Yalumba's Jane Ferarri Comes to Town!

Yalumba's Jane Ferarri Comes to Town!

Really looking forward to this one. Yalumba's Jane Ferarri is a terrific speaker on wine, very knowledgeable but down to earth and full of good humour. She likes her sport too and, indeed, I reckon it is no coincidence that she is here right smack in the middle of the Six Nations Championship. Not alone does she like her sport, she also likes her sportsmen. Last time she was here, she told me (and the whole room) that her (then) current favourite was Ronan O'Gara!

Gary O'Donovan has lined up a fantastic speaker and Club Brasserie have a very tempting menu indeed for you on the 19th. 

Click on menu to enlarge

Food and Drink Spotting

Butterflied Chicken at Lee Valley lunch.

Food and Drink Spotting

Deals in Meals

Came across some good deals in meals this week, starting with a lunchtime visit to the Lee Valley Golf Club . They have a two for one offer on a list of main courses that includes a couple of chicken dishes and some Asian dishes (including Thai curries). Most come in about a tenner. The two for one offer is on for the rest of this month but only on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

There is an Italian Restaurant in Dublin, on Dame Street, opposite Castle Hill, called Toscana  and here you may enjoy a two course lunch for just a tenner. Quite a nice place and the deal includes still or sparkling water or a soft drink. You have five starters and eight mains to choose from.

If you are in Dublin and indeed an early evening meal then head for the Cliff Town House  on St Stephen’s Green (north). Here, between 5.30 and 6.30pm, you can enjoy a gorgeous top notch two course meal for twenty euro (3 for €25.00). Plenty of choice here also and I certainly enjoyed it on my way to see Ireland beat Poland.

Bord Bia - Irish Food Board

Would you be interested in becoming a future leader in the Irish food, drink & horticulture industry? We are seeking applications to fill 25 positions in an exciting unique year-long career enhancing scholarship programme which offers the opportunity to work on behalf of Irish food companies in overseas markets while completing an MSc International Marketing Practice. Check out this opportunity on www.smurfitschool.ie/bordbia




O'Callaghan's Delicatessen & Café

Don't forget we're open next Saturday Night, February 16 with 'O'Callaghan's at Nite'. We have a seasonal tasting menu prepared. It’s suitable for Valentines to take your loved one out but it is most certainly not confined to Valentines! There is no theme!!! Call 025-24657 to book your place. We have gotten so much positive feedback to all our other Tasting Nites so why not come and see what the fuss is about?! You won't be disappointed, I promise!

O’Donovan’s Off Licence

Gary O' Donovan is getting all romantic for Valentine's Day..Here is what he's recommending for the big day.."Champagne Jacquart Rose N/V half price at €29.99, The Red berry aromas give way to notes of plum on the nose. Tastes fresh and full and has a fine finish with notes of peach and apricot, I also recommend Yellow Tail Bubbles N/V €12.99.Here is a wine that offers awesome flavour, fizzy texture and a hint of sweetness to make drinking effortless. Pop the cork, away you go! Simple. Aromas of vibrant tropical fruits, a dash of lime juice and a hint of fresh cut flowers. Flavours of soft, creamy fizz with a little tropical fruit sweetness for good measure" You heard it here first...now you can impress your other half with your vast knowledge! We won't tell!

Shorts

Douglas Tea Room. 

Have you tried our three course €20 meal? We open late every Fri & Sat, getting lovely feedback so far!

Ballymaloe House
The annual RNLI fundraising dinner in aid of the Ballycotton lifeboat will take place at the Grainstore, Ballymaloe on Friday the 15th of February. Live music after dinner with Finnegan's Wake. Tickets are still available and cost €70. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact Blaitnaid on 0874151475/ Details here https://www.facebook.com/ballymaloe

Cafe Paradiso

Chefs and student chefs who would like to do a stage in the Paradiso kitchen will be interested to hear that we've put a bit of organised structure to the process. Even more so to hear that we now have accommodation overhead for out of town stagieres...http://www.cafeparadiso.ie/jobs

Lovely Meal at Raymond’s

Lovely Meal at Raymond’s

 Enjoyed a smashing meal at Raymond’s Restaurant in Midleton last week. The restaurant is easily found as it is on the way in to the Jameson Experience. It is a day and night bistro where you may enjoy lunch (including Sundays) and evening meals (including an Early Bird option).

 Highlight for me was my main course: Roast Half Free Range Duck with Walnut Stuffing, Apricot and Apple Compote and Jus. The duck was cooked to perfection and the Apricot and Apple was a brilliant foil. Besides, the side plate of seasonal vegetables were also spot-on.

 The same side plate also accompanied the other main dish on the table: Roast Cod with Green Beans and a Citrus Butter Sauce. The fish was fresh, after all it came from neighbouring Ballycotton, and again the sauce was spot-on.

Don’t usually go for breaded mussels but was glad that I did so on this occasion as we both thoroughly enjoyed the Baked Mussels Stuffed with a Garlic, Almond and Herb Crust. The excellent salad and also a small helping of tomato salsa helped no end towards the enjoyment.

 Raymond’s has quite an extensive wine list but I settled for a glass of the wine of the month, a lively citrusy blend of Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc from the Languedoc called Le Petit Balthazar (€6.00)

That was well polished off  by the time the desserts came. I had my eye on the Date and Butterscotch Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream from the start and it certainly didn’t let me down. A gorgeous sweet swallow! The other dessert, Mixed Berry Roulade with Fruit Coulis and Ice Cream, was really well made and also very nice indeed.

I finished off with a cup of coffee but if you like green tea or decaffeinated coffee, just ask. They don’t appear on the menu but they do serve them. The atmosphere in the nicely lit and spacious restaurant was excellent, a good buzz as they say, and the service was friendly and efficient. Certainly worth a call either for lunch or dinner.

Raymond’s Restaurant
Distillery Walk, Midleton
 +353 (0)21 4635235      
info@raymonds.ie
Check out the menus here http://www.raymonds.ie

Amuse Bouche

I crave red apples and corn soup, and have flashbacks of my primary-school friend Rongrong selling hot rabbit heads outside the Red Flag Cinema in Qingdao. I see the heads steaming in her saucepan. You could buy four heads for a mao. – From Red Dust by Ma Jian.

The Italian at the Mardyke

The Italian at the Mardyke

Rico’s  is Riccardo Vallebella’s latest Italian venture in Cork and I called in last week to sample his “familiar mix of fresh fast real food at good prices.”

After a warm welcome at the reception desk, we studied the menu and picked our starters: Bresaola (Beef Carpaccio and rocket salad) and Caprese (Mozzarella and Tomato salad), each at €6.50. Both were very well presented and really enjoyable.

Moved on then to the main courses where you are more or less confined to either pasta or pizza, though with  a good choice of each, all around the €12.50 mark, give or take a euro or so.

 Here I choose the Rustica Pizza with tomato, mozzarella, rolled Italian Bacon and blue cheese. Very impressive on the plate and quite tasty with the blue cheese providing quite a kick in spots and the bacon giving a different texture here and there. Finished it off with pleasure.

The other mains came from the pasta list and was the Parmigiana (oven baked aubergine with mozzarella, tomato sauce, parmesan and basil). Again this was well presented and really tasty, something like a lasagne with aubergine instead of meat. 

Both the mains were washed down with a decent house wine, €11.50 for a 50cl carafe of Barbera which had inviting aromas and was pleasant and easy drinking. They have Moretti beer in bottle, Perroni on tap and also a “guest” Italian artisan beer.

Sambuca

Now time for dessert, all around a fiver. There is a rather short list, augmented by two specials. One of the specials was Tiramisu and it was rather special, sweet stuff indeed. I went for one of the regulars: Affogato (Gelato ice cream drained into coffee and sambuca). Enjoyed this even if it had more of a coffee kick, less Sambuca.

Made up for that though by finishing off with a Sambuca Black (5.00). Had been thinking of a Grappa but I like the aniseed taste here and it came with Cantuccio biscuits.

If you enjoy pizza and pasta, then this is the place for you.

Sheares Street, Cork

(021) 427 3000

info@mardyke.com

Open from 5.00pm Tuesday to Sunday.

Wine Geese Heading Home

Wine Geese Heading Home

Mezzo soprano Amanda Neary at L'Atitude and,
in B& W, Beverley Matthews, Maurice O'Mahony,
and, at bottom, Tom Lynch (left) and Colm McCann

The Wine Geese are coming home. Watch out for them anywhere between latitude 51 and 52 over the next 12 months.

Indeed, one was present at the gathering in Cork’s wine cafe L’Atitude 51 last night when details of the exciting programme for Bringing the Wine Geese Home were announced by the dedicated troika of Beverly Matthews (L’Atitude 51), Colm McCan (Ballymaloe) and Maurice O’Mahony (Wine Alliance).

Local wine historian Ted Murphy, who assisted in setting up the Wine Museum in Kinsale, is also helping out and indeed his award winning book on the Wine Geese, a Kingdom of Wine, is a big help to the committee and no surprise to see Colm McCann reading from it last evening

Mendoza is the base for the El Commandante Wines and they were well represented by Tom Lynch who treated us to his two lovely easy drinking wines, a Chardonnay and a Malbec.

Tom also told us about another Lynch family (Benegas Lynch) making wine, not too far from Mendoza; these Lynches are related to Che Guevara (the South American El Commandante) and also to the Lynch-Bages of Bordeaux.

By coincidence, the French Chateau Lynch-Bages are one of the early highlights on the Wild Geese programme and their Jean Charles Cazes will be in Ballymaloe March 10th for a tasting and dinner. In October 10th, Ballymaloe will be the venue when Marc Boissonnet hosts a tasting and presentation of Hennessy Cognac.

Another big highlight comes on May 18th with the “Return of the Wild Geese Winefair” organised by Gary O’Donovan. This will bring together wines and winery owners with Irish heritage from around the globe in the Rochestown Park Hotel and will be followed that night by a black-tie dinner in the fabulous Fleming’s Restaurant.

The next event is coming up pretty soon, on February 13th. Jane Boyce (Master of Wine) will present a tasting, including Chateau Phelan-Segur, in association with James Nicholson Wines in L’Atitude.

You may check out the list of events here

Great to meet up with so many of the local wine and restaurant trade last evening. Geraldine was there from Cafe Paradiso and they’ll be hosting Emma Cullen of Cullen Wines (Margaret River) on May 28th while Sandra, sommelier at the Hayfield Manor Hotel, is looking forward to September 12th when their visitor is John McDonnell (Wine Australia), the event entitled “It’s a long way from Clare to here” featuring the wines of the Clare Valley.

Some of our well known Irish wine writers will host events. Thomas Clancy, John Wilson and Leslie Williams have all been lined up. Wine merchants have not been found wanting. Joe Karwig will have at least one event as will Mackenways, Wine Alliance, Curious Wines and O’Donovan’s.

And this cooperation was very evident last evening as the drinks were sponsored, starting with Blanquette de Limoux (thanks to Conor O’Brien of James Nicholson) and followed by Tom’s El Commandante wines. Then Peter Corr of Febvre & Co. treated us to Chateau McCarthy and we finished off on a sweet note thanks to Susie O’Connor of Classic Drinks and their gorgeous Seifried Ice Wine.

Not quite the final note though as that was supplied via the thrilling voice of the gifted Amanda Neary, Ireland’s leading mezzo-soprano, who sang ’O sole mio.

The night was still young and downstairs L’Atitude have a massive board with some fifty wines displayed. Just had to stop and sample and the one I picked and enjoyed was the Sepp Grüner Veltliner from Austria. No Irish connection there as far as I know but good nonetheless.

L’Atitude has gained many loyal customers in its short existence and the upstairs room is ideal for gatherings such as last evening. There will be other smashing venues on the schedule before the year is out.

The committee are negotiating for one special one (no details disclosed!) and other places that will hold Wine Geese Events include Longueville House in Mallow, the Triskel Arts Centre and Isaacs Restaurant (both in the city).

And way out west, there is one that I am looking forward to and that is the summer Food and Wine Extravaganza at Manning’s Emporium in Ballylickey on June 22nd. Val promised that this will have a strong Wine Geese theme. Lovely place, lovely people.

Bringing the Wine Geese Home is incorporated into the Gathering events for 2013 and you may see more details here; details that will be updated regularly.

Food and Drink Spotting

Food and Drink Spotting

Taste of the Week: Arbutus Olivc & Rye Bread
at Bradley's, North Main Street

L’Atitude 51 

L’Atitude 51 (No 1 Union Quay) have a Whisky Tasting session on Thursday 7th of February at 7.30pm in their Wine Workshop upstairs. A 90-minute fun and interactive tutored tasting of 7 different whiskies from the world’s major whisky-production regions where you’ll learn to taste like a pro and explore the subtle and stark differences between whiskies.

Price: €30pp – includes 7 drams of different whiskies and their signature canapés. Booking required as spaces are limited. You can phone on 021 239 0219.

Liberty Grill

“Feeling a bit nostalgic for the old DINE IN CORK promotion, so for a limited time, we would like to offer you any appetizer, any one of the seasonal specials plus any dessert with a tea or coffee to finish for €25.” Check their menu here. 

Fermoy Indoor Market & Baby Fair

Fermoy Indoor Market & Baby Fair is fully booked for Sunday next 3rd February. A mega jam packed market hall comprising of the following - Milly’s Attic, Monagown Preserves, The Gift Basket, Avon Killeagh, Artwork by Maria Dowling, Ellen's Sewing Basket, Marys Baby Cardigans, Geeya's Cakes, Margaret's Dolls Houses, Costume Jewellery, personalised baby items, Cork Usbourne Books, Laura's Kids Chairs, Cupcakes by Siobhain, Silverhaven Jewellery, Bnbump Creations, Fantasy Face Painting, Beauty care products, Deisuin Candles, tea & coffee n toastie shop and so much more...

New to the Fermoy Indoor Market is a relaxing kiddie Area with soft mats, a selection of toys for the younger ones, kiddie table & chairs to draw or colour. Our new Face painter is Jenifer who will be there to develop their creativity.

Spinning Wheel Restaurant

On Friday, Feb 1st, it is Fiver Friday in the Spinning Wheel Restaurant at Griffin’s Garden Centre. A Gourmet Main Course for €5. Definitely one of the best Lunch Deals in Cork. Lunch served from 12:30 and while stocks last. Also Margaret will be giving a demonstration on the Tradition of the St Brigid's Cross at 12 noon. Also, from Monday 4th of Feb, the Spinning Wheel Restaurant will be serving Afternoon Tea Daily from 3:00- 5:30.

Shorts

Pork and Shitake Mushroom SiuMai at Le Dragon in Madrid, Madrid 

Folláin Preserves ‏@FollainJams

A simple and delicious recipe for Honey and Wholegrain Mustard chicken. http://goo.gl/sjtWz

  #EatWell4Life pic.twitter.com/AdVayg6b

Loads of recipes for Clonakilty Black (and white) Pudding 

Amazing wedding cakes from Amandine 

A Special Night for a Special Cause

Announcing details of this years Threshold Valentine's Night Dinner were (l to r) Edel Conlon Threshold, Chef Brendan Cashman and Rebecca Harte Farmgate Cafe

A Special Night for a Special Cause

Threshold's Valentine's night dinner is a special night, on a special day, in a special place, brought to you by a wonderfully passionate culinary team... Oh and if that's not enough, it's in aid of a very important Charity.

The event is held each year in the Farmgate Cafe located in the historical English Market in Cork City. The evening captures all the atmosphere the English Market has to offer (remember that atmosphere includes the need for warm clothes!) and when coupled with the wonderful team at the Farmgate Cafe the evening becomes truly memorable. For those who attend they get to experience the Market at night time, something that does not happens very often and is a rare treat.

This year will be even more exciting, the Farmgate Cafe have invited multi award winning chef and restaurateur Brendan Cashman to create the menu in collaboration with the team in the Farmgate kitchen. Brendan is best known for the wonderful food he created in Augustine’s Restaurant and will be creating a menu especially for the night. We feel that an already unique evening will be made even more special with this exciting collaboration.

The dinner is in aid of local charity Threshold, the national housing charity which works to prevent homelessness and campaigns for housing as a right. (www.threshold.ie)

The evening is supported by Cork City Council and of course the very generous support and hard work from the Farmgate Cafe team. We are very grateful to Irish Distillers who have supported the event for a number of years, as have a number of food producers in the English Market itself and others selected from Cork's rich array of food producers.

Couples, groups and singles celebrate the night together without the "soft focus haze" that is typically associated with Valentine's night in a unique and special place.

Call Threshold for tickets and more information: (021) 427 88 48

Venue: The English Market (entrance via Market Parade on Patrick's Street)

Time: 7pm

Date: Valentine's Night Thursday 14th February

Tickets: €60 (Tickets are limited so make sure you get your tickets early!)

Chocolate and Cheese Mix from St Tola

Spring In St Tola Air

Spring is in the air at St Tola Goats farm as they see their in-house winter experiments take exciting shape.

The County Clare farm has teamed up with Benoit Lorge, the renowned chocolate master in Kenmare, to create some truly beautiful Cheeserts ....Fresh St Tola Goats Cheese, dipped in the finest dark chocolate and beautifully finished with hazelnuts. They make an elegant and unusual finish to a romantic meal or a great talking point for an Easter Lunch.

Grainne Casey, Sales and Marketing at St Tola told me. “We are aware that the teaming of soft goats’ cheese and chocolate is a somewhat controversial mix.” She needn’t have worried.  Just tasted a sample myself and am delighted with it.

I love St Tola in any case and the outstanding feature of the cheese is its creaminess and that still stands out but now in addition you’ve got this smashing chocolate and the whole experience is one of a delicious balance between the sweetness of the chocolate and the sharpness of the cheese. Next time, especially if romance is in the air, I might get myself a wine to go with the Cheesert, thinking of something like Beaumes de Venise or a Tokaji but open to suggestions.

And speaking of romance, St Tola are going to make a plain heart shaped crottin especially for St Valentine’s Day. The Cheeserts will be launched next week at the Food Forum in Galway and will be available shortly from all good delis nationwide including Fallon and Byrne and Sheridans Cheesemongers.

Further details from Grainne at sales@st-tola.ie


See my October visit to St Tola here

Buy local, fresh and fair!

Sometimes a mission. Sometimes messing about.

Stumbling out of the early morning and into a confusion of stalls and marvellous food. That was me at Mahon Point Farmers Market  last Thursday, sans list, sans plan.

Lucky then that I stumbled on a new product by Iain Flynn of Flynn’s Kitchen.  Spotted a colourful jar in the corner where he normally displays his soups. The label: Chorizo and Beans. “Great, I’ll have a pair of those,” I said to the modest maestro Iain.


Put the glasses on when I came home and realised it wasn't soup at all, but another four letter word: stew! A challenge, but no panic. Paired it up with a bunch of Sally Bee’s meatballs and, bingo, we had a fantastic jackpot of lively tastes and flavours that, matched with a superb wine from La Rioja Alta, the Vino Arana Reserva 2004, went down brilliantly.

Like a good wine, Mahon is well balanced. May I present Barrie Tyner, a talkative and very engaging fellow. Can’t ever leave his little stall without feeling guilty as he hands out generous samples of fantastic chicken liver pâtés, a second shoved into your hand before you have delivered the first to your mouth.

And the pâtés represent the cooperation that exists and is growing among local producers – the livers come from Tom Clancy (Ballycotton Poultry)  who also has a stall in Mahon. Sometimes their rich and delicious "smoothiness" enhanced by a dash (Barrie’s dash could well be twice that of others) of cognac, sometimes by a more modest caramelised onion, the livers are transformed into something wonderful.

Perfect when simply served on Arbutus baguette as Barrie does (Arbutus are at the next stall). This time at home, I had something special, a Mango relish with a Creole touch, made in the Vendee and bought last summer on the drive home from the Basque country. Here in a cold wet January evening in Cork, the summer relish and the winter pate, not to mention some organic leaves from Derek of Greenfield Farm (also at Mahon Market), came together in a delicious dish for all seasons.

I know there are many excellent local relishes available at the markets that would make a match with the pâtés. But you are allowed to reach out, occasionally! Lots of thing could be better here but thankfully there are no food police.

By all means try the good stuff from abroad but above all take pride in the local ways, in our heritage. Buy local, fresh and fair, and make the local economy stronger. No big deal really. No violence involved, just a savoury and sweet revolution. It starts with me. And you.

Anti-Valentine’s Supper Club at Fenn's Quay!

Stupid Cupid! Rebel against Valentine’s at Fenn’s Quay!

Cian O'Sullivan from Kerry Pike and Chloe Kerins from Lockdown Models. Picture: Miki Barlok

The creative team at No.5 Fenn’s Quay Restaurant (Cork) are leading a tongue in cheek rebellion against all things ‘lovey dovey’ and romantically cliché by hosting their first ever Anti-Valentine’s Supper Club. The Fenn’s Quay Anti-Valentine’s event takes place at 6pm on Wednesday 13th February 2012.  The only rule is: No loved-up couples allowed!

The restaurant which is conveniently located just off Washington Street, adjacent to the Courthouse, will serve up a luxury 5-course gourmet meal for groups, singletons, friends, guys and girls nights out or anyone who wants to embrace the single life. The evening promises an escape from cheesy love songs, wilting flowers and cringe-worthy cards. The only passion being served up is that of a gastronomic kind as the menu has been tailor made by well known Chef Kate Lawlor, tying in all courses with the Anti-Valentine’s theme and including dishes with quirky titles such as 50 Shades of Earl Grey, Sticks and Stones, Unrequited Beef, As Cold as Ice Sorbet and Bittersweet dessert.

Having served Cork’s food lovers for over four years, Fenn’s Quay is excited to accommodate the backlash against St. Valentine. Commenting on the upcoming event Kate Lawlor, Chef Proprietor at Fenn’s Quay says, “We are excited to offer our high-quality service while creating for the perfect escape from the stresses and strains of Valentine’s, which is a day perceived by some as excluding anyone who isn’t ‘coupled up’, it is also a great occasion to celebrate friendship and of course, love of good food!”.  Kate prides herself on using local ingredients and suppliers, combined with her keen eye for detail and the restaurant’s warm, inviting atmosphere. No. 5 Fenn’s Quay will also be the perfect venue to raise a toast to the fallen Cupid with something dark, indulgent and fizzy from the Anti-Valentine’s cocktail menu.

On the night there will be a charity raffle in aid of the Mercy University Hospital Kid’s Fund, with some amazing prizes to be won. Proceeds from the raffle will go towards funding the Paediatric Oncology Outreach Nurse Service which provides support to children and teenagers with outreach service that cares for children and teenagers with oncology related conditions. Because the 5 course menu is so affordably priced at just €30 it is hoped that people will dig deep to support the charity raffle in aid of this fantastic cause.

Stick a pin in Cupid, regale your friends with some of those hilarious disaster date stories, or sing along to some anti-love songs. So ‘all the single ladies’ and lads, who know that ‘Love Stinks’ and want to let loose, book a table and rebel against the romantic schmaltz.
For more information or to make a booking call 021-427 9527, email fennquay@gmail.com or visit www.fennsquay.net

Check the menu

Anti-Valentine’s Menu at No. 5 Fenn’s Quay, Sheare’s Street, Cork.

Starter-50 Shades of Earl Grey
Earl Grey Tea Smoked Salmon with pickled cucumber and radish salad.

Entrée- Sticks and Stones
Crispy Salsify and olive with a lemon aioli.

Main -Unrequited Beef
Chargrilled rump steak with wilted spinach and carrot puree.

Palate Cleanser-As Cold as Ice
Refreshing Stonewell cider sorbet.

Dessert-Bittersweet
Steamed orange pudding with bitter chocolate ice cream & rosemary custard.

Tea & Coffee

Len’s Cereals, Mahon and Temple Bar

Len’s Cereals, Mahon and Temple Bar

 If you like muesli, pulses, seeds, nuts, spices, rice, dried fruits, then Len’s Cereals is the place to go to. You’ll find him in Mahon Point Farmers Market every Thursday and in Dublin’s Temple Bar Market on Saturday. The venture is run by Corkman Len O’Donovan and his Spanish wife Maria Minguella.

Seeds

Dried fruits

I started going there first for his granola mix to which I add a scoop or two from his dried fruits, eg papaya, mango etc. The selection is huge, his stall packed with good things. Len says that “health is always a good seller” and at present Goji berries are very popular. He also has quite a selection of lentils (our choice at present are the Puy) and our latest purchase was a bag of linseed.

Rice

Lentils

He finds that tourists are big customers, even if it is seasonal. The continental visitors, especially the Italians, the Spanish and the Danes are very much into their seeds and nuts, much more likely to buy a bag to eat on the go rather than indulge in sweet things or fast food.

Burns Night in West Cork

Burns Night Goes from Strength to Strength in West Cork

Not even Flooding can keep people away from The West Cork Burns Supper!

Building on the success of the first West Cork Burns Supper in 2012, this year’s event on 25 January attracted even more devotees of the poet, his native land and, of course, good food and drink.

Hosted by the West Cork Hotel and West Cork Food, this year’s Burns Night attracted over 120 guests and was, once again, sold out weeks before the night.  Not even the terrible weather and flooding on the roads could put people off!  As Neil Grant, General Manager of the West Cork Hotel observed, “I was saying thanks to one of our guests as I knew they had travelled a distance to get here in terrible weather.  Their response was to say that they would have taken any detour required and would make it here ‘no matter what’!  It was lovely to hear!”

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