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One of the attractions of whiskey drinking as a lifelong pursuit is the sure knowledge there are always fresh flavours yet to be discovered. But the same infinite variety can be daunting when approaching whiskey for the first time.
Last week I was at the Dingle Whiskey Bar in Nassau Street, Dublin, for their weekly tasting event.  Continue reading »

Taste of the Week
Stonewell’s New Sparkling Prestige
Prosecco Beware!

The Stonewall Cider logo has won many plaudits since it was introduced about five years ago. It looks good on the regular cider bottles and looks even better on their new Esterre sparkling prestige.  And the 75 cl contents are a bubbling revelation.
Made exclusively from the beautiful Elstar Apple (grown in Tipperary and Waterford), Esterre is a sparkling cider “with reflections of a sparkling wine”.  Continue reading »

I understand Grand Cru Beers pulled off a bit of a coup, acquiring quite a lot of Founders’s annual release of KBS (”Kentucky Breakfast Stout”, though it doesn’t say that on the label) for Ireland. At €8 for a little bottle I wasn’t in much of a hurry to try it, but it was getting lots of good feedback and, since there didn’t seem to be any shortage, I eventually succumbed.  Continue reading »

Isaac’s. A Specials Kind Of Place

There is something about Isaac’s, one of Cork City’s most popular restaurants for over two decades. The warm welcome. The friendly staff. The attention to detail. I think that little bit extra may well be their Specials board.

Of course, they have an excellent list of regular dishes. But those specials are well worth looking out for.  Continue reading »

There is something about scones that conjures up real feelings of nostalgia, especially here in Ireland. There really is nothing better than a warm, freshly baked scone served with a cup of tea! Most Irish mammies and grandmothers have their own scone recipe and would know how to whip up a batch in a matter of minutes!

Scones are one of the first recipes most people learn to make in Ireland, especially if you did Home Ec. in school!  Continue reading »

Affogato is good at any time of year and it is an incredibly easy dessert to prepare. Choose the best vanilla ice cream you can find and make sure you use good, strong espresso (regular brewed coffee will not work here). The recipe for the biscotti makes about 30 but they keep very well in an airtight container.  Continue reading »

The delicate flavour of the venison is complemented by the gutsy sweet potato mash and sauté of wild mushrooms. Most supermarkets now stock a decent range including chanterelle, oyster, chestnut and if you’re very lucky ceps (porcini) if they’re in season.  Continue reading »

A starter or light supper dish that puts a modern twist on the traditional combination of boxty, black pudding and eggs. The eggs can be prepared well in advance and just deep-fried at the last minute.  Continue reading »

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press release

El Celler de Can Roca celebrates a return to the top of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants

Viva Espana

 Girona’s celebrated Roca brothers see their restaurant return to the No.1 spot
 White Rabbit in Moscow is named Highest New Entry, sponsored by LesConcierges
 Asador Etxebarri in Atxondo, Spain, is Highest Climber, sponsored by Lavazza
 Sydney’s Sepia is chosen as One To Watch, sponsored by Silestone by Cosentino
 Albert Adrià of Tickets in Barcelona is The World’s Best Pastry Chef, sponsored by Cacao Barry®
 Daniel Humm wins Chefs’ Choice Award, sponsored by Gaggenau
 Relae takes the Sustainable Restaurant Award, sponsored by Pago Los Balancines
 Eight new restaurants gain a place in the 50 Best list

Last night, Spanish restaurant El Celler de Can Roca regained its title as The S.Pellegrino World’s Best Restaurant.  Continue reading »

Chocolate hazelnut nut spread (otherwise known as Nutella®) is one of the most popular spreads there is. There is something about that combination of creamy chocolate and nuts that makes you just want to eat it straight out of the jar. I’m a big Nutella fan, and I wanted to try and make my own home-made version to see if it tasted any better. The good news is that it is surprisingly easy to make.  Continue reading »

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Hop Rocker, 77, Fake: BrewDog has had a number of goes at the pale lager category and none of them has impressed me much. The latest attempt is called This. Is. Lager. and was launched last summer. Understandably wary, I decided to give it a head start by drinking it on a sunny afternoon after mowing the lawn, when little is demanded of a lager other than refreshment.
And I think it exceeded the minimum requirements of the task.  Continue reading »