travel health tips

OK, you're vaccinated, you're careful about what to eat and drink and you are doing your best to prevent insect bites. What else should you look out for?
Road traffic accidents
These are the leading cause of death in young overseas travellers, particularly when riding mopeds. Travellers should exercise particular caution when cycling or riding mopeds (always wear helmets), with safety conditions (eg seat belts) in cars, buses, trucks etc. Road accidents are 40 times more likely to happen in developing countries.
Swimming
Accidents associated with swimming are more likely to happen through swimming just after a meal; having drunk alcohol; going too far off shore; or swimming at night. In some developing countries you should have a blood test three months after swimming to check for a fresh water parasite Schistosomiasis.
Long haul flights
The risk of blood clots on long-haul flights is very small and can be minimised by moving around the aircraft cabin every one to two hours; tensing the muscles of your legs to encourage blood flow and drinking lots of non-gassy water. Taking aspirin or using flight stockings are of questionable benefit.
Sunburn
Bring total sunblock or a very high protection sunscreen. Creams with this level of protection can be difficult to find abroad. Most sunburn occurs between 10 am and 3pm and the risk is particularly high if you are out on the water, where the breeze and the rays off the water can burn you before you realise it.
Rabies
This disease is absent from Ireland, the UK, New Zealand, Australia and a few other countries. Rabies is a viral infection that circulates among warm-blooded animals. Humans get infected if the saliva of the infected animal breaks the skin barrier, after a bite or if an animal licks a cut on your skin. In countries where rabies is prevalent, be very cautious near animals. The correct kind of preventative treatment initiated within two days of exposure, or four days if vaccinated against rabies, will remove the risk of rabies developing.
If you think you have been exposed to rabies, seek medical attention at a modern clinic within two days and send an email to your travel health clinic, as they will be able to provide an opinion on whether follow-up rabies prevention treatment is warranted and what treatment you need.
The rabies vaccine given to people before travel provides only partial protection but, if exposed to the rabies virus, gives you more time to seek medical help and will make your follow-up treatment less complicated.
Altitude
At altitudes above 10,000 feet you may notice effects such as tiredness, shortness of breath, headache, nausea etc. Ask your travel health centre for detailed advice on this.

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Potato Fritters

Subrich di Patate ~ This is a recipe for potato croquettes, Italian style, that can be used on an antipasto platter, or as a tasty side dish with the main course. This is a great recipe for leftover potatoes, but it is so delicious you won’t mind cooking potatoes specifically to make these fritters. I serve this potato dish with everything from sausages to roasted chicken.
Buon Appetito!

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Roasted Potatoes, Zucchini, Onions & Pancetta

I am always looking for new, unique vegetable side dishes to go with roasted or grilled meats. When meat is on my menu, I often include oven roasted potatoes of some sort, then add another side such as sautéed leafy greens. When you stick to the same things time and time again, although delicious, it can get a tad boring. This easy vegetable side includes potatoes, zucchini, onions, garlic, and pancetta which are seasoned with fresh thyme and parsley. I love oven roasting vegetables because there is so little effort required once they are prepped and popped into the oven. An occasional toss and check, and you let the oven do the work. The only hitch in this recipe is that potatoes take much longer to cook than zucchini, but all you need to do is add the zucchini during the last 15 minutes or so.
For best results, use a waxy potato that will hold its shape and not break apart in the oven. I used a red Colfiorito potato found here in Umbria that is extremely hard for the dish in these photographs, so my cooking time was longer than usual. I usually use Yukon Gold potatoes however and find the cooking time will be shorter. Your cooking time may vary depending on your choice of potato, so just check the potatoes for doneness after 30 minutes. For recipes such as this that use pancetta, I prefer buying a slab of pancetta and cutting it into dice. If pancetta is difficult for you to find locally, you could substitute bacon.

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Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this simple cupcake

Simple, sweet, delicious and fun to make the kids. Roll your sleeves up and have some fun with this .

Ingredients

*1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
*1 (4 serving) pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
*3/4 c. miniature semi-sweet chocolate pieces
*2/3 c. sugar
*2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
*1/2 tsp. salt
*2 beaten eggs
*1 1/4 c. milk
*1/2 c. cooking oil
*1 tsp. vanilla
*1/2 of 16 oz. can cream cheese frosting (1 c.)
green colored sugar
*1/2 c. candy-coated milk chocolate pieces
 

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, pudding mix, chocolate pieces, sugar, baking powder and salt.

In a small bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture just until combined. Fill greased or paper bake cup lined muffin cups 2/3 full.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Frost with cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with green sugar, then milk chocolate pieces.

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Pork chops with Guinness and onion gravy

Pork Chops with Guinness and Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

8 1 inch thick pork blade chops or sirloin chops
salt and freshly ground pepper
All purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large onions, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup (about) Guinness
1 cup (about) chicken stock
1 tablespoon (or more) coarse-grained mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons (or more) balsamic vinegar

Method:

Season pork with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, shake off excess.
Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large deep skillet over medium-high heat.
Add pork in batches and brown well, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer pork to plate. Set aside.
Dredge onions in flour; shake off excess. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Season with salt. Cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring once.
Uncover and cook 4 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 cup stout and 3/4 cup stock and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Return pork to skillet.
Spoon some of onions over pork. Add enough additional stout and stock to bring liquid halfway up sides of pork. Cover skillet with foil, then lid. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Turn pork over and cook until very tender, about 25 more minutes. Transfer pork and onions to platter using slotted spoon. Degrease pan juices. Boil juices until thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon mustard. Add chopped parsley and 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. Taste, adding more mustard or vinegar if desired. Pour gravy over pork.
Garnish with parsley and serve.

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Chef Gilligan's country potato and cabbage soup

After a hectic Christmas and New Year where I think the whole of New York was at the W South Beach, the Gilligans are in Disney for a few days of R&R. The thing is it is as cold as a witch’s tit here, 24 degrees isn’t Florida weather at all-this most certainly wasn’t in the brochure, but hey, what are you going to do? You guys up there have it far worse than me; at least it isn’t snowing (yet!)

Well to warm us all up, I found this recipe at the hotel, the Chef was nice enough to give me the recipe on the condition that I don’t tell anyone else. So I am passing it on to hundreds of strangers sitting in bars all across New York City. So I’m a liar.

Country Potato and Cabbage Soup

From the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort

Ingredients:

3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 Ounces Thick-Cut Bacon (diced)
1 Large Onion (thinly sliced)
½ Cup Dry White Wine
6 Parsley Sprigs
6 Thyme Sprigs
1 Bay Leaf
1 Pound Small Red Potatoes (thinly sliced)
1 Large Leek (thinly sliced, rinsed well)
6 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Pound Green Cabbage (finely shredded, 4 cups)
2 Stalks Celery {chopped}
2 carrots {peeled and chopped}
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
2 Tablespoons Snipped Chives
Three 1/2 inch Thick Slices of Country Bread (cut into cubes)
2 Garlic Cloves (lightly smashed)
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley

Method:
In a soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the bacon and cook over moderately high heat until crisp, 5 minutes. Add the onion. Celery, carrots and leek. Cook over low heat until softened, 10 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until nearly evaporated, 5 minutes.
Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs and bay leaf with strings. Add to the pot along with the potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil. Simmer until the potatoes are tender, 10 minutes. Add the cabbage. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Discard the herb bundle. Stir in the chives.
Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the bread and garlic. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until the croutons are golden brown, 6 minutes. Discard the garlic. Season with salt and sprinkle with the parsley.

Presentation:
Ladle the soup into deep bowls. Sprinkle with the croutons and serve.

AND FINALLY …

What do Disney World & Viagra have in common?

They both make you wait an hour for a two-minute ride.

Chef Gilligan's country potato and cabbage soup

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Glazed leg of ham with Guinness and cardamom

Ingredients:

1 x 7.5kg Leg cooked Ham
2 cups Guinness
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cardamom

Method:
Peel skin off ham, leaving portion around bone. Place ham fat side up (on a rack if you have one). Pour 1 3/4 cups of stout over the ham. Bake in a moderately slow oven 160c about 2 hours, basting occasionally with stout and drippings.

Remove ham and baste with drippings. Score fat diagonally to form a diamond pattern. Mix sugar, mustard, ginger and cardamom with enough stout to moisten. Spread over ham. Increase oven temperature to hot (200c) and bake a further 35-45 minutes. Serve warm.

Serving suggestion:
Serve the ham with spiced fruits:

Drain large cans of peaches, apricots and pear halves - reserving the syrup for later. Put 10 whole cloves, 1 stick cinnamon, 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 oranges sliced, in a saucepan with 1 cup of the fruit syrup. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes. Cool and chill.

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The best Irish coffee ever!

75ml/3fl oz double cream, well chilled

2 tbsps light muscovado sugar

2 tbsps whiskey

2 tbsps Baileys

2 tbsps Kahúla (coffee liqueur)

300ml/11fl oz freshly brewed piping-hot espresso coffee

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, to decorate

I've perfected this recipe over time and believe it really is the best-ever Irish coffee. Heat the glasses, if you can be bothered (to keep the coffee hot for longer), by pouring boiling water over them from a kettle and turning them carefully so that they do not crack. Or you could take glasses straight from the dishwasher while still hot. Serves two.

Place the cream in a bowl and whip lightly, then chill until needed. Heat a small, heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Sprinkle the sugar over the base of the frying pan and heat for one minute, without stirring -- the sugar will caramelise. Pour in the whiskey and quickly light with a match or flambé -- the sugar will seize and harden, but don't worry as it will melt again once the flames die down. Stir in the Baileys and Kahúla and cook over a high heat for three to four minutes until smooth, stirring constantly to help the sugar dissolve.

Divide the alcohol mixture between two hefty, thick-stemmed glasses (both about 250ml/9fl oz in capacity) then carefully pour in the coffee. Then, over the back of a metal spoon, carefully pour a layer of cream on top (the spoon trick really is worth doing as it helps prevent the cream from sinking). Add a tiny grating of nutmeg and serve at once.

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