve

Place 2 slices of Connemara Smokehouse Smoked Salmon & two blinis on each plate, with a large spoon of creme fraiche with fresh chopped chives mixed through it, a small green salad and for an extra touch add some capers fried in olive oil.
Connemara is a longway from Paris but luckily you don’t need to make the trip to Bunowen pier you can buy online at http://www.smokehouse.ie/ and yes, they ship overseas!

By GIRL EATS IN PARIS BLOG – Glenda Brady

IRISH INDEPENDENT – WEEKENDER MAGAZINE – TRAVEL 8TH AUG 09′

What is it about a trip to the beach that makes us so hungry? Here reveals Ireland’s best food beaches and where to quell those rumbling stomachs.

1. BALLYCONNEELY, CONNEMARA, CO. GALWAY.
Don’t bother asking anyone how to get to Ballyconneely Strand, unless you enjoy getting perplexed and bewildered looks in response. This penisula on the very sout-western edge of Connemara is ringed with tiny niches of wonderful white sand and aexotic corals.  At low water, some of them unite to form longer, continuous lengths on unimpeded beach perfection.

For all the confusion, the fractured pices and multiple names that constitute Ballyconneely’s beach landscape, there is but one destination on its food map – Connemara Smokehouse. Every fillet of fish that luxuriates in the beechwood smoke of this family operation’s small traditional kiln first passes Graham Roberts’s knife.  The process is controlled by hand, not machine, resulting in gently smoked and wonderully textured wild salmon, tuna and mackerel
(from €6.50 to €52.50; 095 23739; www.smokehouse.ie)

2. Rathmullan, Fanad Peninsula, Co. Donegal
3. Rosslare Strand, Co. Wexford
4. Tragumma, Skibbereen, Co. Cork
5. Ventry, Dingle Peninsula, Co. Kerry
6. Duncannon, Co. Wexford
7. Ballyteigue Strand, Kilmore Quay, Co. Wexford
8. Ardmore, Co. Waterford
9. Lahinch, Co. Clare
10. Barley Cove, Mizen Peninsula, Co. Cork

Green Dragon

This month you will see the world’s biggest sailing event, the 10th Volvo Ocean Race will arrive in Galway for the first time on the 23rd of May 2009. Visit www.galwayvolvooceanrace.com for updates of estimated arrival times from 24 hours prior.

Following the transatlantic leg, racing from Boston, it will stay in Galway for a two week stopover before leaving on the next leg to Göteborg in Sweden. The Volvo Ocean race, also known as the Round the World Race, is run every four years and will cover 39,000 miles.

This stopover is set to attract the most visitors to one area of Ireland since the Ryder Cup!
• 1.8 billion global TV audience
• 2 week free festival
• 750 volunteers
• 200,000 visitors
• 500 spectator boats
• 10,000 school children
• 5km of bunting flags
• 1000 performers

Galway has the reputation already of being one of the most exciting cities in Ireland at any time of the year. Galway Bay will be ablaze with traditional welcoming bonfires. Each boat will receive a rousing Galway welcome with a fanfare of drumming and pyrotechnics and a presentation on the main stage. Fine Foods, Crafts, Retail and Exhibitions will be in the Race Village. So it is well worth a visit.

In the Race Village you can get Connemara Smokehouse products from Galway’s top Fish Merchant, Duane’s Seafood Retail & Wholesaler, which is positioned next to the Guinness Tent (which goes well with seafood) approx. 200 yards from the Topaz Main Stage, here you will see bands such as the Stunning. On Duane’s Seafood stand you can get the true taste of the sea with Connemara Smokehouse Organic Smoked Salmon and Organic Smoked Trout. Duane’s fresh crab claws, prawns and oysters and more. So do stop by and say hello to Thomas and Colin on the Duane’s Seafood Stand in the Race Village.

Wade Murphy of Lisloughrey Lodge and Thomas Duane of Duane's Seafoods

Green Dragon Racing Team Crew landing in Galway this weekend are:

1) Ian Walker (GBR) Skipper
2) Ian Moore (IRL) Navigator
3) Damian Foxall (IRL) Watch Leader
4) Justin Slattery (IRL) Bowman
5) Neal McDonald (GBR) Watch Leader
6) Guo Chaun (CHN) Media Crew Member
7) Tom Braidwood (AUS) Driver/Trimmer
Andrew Mclean (NZ) Bowman
9) Phil Harmer (AUS) Driver/Trimmer/ Sailmaker
10) Freddie Shanks (GBR) Bowman
11) Anthony Merrington (AUS) Pit/Trim/Helm

Green Dragon Crew