Christine - The Pastry Queen. Let The Sweet Things Reign

Christine - The Pastry Queen

Where The Sweet Things Reign.

La Spoon, the new domain of Cork pastry queen Christine Girault, is in Cross Street, at the side of the Courthouse between Washington Street and Liberty Street. If you hurry, you may still get an example of her Galette des Rois.

Galette des Rois? I’ll let Raymond Blanc explain: This dessert is only served once a year and every child in France is waiting for 6 January (Epiphany). To honor the Kings who traveled thousands of miles to welcome our Saviour…maybe a white lie! It was probably organized by an opportunistic pâtissier who saw the opportunity of a huge market. It is a marvelous party dessert as it is the custom to hide two little figurines in the almond cream. The ones who find them will become the King and Queen for the day and of course have all of their wishes realised.  Two crowns would be perfectly befitting the winners. It is also a remarkably simple dessert as you can buy the puff pastry and the almond cream takes just a few minutes to make. - See more here

 Not too sure what figurines you'll find in Christine’s galette. But you will certainly find quality, the same quality that you’ll see and taste in all her pastries and cakes. Here, in Cross Street, you may linger over one (or two) with a cup of coffee, perhaps sharing or, if you’re on your own, reading a chapter or two from the cafe’s John Grisham library.

 Now that the Christmas rush is over - Christine was busy making Buche de Noel and Christmas Logs and then the Galettes - she'll be concentrating on the smaller treats: Pain aux raisins, macaroons, brownies, lemon cake slices, various apple tarts and cakes, caramel slices, and strawberry cake slices, madelines and lots of chocolate stuff (including pain aux chocolat) and more. And do watch out for the occasional surprises: Brioche and butter pudding, for example.

La Spoon

Cross Street

Cork

087 648 1452

Opening hours: 8.30 to 4.30, Monday to Friday.

laspoon@outlook.com

http://laspoon.ie/?page_id=2

and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/laspoon.christinegirault?fref=ts

Sunny Day Lunch at Walton Court

Sunny Day Lunch at Walton Court

Thirty degrees plus in Ireland! My Mama never told me there'd be days like this. Maybe she did but I didn't hear her as she plastered on the oil, you know, the one that ensured you burned a nice even brown! Big boy now, so had my hat on as I took my seat at the outdoor table in the Courtyard Cafe at Oysterhaven's Walton Court yesterday. Moments earlier, Christine Girault, who runs the cafe and also the Garden Room, the weekend restaurant, had taken our order. 

Soon, we were tucking in. The colours of the food matched the mid-day sunshine and Christine herself was in sparkling form, even throwing in a cúpla focal as we chatted. CL thoroughly enjoyed her Smoked Salmon while my Hummus, with a wee bowl of tapenade added, matched it for quality. You can see the current lunch menu below. 

Wine is available here but I enjoyed a bottle of traditional French lemonade while CL supped her sparkling Elderflower Cordial. Lots of drinks here, including Dungarvan Brewing Company’s beers and a locally roasted coffee. 

The menu is augmented for the weekend evening meals (Tapas and Casual Dining) in the larger Garden Room. You'll have catch of the day and do watch out for the artisan Aldudes Valley ham, Chorizo and Urepel Brebis Cheese, (also from the Pyrénées) and, from closer to home, the tapas menu may well include Apple Wood Smoked Prawns from the local Oysterhaven Bay Smokehouse. 

Opening times

Courtyard Cafe: Tu-Su 11.00am to 5.00pm.

Garden Room: Fr-Su 6.00pm to 9.00pm

(021) 477 0878