Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
AS A CHEF in a busy hotel, I’m used to working constantly. Of course, 2020, and Covid-19 had some very different ideas for those of us in the service industry. Like many in our sector, we were in shock when everything was shut down overnight back in March.
It has been an emotionally draining year but it has highlighted the need to support each other and to support local.
We’re so lucky here in Co Down – we’ve got fabulous produce, great artisan producers, we’re by the sea and surrounded by the mountains with lush green pastures.
During the lockdowns, when you think of factories not producing or items not being available, the importance of supporting our local industry – from fishermen to farmers – cannot be underestimated, especially as we head into Brexit.
We have lost around half the year, but when we re-opened in July, the support we had was amazing. I found that people were more considerate, they were relieved to be out again, we got used to queuing and booking in advance for most things.
We are lucky enough to have a spacious kitchen in the Slieve Donard, which enables us to socially distance and follow all the regulations. There is one person to a bench and we have a one-way system. It takes a little longer to go about things but it’s still manageable.
We are a big wedding venue and a lot of our weddings were postponed until next year so we’re in for a busy year in 2021 when restrictions lift. What 2020 has taught us that we need to be fluid and go with the flow plus to be mindful of what a lonely time it can be for some people. As a manager, I plan to stay in touch with my team of 20 and check in with them, just to let them know they are not alone.
For Christmas dinner, we always had cranberry sauce out of a jar at home, which is why I’m fond of it, as I am of a good chutney to go with cheese. But both, truly, are better freshly made. Cranberry sauce is so easy as not to be worth even hesitating about. You also can’t beat a sweet and tangy chutney with apples, cranberries, onion, vinegar, sugar, orange zest, and ginger.
We hope to see our customers return in the new year and we wish you all a very Happy Christmas from the Slieve Donard. Please enjoy some of my favourite festive recipes, they’re simple enough to do and should liven up any Christmas table.
Grease and line an 8”/20cm Square loose-bottomed baking tin with baking parchment.
Advertisement
Beat the butter and sugar together, with an electric mixer, until you reach a smooth marzipan consistency, and the sugar is not so grainy. This may take about 10 mins
In a small jug, lightly beat the eggs, orange juice, orange zest and Vanilla Extract together until well combined. This will help distribute the flavours around the cake.
Add a tablespoon of flour, to the cake batter. While the mixer is beating, gradually add the beaten egg mixture a little at a time. Beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl at intervals.
Add the remaining flour and Cranberries and mix gently until well combined.
You should have a cookie dough consistency which is needed to prevent all the Cranberries from sinking to the bottom of the cake during baking.
If you still have a little unmixed flour left in the bowl add a little more orange juice and give it another mix.
Add the cake batter to your prepared cake tin, spreading and levelling the top.
Bake in the centre of the oven, for about 65 – 70 mins or until baked, testing the centre of the cake until it comes out clean.
Covering the top of the cake tin with baking parchment will help prevent burning during baking. If baking the cake in a larger shallow tin, you will need to adjust the baking times.
You may find that the top has a light crispy crust and may have some brown speckling. This is due to the large amount of sugar and how smooth your cake batter is after the initial beating.
2 good cooking apples (2 cups, peeled and chopped)
200g fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 large chopped onion
1/4 cup cider vinegar
100g of brown sugar
1 Tbsp orange zest
1 Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Small pinch of ground clove
Method
Related Reads
Master Pastry Chef Shane Smith shares Advent Calendar recipes from local producers
The Good Life: Clodagh McKenna shares recipes and tales from her country home
Master pastry chef Shane Smith shares three recipes for cosy evenings in cold weather
Put all ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for a few minutes more, to reduce any remaining liquid.
Refrigerate up to 2 weeks
Cranberry sauce
Shutterstock / Chamille White
Shutterstock / Chamille White / Chamille White
Ingredients
500g Frozen cranberries
200g Sugar, or to taste
Cinnamon Stick
Star Anise
Zest and juice of 1 orange
1tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)
Method
Put the cranberries, sugar, butter, zest and juice of the orange, and Grand Marnier if using, in a pan. Add 100ml water and bring to the boil.
After a minute or so’s fierce bubbling, lower to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the berries have burst and you have a thick, fruity sauce.
Don’t panic if it’s still fairly runny, though, as it solidifies on cooling.
Taste to see if you want more sugar, then decant to a bowl and let cool before serving.
Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article.
Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Rest in peace big fella. Dunnes stores was my first proper job while Ben was in charge, the ethos was that they were tough but fair and I always remember it with fondness.
'A chance to stand together': Vigil takes place in Fermanagh town for mother and children shot dead
Updated
16 mins ago
11.4k
taxi rank
Uber will give women in US a choice to only travel with other women - but no plans to do it in Ireland
25 mins ago
595
8
RIP
Wrestling star Hulk Hogan has died aged 71
Updated
23 hrs ago
41.7k
119
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 210 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage . Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework. The choices you make regarding the purposes and vendors listed in this notice are saved and stored locally on your device for a maximum duration of 1 year.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Social Media Cookies
These cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 148 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 191 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 154 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 117 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 117 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 50 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 47 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 173 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 77 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 108 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 113 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 49 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 64 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 36 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 119 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 123 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 92 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 65 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 113 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 100 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
have your say