Strúisín Shiobhán / Siobhán's Guinness and Beef Stew

Tá cead faoi leith tugtha ag Siobhán, mó ghrá-geal,  dom inniu, lena hoideas agus modh cócaráil strúisíne a thaifeadadh. Níl mórán bá nó grá aici do "skynet", mar a ghlaonn sí ar an idirlíon. Tá sé chomh-maith agam an deis a thapú, sula nathraíonn sí a haigne.

Siobhán has given me special permission today to record her recipe and method for cooking stew. She has little love for "skynet", as she refers to the internet. Therefore, I have seized the opportunity in case she changes her mind.

Strúisín Shiobháin - Siobhán's Guinness and Beef Stew

Oideas: (Recipe)

1. 500gram Trua-Mhairteoil Stobhaigh (Lean stewing beef)
2. 150gram Fás na haon Oíche (Button Mushrooms)
3. Oinniún mór  (One big onion)
4  2 Chairéad mór (2 big Carrots)
5. Ionga Gairleoige  (One Garlic Clove)
6. Spúnóg bhoird  de Thaos Trátaí (One Tablespoon Tomato Paste)
7. Canna Phórtair (Can of Stout (Guinness/Murphys/Beamish))
8. Lítear Stoc Mhairteola 1 litre (beef stock)
9. Gráinnín Siúcra (Pinch of Sugar)
10, Salann, piobar mar is gá (salt and pepper )
11. Ola Olóige, Gránphlúr (Olive Oil and cornflour )
12. 300gram Fataí Óga (New Potatoes)

Modh (Method)

1. Ciúb an mhairteoil. (Cut the beef into cubes)

2. Clúdaigh gach ciúb mairteola le méidín beag ola agus gránphlúr le go mbeadh craiceann tanaí bán orthu. (Lightly cover all the cubes of meat with as little oil and cornflour so that they have a thin white skin )

3. Glan, scamh agus gearr na cairéid ina bpíosaí substaintiúl. Ní gá bheith ró-bhuartha faoi néatacht     nó aonfhoirmeacht. (Clean, skin and cut each carrot into substantial pieces. There is no need to be overly worried about neatness or uniformity.)

4. Gearr na hoinniúin go meán-mhín, más féidir leat. (Slice the oinions medium finely, if you can.)

5. Téigh na hoinniúin go manla ar theas íseal.  Ullamhaidh lítear amháin stoc mairteola. (Heat the onions gently over a low heat. Prepare a litre of beef stock.)

6. Donnaigh an mhairteoil. ( Brown the beef )

7. Measc an mhairteoil donnaithe leis na hoinniúin bhoga. (Mix the browned beef with the soft onions)

8. Díghloinigh an friochtán le braoinín pórtar. ( Deglaze the frying pan with a drop of stout )

9. Measc an chuid eile den channa leis, sa phota. (Mix in the rest of the can into the pot)

10. Doirt an pórtar ón bhfriochtán isteach sa phota chomh maith.  (Pour the porter from the pan into the pot as well)

11. Measc an stoc leis. (Mix the stock in)

12. Measc na cairéid agus fás na haon oíche leis. (Mix in the carrots and mushrooms in) 

13. Measc taespúnóg taos thrátaí leis agus gráinín siúcra. (Mix in a teapsoon of tomato paste and a pinch of sugar)

14. Ardaigh an teas go dtí go bhfiuchann an meascán. Isligh an teas agus fág ar theas meánach é ar feadh 3 uair a chloig, á sheiceáil agus á chorraíl gach 15 nóiméad. Coimead an pota clúdaithe. (Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and leave on a medium heat for 3 hours, checking and stirring every 15 minutes. Leave the pot covered) 

15. Tá sé chomh maith agat do chuid fataí a chnagbheiriú. (While you are waiting you might as well parboil your potatoes)

16. Róst na fataí chomh maith le go mbeidís deas briosc. (Roast the potatoes until they are crispy)

17. Gráiníní de phiobar agus salann, measc agus ith! ( Pinches of salt and pepper, mix and eat!)

Buíochas le Siobhán!

Culture Squared

Our ability to pass non-genetic information, such as culture, to our descendants, is the genetic advancement which sets us apart from other animals. We call all non-genetically inherited human phenomena,  culture.

Our evolution is no longer dependent on random mutations in our DNA. Evolutionary principles also govern our collective ideas, cultures, sciences and faiths. Advancements in science have the potential to make our descendants unrecognisable to our ancestors. Our knowledge and experiences, correct or otherwise are being dictated to the world wide web, a virtual and actual brain of our cyborg collective.

What further advancement in information inheritance would a future species require, to be comparably superior to us?

I believe that ultimately, our descendants will be hard-wired into the knowledge bank that is the collective human experience, soon after birth, maybe even prenatally. If regulated on egalitarian principles then each of our descendants will be bestowed the entire recorded knowledge of humanity. We will access, learn from and in turn enrich this database with our own experiences.  If regulated on current capitalist principles then knowledge will be traded for experience or physical labour.

The evolution of this symbiosis  or "culture squared" has already overtaken our genetic change over time and will continue to do so at a hyperbolic rate.

Fishing for Faith

"I only ever catch trout here, with white maggots" said Ian. His son, Thomas, squinted at me seriously, and nodded, confirming their shared devotion to the un-dyed larvae.

With exactly the same reasoning, I chose the fattest red maggots and began to thread them onto my hook. These dyed lip-red wrigglers differ from their white counterparts only in color. The bait box teemed with both denominations, but it was the red ones that were chosen and sacrificed to the great Salmo Trutta. Both members of the rival sect shrugged at my selection, wished me luck, and set off find their place of worship by the banks of the Liffey.

A fistful of maggots, red and white, sprinkled down onto the surface of the river. "Pacha Mama" escaped my lips.

I had long suspected that my success with the red maggots was due to my faith in them. My stubborn adherence to their slaughter made it likely that whatever I caught would be attributed to their seductive shade. If they did forsake me, there was a list of mitigating circumstances that could be trotted out to forgive them; 'The river is too high', 'It's too bright'.

Ian and Thomas must have a similar, and equally invalid dogma.

Funnily enough, when gutting the trout, it is quite easy to see the living chandlers, both red and white, that were hoovered up. They squirm in the gut of the fish seeking a miraculous Resurrection.

The Herb Garden Project

There have been more than a few years of procrastination. There has even been hypocritical preaching to others about it.

I have always had an excuse for not doing it; I was a student, I was poor, I was travelling, I was living in Bolivia, I had no garden, It wasn't my garden, I was too busy, I was too lazy.

Today I disregard the excuses, and today I have embarked on a small project to grow and nurture some fruit and herbs; Strawberries, Chives, Thyme and Basil.  This venture has been seeded by my friend Jer, who unwittingly, has become my herb-mentor. The seeds, pots, cuttings and compost were provided by him, in return for helping remove 3 boulders from his guerrilla vegetable patch, which I am very envious of. There is envy of both the patch and the clandestine aspect of it.

This offshoot of Jer's own patch has now taken root on a windowsill in Lucan. Born out of barter for labor, it's roots are organic in more ways than the obvious. It will be subject to difficult environmental conditions and will inevitably suffer from its owner's learning-curve of ineptitude. Despite my best efforts it might wither and die, but the idea and conviction that brought it to be, is made of stronger stuff. 


This idea that has germinated, long before the seeds betray their green shoots, should also be protected and nurtured, and hopefully will be strong enough one day to pass on its memetic code. 

Are we what we share?

Native Indians apparently believed that to be photographed is to lose a part of yourself. Is it now possible to say that the compulsive sharing of our every waking hour now threatens to do the same?

Like many others I can be seduced by a desire to parade my experiences for social credit. Are we wary enough of the temptation to couple our sense of worth to likes, +'s and retweets? Are we what we share?

A camera lens, no matter how many gigabytes strong, can capture what the human mind can. What is sacrificed to obtain that high-definition image? What worth do we attach to the time lost in applying the right filter, using the a la mode app, uploading it all to SkyNet and then manically checking for responses? 

Perhaps we should be listening to the gig, watching the whale or cheering the goal. 

The irony of sharing this thought has not escaped me.