Appetising experiences to try now …
Lunch In London: If a trip to London is on the cards, Irish chef Christine Walsh has taken over the kitchen of the much-loved Rita’s on Lexington Street in Soho. Walsh’s food at Éan in Galway, where she worked before heading to the UK, was an absolute joy (that squid toast!) and we can’t wait to see what she comes up with in her new role. www.ritasdining.com. KMcG
Eating the Best Banh Mhí: Try Aobaba on Capel Street, Dublin 1, The Street at Hynes Bar and Vietnom at The Glimmerman (both in Stoneybatter, Dublin 7) for these tasty Vietnamese sandwiches made with fluffy rice flour bread.
Signing up for one of the courses: at Overends Airfield Estate, Dundrum, Dublin 14. Taking our fancy is French Date Night cooking (Thursday October 26), a Vegetarian Course every Tuesday in November, and the new Supper Club Series. This continues on November 9 with Surya Davies, Airfield’s head of sustainable food, and Isobel Farrelly, head chef at Overends. €75 per person, which includes welcome drinks and snacks and a four-course farm-to-fork supper. On December 7, Jess Murphy, chef at Kai restaurant in Galway, and recipient of a Bib Gourmand and Michelin Green Star, will cook “An Alternative Christmas” on December 7. Tickets, €75; www.airfield.ie.
Seriously tasty: The latest publication from Kristin Jenson’s small but mighty Blasta Irish cookbook imprint is Masarap by Richie Castillo and Alex O’Neill, the duo behind the brilliant Bahay pop-up Filipino restaurant. Bahay is the Tagalog word for house, while masarap means tasty. With recipes such as Tiyula Itum (Burnt Coconut Beef) and the special feast dish, Lechon (Pork Belly), the book comes at just the right time for some serious autumn entertaining. KMcG
It’s Getting Chilli! Food motifs, from cherries to chillis, are always in fashion.
Ruched banana print mini dress, €136, Ganni; www.theoutnet.com.
Farm Fun: Combining the bounty of the autumn harvest with the beginning of the game season, it’s no wonder that October is the favourite month for many chefs. To see what Irish seasonal abundance looks like, visit the McNally Family Farm shop in Balrickard in North County Dublin to stock up on organic squashes and pumpkins (for eating, not carving – Crown Prince is best – and all manner of good green things before dropping into the café for Sarah McNally’s properly tasty food. www.mcnallyfamilyfarm.ie. KMcG
Wellies On! Book lunch and a posh Terre garden tour at Castlemartyr Resort, Co Cork. Garden enthusiasts can see Terre chef Vincent Crepel and Castlemartyr head gardener Kevin O’Shea’s ambitious selection of vegetables, fruit, edible flowers and microgreens in this organic and biodiverse garden. To make it extra special, book the Terre Petit Menu & Garden tour package, from €450 for an overnight stay; www.castlemartyrresort.ie.
Forage: with Mary Bulfin, aka Wild Food Mary, chef, organic food enthusiast and expert forager who will be leading a foraging session in the gorgeous grounds of Birr Castle, Co Offaly on October 15, for two hours at 11am or 2pm. €12 per adult; €8 per accompanying child; www.wildfoodmary.com.
Inspirational… Irish Kitchen Cocktails: 60 Drinks You Can Make At Home with Everyday Equipment by Irish-American mixologist Oisín Davies (Nine Bean Rows, €15) features crowd-pleasing punches, emergency gatecrasher cocktails and ultra-cool classics. Meet Davies at various pop-ups around the country this month, the first on October 11 at 6pm at Cask on MacCurtain Street, Cork. Tickets are €20 and include a cocktail plus a signed copy of the book. www.eventbrite.ie
Francophiles will love this book: a celebration of French lifestyle, food and culture. How to be French, Janine Marsh (Smith Street Books, €17.30).
Eat restaurant specialities without leaving the house: Eater, 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes from the Authority on Where to Eat and Why it Matters, Hillary Dixler Canavan (Abrams, €28).
Art on A Plate: Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s soup cans, Marilyn portrait and Flowers motif have been replicated as delicious pastries by The Merrion’s executive chef Ed Cooney and pastry chef Paul Kelly. Art Tea Goes Pop at The Merrion celebrates the “Andy Warhol Three Times Out” exhibition at The Hugh Lane Gallery until January 2. €62.50 per person; www.merrionhotel.com.
Winterage: Burren Food Fayre is a harvest celebration at the end of the growing season. It’s linked to the Winterage Festival, highlighting the unique way of life on the limestone land in Co Clare. Sign up for the winterage walk with a farming family as they walk their cattle to their upland winter pasture, and feast on Burren food afterwards. www.burrenwinterage.com. KMcG
Nicely Spicy: Asia Market, on Drury Street, Dublin 2, just gets better and better. From smart cookware and serveware (we love the pretty painted bowls) to the best and most exotic of ingredients, a visit is a treat for any foodie. Asia Market has just started delivering in Dublin, with same day delivery for orders placed before 12pm. www.asiamarket.ie
Chef Swap: There’s a Chef Swap at Aniar, Galway on November 25 and 29. JP McMahon will welcome chefs Andy McFadden (of Glover’s Alley at The Fitzwilliam,) and Ciaran Sweeney (of Olde Glen Bar, Donegal) into his kitchen to co-create a menu featuring the best from both chefs and JP will take up residence at Glovers Alley. This is all part of Blas Na Samhain (A Taste of November) which will include food events around Galway city and county. www.aniarrestaurant.ie