The pressure was on for cooking enthusiast Linda Burke, as the cameras started rolling on the fourth of six episodes in the the community tv series “Fusion Kitchen”. Directed by EurAV’s Declan Cassidy, Fusion Kitchen sees six people from six countries prepare the dishes from their native cuisine for each other under the expert eye of TV chef Tara Walker at her cookery school kitchen. Having had mouth-watering meals from Ukraine, India and Brazil, Linda was flying the flag for Ireland, and she didn’t let the side down.
TV chef, Tara Walker looks on with approval as Irish participant, Linda, tosses fresh prawns in a butter sauce.
With the exception of a vanilla pod, the entire meal came from within a 10km radius of where she cooked. Ingredients included Dunany flour, Oriel Sea Salt, Ballymakenny pototoes, Coole Farm greens, . Her fellow participants, including a Korean – whose turn it is next week – and a Nigerian, whose episode finishes the series, were treated to Guinness with fresh Carlingford oysters before a local prawn starter. The main course was local hake – fresh from Kirwin’s fish shop in Drogheda – butter-fried and served on a bed of colcannon with sea-greens on the side. Dessert was a classic – rhubarb crumble with a vanilla custard. The rhubarbs were picked fresh from a friend’s garden. And the lot was washed down by a much appreciated shot of Mad March Hare poitín.
Ukrainian Mikola tries the Mad March Hare poitín while his partner, Viktoria chats to Indian participant, Jasmine.
EurAV has been a partner in a the series, working with the production team to providing work experience opportunities in community media for a number of paid trainees.
“It’s been a really lovely project to work on,” said director Declan Cassidy. “It’s been fascinating to see how each country has its own distinct cuisine, and yet how certain dishes are very similar. There has been a real exchange of ideas between the participants. It really is a culinary fusion!”
