Polly Introduces Tullamore Dairies

Hi there and welcome back to Vinca's In Tha Kitchen. It's been a long time since I've made my presence felt here and frankly I feel guilty about it! Sad to say that I could offer excuse upon excuse, each as relevent as the other, but honestly folks I think it was a mixture between bloggers block and a lack of heart...

First of all, let me just say that I haven't been totally idle since my last posting. Oh no, I've been getting plenty of exercise surfing away and catching up with my own reading which is something that often doesn't happen when I'm busy blogging and making cards. It's important to catch up and to keep up, so while I've been feeling sorry for myself with all the exciting developments in my life I've been chilling out on the net in between times. So, I've got quite a bit to catch up on...

First of all my love affair with Glenisk. Well, I'm sure that regular readers have often heard me refer to the Cleary family from Killeigh and their ethically conscious dairy company, and just every now and again their sister company Tullamore Dairies. I feel it necessary for me to offer an apology of sorts, in so far as I seem to have almost neglected Tullamore Dairies - the original incarnation, in preference of their younger flashier sister company.

For those of you who don't live locally Tullamore Dairies is still very much up and running. They provide some of the nicest, creamiest and cheapest milk in the locality, just as they have been doing ever since they first set up as an independant dairy. Rather bizarrely, I made an interesting discovery about this company just last week - they supply skimmed milk...

Up until last week I had somewhat reluctantly been purchasing what I refer to as 'pink milk' from their competitor & major stakeholder in the dairy business here in Ireland. To the best of my knowledge this huge conglomerate was the only supplier of the slightly thinner version of everybody's favourite healthy drink. As a consequence I have been buying their product in bulk and freezing it until needed, as it is often difficult to purchase skimmed milk in Ireland at all!

To be honest I've yet to buy my local Tullamore Dairies product as I've still got a healthy quantity of the frozen stuff to use up, but believe you me I'll be looking for the distinctive green and white waxed carton in the shops next time I go shopping...

Polly Smoothes The Whey...

Well Summer's managed to last another day here in the sunny Emerald Isle, so much so that I am frozen! I know that's a bit of a contradiction in terms except for the fact that this has occurred as a direct result of the prevailing weather conditions...

See, I was about to drive home from one of today's many appointments in neighbouring towns when I received a request for me to bring home a yummy breakfast smoothie from our friendly neighbourhood coffee bar. Yep Chocolate Brown do nice smoothies and I was foolish enough to introduce my hairy son to them. Not content with one, he wanted a second one, although his enthusiasm was somewhat dampened when I told him he'd be buying it...

As I have to dash into Tullamore for a second time later on this afternoon, to deliver a card or two, the thought did occur to me that maybe I could spoil the little blighter after all and bring him the object of his affections. That was until I remembered that it would melt on the way home and make a mess of the car. So, in true super-mum fashion I made my own!

Anyway, this of course wasn't at all possible in the eyes of the hairy teenager, who has transcended BB, just because I'm his Mum and I can't do anything...

• So take a hand full of frozen strawberries, raspberries, fave fruit per person
• Add a small hand full of your favourite muesli breakfast cereal
• about 1/2 pint of your preferred milk, ie whole, skim, semi-skim 0r half-fat,
  
• or soy/fave fruit juice for the vegans and the discerning
  
• one large goblet LIQUIDISER
• a large drop of enthusiasm and extra milk for when it gets too thick to churn!

What to do:

• Chuck the whole lot into the goblet of your old fashioned liquidiser, or smoothie maker or food processor if you absolutely must.
• Give it a good stir and whizz in the liquidizer stopping to stir regularly.
• When mixture is smooth and resembles ice-cream it's time to stop whizzing and get eating/slurping!
• Don't forget to use gloves to hold your very cold long drink and use a spoon or you will get brain freeze!
• Add honey to the goblet for added sweetness if desired and/or yoghurt for a refreshing lift!

Ladies and gentlemen, the hairy teenager stood open mouthed and speechless for a good moment or two. He then admitted that maybe his mum does know a thing or two and tucked in to a smoothie which was invented a long time before his very existence was conceived!!!!

Nearly an hour later, my body temperature has risen sufficiently for me to consider removing my extra heavy duty hoodie sweatshirt on yet another bright and sunny day here in the Emerald Isle! Why not give this one a whirl and celebrate the joys of summer, but maybe if you're organised you'll recycle those functionally ugly plastic containers and straws from your local smoothie bar for a really professional touch...

Ciao!

Polly Pierce

ps sorry there aren't any pics - we ate/drank it all before you could sneeze from the sudden cold! Maybe next time peeps...