Niamh

@vive-la-niamh

Food writer. Cooking dishes from around the world.

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Niamh@vive-la-niamh· 5d

Remember the bacon craze off the 2010s? It was gimmicks week on #52weeksofcooking, so I relived those days with bacon everything. I particularly enjoyed my maple bacon mini cheesecake and SoCo Sow-er with bacon salt rim. Epic. 🍽️🍜 #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/everything...

Photo of a spread of bacon related dishes on a wooden table, including bacon-wrapped pickles with bacon mayo, bacon jammy dodgers, a bacon maple cheesecake and a glass of bacon fat washed southern comfort sour cocktail.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· 15d

Cantonese week on #52weeksofcooking, so I made a trio of dishes: chicken and sweetcorn soup, Chinese sausage rice, and ginger milk curd. Three very different dishes, but all very tasty! 🍜🍽️ #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/chicken-an...

Photo of three dishes on a wooden table. There's a bowl of chicken and sweetcorn soup, a shallow bowl with Chinese sausage rice and a glass with ginger milk curd, topped with honey-drizzled raspberries.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· 23d

#52weeksofcooking invited us to a science fair this week, so I ran an experiment where I cooked AI-generated pasta dishes. It did not go well! Pasta la Vista, Baby: Putting AI Recipes to the Test, featuring the worst thing I've ever eaten. 🍽️🍜 #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/pasta-la-v...

Grid of four pasta dishes. Each is presented in the same plate and on a wooden board.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jul 16

For the offal theme of this week's #52weeksofcooking I made chicken liver paté and red onion jam, with sourdough toast and rocket. Absolutely delicious! 🍜🍽️ #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/chicken-li...

A wooden serving board holds a small grey ramekin of smooth chicken liver pâté, a generous spoonful of glossy red onion jam, several slices of toasted sourdough stacked neatly, one slice spread with pâté and topped with jam, and a small pile of fresh rocket leaves adding a bright green contrast.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jul 3

Breakfast - a sweet potato bowl at The Butterfly Effect, Chiang Mai 🍜

A wooden plate filled with a colourful sweet‑potato bowl: cubes of orange sweet potato and purple potato, sliced boiled eggs, mixed greens, avocado, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and pickled red onions, all topped with black sesame seeds. Beside it sits a second wooden plate holding two slices of sourdough bread.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jul 1

Mango sticky rice smoothie at Ranchuan Café, Chiang Mai.

A clear plastic cup from Ranchuan Café holds a bright mango smoothie topped with a scoop of yellow ice cream, a swirl of whipped cream, a mound of purple sticky rice, and small edible flowers. The cup sits on a light table beside a glass vase filled with pink and white blossoms, with the softly lit café interior blurred in the background.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 27

Dinner at Punn Yoh, Chiang Mai: Sai Ua Spaghetti with Pesto 🍜

A white plate of sai ua spaghetti sits on a wooden table, the noodles coated in a glossy green pesto. Slices of Northern Thai sausage are scattered throughout, along with halved cherry tomatoes, wilted greens, and visible pieces of garlic. The dish is topped with grated cheese, cracked black pepper, and a small sprig of basil, creating a colourful, rustic presentation.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 25

Dinner: Green curry at Punn Toh, Chiang Mai 🍜

Photo of a bowl of green curry and a serving of rice.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 24

Lunch : Khao Soi at Niyom, Chiang Mai 🍜

Photo of a bowl of Khao Soi. Crispy noodles on a creamy noodle soup.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 18

It's challenging to do a gardening theme for #52weeksofcooking when you don't have a garden and can barely keep a cactus alive. But I found my inspiration in Bavarian beer garden food: brezeln, obatzda, wurstsalat and radi. Das ist ja toll! niamhhallam.substack.com/p/biergarten... 🍜🍽️ #foodsky

A wooden table set with a Bavarian-style spread: two large glossy pretzels on a plate, a bowl of orange‑tinted Obatzda topped with thin slices of red onion, a plate of neatly spiralled salted white radish, and a bowl of Wurstsalat made from sliced sausage and pickles. Beside the food are two German beer bottles—Franziskaner Weissbier and Erdinger Dunkel—and a glass filled with pale amber beer.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 14

For the Tarot theme of #52weeksofcooking this week, I made a Dead Velvet Cake based on the death card. My second cake ever! I think it went pretty well. Red(ish) velvet cake, blueberry compote, dark chocolate ganache and a white chocolate skull. 🍽️🍜 #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/dead-velve...

Photo of a cake, tall and thin on a cutting board. It's covered in very dark chocolate ganache, fresh blackberries and a white chocolate skull decoration

Photo of a cake from above on a cutting board. It's covered in very dark chocolate ganache, fresh blackberries and a white chocolate skull decoration

Photo of a slice of cake. There are four layers separated by thin lines of blueberry compote. There's a fragment of white chocolate skull and three blackberries on the plate.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 9

Tonight's dinner 🍜🍽️: Breakfast burrito, an American classic. Spicy sausage (I used chorizo), scrambled eggs and avocado salsa, all wrapped in a wheat flour tortilla. A deeply satisfying dinner. This would be absurd for breakfast though! Recipe from: www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/brea... #foodsky

A toasted burrito cut in half sits on a plate with a colourful geometric rim. The upright half shows a filling of scrambled egg, chorizo and salsa, with the tortilla lightly browned. The plate rests on a wooden table.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 6

Tonight's dinner 🍽️🍜: Asado de bodas con arroz rojo. A rich pork stew from Zacatecas, Mexico, served with Mexican red rice. The depth of flavour here is incredible. Absolutely beautiful food. Recipe from: www.maricruzavalos.com/asado-de-bod... and www.recipetineats.com/mexican-red-... #foodsky

A green‑rimmed plate with a geometric floral pattern holds two contrasting dishes. On the left is a dark, glossy portion of Asado de bodas—tender chunks of meat coated in a thick, brick‑brown chile sauce with a slight sheen, finished with a scattering of chopped herbs. On the right sits a mound of arroz rojo, its grains loose and bright orange, also topped with fresh herbs. The colours—deep brown against vivid orange—stand out sharply against the patterned plate and wooden table beneath.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 4

Coffee is such a great theme for #52weeksofcooking. Lots of great dessert options, so of course I made a salad. Coffee/soy cured egg yolk, coffee glazed tofu, coffee/orange vinaigrette, and lots more! Genuinely delicious and super fun to make! 🍜🍽️ #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/salad-with...

A red ceramic plate holds a carefully arranged composed salad. There are glossy slices of deep‑purple beetroot, thin shavings of pale fennel, and small cubes of coffee‑lacquered tofu. A soft, amber‑coloured cured egg yolk sits near the centre. Scattered elements include caramelised walnuts, sesame seeds, and orange‑marinated button mushrooms. Everything is arranged with fine‑dining precision, with contrasting colours and textures creating a balanced, modern presentation.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Jun 3

Tonight's dinner 🍽️🍜: Toad in the Hole, a British classic of sausages baked in batter, with peas and homemade onion gravy. The kind of comfort food I grew up with, although the onion gravy is an upgrade from the Bisto of my past. Recipe from: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle... #foodsky

A brightly patterned plate holds a serving of toad in the hole topped with a glossy, dark onion‑rich gravy. The Yorkshire pudding batter is golden and slightly crisp at the edges, with sausages visible beneath the sauce. A portion of vibrant green peas sits alongside, contrasting with the deep brown gravy.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 29

Today's lunch 🍜🍽️: Tinorangsak, a spicy Indonesian pork dish. Traditionally cooked in a bamboo tube, mine was made on the stove. Served with rice, this was spicy and incredibly flavourful. Recipe from: www.redshallotkitchen.com/2012/06/indo... #foodsky

A shallow, green‑rimmed plate sits on a wooden surface, holding a serving of fluffy white rice on the left and a generous portion of Tinorangsak on the right. The Tinorangsak is a thick, oily, red‑gold stew with visible chunks of meat, softened tomato, and specks of chilli and spices clinging to the sauce. The colours contrast sharply—bright white rice against the fiery, glossy curry.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 29

I cheated a bit at the "15 minutes or less" theme on #52weeksofcooking this week. I made everything in this instant noodle cup, including the alkaline wheat noodles. But hey, it's ready 5 minutes after adding hot water! niamhhallam.substack.com/p/instant-no... 🍽️🍜 #foodsky

Photo of a small jar filled with noodle cup components including ribbons of noodles, stir fried mushrooms, spring onion and small tofu cubes

A top down view of the prepared noodles in a jar.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 28

🍜🍽️ Recent meals I forgot to post: spaghetti al'assassina and tepsi baytinijian. Both delicious! One a slightly charred pasta from Italy, the other a layered stew of aubergine, potatoes and meatballs from Iraq. ricette.giallozafferano.it/Spaghetti-al... www.kitchenfrau.com/tepsi-baytin... #foodsky

Photo of a shallow bowl of spaghetti al'assassina, slightly charred spaghetti in a tomato and chilli sauce

Photo of a bowl of tepsi baytinijian, a mix of roasted aubergine, tomatoes, potatoes and meatballs. It's garnished with some chopped parsley.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 21

For #52weeksofcooking this week I made Tyger Tyger Focaccia, celebrating the theme of symmetry: Tyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry? niamhhallam.substack.com/p/tyger-tyge... 🍜🍽️ #foodsky

Photo of a baking tin with a rectangular focaccia bread. A tiger face has been depicted using roasted red peppers, black olives, cherry tomatoes and white onion. It's quite expressive!

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 18

Yesterday's dinner 🍽️🍜: Sulu köfte, a Turkish stew with meatballs and potatoes. Quick and easy to make and very flavourful. Really filling, too, with the potatoes. Recipe from www.nefisyemektarifleri.com/patatesli-su... #foodsky

A bowl of sulu köfte sits on a wooden surface, the broth a warm reddish-orange with visible flecks of spice. Small meatballs and chunks of potato are scattered throughout, and a handful of chopped fresh herbs rests on top, adding a bright green contrast to the rich, hearty soup.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 15

Tonight's dinner 🍜🍽️: Slippery dumplings, a chicken stew with noodle-like dumplings from the American state of Delaware. This is really nice and comforting, basically a variation on chicken noodle soup. Easy to make and super wholesome. Recipe from: stateofdinner.com/slippery-dum...

A bowl of chicken and slippery dumplings sits on a wooden surface. Wide, flat dumpling strips float in a golden broth alongside chunks of chicken and diced carrots. The soup looks thick, glossy, and comforting, with the dumplings slightly curled at the edges.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 14

This week's #52weeksofcooking theme was jams and jellies. Taking advantage of transatlantic confusion of the word jelly, I made Bloody Mary cocktail cubes: Vodka-spiked tomato aspic, celery gelée, garnish. Deeply cursed, yet surprisingly good. niamhhallam.substack.com/p/wobbly-mar... 🍜🍜 #foodsky

Photo of three Bloody Mary cocktail cubes made of a layer of tomato aspic and another of celery gelée. They're topped with a garnish of a cornichon and a pimiento-stuffed olive.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 14

Yesterday's dinner 🍽️🍜: Pasta primavera, an Italian-American pasta dish with a cream sauce and plenty of spring vegetables. This is just delightful! It's easy to make and full of flavour. It really does feel like spring in a bowl. Recipe from: www.recipetineats.com/pasta-primav... #foodsky

A white bowl holds linguine coated in a light creamy sauce and mixed with bright spring vegetables — thin slices of zucchini, broccoli florets, snap peas, green beans, peas, and cherry tomatoes. The colours are vivid against the pale pasta, and the bowl rests on a wooden table with a visible grain.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 7

For #52weeksogcooking this week, I made an entremet. A complicated little French dessert covered in a shiny mirror glaze. The theme was tricolor, so my colours were pink, blue and white. So proud of this one. It's so pretty! 🍜🍽️ #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/entremet-t...

An entremet covered in a marbled pink, white and blue mirror glaze.

The entremet cut in half, showing layers of financier sponge, almond praliné feuilletine, and chocolate cremeux, with coffee mousse.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· May 6

Tonight's dinner 🍽️🍜: Paparele e figadini in brodo. Chicken liver with pasta ribbons in broth, from the north of Italy. Chicken livers are really one of the easiest kinds of offal to like. This was delicious. Recipe from: web.archive.org/web/20191102... #foodsky

A shallow black‑and‑white patterned bowl holds wide ribbons of paparele pasta in a light broth, topped with tender chicken liver, a snowfall of grated cheese, and a scattering of chopped parsley. The dish sits on a wooden surface, warm and rustic against the graphic plate.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Apr 30

For #52weeksofcooking this week, the theme was bucket list destination. What better medium than buckets of popcorn? Taj Mahal inspired Mughlai spices, Mexican elotes flavour and full on Parisian Patisserie. I had a lot of fun making these! 🍜🍽️ #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/bucket-lis...

Photo of three red cups of popcorn. One is topped with sour cream and lime zest. Another with flaked almonds, and a third with a cube of genoise sponge, meringue kiss and chocolate popcorn pieces.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Apr 26

Tonight's dinner 🍽️🍜: Meatloaf with mashed potato and broccoli. I used J. Kenji López-Alt's Classic Meatloaf recipe, which is quite complicated but does make something incredibly good to eat and packed with umami flavor. #foodsky Recipe: www.seriouseats.com/the-food-lab...

A blue plate holds two slices of meatloaf topped with a glossy brown sauce, a scoop of mashed potatoes, and a portion of bright green steamed broccoli. The plate sits on a wooden table, the colours warm and homey against the neutral background.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Apr 25

Tonight's dinner 🍜🍽️: Khaladnik, a cold beetroot soup from Belarus with cucumber, spring onion, dill and kefir, served with potatoes, a.boiled egg and a dollop of sour cream. I'm in love with the colour of this. Lovely, light and refreshing. Recipe from: belarus4you.wordpress.com/2010/07/10/k...

A blue plate holds a serving of boiled potatoes on the left and, on the right, a small bowl of bright pink cold beet soup topped with chopped dill, diced cucumber and beet, a dollop of sour cream, and two halves of a hard‑boiled egg. The plate sits on a wooden surface, the colours vivid against the neutral background.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Apr 23

For the Alpine theme of #52weeksofcooking, I made ravioles de Dauphiné - little ravioli filled with cheese and served with lemon butter and parsley oil. Also, tarte aux myrtilles - blueberry tart. Both really tasty, if not quick and easy! 🍽️🍜 #foodsky niamhhallam.substack.com/p/ravioles-d...

Photo of a bowl with a sheet of ravioles de Dauphiné. This is a grid of pasta with nine filled squares. It's served with lemon butter and parsley herb oil, with the green of the herb oil helping to highlight the 3d shape of the pasta.

Photo of a plate with a slice of Tarte aux Myrtilles - French blueberry tart. A thin crust holds a filling of a set custard and lots of blueberries. It's sprinkled with icing sugar and has a slightly messy quenelle of creme fraiche on top.

Niamh@vive-la-niamh· Apr 21

Tonight's dinner 🍜🍽️: kimchi-jigae, a Korean stew with fermented cabbage, pork and tofu. I love this. It's spicy, complex and full of flavour. It's really quick to make, too. Now that I have access to good kimchi, I might make this more often! #foodsky