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MEDIA CULINARY CLIPS
A SELECTION OF CLIPS TAKEN FROM NEWSPAPER AND
MAGAZINE ARTICLES PUBLISHED THROUGHOUT IRELAND DURING THE 1970s. (Many of the original articles include several
pictures)
Noreen's 'Culinary Tours' during last year were an instant success and
proved so popular, that despite wind, rain, high water and broken telephone
lines, they are always completely booked out. If last night's crowd is any
indication, they will be the forerunner of many more. Noreen, motivated by a
desire to share her comprehensive knowledge on cookery, had a good idea; and
because of it, people are finding out how simple it is to make delicious
dishes. "I'm not trying to teach people how to cook, except that I do emphasize
not to overcook vegetables." What she
does aim at, is to enlarge existing repertories, and says it is easy to produce
tasty, exotic dishes without wines and cream.
All that is needed is the knowledge of how to use herbs and spices. The
ingredients she uses are those everyday ones used by all of us. I asked around for reactions. All had
enjoyed themselves, and learned a good deal.
Quite an achievement!
Phyl O'Kelly - Cork Examiner, January
1974
Noreen
shows her audiences how to cook foods that sound and taste exotic, but are not
difficult to make. The dishes are economical, nutritious, colourful and simple
to prepare, often in one pan, where the sauce evolves during the cooking
process. She took fundamental cookery
courses when living in London, but acquired most of her knowledge firsthand
from travels and living in countries around the world. When living in India, Noreen
discovered the world of spices and herbs. In 'one-on-one' cooking lessons, she watched the cooks grind and mix spices, and
prepare meals for fifty people on tiny stoves.
She tells me that she can get all her ingredients locally in Ireland. Noreen's American-born husband Fred, is also
interested in cooking., and he specializes in both Chinese and French country
cooking. Noreen learned from him too.
Deirdre McCarry - Irish Independent, January 1974
Noreen started her culinary series in her own kitchen and these were an
instant success. She does not aim to
teach people how to cook, but plans to
enlarge existing repertoires. She says
it is easy to produce tasty exotic
dishes without the use of wines and cream.
All that is needed is a knowledge of using herbs and spices. Because of this, people are finding out how
delicious and simple ordinary dishes can be, and all thanks to Noreen
Irish Catering Review - February 1974
Go on a 'Culinary Tour' under the
expert guidance of Noreen, who has just completed another very successful
one. It proved very popular with her
audience, and many have returned to do this more sophisticated 'tour'. The Menu
was quite delightful. I persuaded
Noreen to let me publish her very delicious recipe Bradan na Blarnan - Blarney
Salmon, a new and rather special dish
for you to serve on St. Patrick's day.
It is a salmon mould coated in a super green frosting, made from avocado
pears. Decorated in the Irish colours -
green, white and gold, it really did look very effective. The general opinion
of the "samplers" after the demonstration was that this was a really delicious
dish, well worth trying for a special occasion. If this has whetted your appetite, Noreen has planned more
'Tours' in the near future, all of which sound rather exciting to me.
Ruth O'Mahony
- Evening Echo, March 1974
Noreen takes her audience on a
Culinary Tour, and starts her presentations with the history and traditions,
facts and legends behind the food.
Then, she demonstrates the various dishes, which are sampled by the
audience. Her dishes look exotic, but
take little time to prepare, with very easy-to-come-by Irish ingredients. Her
speciality dish is Bradan na Blarnan - Blarney Salmon, created recently as
Ireland's dish in the common market. It's a salmon dish that looks like a
frosted cake. In September, Noreen will
go on tour to Cruises in Limerick;
Actons in Kinsale; the Commodore
in Cobh, and to hotels in Waterford and Wexford. Macra na Feirme have also asked her to demonstrate her skills to
their members in the coming months.
Ruth Kelly - RTE Guide,
July 1974
I've always hated salads and found
them cold and uninteresting. To me they were always piles of lettuce, egg and
tomatoes cut up with some onion, and served with a dob of salad cream. So I was delightfully surprised as I watched
Noreen conduct a full house for her "Salads" Culinary Tour. She prepared a full meal of salads, starting
with a French style hors d'oeuvre, using sliced potatoes and
green beans as the focal point; followed by a cold curried chicken and rice
salad. For desert, she mixed a
delicious concoction of avocado pears, bananas, cream cheese, coconut and
whipped cream. Noreen told me why
it is her favourite ' Tour'. "I have a marvelous time using my
imagination." She agreed with me that Irish people know very
little about salads. Not surprising when you realize that until recently we did
not have green peppers or fennel, and are inclined to think that vegetables must always be cooked. "Not so" said Noreen, who prepared dishes
using sliced fresh mushrooms, spinach leaves, chopped raw turnips, which have a
nutty flavour; and mixed mandarin
oranges with sliced cucumber. I saw her
using lots of colour; combining sweet
and savoury items with herbs and spices, which she said play a very important
role in flavours.
Deirdre McCarry - Irish Independent,
July 1974
If you're not quite sure what a
culinary tour entails, it's time you found out. The idea of holding 'Culinary Tours' is that of Noreen. They are extremely interesting, and so far
have been a marvellous success. Noreen
takes her audience on a tour of good cuisine, starting with a little history,
facts and fables on the dishes she demonstrates. These are willingly sampled afterwards. Her 'tours' have been received with such enthusiasm so Noreen has
been persuaded to go 'on tour' herself. This autumn, she will be found in Limerick,
Kinsale, Cobh, Waterford and Wexford, as well as in Cork city. Noreen is from Cork originally. She is
married to an American, and has two daughters.
She is an excellent and natural cook, and has travelled round the world
learning about food. Finally, she
decided to put her wide knowledge of cookery to good use, and show Irish people
ideas on how to prepare and develop our own special cuisine.
Honor Moore - Woman's Way - September 1974
Noreen's dishes are really varied and quite delicious. This is an ideal opportunity to get some
really good ideas, unusual hints and recipes.
The audience at a recent culinary tour were all very complimentary about
her dishes, and the "tastings" afterwards. .
A gorgeous concoction of apples and caramel was the top favourite. It is my good fortune to be able to give you
the recipe. All ingredients were
local too. While Noreen took a break, her husband Fred prepared a fabulous
mussel dish amidst great hilarity. But
in spite of the fun and jokes, it was highly popular. Fred and Noreen gathered the mussels from Ringabella near Crosshaven, Co. Cork. A sideline from these Tours, is the
knowledge that one can gain from Noreen, who is a fund of information about the
origin of spices and herbs; where particular dishes originated, and their history. I really enjoyed this part of the
proceedings, and feel I learnt more than just how to make a new recipe.
Ruth O'Mahony - Evening Echo,
September 1974
It was a gourmet occasion spent with
Noreen, who aimed to introduce everyday cooking to Irish people. So, it was with pleasurable anticipation
that I trotted along to another 'Culinary Tour' held at the Imperial
Hotel. Noreen's 'Culinary Tours' have received national acclaim. Having sat-in on some of her 'Tours', I can
vouch for the tastiness of her dishes, as well as their simplicity in
preparation. I watched Noreen going with incredible speed from one dish to
another from her seemingly inexhaustible repertoire. A nice touch was the
sampling of dishes at the end, as well as coffee served halfway through the
proceedings. Both are a feature at all
Noreen's demonstrations. So is her easy
and relaxed way of involving the audience, and, at the same time, adding to
their store of knowledge, by sprinkling her talk with interesting facts about the food she is handling.. Her knowledge on cooking and eating is wide,
and even better, it is first-hand, from her world travels. Noreen's parents
hail from Cork, and she has been ' to-ing and fro-ing' between Cork and
practically everywhere else in the world all her life. She describes the background information on
herbs and spices, their origins and uses. The experience was enjoyable and
gastronomically satisfying. It proved
too much for my will power. If you are searching for fresh ideas to add zest to
Irish meal times, the' tours' are for you.
Phyl O'Kelly - Cork Examiner,
September 1974
Always
on the lookout for new ideas for our annual "Bake-in" Christmas Cookery
competition, where there are no losers
- for all entries are subsequently given to various charities; I was delighted
when Noreen, known for her successful cookery series, "Noreen's Culinary
Tours", suggested we have a section in the competition for decorative baskets
of fruit. While I realise it is not
strictly cooking, I think this section
will make a colourful and artistic addition to the competition. I hope
you will agree! So, even if baking
isn't your forte, you can enter the cookery competition with an artistic fruit
basket
Maureen Fox - Cork Examiner,
October 1974
Next week, Limerick will meet a lady
who has made a life of travel into an education in itself. And, a delicious education it is. Noreen
has travelled the globe, yet her tastes in food remain simple. Audiences at her earlier 'Culinary Tours'
were astounded by her meals prepared solely from inexpensive and readily
available ingredients, and Noreen
prides herself on being able to prepare the most exotic dishes without either
kitchen or sink. The Limerick Zonta Club
are sponsoring a preview at Cruises Hotel, in Aid of the Blind.
Limerick Weekly Echo - September 1974
Good cooking is the way to a man's
heart..so the smiling Mayor, Ald P Kennedy seems to say as he attended a
Culinary Tour given by Noreen at Cruises Hotel in Limerick.
Limerick Weekly Echo,
October 1974
(Front page headline with
photo)
Noreen is at present conducting a Culinary Tour at Cruises Hotel. It is proving so popular that she will run a
further tour soon. Over two hundred
people wanted to attend, but only half could be accommodated. It is one of the most popular culinary
events ever held in Limerick, and in
order to avoid disappointing those who could not attend, she is arranging a
further Tour.
Limerick Leader - October 12th 1974
The most popular cookery event ever
held in Limerick is surely that being conducted these present weeks at Cruises
Hotel by the international culinary expert Noreen. The response to Noreen's '
Tours' has been overwhelming. Two hundred people tried to attend her
'Culinary Tour', but only one hundred could be accommodated, so Noreen will run
a second 'tour' too. She has adopted an original style to produce interest and
knowledge on food, and her popular and entertaining evenings are run
informally. The most fabulous meals can
be made from the simplest ingredients if you have the know-how. Some of these
fantastic dishes can be cooked in five, ten or fifteen minutes. The surprise element comes when the
audience discovers that all ingredients used are those they are already
familiar with in their everyday lives.
Limerick Chronicle - October 1974
When I met Noreen, I discovered that Cuisine is her subject, but not
cooking as it is conventionally presented.
She titles her presentations "A Culinary Tour", and a variety of people
are getting the benefit of her experience, on how to cook appetizing,
nutritious and exciting meals on 'next to nothing' decimal wise. Every ingredient has a story to tell, and
she says the history of food is the history of mankind. The abundance of good
food in Ireland is terrific, but abroad, it has a very poor image. The
knowledge on how to cook our food is lacking. . Ireland is virgin territory to become a
gourmet's paradise," says Noreen.
Everyone attending the tours fills out a card, and the results show
98% favourable results. People are very enthusiastic about learning
new dishes.
Limerick Leader - October 30th 1974
Noreen's latest 'Culinary Tour' is a
journey through the mystical ages of food, and will feature the history and preparation of the dishes
demonstrated. Our recipes today come from Noreen, who runs very successful 'Tours'
throughout Ireland, and intends
to bring them to Dublin soon.
Ruth Kelly - RTE Guide,
October 1974
Today, we are devoting a complete page
to the culinary arts, and you will meet Noreen, a small lively redhead
and culinary gourmet. The basics of a simple sauce were even beyond
me until I was taken on a 'Culinary Tour' by Noreen, whose name is now synonymous with an exciting new
concept in the culinary arts. As well
as being a marvelous cook, she has inherited the 'gift of the gab' from her
Irish parents. Her fantastic knowledge
of food, acquired during her world travels, is combined with interesting chat,
and she succeeds in making her culinary tours a really entertaining experience.
By far the most popular and exciting 'Tours', which Noreen intends
to repeat next Spring, are her series on Salads and Chocolate Desserts.
She has recently been on a 'Culinary Tour' through the mystical ages
of food, in Cork, Kinsale, Limerick and Cobh.
The emphasis is on dinner party menus, and it's really an opportunity
to learn some truly native dishes that will whet your appetite. Noreen has adopted an original and unique style to promote interest
and knowledge in food, creating goodwill and understanding through this medium.
These popular and entertaining evenings are run informally, guaranteed
to show superb exotic dishes, that
can be prepared with minimum expense and effort.
The surprise element comes when the audience discovers that all ingredients
are those they are already familiar with in their everyday lives.
Micheline McCormack - Sunday World, November 1974
Noreen will shortly commence
her 'Culinary Tours' at White's Hotel in Wexford. It will be a unique and adventurous
experience in food presentation, and an opportunity to learn more about simple
dishes, which are cooked in a matter of minutes. Noreen sees food as a culture, and makes one aware that the facts
and fables, the arts and superstitions of plant life, in all its aspects, are
inextricably interwoven. "From the
very beginning in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and the apple.. And
thereby hangs a tale." This is Noreen's
approach to food, and her evenings are spent with this happy chat throughout
her demonstrations. She was interviewed
recently on the radio programme 'Roundabout' by Tom McSweeney, and has begun
writing a book. She believes that the
best way to learn about a country is
through its food, and through this medium, Noreen is able to bring her
audiences on her 'Culinary Tours'. It
was an unflattering remark heard overseas, that people in Ireland lived on a
diet of Irish potatoes, which made Noreen decide that she could prove Irish
ingredients and food were as good as the world's best. As a result, Noreen started her 'Tours', and has cultivated a unique
blend that is new and excitingly different.
The People - Wexford, November
8th 1974
Gourmet treats begin at Whites
Hotel, Wexford, on Monday, November 18th. . Just think of lots of colour and the lovely combination of
sweet and savoury ingredients mixed together, and meals that will warm you up
in this cold weather. The dishes shown
by Noreen at her 'Culinary Tours, make a pleasant change, and take the drudgery
out of cooking mundane day to day meals. Think of all the compliments!
The People - Wexford, November 15th 1974
Do not miss the opportunity to see an Expert Cook, who will appear at
Cashs - Cork next week.
Starting Tuesday, 18th
February - Noreen, of Noreen's 'Culinary Tours
fame, will demonstrate and cook economical meals with Le Creuset
cookware at 11.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m.
Pick up some useful tips, free
advice and a special offer of a free 'Mama' dish with your purchase of Le
Creuset cookware.
Taken from a Press Release published in the Cork Examiner, February
1975 , by Le Creuset, for their promotional event at Cashs in
Cork.
This is Noreen, (photo)
who recently gave a cookery demonstration in Dublin's Shelbourne hotel,
aimed at showing that gourmet dishes need not be beyond the average housewife's
budget. Noreen was born in India. Her mother hails from Cork, and her father
is a doctor, who studied at Trinity College, Dublin. Noreen's interest in cooking stems from extensive travelling
round the world, and her objective with the demonstrations, is to show people
interesting ways of using foods available, keeping in mind economy,
presentation and simplicity in preparation.
She is married to an American 'Freddie', who was the U.S. delegate to
the World Food Conference. They have
two daughters.
Honor Moore - Woman's Way,
April 1975
Noreen is well known to cookery
enthusiasts in the South. She gave a cookery demonstration some time ago in Dublin. The recipes featured here have been designed by Noreen, to make the best of
Ireland's natural foods. We think you
will find them interesting. (Ten
recipes are featured in a three page article)
Honor Moore - Woman's Way,
May 1975
Noreen, whose Culinary Tours are
already well known in Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford, is now presenting
them to Dublin audiences at the Shelbourne Hotel. She picks up local recipes, adapts them to her own personal style
of cooking, to show audiences interesting ways of using foods available,
keeping in mind, economy, presentation and simplicity in preparation.
Honor Moore - Woman's Way,
June 1975
There is a very real need in Ireland
to create an interest in Irish cooking, according to gourmet cook, Noreen, who is fed up with the lack of
imagination here. Ireland in her view
is virgin territory to become a gourmet's paradise, and we are not exploiting
this potential. Her very popular
Culinary Tours have inspired people all over Ireland to become more adventurous in their approach to cooking. To put Irish food well and truly on the map,
and inspire a more imaginative approach and greater interest in good food,
Noreen and others are establishing the Irish Gourmet Society in the new year.
Noreen says, " Lyon in France was once the capital of cuisine in the world,
with a total of twenty two 'three star' restaurants. Now it has been surpassed by Brussels in Belgium, which boasts
twenty three such restaurants. If that can happen in Belgium, it can also
happen in Ireland, although it would
take years; but we have to start somewhere.
Setting up a gourmet society to improve standards and inspire interest
in Irish food at its best is a start."
Good food is Noreen's business, and already she has demonstrated the
skills of preparing excellent meals to well over six thousand people across the
country.
Isabel
Conway - Cork Examiner, December 1975
Tonight, on our celebrity panel is
Jack Cruise, Lady Antonia Wardell, Tony Butler and Candy Devine. Our guest is Noreen, a Culinary Artiste, who
is creating great interest across the country in her attempts to create a new
Irish cuisine. Through her 'Culinary
Tours', she shows audiences what they can do with the wonderful food available
in Ireland, We have three people on our guest panel, all claiming to be
Noreen. It will be up to our celebrity
panel to direct several questions to these ladies, and guess which lady is the
real Noreen.
Mike Murphy on the RTE programme "To Tell the Truth" 1975
Super Cook Noreen's secret ingredient is a matter of having the
right attitude towards cooking.: Is it
possible to make culinary masterpieces from every day ingredients which do not
cause havoc to the housekeeping budget?
According to super cook Noreen, it is.
Noreen has demonstrated to over six thousand women and men all over the
country from parish halls to the Shelbourne Hotel. Like all top cooks, Noreen insists food only needs an extra whiff
of flavouring, garlic, herbs or spices, to lift the most mundane meal out of
the ordinary. Now, others will be able
to taste her delectable food through the Gourmet Diners Circle, to be run at
the headquarters of one of Cork's oldest and most important industries, Beamish
and Crawford. The dinners will be served to sixty diners, and the
emphasis will be on the best of all things Irish.
Jean Sheridan - Sunday Press,
February 1976
The Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress,
Cllr. A.A. "Gus" Healy, and the Lady
Mayoress, Mrs Rita Healy, have accepted an invitation to attend the
inaugural dinner of the Irish Gourmet Society, arranged by gourmet and
international cookery expert Noreen, to be held in The Vault room at Beamish
and Crawford in Cork. Noreen, who has
conducted many successful 'Culinary Tours' throughout Ireland, brings new ideas
to these events and occasions, to promote the best in Irish food. Sponsorships have poured in from many Irish
companies. Waterford Crystal, Irish Linen Mills (Belfast and UK), Carrigaline
Potteries, Irish Cutlery, and others including Le Creuset and Tupperware,
Sunbeam, and Gilbeys in Dublin.
Cork
Examiner - April 1976
Attending the Gourmet dinner presented by Noreen in the
Vault Room at Beamish and Crawford Ltd, to launch the Irish Gourmet Society
were the Lord Mayor of Cork, Mr. A. A. Healy, and Sponsors, Messrs. Richard
Beamish, Tom Corcoran of Waterford
Glass, and Dan O' Connell of Carrigaline Pottery.
(Caption under photograph) Evening Echo - May 1976
In 'Cooking Irish Style Today' Noreen brings good cooking into everyone's reach. Very colourful, economical and easily
followed recipes, without additional expense or extra work in the process. Noreen includes several traditional dishes
as well as many original ones incorporating characteristic Irish flavours.
Noreen writes a weekly section in a national newspaper, and also runs 'Culinary
Tours' throughout Ireland during the winter.
Here are some written comments received from those attending her
'Culinary Tours' .
·
'Enjoyed every minute and feel each dish
was one which I could cook for my family, and not keep for special occasions,
as none were too expensive, or time consuming, and yet are colourful and exotic
enough for a dinner party.'
·
'Very colourful, economical and easily
followed recipes.'
·
'Takes the ordinary everyday items that
people use, but does them in such a way that the result is a luxurious meal.'
Press Release issued by Mercier
Press on publication of Noreen's book in 1977
Noreen is best known for the
Culinary Tours she runs throughout Ireland, and their success is a tribute to
her very positive attitude towards Irish cookery. She deplores the common
impression that the meagre foods of the famine era still represent Irish
cooking today, and points out: "Rich in
food resources with excellent dairy and agricultural produce, top quality meat
and an abundance of fish around the coast, Ireland today is virgin territory to
become a gourmet's paradise." To help
bring this about, Ms. Kinney calls for a fresh look at cooking and suggests
that "La Nouvelle Cuisine" the revolutionary style now adopted by master chefs
right across the Continent, calling for the use of fresh ingredients,
simplicity of preparation and imaginative presentation, might be the
answer. She herself has tried to put
the theory into practice during the 'Culinary Tours'. Using ingredients available locally, she put together her own
cuisine with characteristic Irish flavours to suit the Irish taste. I agree with Ms. Kinney's comments about our
natural resources and what we ought to be doing with them. Results now appear in a book by Mercier
Press, 'Cooking Irish Style Today'. I
expect that the book will be popular with tourists, and will also gain the
place it deserves as a family cookbook on the home market.
Georgina Campbell - Irish Independent - July 1977
The cookbook that makes you feel
hungry is the one that gives the best results, and when Noreen gets cracking in
her own style, the taste buds start to drool.
Just read about Blarney Salmon.
For its' imagination in the field of desserts, the book deserves a
medal.
Tony Butler - Evening Herald - July 1977
It is refreshing to see a book on cookery
in Ireland that is simple, basic, practical and delicious which titillates the
gourmet palate. Noreen's "Cookery Irish
Style Today" recognises that there is a greater variety of foods available. Traditional meals are included, but an attempt is made to show
recipes for the more adventurous, which includes some galloping gourmet
delights like Blarney Salmon - Bradan na Blarnan. It is such a pleasure to read, and will add a touch of spice to
the Irish table, that has always been considered to be dull and conservative.
Micheline McCormack - Sunday World,
August 1977
There are some delightful
recipes in 'Cooking Irish Style Today', by Noreen Kinney, (Mercier
Press) and none are above the
capability of the average housewife.
Fish, meats, salads, poultry, soups and sweets are shown to have
mouth watering possibilities. Traditional Irish dishes are described, and
so too are many originals. You will
find that a gourmet meal can be prepared, cooked and presented at a really
minimum cost.
Phyl O'Kelly - Cork Examiner,
July 1977
Spend a Weekend of
Leisure for Your Pleasure at Actons Hotel, Kinsale, Co. Cork.From Friday 5th
to Sunday 7th November. Our guests who will entertain you are: Desi Banks-RTE 'Floral
Arrangements'; Noreen 'The New Cuisine'; Ena Russell 'Fashion and Grooming';
Clare Rogan 'Fitness'; Chef Roden-Actons 'Cooking demonstration' (with commentary by Noreen); and Gilbeys of Ireland 'Wine tastings and Apéritifs'
This Announcement from Actons Hotel,
Kinsale, appeared in the Cork Examiner September 1976
The following item is taken from a Profile on Noreen's husband
Frederick Kinney, by Deirdre McCarry: Freddie Kinney, an American, is a high-powered, world traveled businessman and food
consultant, who decided to settle in a
small corner of Ireland, in a bungalow over-looking the Atlantic ocean near
Crosshaven, Co. Cork. He flies
regularly to China, Russia and all over the European Continent. Currently, he is doing a commissioned survey
into the world protein shortage problem.
His findings when published could be of immense value to the eventual
survival of humanity. He is a big
man. He likes to talk a lot; is very
interested in people and has endless patience. However, he came to like Crosshaven very much. "In my ten years of marriage, every time my
wife Noreen came home with our two daughters, now aged eight and six years,
they would stay a few weeks, where as I was lucky if I had a weekend." So, he decided to settle in his wife's
country. "It's so peaceful here, and
the best country in the world to rear our children.
Irish Independent, May 1974
The following item is taken from a Profile on Noreen's husband
Frederick Kinney, by Isabel Conway: Noreen, whose 'Culinary
Tours' and demonstrations have received national acclaim, is married to an
American, Frederick Kinney. Her husband
is a consultant on proteins and international food shortages. He was a US delegate at the United Nations
World Food Conference in Rome last November.
Noreen credits him with teaching her a great deal about the make-up
of food components, and the basics of
various traditional international foods. From their modest bungalow commanding a breathtaking view
of the scenic Co. Cork coastline, not far from Crosshaven, Fred
is currently working on a study commissioned by Dun and Bradstreet. It
will define for the first time the world markets, risks, investment
opportunities and probable future growth of industrial proteins. His work takes him around the world, and
he commutes regularly to the States and other parts of the world.
Cork Examiner, January 1975
Excerpts from some correspondence received by Noreen during 1974, 1975
& 1976:
It is nice to see someone who knows exactly
what they want to achieve and embarks upon it so painstakingly. I am sure that the first Gourmet Dinner will
be an enormous success.
Excerpt
from letter to Noreen from M. Elson, Director - Irish Linen Guild London, April
1976 (Sponsor)
Rita joins me in thanking you for
the splendid hospitality you showed to us last Friday. It is hardly necessary to say how much we
enjoyed ourselves and the excellent menu was indeed a credit to you. With Every good wish. Gus Healy.
Excerpt from
letter from Gus Healy, Lord Mayor of Cork, Guest at The Gala Dinner and Launch
of the Irish Gourmet Society, May 1976
A big thank you for your assistance,
and the wonderful work you did organizing the launch of the Irish Gourmet
Society. Everyone is delighted with its
success. We appreciate all the effort
you made, and were delighted at the outcome of your work to find major
sponsorships. Without them, it would
have been difficult for us to get off the ground. On behalf of the society members, again very many thanks, and
every good wish for the future.
John
Lott - President - Irish Gourmet
Society, June 1976
On behalf of all of us at Beamish
and Crawford, I send you and your family every best wish for a happy, joyful
and peaceful holiday. We value and thank
you for your friendship and the excellent goodwill that exists between us. May the New Year bless you with good health,
prosperity and continued success.
J.A. Gauntley
- Managing Director, December 1976
We have had all the reactions this
morning from Staff, Parents and Committee, and everyone was delighted with you
and enjoyed the evening. It was an
excellent start to our venture, most important! One of the things they said was that you took the ordinary
everyday items that they would use, but did them up in such a way that it
became a luxurious meal. Other
impressions were more personal - You had such a pleasant manner and lovely
voice. Again very many thanks for all
the trouble you took for our fundraising event.
Anne Maxwell
- Superintendent at the Cork Spastic Clinic,
October 1975
I do hope you will be able to drag
yourself away from that 'gold mine' in your kitchen, and attend our next
meeting of the Institution of Chemical Engineers.
Excerpt from Beamish & Crawford's letter to Noreen's husband Fred -
December 1975
I will do my utmost to be at your
launch of the new Irish Cuisine on March 4th at the Shelbourne
Hotel, and hope nothing stands in the way.
Theodora FitzGibbon, February 1975
Without fail, we will be along in force
to have a look at your programme's potential for television and savor some of
your excellent cuisine. Look forward to seeing you again.
Dick Hill - RTE TV Ireland
On the very day when we met, our
Programme Controller finalized his programme schedule for next year. Sad to
relate, when it was subsequently published, he had taken the decision not to
include any home-originated cookery programmes. With a single channel, there has to be a clear list of priorities
established because broadcasting time is limited. Consequently, we have to adopt a cyclic pattern to include
several subjects of domestic interest.
I can assure you that when the question of cookery programmes comes into
consideration again, you will not be forgotten. Wishing you every success in
your culinary work.
Dick Hill - RTE TV (Radio Telefis Eireann)
I think your idea to develop a new
Irish Cuisine is an excellent one, and greatly needed. I am sure that Paul Bocuse will be most
interested to hear what you are doing to improve Irish food. However, I think
you should know that in France, the culinary field and kitchens are still
dominated by men, but do not let that deter you in making contact with Monsieur
Bocuse.
Seth Goldslager, - Newsweek European Correspondent, Paris 1974
Your work and your own principles in
cooking are good. Your idea to manage
Culinary Tours seems very pleasant and interesting. We wish you a big success for this, and think that Paul Bocuse
will be very happy to speak to you about your project. Again, wishing you success.
Letter to Noreen from Jean & Pierre Troisgros - France 1974
Thank you for your letter. I look
forward to seeing you at Collonges, and send you my best wishes with your
culinary work.
Paul Bocuse - France 1974
Noreen, whom you last met when we
had tea at your flat in Paris, has become a "Cooking Authority and Personality"
in Ireland. In the last couple of
years, there have been over 40 articles written about her in all parts of the
Irish Press, and she has appeared on radio and television. She runs 'Culinary Tours' in most main towns
and cities in Ireland, and started them in Dublin at the Shelbourne last
Spring. Noreen has a particular style
that concentrates on making exotic foods from relatively common ingredients,
that are quick and easy to prepare, and can be easily duplicated by Madame La Cuisiniere, who as you know these
days, means everyone. She has recently
taken to doing promotional work too, and has already done it with Le Creuset,
Sunbeam, Waterford Glass, Gilbeys and others.
However, the most interesting promotions have been with the wine
trade. Obviously there is a great logic
in this. In Cork, Noreen did a
promotion with Gilbeys in February at the Imperial Hotel, which was reasonably
successful. She then tried one with
Woodford Bourne, and it was especially successful. They reported very big increases in their sales of Pasqua and
Valpollicella, as well as the Spumante which was featured. Having been encouraged, Noreen planned to
repeat this in Dublin at a Culinary Tour at the Royal Marine Hotel in Dun
Laoghaire. She spoke again with Gilbeys
and they agreed to do the wine tastings at the event. Last February, they had graciously invited her to lunch in their
Directors dining room. I accompanied
her. Present were David Dand, the
Managing Director, and Keith
McCarthy-Morrogh, the Marketing Director.
Noreen spoke to them about the use of wines and liqueurs in cooking. They were very involved and focused on
marketing their new product Baileys Irish Cream, and were only mildly
interested in using the item in the cooking process. We sampled the liqueur at
the end of the meal, and Noreen said she could create a dessert using the
product. She included the "Jewel Box" into her repertoire at a special 'Culinary
Tour' demonstration, held for the Press
and RTE TV representatives. The dessert
is presented as a jewel box, made from a French style sponge and filled with
fresh fruits and Baileys Irish Cream.
The decoration is piped fresh cream in diamond shapes, filled in with
colour jams. It is very colourful. The event took place at the Shelbourne Hotel
on March 4th of this year.
The evening was a great success, despite the fact that the piping cream
bag split at the seams, when she was decorating the dessert. Even Theodora Fitzgibbon, seated in the
front row (the doyen of culinary journalists in Ireland) encouraged her not to
worry about completing the work. But
Noreen smiled, held the bag together with her hands, and did it to a thunderous
clap. "I admire your cool under such a
nerve racking situation", Dick Hill, Head of RTE Programmes told her
afterwards, and Tom McSweeney rushed to do another radio interview with her,
while everyone sampled the displayed foods.
It was a very successful evening
The event got great publicity in the media. Dick Hill, who had
already met with Noreen about a TV cookery programme, which was put on hold as there is only one TV channel here, told her that she was still in mind when it came to doing another
cookery series. They have to do a cycle of different programmes to suit all
viewers. Unfortunately, Gilbeys did not
see the potential of what she had done for their product, within the realms of
the culinary field, as their interests are entirely focused on marketing and
sales of their new 'drink' product; but
they did become a Sponsor for the 'Tours'.
They also agreed to be a Sponsor for the 'Irish Gourmet Society', which started recently. The Irish Gourmet Society will officially
launch the 'New Irish Cuisine' at an Inaugural
Gourmet Dinner in May next year.
It has received considerable sponsorship from companies in Ireland and
England. These include Waterford
Crystal, Irish Linen Mills, Beamish & Crawford, Le Creuset, Sunbeam,
Tupperware and many others. Noreen is
not only a "Grand Chef", but a very good performer. She is very charming and most experienced in the Culinary
Arts. When she did a special event for
Le Creuset last February at Cashs in Cork, the distributors had the largest
month in their history here in Ireland.
The above
excerpt was taken from a personal letter written in November 1975 to Gerald de
Geoffre de Chabrignac head of the House of Hennessy in France, from Frederick
Kinney, who was a friend of the family for many years.
Additional letters about Noreen's work, or written to Noreen by
numerous people who attended the Culinary Tours, are on file in Noreen's
Culinary Library.
© 2003-2008 Noreen Kinney