Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2013. Show all posts

December 02, 2013

December's Food Festivals & Events


Just because it's winter doesn't mean that the event scene has gone quiet! There are sleighloads of Christmas markets and events where you might just find that special and unusual gift. Hopefully you will find something of interest in there for you to attend. If I am missing an event and you would like to add it just email Kat at thepurplepageireland@gmail.com. Enjoy.

Week 1: 2 - 8 December


 

Week 2: 9 - 15 December


 
Week 3: 16 - 23 December

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November 28, 2013

Fabulous Foodie Gifts - Christmas Wishlist 2013

Christmas is now less than four weeks away and if like me, you would rather eat mince pies and drink hot poitín (check out the Beerhouse!) than shopping, this list of foodie gifts will hopefully make your life a little easier. Also if anyone personally knows my boyfriend maybe you can point him in the direction of this post!  

Cooking Classes

I love attending cookery classes especially if I can get a friend to come along. They are usually a lot of fun to attend and you come away with a lot of useful tips. It's also a wonderful experience to watch a professional show you how they do things. It is usually a lot easier than you think it might be! Check out these classes for more ideas.

Aniar Cooking Class: They do a lot of nose to tail classes where students learn how to use the whole animal in the preparation of a meal. Classes start from €175

Firehouse Bakery: They have two schools one on the beautiful Heir Island and another more manageable location in Delgany, Wicklow if you are on the other side of the country. Full day classes on Heir Island are from €110.

Neven Maguire Cookery School: One of my ultimate wishes is to eat in MacNean House so imagine my excitement when I heard Neven Maguire was opening a cookery school. Half day courses start from €130. Based in Blacklion, Co. Cavan.

Cloughjordan Cookery School: Set in the heart of Tipperary this is one of the prettiest schools I have seen pictures of. They offer a wide range of classes and half day classes start from €85.

Ballymaloe Cookery School: A dream short break would be to stay on site and take part in any number of cookery classes here! Classes range from €50 right on up to €10,695 for their 12 week certificate course. That the ultimate foodie pressie right there!

Fiona's Japanese Cooking: Fiona is an Irish food blogger who recently won the Home Cook Hero Awards. I recently attended one of Fiona's sushi making classes and it was so much fun. Apart from sushi rolling disasters I learned a lot about Japanese culture and discovered that making it at home is not half as complicated as I thought it would be. She is now doing classes in the Miele Gallery so keep a lookout on her Facebook page for updates.

Food Tours

Discovering a city through it's food has to be one of the most enjoyable ways to learn about a place. 

Fab Food Trails: They offer tasting trails in both Dublin and Cork. Prices start at €55. I attended a special one they had organised in Howth a while back. Check out the blog post here. 

French Food Tours: Ketty Elisabeth is the author of the award winning French Foodie in Dublin. She has recently set up French Food and Wine Tours of Dublin which will introduce you to French food culture and customs while you sample some delicious French food and wine. The tours are €35 each and she does delightful looking gift vouchers. If you can't wait until Christmas check out her 12 Treats of Christmas Food Tour. 

Cookbooks

2013 was a wonderful year for cookbooks from both professional chefs and food bloggers. There are loads to choose from and something out there to suit everyone.

The Nation's Favourite Food by Neven Maguire: RRP €22.99
Homecooked by Donal Skeha: RRP €25.00
The Irish Beef Book by Pat Whelan and Kathy McGuinness: RRP €22.99
30 Years of Ballymaloe by Darina Allen & Alice Waters: RRP €42.99
Chapter One: An Irish Food Story by Ross Lewis: RRP €39.99
Weekend Chef | Easy Food For Lazy Days by Catherine Fulvio: RRP €22.99
Apron Strings by Nessa Robins: RRP €22.99
Dream Deli by Lilly Higgins: RRP €22.99
Like Mam Used To Bake by Rosanne Hewitt-Cromwell: RRP €19.99
Breakfast and Brunches by Two Rooms in Dublin: RRP €22.50
Food from an Irish Garden by Fiona Dillon: RRP: €17.95

They are all beautiful cookbooks with stunning imagery and diverse recipes but if I had to pick out one that would make it to my stocking it would have to be Food from an Irish Garden because Fiona Dillon is who I want to be when I grow up and get a house of my own! I love her lifestyle and even attended one of her classes a while back. Check out the blog post here. 

The prices above are all off the publisher's websites so feel free to check around.

 

Quirky Christmas Gifts

On the lookout for a condiment gun, a wine handbag, marmite chocolate or a giant gummy bear? Well check out Firebox.com, a great website for stocking fillers, quirky gifts and funny Kris Kindles. Best of all they deliver to Ireland.

Smorgasboard is a fun foodie filled game where players take on the guise of aspiring chefs as they work their way around the board in search of gastronomic success. The object of the game is to be the first team of chefs to graduate from Rick's Culinary Academy! We have this at home and it's always a great laugh to play. It retails for €28.99.

For a food hamper with a difference check out Wild About. They make delicious chutneys, syrups, and preserves from Ireland's native, seasonal and wild ingredients. They are my foodie find of the year and we are particularly partial to the fennel cider butter in my house! Hampers start from €22. 

Happy shopping and enjoy the festivities in the run up to Christmas. 

This is just a list of products that I either own, would like to or have discovered this year! I have not been asked to promote any of these products on my blog and opinions are my own.
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November 05, 2013

November Food Festivals & Food Events

So far 2013 has seen hundreds of events happen throughout the country. November is no different and there are loads of events planned including the start of the Christmas markets. Whoop!! Hopefully you will find something of interest in there for you to attend. If I am missing an event and you would like to add it just email Kat at thepurplepageireland@gmail.com. Enjoy.

Week 1: November 1 – 10
 
Week 2: November 11 – 17

Week 3: November 18 – 24

Week 4: November 25 – 1 December
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October 21, 2013

Top Seven Picks for Dine in Dublin 2013

Dine in Dublin is back for it's fourth, twice yearly offering and will run from the 21st - 27th October. I personally think Dine in Dublin is a great initiative and I try to make the most of it each time it comes around. It is a good opportunity to try out somewhere new and it won't break the bank to do so either. It also means that you can try out a restaurant offerings at a time that is convenient for you and not be tied to their early bird hours.

 So this year I have had a thorough look through the website and picked out seven restaurants that I think would be well worth visiting. One for each day of the week which would be my ideal way to do Dine in Dublin!!

Bang Restaurant

Bang Restaurant are offering a five course tasting menu for €39.95. This menu normally costs €69 and it is a great opportunity to sample a range of their food. Also if you eat from Monday to Thursday they are offering a wine pairing with each course for €19. I got to try out their tasting menu last year and it was a very special experience. You can read about it here.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

Fish Course at Bang

Hot Stove Restaurant

This is a restaurant that has been on my list for ages and I have just not being able to get down to try it out yet. I have heard and read a lot of good things about it. Check out Stitch and Bear's review here to see what I mean. For Dine in Dublin they are doing a seven course tasting menu for €50 with lovely sounding things like Confit Chicken Pithivier and home cured Irish salmon on the menu. They are also offering a €35 lunch menu.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

 

37 Dawson Street

37 Dawson Street is a funky, lively restaurant with handbags hanging from chandeliers and a great bar downstairs to move to afterwards. One of the great things about their Dine in Dublin menu, last time I tried it out, was that it had quite a lot of choice on it so there was something for everyone. To read more about my experience there click here. They are offering 3 courses for €25 and a complimentary cocktail for those dining with them from Monday - Thursday.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.
Chickpea Cassoulet from 37 Dawson Street

Dublin City Food

Another place on my to go list as they have seven amazing sounding sandwiches each named after a district in Dublin ending in ‘O’!  They have also recently opened a restaurant on the first floor and for Dine in Dublin they have created a €50 five course tasting menu.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

The Exchange Restaurant

The Exchange is part of the Westin Hotel, a five star hotel located on Westmoreland Street in Dublin. It would never have been somewhere that I would have thought about going but in February a group of us visited during the last Dine in Dublin. We had a great night out, the food was lovely and we were well looked after. To read about our visit click here. For this week's Dine in Dublin they are offering quite a range of choices on their €25 menu. And if you don't feel like cake for dessert you can choose to have the special Exchange Dessert Cocktail designed by World Cocktail Champion Deirdre Byrne. 

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

Lemon Curd Tart

Jaipur

For a more far flung food experience you can not go wrong with Jaipur. We ate at the George's Street Branch during one of the very first Dine in Dublin weeks. It has remained a firm favourite to this day. They are offering a three course menu for €30 and it will no doubt be filled with wonderful flavours and combinations.

 To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

Whitefriar Grill

I actually have here booked already for a night out this weekend with friends. I haven't been back since it was done up so I am looking forward to checking it out. They offer good value modern Irish cuisine and I already have my starter picked out. I'm dreaming of the roast bone marrow w/ oxtail marmalade and salsa verdi!! Also if you eat tonight (Monday 21st) you can bring your own wine while you dine.

To view their Dine in Dublin Menu click here.

These are only my personal top seven choices from over 40 restaurants taking part during this week. Hopefully it's a helpful list but where ever you choose to go I hope you have a great night out and get to experience dining in Dublin at it's best.

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October 16, 2013

A Taste of Mexico 2013

Mexican food, drink and culture will be celebrated in Dublin next month when the third ‘Mexican Gastronomic and Cultural Festival’ takes place in various locations around the capital from Tuesday 12th to Sunday 17th November. ‘A Taste of Mexico’ is organised by the Embassy of Mexico in Ireland and features many of the Mexican restaurants now delighting diners in Dublin.

“It is wonderful for us to offer a little taste of Mexico to Irish people, and we hope many will take advantage of that”, said the Mexican Ambassador, Carlos Garcia de Alba.

A highlight of the festival will be a live competition to find ‘The Best Taco in Dublin’. It will be held in the Mansion House on Friday, 15th November with a judging panel including the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Oisín Quinn, renowned chef and food writer Darina Allen, and chef Helma Honda, a specialist in authentic Mexican food. Foodies will also be able to vote online for the Mexican restaurant that they believe serves the very best Tacos.

The week is packed with interesting events.  On Wednesday evening, 13th November in The Instituto Cervantes on Lincoln Place, Helma Honda will host a conference about genuine Mexican cuisine, sharing her expertise and love of this unique cuisine.  The conference will be followed by a tasting of tequila, the iconic Mexican spirit.

The following day, Thursday, 14th November, also in The Instituto Cervantes, there will be a hosted tasting of Mezcal – a little known spirit that has recently been generating worldwide interest.

The festival will also include a wide range of tastings, workshops and events. Further information will be announced via the Embassy of Mexico’s website: www.embamex.ie.
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September 17, 2013

Ambleside & Grasmere: Our Summer Holiday, Part 2

Well I am finally getting around to posting the next part of my holiday blog. Our trip to the Lake District seems like a distant memory now that the warm summer days are gone and autumn has arrived with cold intent. It is nice to relive the memories though so here goes!

For our two week holiday we stayed in a beautiful cottage in Ambleside. It was an old gate lodge which used to be part of Rydal Estate and was at the beginning of a beautiful walk up to the old house.  

Park Gates Lodge, a Victorian gate keepers cottage, adj the footpath to Fairfield & Rydal Hall

 Park Gates Lodge, a Victorian gate keepers cottage, adj the footpath to Fairfield & Rydal Hall on Holiday Lettings.

The only thing missing from the cottage was wifi so we would find ourselves every few days at the Apple Pie Cafe and Bakery. I was in love the moment I saw the name!!

This family owned  restaurant is set in the heart of Ambleside and does a roaring trade in pies, pasties, cakes, and sandwiches. If you weren't early enough there was no chance of getting your hands on their lovely doughnuts or bath buns!

Bath Buns
There was also an extensive lunch menu with a wide range of options such as the chicken tikka roll and a brie toastie pictured below. All the food here is freshly made and everything we ate was really filling and full of flavour. 

Chicken Tikka Roll

Brie and Veggie Toastie
On one of the evenings we walked from our lodge up past the old Rydal Hall and into the outskirts of Ambleside. Here we decided to have dinner in the Badger Bar.

Now I just thought that the restaurant had a quirky name like so many other places in England but I was delighted when the owners came over to tell us that they had thrown out the evening's veggies for the local badgers. Turns out that visiting badgers gave the place its name!! Don't think I have ever been that close to them.

Besides the badger novelty the bar did great English style food - pork scratchings, Cumberland sausage with mash and game stew.

Pork Scratchings
The main reason we travelled to the Lake District this year was for a friend's wedding. She and her fiance got married in a beautiful old church in Grasmere which dated back to the 14th century. While we were only there for a short time that day the village was definitely worth a trip back. The village is the final resting place for William Wordsworth and you can wander through the garden and visit his grave. You can also see how much you remember from the poem 'Daffodil'. I could only remember the first two lines unlike my friend who remembered the whole thing!!

Grasmere


Grasmere is also home to the world famous Sarah Nelson’s Gingerbread. The Grasmere Gingerbread Shop is tucked away at the corner of the churchyard of St. Oswald’s Church and you may have to queue to get in! It's a tiny little store and walking over the threshold is like taking a step back in time. The gingerbread itself was quite unlike any gingerbread I have had before. It was thin and crunchy but had a lovely gingery topping. 

 Grasmere Gingerbread Shop
Gingerbread
We also ate lunch one afternoon in the nearby Swan Hotel which sits at the edge of the village. This was after the boyfriend had decided we were going to climb a mountain but then picked the most vertical climb I have ever had to do! Safe to say we were starving by the time we got back.

Himself went for the venison suet pudding while I decided on the John Ross Junior smoked salmon sandwich. You would definitely know that they cater for hungry hikers as my sandwich was more a sandwich and a half. It was a great sandwich but I think the winning dish of the two was definitely the pudding. We had never come across food like that in Ireland where we tend to have more pies but this was delicious. It was rich and gamey but the casing it was in was spongy and light and helped soak up all the juices. The meal here cost us £20 so it was perhaps a little on the more expensive side for lunch but it kept us going for the whole day.

Smoked Salmon Sandwich
Venison Suet Pudding, veggies and the obligatory glass of ale
Both Ambleside and Grasmere are well worth a visit. They are both beautiful villages with lots of history and plenty of things to see, eat and do. Most places in the villages, as you would expect, are well used to muddy hikers, children, dogs and buggies so there is no excuse to get out and about and then reward yourself with a lovely meal!

Ambleside at sunset

Check out Conwy, Wales - Our Summer Holiday, Part 1 here.
Nolita Cantina - A day trip to Liverpool here
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September 12, 2013

Yelp's Backyard Bizarre - Free Food, Drink & Entertainment!

The Backyard Bizarre is a free afternoon party on Sunday 22 from 1pm - 3pm in The Bernard Shaw with free food, drink and entertainment for anyone in attendance. Yelp is hosting this event all just to highlight what there is out there in terms of new and independent businesses in this ridiculously inventive and original city of ours. 

There will be six local independent food businesses giving out free food to get the blood sugar up - from salad boxes by Staple Foods, to pies by The Pieman Cafe, burritos by Tolteca, sushi by J2 Grill & Sushi, pizza by the Big Blue Bus and ice cream from Murphy's Ice Cream. 

They will also have tea tasting by Oolong Flower Power Tea Shop and coffee by Coffee Together. Booze will be supplied by the 5 Lamps Brewery, Zaconey, Smithwick's and Becks.

There will be plenty of bizarre and off-kilter entertainment for the afternoon too. The event is free in for anyone who wants to attend - you just need to register with Yelp and RSVP on the event page: www.yelp.ie/events

Yelp throws these events with the sole purpose of helping people seek out and support all the amazing indie businesses that are opening up in town. There are also smaller events that take place every month - also free to any Yelper. I have been to a good few and it is a great way to discover new places, get interesting 'behind the scenes' insights into local businesses and chat to lots of new likeminded people. Check out one that I blogged about before here.
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September 05, 2013

Summer may be over but the festival season is in full swing!

Summer has drawn to a close. The kids have been suited and booted and packed off to school. The farmers are out in force harvesting and the family holidays are over for another year. Yet just because everyone is returning to their normal routines doesn’t mean that the festival season is winding down – it’s anything but! Throughout September and October there are a huge amount of food festivals and events taking place.

Many of these events are part of The Gathering, which if you don’t know already, is an Irish initiative to entice overseas visitors to visit our Emerald Isle and to reconnect with their roots. From Dublin to Drogheda, Waterford to Westport, hundreds of events are taking place and there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy. So what’s happening in the world of food festivals? Well first off in September there are the big well known food festivals such as the Waterford Harvest Festival,  a Taste of West Cork,  and the Galway Oyster and Seafood Festival. These festivals have loads of events, demonstrations and activities happening and this year they also have an added element for the Gathering. The Grow It Yourself Gathering will be held during the Waterford Harvest Festival while the Galway festival will have a Tribal Oyster Feast Off to see who can eat the most oysters!

Then there are the smaller festivals such as the Drogheda Food Festival, the Offaly Harvest Festival and the Dublin Harvest Festival. These offer a smaller range of food fairs and activities but will no doubt still be lively events. For a more vintage day out you could check out the Enniskerry Victorian Field Day and be transported back to the early days of steam threshing.

October is headlined by the ever impressive Savour Kilkenny Food Festival which always has a very creative line up including cheese making, a craft beer carnival and a clergy cook off! Such a great event doesn’t mean though that you should overlook what else is happening during the month. You could visit an island in Galway for A Taste of Inishbofin or travel to the edge of Ireland for the Dingle Food Festival. For something a bit more unique, check out the International Mushroom Festival where it’s all about the fungi!

For beer and cider lovers September and October are your months. In Tipperary the Slow Food Apple and Craft Cider Festival is celebrating all things appley while a few weeks later Cloughtoberfest  will be bringing music and craft beer to the masses.  Then it’s on to Oktoberfest in Dublin, a full two weeks of entertainment, music and beer in George’s Dock. For a few smaller beer orientated festivals why not check out the Newry Oktoberfest, the Harvest Fleadh Oktoberfest  in Kildare, the  Salmon and Whiskey Festival in Co. Antrim or Oktoberfest Beag in Cork.

So there is plenty happening to keep you occupied as the days get shorter and the nights get longer. Though I know none of us will mind that happening as we will all be too busy out enjoying all the wonderful events that are on offer! Also if you plan on experiencing a few of these Gatherings and want to see more of Ireland why not have a look at Enterprise Rent – a – Car. Make sure you book in advance for the very best rates and don’t forget to check out their great weekend offers too. Let Enterprise Rent-a-Car help you to make the most of Ireland and your time off. 

To check out a full list of events taking place throughout the country see the Irish Food Festivals and Events page here. 

Disclosure: This post has been sponsored by Enterprise Rent - a - Car. The content has been written by me and all opinions are my own. 

N.B The Drogheda Food Festival has been cancelled.
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August 13, 2013

Irish Food Festivals & Events: 12 August - 2 September 2013

The Taste of Donegal Food Festival is a festival designed to celebrate and promote great food and drink in Ireland. This year’s festival will be held over a three day period from Friday August 23 until Sunday August 25. Artisan food producers will be in attendance along with a large number of exhibitors from all over the country along with a number of celebrity chef appearances. The festival will be opened with a big fireworks display on the Friday evening. 

This event takes place in Co. Clare over the weekend of the 23 - 25 August. It is a celebration of Irish craft brewing, Irish music and Irish artisan food.

Electric Picnic
If you can afford it then the Electric Picnic is on in Stradbally, Co. Laois from 30 August – 1 September. With a lineup that includes music, art, theatre, comedy, pantomime, food and holistic health it truly is an eclectic mix.
  
The Hilden Beer and Music Festival in Lisburn, Co. Antrim is a celebration of the best beers in the British Isles alongside local musical talent. Over 30 great beers, 24 bands, an all day BBQ and a lot of craic promises to make this a great festival. The festival will take place from the 23 - 25 August.

On Sunday, the 25th of August, Kilcullen in Co. Kildare will be hosting its forth annual Kilcullen River Festival. The day will include Farmers Market & Craft Stalls, Family Fun & Games, River Obstacle Course and much more. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.

Throughout Meath with events running until September. Please see separate post here for more information.

Dalkey Lobster Fest will take place over the weekend of the 23 - 25 August and will see lots of free events for the whole family taking place. There will be lots of seafood and music to enjoy on the day. 

Carlow celebrates the 800th Anniversary of the building of Carlow Castle with lots of events happening from the 22nd – 25th August. During the Festival the International Taste of Carlow and Craft Fair also takes place.  One of the highlights of the Taste of Carlow Festival will be the Inaugural Irish Chef’s World Culinary Challenge and this will take place on the 24 & 25 August.

On Saturday 17th August Ireland, Scotland and the USA battle it out for the title of Ultimate World Whiskey in Kilbeggan Distillery. The Kilbeggan team will whisk you back to 1757 as you discover how Irish whiskey was made in decades past and will show you how it is done today.  Transport from/to Dublin, lunch and whiskey tastings are all included in the 60 euro ticket price but space is limited!

The 2013 Virginia Show will take place on Wednesday the 21st August along the shores of Lough Ramor. There will be lots of livestock on show, arts and crafts, children's classes and cookery demos by Neven Maguire.

Taking place in Co. Cork from the 31 August - 2 September this festival promises lots of fun, fish and food trails over the weekend. 


N.B Even though the events section is updated frequently, dates and times are liable to change so please do check the websites yourself as well. If you would like to have your event added please contact Kat at thepurplepageireland (at) gmail.com
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