Plaimont “La Table Du Malin” Madiran. From under the gaze of the Pyrenees. And, they say, "heart friendly"

Plaimont “La Table Du Malin” Madiran (AC) 2017, 13.5% ABV

Gift from France

 From under the gaze of the Pyrenees.

A Basque vineyard, near Saint Etienne de Baïgorry

Our 2017 Madiran, made from the Tannat grape, has one of the darkest

Adrift at Dunmore House takes top prize at prestigious Food&Wine Hotel Restaurant of the Year Awards

Adrift at Dunmore House takes top prize at prestigious  

Food&Wine Hotel Restaurant of the Year Awards

There were big celebrations for the family owned and run Dunmore House in Clonakilty on Sunday as Adrift, the fine dining restaurant at the 30 bedroom hotel, was announced as

Taste of the Week. Bó Rua Farm Cheddar with Fenugreek Seeds

Taste of the Week. 

Bó Rua Farm Cheddar with Fenugreek Seeds

Bó Rua Farm farmhouse cheese is made from cow’s milk, on Tom and Norma Dineen’s family farm in Ballynoe, Fermoy, Co. Cork.  The cheesemaking is seasonal, while the cows enjoy a grass diet outdoors. The cheddar is carefully produced, using traditional methods, and gently aged to develop a firm yet delicately creamy texture and a full, approachable flavour. Creamy, full, and approachable is an apt summation of this multi-award-winning cheese.

They have found a lot of truth in the old farmers' saying, “Look after the cows, and the cows will look after you. "This goes to the heart of everything we do at Bó Rua Farm, from raising and grazing our herd of Montbeliarde and Friesian cows to handcrafting our artisan, farmhouse cheese." See more at https://boruafarm.ie/.

And, now, just in time for Christmas, you can enjoy their Bó Rua Farm Cheddar with Fenugreek Seeds. While their superb regular Cheddar is widely available, this particular version, our Taste of the Week, is presently exclusively available at Simply Better at Dunnes Stores. 

 

Blond or Blonde? Lough Gill Irish Abbey Belgian Blond

Lough Gill Irish Abbey Belgian Blond: A Taste of Abbey Life

Blond or Blonde? 

Looking to get away from IPAs for a spell? Why not try a

Barnahown B&B, Star Of RTÉ’s At Your Service, Seeks Support For Crowdfunding Campaign To Help Part-Finance Its Phase Two Regenerative Tourism Project

 press release

Barnahown B&B, Star Of RTÉ’s At Your Service, Seeks Support For Crowdfunding Campaign To Help Part-Finance Its Phase Two Regenerative Tourism Project

Ciara gazes at the nearby mountains.

The luxurious low-Impact guesthouse in Mitchelstown, Co Cork aims to generate €50,000 via cash donations, gift voucher sales, and bookings for its bespoke ‘Run Your Own B&B’ and ‘Interiors Immersion’ experiences that will finance its Spring 2025 site preparations.

Acting on the expert advice given to her by the

The Silver Restaurant at Newbridge Silverware Wins Prestigious “Café of the Year” at the Good Food Ireland Awards 2024

 The Silver Restaurant at Newbridge Silverware Wins Prestigious “Café of the Year” at the Good Food Ireland Awards 2024

Darina Allen (Ballymaloe) with Newbridge Silverware's
Natasha Pivovarjonokam Restaurant Supervisor and Ronan Mackey, Restaurant Manager

 

The Silver Restaurant at Newbridge Silverware in Co Kildare has been crowned Café of the Year at the renowned Good Food Ireland Awards 2024. Sponsored by Ballymaloe Foods, this prestigious award celebrates The Silver Restaurant's commitment to quality, innovation, and the authentic Irish food experience that has captured the hearts of both locals and international visitors alike.

 

The award ceremony took place in the opulent

Gallina de Piel Ikigall Penedes. Enjoy it wherever, however, and with whomever you want.

Gallina de Piel Ikigall Vino Blanco Penedes (DOC) 2022, 13.0% ABV

RRP €21.95. Stockists:  Barnhill Stores, Martins Off Licence, The Granary Foodstore, McHughs Off Licences

enjoy it wherever, however, and with whomever you want.

With its eye-catching label art, the producers of this Spanish white wine exhort us to “enjoy it wherever, however, and with whomever you want.” And indeed, that kind of “permissiveness” applies to its making. Gallina de Piel does not have a vineyard but works “with local growers, selecting the best vineyards planted with indigenous grape varieties to create wines that emphasize elegance and freshness.”

Gallina de Piel is an exciting winemaking project by David Seijas, the former Head Sommelier at the three Michelin-starred restaurant El Bulli. David aims to

Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel Named "Hotel Restaurant of the Year" at Good Food Ireland Awards 2024

 Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel Named

 

"Hotel Restaurant of the Year" at Good Food Ireland Awards 2024

Oyster and Caviar at Forbes Street

 

Forbes Street by Gareth Mullins, located within Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel, has been awarded the prestigious title of "Hotel Restaurant of the Year" at the Good Food Ireland Awards 2024. Sponsored by Wine Consultants Ireland, the award celebrates excellence in Irish hospitality, recognising Forbes Street as a distinguished

Anthony Cresswell of Ummera and the lads at the Lifeboat Inn honoured at the Good Food Ireland Awards

press release

Anthony Cresswell of Ummera and the lads at the Lifeboat Inn honoured 

 the Good Food Ireland® Awards 2024. In association with FBD Insurance.

Three cheers for Anthony!

West Cork’s The Lifeboat Inn was named Pub of the Year and Co. Cork businessman Anthony Creswell of Ummera Smoked Products was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Food Production Award at the prestigious Good Food Ireland® Awards 2024 in association with FBD Insurance as the Awards’ worthy winners were announced during a high-profile ceremony at The K Club in Co. Kildare on Monday (11 November).

The Awards celebrate businesses at every

On the craft trail - with Lineman, Western Herd and Lough Gill

On the craft trail - with Lineman, Western Herd and Lough Gill 

Lineman Reflector Pils 4.2% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Lineman resurrected their Reflector Pils recently. “And why not?”, they ask: “We absolutely love this stuff, and it seems you do too, because you voted it #1 in style in 2023 on untappd.”

It certainly looks the part in the glass. That golden colour you'd expect

Café Velo Settling Well In Carrigaline

Café Velo Settling Well In Carrigaline

Chicken Ciabatta

Café Velo in Carrigaline offers an impressive variety on its menu. I had the pleasure of enjoying lunch in the newly opened venue last Saturday. Deciding what to

Taste of the Week. Hegarty's Cheddar Cheese

 Taste of the Week

Hegarty's Cheddar Cheese

Brothers Dan and John Hegarty are the fifth generation of Hegarty dairy farmers. At the turn of the century, they faced a familiar problem on Irish farms. And like many before them and since, they found a way to diversify and add value by going into cheese production, a solution that allowed both to stay on the farm.


Dan is the frontman for the cheese operation, and the Whitecross farm is now renowned for its magnificent cheddar that has been snapped up by restaurants and retail customers alike over the past two decades years or so. I regularly enjoy a wedge and once again it is our Taste of the Week. It is widely available, so go on and treat yourself!

* Some of the stockists are listed here.

Meyer-Fonné Gentil Alsace...the ideal choice to kick off an evening

Meyer-Fonné Gentil Alsace (AC) 2022, 12.5% ABV 

RRP €20.95. Stockists: Le Caveau, 64 Wine, Greenman Wines, Bradleys Cork

the ideal choice to kick off an evening

This Gentil, a traditional blend originating in the 1920s, captures all the magic of each component part. This 2022 vintage comprises Muscat, Pinot Blanc, Riesling (mostly) and Gewurztraminer.

Gentil is made from the estate’s white grape varieties. It is not hit-and-miss. You are not allowed to throw in just any old grape. It is done carefully, to a very high and controlled official standard.

It’s the ideal choice to kick off an evening as it makes a delightful aperitif. Later in the evening, importers Le Caveau recommend it with umami-focused dishes, like Sushi. It lends itself to sweet and aromatic spices, from North African to Indian/Pakistani and South East Asian. “Truly Versatile!”

It has a beautiful, clean golden colour. It is quite aromatic, with apple, pear, and a touch of sweetness (from the Muscat), and draws you in. And so it continues in the mouth with a beautiful balance and texture. The subtle fruit notes and, again, that persistent honey-suckle-like sweetness engage your senses right through the lingering finish.

I have been enjoying this for years now, and once again, it is Very Highly Recommended.

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Check out our Top 2023 Wines here.

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Check out the Good Value Wine List here

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