Forest Avenue: An exceptional meal to end 2013

Blogging took a little bit of a backseat over the last few weeks. Christmas just seemed to fly up on me and for the first time ever our household was responsible for Christmas dinner!! It was a success but I may have landed myself into doing it for the next few years! Now I'm sure you might all well be sick of the sight of food after two weeks of Christmas delights but I thought this post would be a good way to round off 2013 as this meal was 'THE' meal of 2013 for me.

Just before Christmas myself and the mother took ourselves off to Forest Avenue, a newish restaurant situated on Sussex Avenue in Dublin 4 and run by husband and wife team, John and Sandy Wyer. It was a random Tuesday afternoon but the restaurant was busy and the first thing I noticed was the variety of diners in there. It included business men, students, families and well heeled ladies. Indeed the table next to us had buggies and a highchair at it. The decor is casual and has a Nordic feel to it with white walls and great floor to ceiling windows. The place had a lovely informal atmosphere to it and the owners have definitely managed to capture that neighbourhood feel. 

The menu for lunch consisted of two choices for each course. Unsurprisingly we both went for the same thing. The apple doesn't fall too far from the tree and all that jazz!!  The meal started off with some warm fresh bread and an aubergine dip. It was a small taste of the wonderful things to follow. There is also a open kitchen where the chef is on view and you are able to see all the dishes being plated up. The skill and flair in the kitchen is something to behold. Being able to see what was going on pleased the mother a lot and she said it was like a real life viewing of RTE's The Restaurant!

The first course up was the potted seatrout with horseradish, cucumber and beetroot.  It was beautiful to look at and almost too good to eat but we got over that fairly quickly! All the flavours worked wonderfully together and it was a light, fresh starter.

Potted seatrout with horseradish, cucumber and beetroot. 

Next up was our main course of roast cod with leeks, mussels and Jerusalem artichoke. Each mouthful was a delight and the fish flaked apart easily. I also love the earthy taste of Jerusalem artichoke and thought they worked a treat with the fish. The dish was also accompanied by a little fish cake. Conversation between myself and the mother ground to a halt and consisted mainly of 'mmm' and 'oh my god, have you tasted that bit yet'!! 

Roast cod with leeks, mussels and Jerusalem artichoke

At the beginning we did think we would only have two courses but we were so blown away by the quality of the dishes that we couldn't leave without having dessert. Dessert was coconut cream, passion fruit and spiced bread. The passion fruit came in the form of a sorbet with spiced bread sprinkled liberally around the plate. The coconut cream came in a separate little cup. It was divine! 

Passion fruit and Spiced Bread

Coconut Cream

From beginning to end this meal was flawless. The flavours and combinations were amazing and as my mother kept saying to anyone who would listen - the staff, the chef, and all her friends since - it was such an experience! I didn't doubt that it would be very good as John and Sandy Wyer are well known throughout the food world. I think though that they have managed to create something very special with Forest Avenue. It is modern food of a very high standard without any of the pretentiousness that normally accompanies food like this or the massive prices! I'm predicting that Forest Avenue will be of the stars of 2014!

Lunch at Forest Avenue cost us €27 for three courses. Dinner consists of a tasting menu for €48 while their fabulous sounding Sunday Brunch is €24. 

8 Sussex Terrace - Dublin 4 - Ph: 01 667 8337
email: sandy@forestavenuerestaurant.ie  

Find them on Twitter here

The 12 Cups of Christmas

Today on Twitter I came across a really fun alternative to the 12 Pubs of Christmas. It's The 12 Cups of Christmas! But what is it I hear you ask?

Well, the girls @EventmamaHQ love a  drink as much as the next gal but they also love their tea and treats. When it comes to tea, cakes and chats, they claim they literally cannot get enough! 

With that in mind, they have come up with Eventmama’s 12 Cups of Christmas #12cupsxmas. They have set up a route with some fantastic locations across Dublin, chock full of some of their favourite cafes. In fact, they came up with too many great places so a few honorary mentions are below as well!

The 12 Cups of Christmas route:

1. Wall & Keogh, 45 Richmond Street South, Dublin 2 @WallandKeoghTea Facebook: Wall and Keogh Tea 
2. The Cake Café, 8 Pleasants Place, Dublin 2 @CakeCafeDublin  Facebook: The Cake Café
3. Bibi’s Café, 14b Emorville Avenue, Dublin 8 @bibiscafe  Facebook: Bibi’s Café
4. Fumbally Café, Fumbally Lane, Dublin 8 #FumballyCafe
5. Peacock Green, 13 Lord Edward Street, Dublin 2 Facebook: Peacock Green
6. Queen of Tarts, Cow’s Lane, Dame Street, Dublin 2 @QueenOfTartsDub Facebook: Queen of Tarts
7. Joy of Cha, 10 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 @Joyofcha  Facebook: The Joy of Cha
8. Brother Hubbard, 153 Capel Street, Dublin 1 @brother_hubbard  Facebook: Brother Hubbard 
9. Paris Bakery, 18-19 Moore Street, Dublin 1 @ParisBakeryDub  Facebook: Paris Bakery and Pastry
10. The Bakehouse, 6 Bachelor’s Walk, Dublin 1 @BakehouseIRL  Facebook: The Bakehouse
11. Clement & Pekoe, 50 South William Street, Dublin 2 @ClementandPekoe Facebook: Clement & Pekoe 
12. Accents Lounge, 23 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin @accentslounge Facebook: Accents Coffee & Tea Lounge

Their Most Honourable Mentions: Little Cafe, Birdcage Bakery, Tea Garden, Bewley’s Café, Oolong Flower Power Tea Shop.

And most importantly, The Rules.

1. Upon entering each establishment, the brand of tea being used must be commented on.
2. A mince piesmust be consumed by each attendee at least once. No ifs, ands or buts.
3. Coffee is not allowed. However, hot chocolate is acceptable.
4. We must argue over who pays the bill in at least six establishments.
5. The phrase “Sure, that’s a grand cup of tea” must be said at each establishment.

Eventmama will be embarking on their own 12 Cups of Christmas adventure, and they are inviting you to partake in your own 12 Cups of Christmas as well! They will be tweeting and checking in on Facebook to let you know how they are getting on. Go on, go on, go on, you know you what to join in the fun! And sure while you're at it let them know when you’re on your #12cupsXmas. Bring on the tay!

A Christmassy Afternoon Tea at the Clarence Hotel

There is something special about afternoon tea. I think it mainly has to do with eating lots of cake and drinking prosecco when you probably should be doing something else much more productive! Last Sunday a group of girls descended on the Clarence Hotel in Temple Bar to celebrate the impeding motherhood of one of our friends. She is the first to have a baby so the excitement levels are quite high! We managed to keep it a surprise till the moment she walked in the door. Thankfully the shock didn't put her into an early labour!

We were dining in the Study which was very festively decorated with a giant tree and a roaring fire. It was quiet enough with only a few other tables in the room but we were taking up a large part of it so we more than made up for that.

Afternoon tea started off with a glass of prosecco and was soon followed by plates of food. First out were the daintiest looking sandwiches. These were a mix of cheese and pickle, salmon on brown bread and cucumber and cream cheese. One friend in particular was overjoyed to see the cucumber and cream cheese sandwiches on the slate as she says they rarely make an appearance in afternoon teas anymore.

After we had scoffed all the sandwiches it was time for scones with lashings of raspberry jam and  cream. I'm not sure why the edges were cut off but I assume it was for purely asthetic reasons. I have just never seen them served like that before but they did look very uniform on the stand.

Next up were the cakes and to say we were spoilt for choice would be an understatement.We were treated to mini banoffe pies, lemon squares, rhubarb tarts and to top it all off a larger black forest tart with cherries that had a good kick of booze of them! The mini banoffe pie was reminiscent of dessert in the Clarence's new restaurant Cleaver East. You can read my review of that venue here.

We were also given some lovely vivid green macaroons but I have to admit I'm not a big fan as overall I find them quite a bland dessert. I have yet to be wowed by one. I did sample a bit of one but then opted for another lemon square instead! Everything was beautifully presented and the cakes were dainty and delectable. I think the only criticism that I have is that perhaps there was almost too much cake! It would have been nice to have one more savoury option.

All in all though it was a memory making afternoon. We were treated impeccably by the staff who couldn't do enough for us, from getting a few (hungover) friends copious amounts of tea and coffee to helping us carry out gifts to a taxi. We even had a visit from the kitchen to make sure everything was perfect which we thought was a nice touch. 

Afternoon tea was €25 a head which might seem expensive for some cakes and sandwiches but it was worth it. It also seems to be quite a standard price when you look at other afternoon tea menus. The Clarence seems to be currently in the throes of a revival with the arrival of Cleaver East and the Liquor Rooms and now they have also have an afternoon tea menu which is well worth making a special visit for.

For more information phone +353 1 407 0800 or find them on Facebook here.

Beauty, Bites & Bubbles with Zaragoza & Benefit Cosmetics

I came across this package the other day and I just had to share it.  It sounds like a really fun way to spend time with your mum, sisters, aunts, cousins or any friend who likes to get their makeup done, drink bubbly and eat! It's the perfect idea for a unique Christmas get together.

Zaragoza have teamed up with their next door neighbours, Benefit Cosmetics, and brought together a gorgeous package of beauty, food and Cava. Gather your girlfriends and make it a night to remember with the Beauty, Bites and Bubbles package from one of the city’s most exciting new restaurants  Zaragoza, and the gorgeously girlie beauty brand Benefit. 

The night begins with a ‘makeupper’ while enjoying a glass of bubbly at the Benefit Boutique on South William Street. When you’re all looking sufficiently glamorous, pop in next door to Zaragoza to relax and enjoy a fabulous 8-course tapas meal. On the night, you will also get a 10% discount on all products and services and a free Benefit Deluxe sample. This is a great gift idea for mothers, sisters and friends who deserve a bit of pampering and a great night out, and all for just €39. 

Daragh Monaghan of Zaragoza says he’s delighted to be teaming up with Benefit to offer this wonderful package just in time for Christmas. “Benefit is the perfect brand match for Zaragoza, and being able to offer our customers such an experience is really exciting for us. Zaragoza is fun, friendly and all about people. We love offering the perfect setting for memorable nights out, with some great food, wine and cocktails into the mix.

Call Zaragoza to make your booking on (01) 6794020.

Another Great Sushi Spot - Zakura, Wexford Street

I am originally from the southside. Grew up there, went out there and ended up working there! Somehow though in my thirties I have managed to find myself living in Meath. Noone saw it coming! Now I find myself on the Northside a lot so it is wonderful to see it reviving in the last few years especially in terms of food. Instead of having to cross the Liffey for a good feed we now have a few fantastic choices. Sandwiches at Oxmantown, middle eastern breakfast plates in Brother Hubbard and Dublin's best Chinese at M&L. Indeed one of my favourite restaurants is Musashi on Capel Street. Read my blog post on it here. Word on the street now though is that they are also the people behind Zakura Noodle & Sushi on Wexford Street. Indeed walking into Zakura is a very similar experience to Musashi. The decor is the same, right on down to the small wooden stools covered with red cushions. The menu though is more Wagamama style, all glossy and black and very easy to read. 

We walked in at 5.30 on a Friday evening and were seated immediately and handed a cup of green tea. I don't think the word has gotten out yet that it is there! I started off with some crab cucumber norimaki while Maya went for salmon sashimi. Both were presented beautifully and were fresh and tasty. I just love how they display their food. I mean how cute is that little boat filled with sashimi!

Norimaki

Salmon Sashimi

If this had just been lunch I would have left it at the sushi but seeing as we tend to eat a LOT we decided to get some bigger dishes. Maya went for the very exotic sounding Suzuki Amiyaki Gohan which is basically grilled seabass on a bed of stir fired vegetables. It was as lovely to look at as it was to eat.

For me it felt like a good night to try out their Chicken Ramen as it had felt wintery all day. I love ramen and it's usually my go to dish in Wagamama as it always hits the spot. I will definitely be adding this one to the list. The broth had a deep chicken flavour while the chicken breast itself was glazed with a sauce that added another dimension of taste to it. It was comforting, filling and fun to slurp up! What more could you want in a ramen.

Another plus besides all the food is the price, it's pretty cheap for what you get. The whole meal cost us €40.90 which included a pot of Japanese green tea. It was great value and we left full and happy. It's also BYOB so what more can you ask for! So if you love Japanese food I would suggest you get down there fast before you are being turned away because they are full.  The word is going to get out fast!

You can find them on Facebook here and their website here. 

Clarification: Zakura is independently owned and is not a sister branch of Musashi's. 

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

• A Taste of Christmas Fair: Donnybrook Fair, 5 December, 5 - 8pm 
• A Taste of Roscrea: Co. Tipperary, 5 - 8 December 
• Carrickmacross Christmas Market: Co. Monaghan, 5 – 8 December
• Christ Church Cathedral Christmas Market: Dublin City Centre, 7, 14 & 21 December 
• Christmas Craft Fair: The Backyard, Moynehall, Cavan, 7 December
• Christmas Market at Wells House & Gardens: Gorey, Co. Wexford, 7 - 23 December
• Duckett's Grove Christmas Craft and Food Fair: Carlow, 8 December
• Fusion Sundays World Christmas Market: Dublin Food Co-op, 8 December
• Glow, A Cork Christmas Celebration: Cork City, 29 November - 23 December
• Honest2Goodness Craft Fairs: Glasnevin, Dublin, 7 December
• National Craft & Design Fair: RDS, Co. Dublin, 4 - 8 December
• Offaly Delicious Christmas Food & Craft Fair: Tullamore, 7 December
• Old Schoolhouse Market: Drogheda, Co Louth, 7 December 
• Sage & Stone Christmas Market: Co. Meath, 7 December 
• Salthill Christmas Craft & Food Fair: Galway, 8th December
• Sligo Christmas Fayre 2013: Sligo Town, 7 - 8 December
• Traditional Festive Market at Dublin Castle: Dublin City Centre, 30 November - 22 December
• Winterfest: Newcastle West Co. Limerick, 6 - 15 December, Christmas Market is on the 7th. 

 

Week 2: 9 - 15 December

• Airtricity Docklands Christmas Festival: George’s Dock, Dublin, 12 - 23 December
• Athenry Christmas Market: Co. Galway, 12 - 14 December
• Ballina’s Victorian Fayre and Christmas Market: Co. Mayo, 14 & 22 December
• Bord Bia Christmas Market: CHQ Building, Dublin, 12 - 15 December
• Christ Church Cathedral Christmas Market: Dublin City Centre, 7, 14 & 21 December
• Christmas Cracker Flea Market: Smithfield, Dublin, 13 - 15 December
• Christmas Market at Wells House & Gardens: Gorey, Co. Wexford, 7 - 23 December
• Dame District Christmas Market: Dublin City Centre, 13 - 22 December  
• Dublin Flea Market and BLOCK T Christmas Cracker Market: Smithfield, Dublin, 13 - 15 December
• Glow, A Cork Christmas Celebration: Cork City, 29 November - 23 December
• Gorey Christmas Market: Wexford, 8 December
• Honest2Goodness Craft Fairs: Glasnevin, Dublin, 14 December
• Old Schoolhouse Market: Drogheda, Co Louth, 14 December
• Sheridans Cheesemongers Christmas Food & Craft Fair: Co. Meath, 14 December
• Traditional Festive Market at Dublin Castle: Dublin City Centre, 30 November - 22 December
• Westport Shop n' Spraoi na Nollaig: Co. Mayo, 13 - 15 December
• Winterfest: Newcastle West Co. Limerick, 6 - 15 December

 
Week 3: 16 - 23 December

• Ballincollig Christmas Market: Co. Cork, 22 December
• Christ Church Cathedral Christmas Market: Dublin City Centre, 7, 14 & 21 December
• Christmas at Limerick Milk Market: Co. Limerick, 19 - 24 December
• Christmas Market at Wells House & Gardens: Gorey, Co. Wexford, 7 - 23 December
• Dame District Christmas Market: Dublin City Centre, 13 - 22 December 
• Glow, A Cork Christmas Celebration: Cork City, 29 November - 23 December
• Honest2Goodness Craft Fairs: Glasnevin, Dublin, 21 December
• Old Schoolhouse Market: Drogheda, Co Louth, 21 December
• Traditional Festive Market at Dublin Castle: Dublin City Centre, 30 November - 22 December

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.

Six Great Places for Breakfast in Dublin City Centre

Where do you think is good for breakfast in Dublin? Now I'm not talking about a lazy weekend one but more a 'I have been up since 6am, I'm only just in town, I have a whole day of training ahead, must eat, where is the coffee' kinda breakfast!! Recently I had the opportunity to do some great training in Dublin City Centre. It meant early starts, a long commute and a very hungry woman by the time I got into town.  On the plus side though, it meant I got to try out a few places I had always wanted to have breakfast in!

Voilá

Feel like something french for breakfast? Well alongside a whole counter of croissants and cakes Voilá offer a slightly different take on the usual bacon and eggs by serving it up with slices of toasted baguette. A breakfast of bacon, 2 poached eggs and toast will set you back €7.50.

 

KC Peaches

KC Peaches has a few locations but I visited the Nassau street one which has a fairly large and diverse breakfast menu. They have sweet and savoury options including breakfast paninis. I got the Provencal Panini which was filled with basil pesto, gubbeen chorizo, roasted tomatoes, roasted red peppers, scrambled free range eggs, and emmental cheese. The panini was full of flavour and great value at €5.20. I couldn't even finish it all!! That and a flat white cost me €8.10.

Cup Cafe

The Cup Cafe is a few steps down from KC Peaches and is home to some great coffee and their famous sausage bap. They work closely with three time Irish Barista champion Colin Harmon and use Has Bean coffee which means they serve a great cup of coffee. Their breakfast bap uses Bretzel Bakery baps which are filled with sausage and caramelised onions and it costs €5.50.

 

Pichet

If you are looking for somewhere fancy for breakfast you can't go wrong with Pichet. It is plush, has lovely deep comfortable seats and is perfect for people watching if you get a place by the window. I ordered the Egg Benedict with ham and it arrived with perfectly poached and utterly oozy eggs. Breakfast here cost €13.40 which included a flat white.

Oxmantown

If by now you haven't heard of Oxmantown you need to visit it asap. It is a little cafe near the Smithfield fruit and vegetable market. There are only a few small stools available but at that time of the morning most people seemed to be getting takeaway. I got the breakfast sandwich with sausage, relish and rocket. It was immense and great value at €5.50.

Brother Hubbard

Brother Hubbard is very nearby to Oxmantown on Capel Street and is a friendly little cafe. I must have looked tired because even before I sat down the waitress asked what coffee I would like and said she would bring it straight over! Their menu is small but it is full of lovely sounding breakfast treats. If you can avoid ordering one of the delicious looking cakes and buns you can choose from items such as porridge, granola, or a chorizo and feta omelette. I went for the homemade baked beans topped with feta, parsley & sumac and served with toast. This was one of the more unusual breakfasts with fantastic middle - eastern flavours running through it. Breakfast here cost €11.90 including a flat white.

Just loved the way they presented their cutlery and salt & pepper

What is your favourite place in town for some breakfast before work?

Find Oxmantown on Facebook and Twitter.

Find Cup Cafe on Facebook, Twitter and website.

Find Brother Hubbard on Facebook, Twitter and website.

National ‘Chef Star’ Competition for Secondary School Students

Glenisk, Ireland’s award winning organic dairy, has teamed up with Cloughjordan House & Cookery School to launch the ‘Chef Star’ competition in a bid to find Ireland’s best student chef!

The nationwide search for Ireland’s next Donal Skehan/Rachel Allen is designed to get the proverbial creative juices flowing, and encourage students to become more confident in the kitchen...before they leave the nest!

Students interested in submitting their own recipe have until 31^st March 2014, and can simply visit the Glenisk Facebook Page www.facebook.com/GleniskOrganic where they will be prompted to upload their recipe using a Glenisk product, along with an image of the culinary creation and a few lines on why they should win ‘Chef Star’.

The successful candidate will win an Apple IPad, enabling them to create and document many more delicious recipes to come, as well as winning a €500 voucher for their respective school to spend on equipment for the Home Economics room.

Cloughjordan is home to Sarah Baker’s award winning cookery school, and offers a range of exciting and inspiring courses for Transition Year and HE students. These dynamic courses offer students the chance to learn valuable cooking skills and develop a deeper understanding of where our food comes from. For further information follow Glenisk on Facebook or on Twitter @Glenisk

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

• A Taste of Louth: Marshes Shopping Centre, Dundalk, 8 & 9 November
• Craft Beer and Cider Harvest Festival: Kilruddery House, Co. Wicklow, 2nd November
• Irish Farmhouse Cheese & Beer Tasting: Bull and Castle, until the 10 November
• Irish Craft Beer & Food Month: Cornstore Restaurants, Limerick & Cork, throughout the month of November

 
Week 2: November 11 – 17

• A Taste of Mexico: Dublin City Centre, 12 - 17 November 
• Fallon & Byrne Christmas Extravaganza: Dublin City Centre, 13 November
• Good Food Ireland Annual Conference: Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, 19 November
• Irish Craft Beer & Food Month: Cornstore Restaurants, Limerick & Cork, throughout the month of November
• Wild & Wicklow 2013: Brooklodge, Co. Wicklow, 16 November

Week 3: November 18 – 24

• Belfast Beer and Cider Festival: Ulster Hall, Belfast, 21 - 23 November
• Food and Wine Show Christmas Show: RDS, Dublin, 22 - 24 November
• Galway Continental Christmas Market: Eyre Square, 22 November – 22 December
• Listowel Food Fair: Co. Kerry, 21 – 24 November
• Limerick Georgian Christmas Market:  No. 1 Pery Square, 23 – 25 November 
• Irish Craft Beer & Food Month: Cornstore Restaurants, Limerick & Cork, throughout the month of November
• McCambridge's 10th Food & Wine Fair: Salthill Hotel, Galway, 21 November

Week 4: November 25 – 1 December

• A Little Taste of Christmas: Donegal Town, 30 November – 1^st December
• Galway Continental Christmas Market: Eyre Square, 22 November – 22 December
• Castlebar Christmas Market: Co. Mayo, 30 November
• Doonbeg Lodge Christmas Market: Co. Clare, 29 November – 1 December
• Lisnavagh House Christmas Fair: Co. Carlow, 29 & 30 November
• Irish Craft Beer & Food Month: Cornstore Restaurants, Limerick & Cork, throughout the month of November
• Waterford Winterval: Waterford City, 29 November – 31 December