Catherine Fulvio celebrates Christmas as she serves up her favourite Christmas recipes, treats and hints & tips with Oysters, Potatoes and Bitters.
This Christmas will be unique. Catherine will show us how to prepare food in style for large or a small number of guests with tasty treats, using delicious Irish artisan producers that won’t break the bank.
Catherine virtually meets some of Ireland’s finest artisan producers that are currently supplying us with unique and wonderful tasty choices.
“I am really excited about my new programme, “Catherine Celebrates”. I simply love Christmas and all that it stands for – family, food and good times spent together around the table! In my new series Catherine Celebrates I will share with you some of my easy yet impressive Christmas favourites that I hope you can enjoy at home this Christmas.” said Catherine Fulvio.
With a menu to delight one’s appetite Catherine will first virtually ‘visit’ Carlingford and Kian Louët-Feisser of the Carlingford Oyster Company where Kian educates us all on the world of oysters and shows us how to open them whilst chatting with Catherine from his farm in Carlingford Lough. Catherine shows viewers how to create a duo of oysters; a raw oyster dish “Mignonette Oysters and a and cooked oyster dish Catherine’s Smokey Oysters” using Kian’s oysters of course.
Kian said of the experience, “We are delighted that Catherine features our Carlingford Oysters in her show. 99% of the 10,000 tonnes of oysters grown in Ireland are exported and are highly sought after because of their excellent reputation. Oysters are steadily becoming more popular in Irish restaurants so it’s wonderful to see Catherine use oysters as part of her Christmas celebrations and we hope that this will encourage more Irish people to take the plunge and try #oystersathome.”
Maria Flynn and husband David, from Ballymakenny Farm chat to Catherine from their Spud Shack! We hear about life as a potato farmer and why they moved into “Heritage Potatoes”. Maria explains about the different varieties of heirloom/specialty potatoes they grow spuds like the Pink Fir Apple, Red Emmailie, perfect for boiling, steaming, mashing or roasting to add some colour to your dish whilst rich in antioxidants particularly anthocyanin which lays claim to a variety of health benefits including improved cardiovascular health, dementia prevention and increased longevity.
The Violetta, a specialist heritage potato variety with an indigo blue skin and blue flesh that has a delicate sweet flavour. Maria also highlights the Mayan Rose, a Peruvian potato which is known for a third less cooking time than standard potato varieties, so perfect for boiling, mashing and roasting. Finally, Maria introduces us to the Mayan Gold with a rich golden colour and a more’ish flavour. They have a fluffy flesh which results in excellent roasties, chips and jackets. Catherine uses their crop for her Roasted Potatoes with Tenderstem Broccoli and Creamy tarragon Dressing dish which accompanies her main course dish Beef Wellington with Mushrooms and Red Onion Gravy.
Maria Flynn said of being on the programme “For our farm and potatoes to be part of this wonderful show is huge at any time, but right now it has really lifted our spirits and helps us keep going”.
At “Off the Cuffe Bitters” Jarrod Cuffe takes Catherine through an array of bitters in his studio as he shows Catherine how to do a tasting on the back of her hand and drink bitters with just sparkling water so they can discuss the flavours. Bitters are the spice rack of the cocktail world, used to enhance the taste and flavour of cocktails and mocktails. They are highly concentrated liquids that only require a few drops to drinks to balance out flavours and add depth to a drink. Catherine than uses Jarrod’s Marmalade Citrus Bitters to make her decadent Christmas Negroni Mocktail. Off the Cuffe Bitters come in small bottles and are alcoholic spirits that are infused with herbs, roots, fruit and leaves.
At “Off the Cuffe Bitters” Jarrod Cuffe takes Catherine through an array of bitters in his studio as he shows Catherine how to do a tasting on the back of her hand and drink bitters with just sparkling water so they can discuss the flavours. Bitters are the spice rack of the cocktail world, used to enhance the taste and flavour of cocktails and mocktails. They are highly concentrated liquids that only require a few drops to drinks to balance out flavours and add depth to a drink. Catherine than uses Jarrod’s Marmalade Citrus Bitters to make her decadent Christmas Negroni Mocktail. Off the Cuffe Bitters come in small bottles and are alcoholic spirits that are infused with herbs, roots, fruit and leaves.
Jarrod said of his involvement in the programme, “It was a strange and wonderful experience considering the current environment. Catherine and her team got me excited for this Christmas and all that it offers in taste, fun and family.”
Catherine will finish on a sweet note dishing up one of her own favourite desserts, Eggnog Panna Cotta with Cranberries.
Catherine Celebrates is sponsored by Belling.
TX: RTÉ One on Wednesday 23rd December at 7.30pm
For further information, imagery or to speak to Catherine Fulvio or any of the three Irish producers please contact Ann-Marie Sheehan, Aspire PR & Marketing, T : 0872985569 E : annmarie@aspire-pr.com.