[Competition] Win a pair of tickets to JN Wine Portfolio Tasting

I recently put together a listing of all upcoming wine events, featuring many "Meet the Makers" type tastings, which are a great way to try out lots of new wines and meet the people that make them. I was delighted to be contacted by one of the featured wine merchants, JN Wine, who generously offered me some tickets to give away to two of my readers!

JN Wine will hold their annual Portfolio tasting in the Merrion Hotel, Dublin on November 11th, and tickets cost €20. (For wine lovers in Northern Ireland, they will also hold a tasting on Friday November 12th in Andrews Gallery at the Titanic Building). However, two lucky readers will each receive a pair of tickets to the Dublin tasting where they can taste and sample their way around a room of fantastic wines. 

[Competition] Win a pair of tickets to the BBC Good Food Show in Belfast

The BBC Good Food Show is making its first appearance in Northern Ireland this September, and to celebrate this first the promoters have given Stitch & Bear a free pair of tickets to give away to a lucky reader. 

The BBC Good Food Show

Some of Britain's most popular chefs, including handsome baker Paul Hollywood, James Martin, Emmett McCourt and the lovable Hairy Bikers, will share recipes and tips in the 1800 seater Supertheatre. In addition, over 100 culinary exhibitors will be in attendance,, giving visitors the chance to shop for local produces, enjoy taste testing and learn even more tips and tricks from the exhibitors. 

Standard tickets start from £18.50 and are available online. VIP packages with prime seating at the Supertheatre and VIP lounge access plus other benefits are also available 

The show runs from Friday October 14th to Sunday October 16th, at the Belfast Waterfront, with doors open 9am - 6pm daily.

The competition is now closed, and I am delighted to announce that Gemma Thompson of Belfast is the lucky winner. Congratulations Gemma, your tickets will be in the post shortly.

How to win?

I'm keeping this simple. You can enter by any one of the following methods:

(1) Liking and commenting on the Stitch & Bear Facebook page

(2) Emailing me with the subject BBC Good Food Show

(3) Following and tweeting me on Twitter with reference to the competition

The fine print

The competition will close on Sunday, September 11th. The winner will be contacted for their postal address details, and tickets will be posted to them by the promoters. Please note that the tickets are valid for Friday or Sunday only.

[Competition] Win two tickets to Taste of Dublin with Wines from Rioja

There's nothing better than free stuff, and thanks to Wines from Rioja, Stitch & Bear have two pairs of tickets to Taste of Dublin to give away. I'll be giving away one pair here on the blog, while the second pair will be up for grabs on my shiny new Instagram page.

Wine from Rioja is bringing its "Summer of Tapas Fantasticas" to the Taste of Dublin Festival from the 11th to 14th June. Visitors will have a chance to taste some of Rioja's best wines, alongside traditional food from the famous London jamón bodega Bar Tozino. From Spain's gastronomic heartland, Rioja wines are amongst the world's most food-friendly, and with over 600 wineries in the Rioja region, there's bound to be a wine to suit everyone. Wine experts will be on hand to offer informal masterclasses to festival goers so that they can make the most of Rioja with their favourite foods. 

In order to be in with a chance of winning one pair of tickets for a Taste of Dublin session of your choosing, simply answer the question below by leaving a comment on this blog post, or by emailing stitchandbearblog@gmail.com. Please make sure to provide contact details, as I have to be able to reach you if you're lucky enough to win. The competition is now closed for entries.

Congrats to Daniela Simmons, who wins the pair of tickets from this blog post.

Question: What is the famous Spanish wine region that is bringing its wines to the Taste of Dublin?

Don't forget to like my new Instagram page, where I will be giving away another pair of tickets to one of my lucky followers. 

[Competition] Win a Knorr Flavour Pot hamper

We all value a bit of convenience every so often and it's rare to find a cook who assembles everything from scratch. The key thing is to employ some good old-fashioned common sense and choose clever convenient ingredients. I tend to be pretty light on the convenience ingredients, but there are always tins of tomatoes in the cupboard, along with high quality stockcubes. After all, I wish I had the kitchen space and time to make wonderful homemade stock (like my mother) but reality takes precedence. 

Knorr Flavour Pots recently invited me to a tasting event featuring a range of quick dishes cooked using a selection of the Flavour Pots. As a thank you for attending, I was given a little package of the different pots, which I gradually tried out at home over the following few weeks. The simple pots of minced garlic, red chilis and pepper pots proved to be very useful as base ingredients, while the curry pot worked quite well one evening when making a korma-like curry along with some ground almonds. The mixed herbs were a little too sweet for my liking (I really can't see any way preserving fresh herbs well), but overall I could definitely see a space for these pots in my store cupboard. 

The good news is that Knorr have provided three Flavour Pots hampers in a giveaway for the readers of Stitch & Bear. To be in with a chance of winning one of the three hampers, answer the simple question below, either by leaving a comment on this blog post, or emailing stitchandbearblog@gmail.com. Please make sure to leave some contact details, as anonymous comments can't win. 

Q: Name any of the five varieties of Knorr Flavour Pot.

The competition will close at 8pm on Sunday, August 17th, and the winners will be randomly selected from all correct entries. Good luck!

This competition is now closed. Congratulations to the three lucky winners: Michael Breen, Amy Bennett & Rachel Douglas.

You can find the Knorr Flavour Pots in the herbs and spices aisle of your local supermarket, where a pack of 4 pots has a RRP of €2.29. More information and recipes can be found on the Knorr website. 

[Competition] Brookwood, Baggot Street Lower, Dublin 2

In case you haven't noticed, there's a dining war ranging in town at the weekends. On one hand, we have the young guns with their brunch offerings and fancy cocktails that run all day. On the other hand, there is the traditional market offering the Sunday roast with all the trimmings. But what happens when you combine the most traditional meal of the week, with a new, sleek steakhouse?

Placesetting at Brookwood

Brookwood is newly opened on Lower Baggot Street, covering three floors in the site of a former Black Tie location. It's very masculine and sleek, with dark wood and leather banquettes, while a magnificent metal rhinocerous head maintains a watch over the kitchen proceedings. On the first floor, we have the bar with beautiful graduated overhead lighting, parquet flooring and a jewel-like display of decanters, crystal and soda siphons. A private dining area on the top floor completes the fit out. 

Stitch and Bear, along with the in-laws, were invited guests of Brookwood for their Sunday roast experience. Arriving reasonably early in service, we were seated upstairs in the first floor dining area. I found myself admiring the quality of everything, from the heavy crystal water glasses to the crisp white napkins and tan leather chairs with buckle details. However, even without food, the table felt cramped and it just didn't get any better as our food and fellow diners arrived to fill up the small space. 

Our Sunday roast arrived at the table in a series of deliveries. First was a warm skillet of roast parsnips, carrots and goose-fat potatoes. This was followed by a wooden platter with thick, juicy slices of fine beef and a scattering of Yorkshire puddings. Last to the table were jugs of gravy and horseradish, and a little pot of mashed potatoes. This carnivorous feast drew an admiring comment from our dining neighbour, but to be fair, he had a ringside view. 

Everything was excellent - juicy, flavoursome beef with a crunchy crust, rich meaty gravy and perfectly cooked vegetables. There was plenty to go around, without overdoing it. Personally, I loved the medium-rare finish, although it may not be to everyone's taste. Finally, we finished off with a creamy sweet banoffee pie and a mixed cheeseboard of Cashel Blue and Comté.

Roast beef  with Yorkshire Puddings and horseradish

Roast carrots, parsnips and goose fat potatoes

In addition to offering a fine Sunday roast, a regular lunch menu is available at weekends, along with live music and half-price cocktails on Sunday. The Sunday Roast offer runs from 1pm to 8pm, which will surely work for even the latest risers, while pitchers of margaritas or ruby red Bloody Marys will help revive and refresh.

Brookwood have kindly sponsored a lovely giveaway for the readers of Stitch & Bear. The lucky winner will enjoy a dinner for two, with a cocktail on arrival. To be in with a chance of winning this prize, answer the simple question below. You can enter by leaving a comment on this blog post, or by emailing stitchandbearblog@gmail.com. Please make sure to leave contact details, as anonymous comments can't win. 

Q: On which famous Dublin street is Brookwood located?

The competition will close at 8pm on Sunday, August 10th and the winner will be randomly selected from all correct entries. Good luck!

The competition is now closed. Congratulations to the lucky winner, Aiden Gallagher. Enjoy!

Brookwood, 141 Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2

Tel: +353 (0)1 661 9366

URL: www.brookwooddublin.com

Twitter: @BrookwoodDublin

[Competition] Wine dinner for four at the Kilkenny Cafeé Supper Club

I love competitions and I will enter each and every competition that I come across. What's even better is giving my readers a chance to win some great prizes. I was recently contacted by the Kilkenny Shop on Nassau Street, who are launching their Thursday Night Supper Club at the Kilkenny Café, located upstairs in the shop. The cafe serves up artisan Irish food, made fresh on-site daily for breakfast, lunch and supper. Bonus marks for the fact that most dishes are gluten-free. 

From Thursday, April 17th, the Thursday Night Supper Club will feature a supper main for €12.95 along with wine specials at €3 between 5-7pm each Thursday, along with live music throughout. To celebrate its return, Kilkenny is giving you the chance to win a delicious supper for you and 3 friends! With live music available throughout the evening, it's surely the perfect way to finish your shopping trip or simply unwind after a busy day.

The prize consists of a main course and glass of wine for the winner and three friends. The Supper Club runs on Thursdays only and the prize is valid until the last Thursday in May. To be in with a chance of winning this tasty prize for you and your friends, answer the simple question below. You can either leave a comment on this blog post, or email stitchandbearblog@gmail.com. Please make sure to provide contact details, as anonymous comments can't win.

Q: How much does a main course cost at the Kilkenny Café supper club?

The competition will close at 8pm on Monday, April 21st and the winner will be randomly selected from all correct entries. Good luck!

(Deadline extended for the Easter Bank Holiday weekend).

The competition is now closed and I am in the process of contacting the lucky winner.

[Listing] Walkers' Crisps Flavour Millionaire Competition

There are many of us out there who are traditionalists when it comes to our crisps. I personally love a good, mouth-puckering salt & vinegar, or a nicely savoury cheese & onion. On the other hand, my father has developed a real love for sweet chili flavoured crisps. To each their own!

Walkers have announced details of a campaign called "Do Us A Favour" where they are asking their fans to help them create a new flavour combination. One winner will be crowned the first ever Walkers'  Flavour Millionaire (#FlavourMillionaire) and in with a chance of winning £1,000,000 or £10,000 for the five runners-up. (All prizes will be converted to Euro, should the winner be from Ireland).

Entries can be submitted at Facebook.com/WalkersCrispsIreland until March 4th. At that stage, a panel of judges will select the shortlist of flavours to be developed and launched during the summer. The Irish & British public will then decide on the favourite and ultimate winner through a public vote.

There's one catch however, as all flavour suggestions will need to start with one of the Walkers' staple ingredients. Once you've picked from cheddar, chicken, pork, sour cream, tomato or beef, then you can let your imagination run wild.

With a top prize of a cool million pounds on offer, it's worth getting the taste part of your brain into top gear.

[Competition] Win an Early Bird meal from Bombay Pantry

Stitch and Bear have long been fans of The Bombay Pantry. It's hard to believe that it's been 15 years since the first outlet opened, serving deliciously fresh Indian takeaway food. There are now 7 shops operating in the Dublin area and the business has gone from strength to strength. With frequently changing special dishes and offers, there's often a new taste experience waiting at the Bombay Pantry. 

The lovely people at the Bombay Pantry generously sponsored Stitch and Bear's Christmas giveaway last year, and they've returned this year with some more goodies. Stitch and Bear have two vouchers for the Early Bird offer to give away to some lucky readers.  The Early Bird is available all night Monday to Wednesday, and up to 6.30pm all other nights. It costs a mere €7.50 and gets you a vada or bhaji starter, plus medium sized chicken or vegetable dish with a rice or naan. This offer is not available online. Having ordered this many nights myself, I can verify that it is exceptional value.

To be in with a chance of winning one of these two tasty vouchers, simply leave a comment below or email stitchandbearblog@gmail.com with the answer to this simple question.  Please make sure to provide contact details, as anonymous comments can't win.

How many Bombay Pantry stores are there in Dublin?

The competition will close at 8pm on Saturday, December 21st and the winners will be randomly drawn from all correct entries. Good luck!!

[Competition] Win a meal for two at Bijou Bistro

If you're a regular reader of restaurant reviews, you will have heard about the great happenings at Bijou Bistro. This neighbourhood restaurant has been serving the residents of Rathgar and beyond for over 15 years, with an accompanying deli selling fresh cakes and savoury dishes. Linda Smith, the owner of Bijou Bistro and Deli says "We have a wonderful team, both on the floor and in the kitchen, that combine years of experience in customer service with young, creative talent producing some beautiful food." Bijou also has strong established relationships with local suppliers, which are being leveraged by their exciting new Head Chef Ian Ussher. 

Ian joined the Bijou team in October 2012, having previously worked at The Greenhouse and Bang, even spending some time in the kitchens of Arzak Restaurant in San Sebastian (currently ranked No 8 in the World's Best Restaurants). This heritage is evident in his cooking which combines modern and innovative techniques alongside traditional and classic dishes. The critics have been taking reviews and the reviews are starting to flood in, including Stitch and Bear's own visit to Bijou earlier this year. 

Indulge this Christmas with a new creation from Chef Ussher -
mini lobster burgers, brown shrimp cocktail and foie Scotch egg

The beautiful Art Deco interior of Bijou features wooden-paneled walls and delicate glass lighting, making it feel luxurious and intimate, but also comfortable. Chef Ussher's food adds a modern touch to this restaurant gem. To celebrate their recent success, Bijou has generously donated a wonderful prize to be won by a lucky Stitch and Bear reader. The voucher will cover a meal for two, including a bottle of wine, up to €100 value.

To be in with a chance of winning this wonderful prize, simply leave a comment below or email stitchandbearblog@gmail.com with the answer to this simple question.  Please make sure to provide contact details, as anonymous comments can't win.

In which Dublin suburb is Bijou Bistro and Deli located?

The competition will close at 8pm on Saturday, December 7th and the winner will be randomly drawn from all correct entries. Good luck!!

Congratulations to the lucky winner, Gemma Moore of Dublin 18. Your voucher will be in the post shortly. Thanks to all those who entered! 

COMPETITION: Win Food & Sake from Yamamori Izakaya

Stitch and Bear is running its very first competition, and it's all thanks to the lovely team at Yamamori Izakaya. They had read my recent review of their cool downstairs Japanese bar and they wanted to offer one of my readers the chance to experience Izakaya for themselves.  

Downstairs at Yamamori Izakaya

Izakaya's bar has been one of Dublin's hidden secrets for a while now, but I suppose you can't keep a good thing down. Izakaya is a pretty relaxed spot, offering good value Japanese food, a fine selection of Japanese beers, sake and cocktails, along with good music and even movies. I love their cocktails, spicy squid and burgers, and I'm willing to bet that you will too. 

The Prize

The prize is simple. Izakaya are offering the lucky winner 5 dishes from their extensive 5 for €25 menu, along with a bottle of sake. 

How to Enter

Simply answer the following question, by leaving a comment on this blog post. 

Izakaya is located at 12-13 South George's Street, but who were the original occupants of this famous Dublin building? (click here for a hint).

This competition will close at 18.00 GMT on Friday, June 15th. The winner will be randomly selected from all correct entries. Please don't leave anonymous comments, as I won't be able to contact you about your win. Good luck!

The Details

If you are the lucky winner, then you will need to notify Izakaya in advance, and you will have three months in which to redeem the prize

Yamamori Izakaya, 12-13 South Great George's St, Dublin 2
Tel: +353 (0)1 645 8001
URL: www.yamamoriizakaya.ie/
Twitter: @Izakaya_Dublin