[Event] Tiger Street Eats

The recent announcement of Michelin-starred street food in Dublin, courtesy of Tiger beer, definitely caused a bit of buzz. At €10 per ticket, the Tiger Street Eats event offered the chance to try the world famous chicken from the Singaporean Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle street food hawker stand.  Tiger Street Eats is a concept designed to showcase the vibrancy of Singapore streets, and has already travelled to Auckland, Kuala Lumpur and New York. Dublin was the first European venture, and as you'd expect in a city that would go to the opening of a postcard, the tickets quickly sold out. 

Tiger Beer Street Eats

[Events] 2016 wine tastings

Here's a collection of the wine tastings and wine events of which I am aware. If there are events missing, please feel free to get in touch with me and share the details.

[Events] Australia and New Zealand Wine Tastings

I hope everyone had a Happy Christmas and that you all enjoyed some damn fine food and drink over the festive period. For those of you who aren't planning a dry January, here are details of two upcoming wine events, featuring the wines of Australia and New Zealand. And even if you are planning a dry January, surely you can allow yourself a little wine?

New Zealand Wine Fair

When: Thursday, January 21st between 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm.

Where: Hilton Hotel, Charlemont, Dublin 2

The Kiwis are on a wine tiki tour - join them for an evening of meandering, digressing, indulging and awakening the senses. Tickets cost €15 and can be booked here.

Australia Wine Fair

When: Wednesday, January 27th between 6.30 pm - 8.30 pm.

Where: Royal Hibernian Academy, Ely Place, Dublin 2

Taste a selection of Australian wines in a relaxed and fun environment, suitable for everyone from the absolute beginner to the savvy wine lover. Australian winemakers will be on hand to answer your questions and tell you more about the wines and how they are made. Tickets cost €15 and can be purchased online here. 

[Events] Upcoming wine tastings

Wine tastings are a great way to sample many different wines in one session, and they often come with the benefit of being able to meet the winemaker or distributor. This gives the true wine enthusiasts a chance to ask questions, while the more "dedicated" drinkers can simply get on with the job of tasting. 

The Irish wine calendar is pretty packed at the moment, but here are the details of three upcoming tastings to which I am particularly looking forward. And with the dreaded C-word (Christmas!) starting to loom, these tastings also represent a great opportunity to pick out your Christmas wines or presents.

1. SPIT Wine Festival

About: SPIT is both a professional and consumer tasting event. If you love wines and are interested in something a little out of the ordinary, meeting winemakers and tasting wines made with less intervention at the winery, then SPIT is the wine tasting for you. SPIT is a door to find wines with a strong and unique sense of identity and discover more about wine culture in Ireland. Wines will be presented by Grapecircus, Nomad Wines, Tyrrell and Co, Vinostito and WineMason

When: Thursday, October 29th. 18:30 - 21:00

Location: Smock Alley, Dublin 2

Cost: €25

Link: www.spit.ie

2. Ely - The BIG Rhone Tasting

About: Rhone Wine Week returns this November and will be bigger and better than ever. Similar to the hugely popular "ely Big Tasting", there will be a host of winemakers on hand to talk you through a fantastic selection of wines such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cote-Rotie, Gigondas, Vacqeuyras, St. Joseph, Crozes Hermitage, Cornas, Beaumes de Venise, Condrieu and of course, Cotes du Rhone. The Big Rhone Tasting will offer a huge selection of wines from the most diverse of all the French wine regions, if not the world. From price to style, from people to "terroirs", the Rhone delivers.  

When: Wednesday, November 4th. 18:00

Location: Ely CHQ, IFSC, Dublin 1

Cost: €15

Link: www.elywinebar.ie

3. JN Wines – Meet the Winemakers

About: This is an informal and relaxed walk-around tasting from established wine merchants James Nicholson, where you can chat to the winemakers, taste the wines that interest you and tailor the experience to suit you. You don't need to be a wine expert to enjoy it; interest and a bit of enthusiasm will suffice! It is the perfect opportunity to broaden your wine drinking horizons as well as your wine knowledge while you familiarise yourself with the JN Wines range. Come by yourself, in twos or as a part of a group. The JN team will be on hand to guide you around and answer any queries. With over 20 winemakers and 100+ wines to try, be sure to give yourself enough time to get around.

  

When: Friday^, November 6th.

Location: Smock Alley, Dublin 2

Cost: €15

Link: JNwine.com Events

4. Spain Uncorked!

About:  Wines of Ribera del Duero and Rueda invite you to join them for an evening of Spanish wine discovery! Renowned Irish wine writer, Liam Campbell, will host a series of wine walks taking you through the wines of each region. There will be plenty of wine to sample from both Ribera del Duero wine regions as well as a Spanish music performance to bring some Olé! to the party.

When: Wednesday, November 11th. 18:30 – 21:00

Location: Smock Alley, Dublin 2

Cost: €20

Link: Eventbrite

5. Cases Wine Warehouse Winter Wine Fair

About:  We head west for the 9th annual Winter Wine Fair from Cases Wine Warehouse, which will showcase over 100 of the wonderful wines stocked by Cases. All proceeds from the evening will go to a local beneficiary, the development of a sports hall at Scoil Mhuire National School in Clarinbridge. The many wines open on the night will be from a diverse range of countries, regions and grapes, while also featuring many old favourites. There will be live music, a raffle and the annual Cases Blind Tasting Competition for anyone who fancies testing their palate.

When: Friday, November 13th. 18:30 – 21:00

Location: Cases Wine Warehouse, Tuam Road, Galway

Cost: €20, available from Cases Wine Warehouse and local shops.


6. O'Briens Winter Wine Fair

About:  The O'Briens twice yearly wine fairs are hugely popular and this year, there will be a Cork wine fair for the first time ever. The Cork event will have 140 wines to taste from 25 winemakers, while the Dublin event will feature 250 wines from 50 winemakers. 

When: Thursday, November 12th. 18:00 – 21:00 (Cork), Friday & Saturday, November 13th-14th (Dublin)

Location: Clarion Hotel, Lapps Quay, Cork and The Mansion House, Dublin

Cost: €15 (Cork) and €20 (Dublin)  with early bird tickets available for the Dublin event. Tickets

[Listing] West Waterford Festival of Food 2015

The West Waterford Festival of Food returns for the 8th successive year between Thursday, April 9th and Sunday, April 12th. The coastal town of Dungarvan will play host to some of Ireland's best chefs, producers, stall-holders and all-round lovers of fine food. 

The theme of this year's festival is Generations in Irish Food, which will shine a spotlight on some of our home-grown heroes and the generations of Irish families who continue to produce, cook, sell and run some of Ireland's greatest and best-loved restaurants and food businesses. 

One of the festival's key events, Celebrating Generations of West Waterford Food Stories, will take place in Dromana House, which incidently this year celebrates 800 years of ownership by the same family. Local chef Eunice Power will create a tribute to local West Waterford food families, such as the McGraths, Flahavans and Barrons, by showcasing not just their continuing history and narrative, but also their delicious ingredients.

Other highlights will include The Emerging Generation, a series of demonstrations from up and coming members of established food families, where the next generation will cook with the the older generation lending a helping hand. The series will features Jack and Tim McCarthy, the award-winning Kanturk butchers, Richard and Duncan Blair (and their mother) of Georgina Campbell's Pub of the Year 2014 Blair's Inn, and finally charcuterie master Frank Krawczyk with his talented chef son Rob Krawczyk, who will demo together for the first time under the title of Charcuterie from Father to Son.

The Tannery will continue as a festival cornerstone by hosting Generations of Food Producers tasting menus on Friday and Saturday, which will be based on the family producers participating in the festival. On Saturday, the Tannery will host brunch featuring Flahavan's, a family enterprise since 1785 from nearby Kilmacthomas, while on Sunday, they will host a duck feast lunch, in association with Silverhill.

Cois Cé, or Seafood Saturday, will offer fun activities by the water, sensational seafood and inspiring demos. The Farmers' Market will set up in the main square on Sunday with over 100 stalls scheduled to take part. The Busanna Bia will return, with three different routes available this year, giving festival goers the opportunity to visit as many producers as possible on each route. Tickets will be on sale for the The West Waterford Festival of Food Restaurant Trails and booking in advance is definitely recommended.

As if all those activities weren't enough, there is also a special schedule of events for the little cooks, featuring Cócaireacht le Chéile, pizza workshops, Mucking Around with Kitchen Sink Science and baking classes.

Check out the website - West Waterford Festival of Food - for more information, or keep an eye on the @WdFoodFestival Twitter account for the latest news.

[Event] TradFest Taste Trail, Temple Bar, Dublin 2

This year, as part of the internationally renowned TradFest, why not savour some world class cuisine as well as world class music with the TradFest Taste Trail. This gastronomic event will wind its way through Temple Bar, stopping at 10 food outlets offering a wide range of cuisine delights. 

Temple Bar offers all categories of food and hospitality from fast food to award-winning restaurants, gastropubs, bakeries, breweries and an outdoor food market. The area has an incredible diversity of cuisines ranging from Kathmandu to Ireland, from Indonesia to Italy. There are chefs who grow their own vegetables, publicans who make their own beer, coffee shops who bake their own cakes, Irish chefs who cook Asian food and Asian chefs who cook Irish food. 

The TradFest Taste Trail will take place on Saturday, January 31st and Sunday, February 1st, between 12pm - 5pm. Ticket books can be purchased from the Festival Box Office or participating restaurants for €22. Each book contains 10 tickets, with a face value of €2. These can then be exchanged for dishes at the restaurants. 

The inaugural Temple Bar Coddle Cook Off will also take place during the TradFest, with Temple Bar restaurants offering up their own unique take on the classic Dublin dish. The Cook Off will take place on Curved Street from 3pm - 5pm, with entries from Chameleon, The Boxty House, Elephant & Castle, Monty's of Kathmandu, La Caverna, The Larder, Oliver St John Gogarty's and The Morgan. Celebrity judges Rick O'Shea (2FM), Leslie Williams (The Examiner) and Gillian Nelis (The Sunday Business Post) will choose the winning dish and proceeds will be donated to Epilepsy Ireland.

For more information, visit www.templebartrad.com, or whet your appetite with the following dieshes from the participating restaurants.

1. Chameleon Restaurant

Indonesian pork belly in a steamed bun with Korean kimchi and caramel €4

2. Elephant & Castle

Basket of spicy chicken wings with blue cheese dressing and celery €4

Roasted red pepper hummus with pitta soldiers €2

Chocolate & pistachio ganache tart with whipped cream €4

3. F.X. Buckley 

2 oz sirloin steak with Bearnaise sauce €4

4. Gallagher's Boxty House

Boxty fries - thin strips of boxy pancakes, deep-fried and seasoned with Dilisk seaweed brittle €2

Boxty bread - toasted boxty loaf topped with St. Tolas goats cheese and Haven turf smoked salmon €2

Boxty dumplings - boxty dumplings cooks with wild Irish mushrooms in a Cashel Blue cheese sauce €2

Boxty pancake - slices of boxty pancake with corned beef and pickled cabbage €2

Boxty ice cream  - caramelized boxty loaf ice cream in a miniature cone €2

5. La Caverna Restaurant and Wine Bar

Minestrone soup - fresh traditional Italian vegetable soup €2

Italian risotto - chicken, mushroom, mixed papers and asparagus €2

Sweet Italian panna cotta - with fruit sauce €2

6. Monty's of Kathmandu

Tare ko Sabji - mild deep-fried mixed vegetables with chutney €2

Chicken mono with chutney - traditional Nepalese dumplings with chutney €4

Mango lassi - traditional Nepali yoghurt smoothie €2

7. The Morgan

Mini crispy pulled pork wraps served with chive yogurt, rocket and pickled carrots linguine €4

Mini Dublin Bay fish cakes with ceviche and mango dressing €4

(Add a glass of Irish pale ale to either dish for €6)

8. The Oliver St John Gogarty

3 Carlingford oysters served with Guinness brown bread €4

Bowl of fresh mussels, shallots, herbs, white wine and cream €4

Continental and Irish cheeseboard with fresh fruit and biscuits €4

Rustic apple tart served with Irish whiskey custard €4

9. The Port House Pintxo

Paella de Pollo Chorizo - traditional Spanish rice dish with chicken and chorizo €4

Churros con chocolate - Spanish doughnuts, coated in cinnamon sugar, served with a warm chocolate dipping sauce €2

10. The Shack Restaurant

Beef Ireland - stew of tender beef, cooked with bell peppers, onion, red wine and grain mustard, served with Irish potato cake €4

Apple crumble - homemade crumble served with custard and fresh cream €2

[Events] Taste of Dublin 2014

Taste of Dublin is over for another year, and it continues to polarise opinions. To some people, it seems to represent an excessive Celtic Tiger legacy and to others, it's a lovely day out with plenty of food and drink to choose from. I tend oscillate between these two extremes but come June, I always end up in the Iveagh Gardens with a sheaf of florins (the Taste currency). 

I used to avail of a good corporate deal on tickets via work, but that hasn't been available for the last few years. Since then, I've actually refused to buy a ticket but instead, I enter all the competitions I can find. So far my luck has held good. The event organisers put on a magnificent show every year, but I do feel galled by a steep entrance fee (plus booking fee per ticket!), with nothing included bar entry. (To be honest, this year I received complementary tickets as part of my invitation to the Aldi 28 Steak promotion).

The first thing I noticed as our taxi pulled up on Harcourt Street outside the entrance was the sheer volume of the queue. We had deliberately planned to be an hour late to avoid the worst of the entrance queues, but it was as if the gates had just opened. Thankfully, we were able to bypass the queue (a rare perk that I was extremely grateful for), but I felt terrible for the people queuing. One quarter of the allocated time was already up and God knows how long more they queued for.

The Aldi cabin at Taste of Dublin (see Louis in the window!)

As mentioned, we were guests of Aldi who had invited us to sample their 28 day dry aged Irish Angus steaks in a purpose built cabin and outdoor terrace. The superstar factor was bought by Cormac Rowe, executive chef at Michelin-starred Mount Juliet who, along with his team, expertly cooked the steaks to perfection in front of us. A small starter of cod brandade and a very delicious strawberry and basil panna cottta were served as part of a three course meal, with wines from the excellent value Aldi Exquisite range (my favourite? The Albariño).

I also got a real kick from having Louis Walsh present at our sitting. It was amazing to watch him make time for any fan who requested a photo or hug. If you had the balls to approach him, he made sure that you got some time. Major respect Louis.

Place setting at #28byAldi

Magnificent ribeye with salad from Aldi and Cormac Rowe 

An Aldi side of beef

Delicious strawberry and basil dessert

Now that I've gotten over my love fest with Aldi's steaks, it's back to the rest of Taste of Dublin. This year, I felt that there had been a real change. As I wandered around, up and down the steps, in and out of the trees, it felt less like a string of stalls and more like a grouping of experiences. Kentucky Ales were promoting their beers and whiskies in a section with a live band and grill, O'Briens wines was jumping, Glenisk had mounted smoothie blenders on bicycles and the open demonstrations had been spread throughout the area.

Samba time - someone is enjoying the Brazilian dancing

Thanks to Aldi's generous feast, we weren't very hungry, but we did sample some pea panna cotta from Hot Stove Restaurant along with dumplings and wasabi prawns from China Sichuan. Rock Lobster was the crowd favourite with long lines waiting for their signature lobster rolls, while Anita Thoma's (Il Primo) eye-catching method for finishing risotto on a wheel of parmesan was also drawing a crowd.

Wasabi prawns with mango from China Sichuan

Spicy poached chicken wonton dumplings from China Sichuan

Garden pea panna cotta from Hot Stove Restaurant

And it wasn't just the food that got us interested. Prosecco was the clear choice of the well-heeled, albeit tipsy, ladies who were wandering around clutching bottles and plastic flutes. Down in the VIP area, the (overpriced, in my opinion) tickets got you a glass of Champagne and a pre-mixed cocktail. Me, I was personally more interested in visiting some of the cocktail stands for a freshly made drink. We tried the Beefeater Gin bar from the Mint Bar as well as a truly excellent raspberry bourbon sour from Kentucky Ales.

Tom from the Mint Bar creating my cocktail

Raspberry bourbon sour from Kentucky Ales

The excellent Teeling Whiskey company

The real star of the Taste of Dublin however, is the actual venue itself. The Iveagh Gardens are just stunning and Taste of Dublin makes creative use of the area. It was such a shame to see attendees littering the grounds with cigarette butts and other debris. Way to stay classy. As the evening bled into night, the Gardens become romantic and it's very easy to sit down and let the world pass you by. Before too long, it was 21.30 and the security team were starting to shut down the bars and stands. Time to depart and probably not too soon for the prosecco-sodden lady I saw fall head first into the barriers.

Final thoughts on Taste? I still think it can be expensive. I still think it's a love-in for D4-ites and socialites. I still think anyone who wanders around with the VIP lanyard is a borderline tit. But there were some signs this year that the festival is changing, moving towards a more personalised experience. Restaurants who make an effort with a signature dish will reap the benefits and with the right weather, it's a magnificent day out.

UPDATE: I just realised that I never mentioned the toilets. Probably because I had scrubbed that horrible experience from my memory. Before we had even left home, I had rolled up some toilet paper into my bag as previous years had taught me not to spin the toilet paper roulette wheel. This year though, the issue was smell and maintenance. I was left wondering what women were doing in the toilets to create such a smell and such a mess.

[Listing] Valentine's Day 2014

Let's just start by saying that I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day. Having said that, it's always good to celebrate love, so Stitch and Bear have collected details of events and offers to help you out.

For the daring…

The wonderful Bijou Bistro in Rathgar is running a romantic menu throughout the month of February (6 courses and a glass of prosecco for €55 per person) with special treats for anyone who 'pops the question'. Any couple who get engaged at the restaurant will be entered into a draw to win a luxurious 5-star hotel break with dinner and champagne. Additionally, if your man gets down on one knee during Valentine's weekend (Thursday to Sunday), Bijou will gift you a bottle of champagne to charge your glasses. 

For the meat lovers...

For the daring (or assured cooks) out there, the Village Butcher in Ranelagh is selling a 30 day dry-aged cote de boeuf for two for €19.99 each. Cooking instructions can be provided also!

My much beloved Bison BBQ is offering a mouth watering cowboy steak with 5 Bison sides and 2 Bison kicks for €50 per couple. Make sure to book your seat quickly.

For the cheese lovers…
Café Novo at the Westbury Hotel has a "Melt My Heart" treat featuring a baked heart-shaped Neufchâtel cheese, served with a fig balsamic compote and toasted sourdough bread. Choose from a glass of white (Muscadet de Sevre, Loire Valley) or red (Les Crouzs Vielles, Rousillon) wine and pay just €22 for the whole lot. The offer runs from Monday February 10th to Sunday February 16th and bookings can be made by called (01) 646 3353.

For the restaurant goers…

Red Torch Ginger Thai restaurant on St Andrew's Street is offering a 3 course menu, with prosecco/cocktail on arrival, a bottle of wine to enjoy with your dinner plus tea/coffee for €80 per couple. 

Down in Cork, the Cornstore always offers good value, with an early Valentine's value menu priced at €29.95.

For those with a sweet tooth...

Unfortunately, chef Robert Jacob's course "Cooking with the one you love" at Donnybrook Fair Cookery School is already sold out, but you might find Robert's class "Macaron Heaven" quite tempting instead. Or it could be purchased as a strategic gift for the cook in your life. Tickets cost €75 with more information available on the Donnybrook Fair Cookery School calendar.

The cool Damson Diner is shaking up boozy romantic milkshakes with vanilla ice cream, fresh milk, homemade blueberry jam, Chambord raspberry liquer and vodka. It's served with two shows (if you can bear to share), whipped cream and a cherry on top for just €5.

For the animal lovers...

Dublin Zoo have a romantic morning on offer for the early risers. The zoo will open its doors for just 100 couples at 8am on the mornings of February 15th and 16th. Upon entering the zoo, the lovebird couples can collect a romantic breakfast picnic from Haughton House, before taking in the early morning sights and sounds of the historic Zoo. Throughout the morning, the team will host special keeper talks on the courtship, breeding and exotic romantic rituals of some animals. Couples will also receive a romantic goody bag and souvenir key ring. Tickets costs €65 per couple and further information can be found here. 

For those who like a guilty pleasure...

Fancy a bit of Swayze in "Dirty Dancing"? The Movie Junction Drive-in Cinema in Cork is showing this 80s classic over Valentine's weekend, with entry costing €20 per car including a bar of Butler's chocolate and a red balloon. Best of all, €3 from each entry will be donated to the Hope Foundation. 

[Listing] A Taste of Mexico Festival

I found yet another email in my inbox, which offers some more free and fun food-releated entertainment to Dubliners. The Mexican Gastronomic and Cultural Festival will run between November 12th - 17th and will bring the sounds, culture and taste of Mexico to Dublin for the third year running. Mexican food has become hugely popular in Dublin over the last few years, and ‘A Taste of Mexico’ features many of the growing number of Mexican restaurants and offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in Mexican culture.

“It is wonderful for us to offer a little taste of Mexico to Irish people, and we hope many will take advantage of that”, said Mexican Ambassador, Carlos Garcia de Alba.

• November 13th - Chef Helma Honda, a specialist in authentic Mexican food, will host a conference about genuine Mexican cuisine, sharing her expertise and love of this unique cuisine in The Instituto Cervantes on Lincoln Place.  The conference will be followed by a tasting of tequila, the iconic Mexican spirit. 
• November 14th - A hosted tasting of mezcal ,a little known spirit that has recently been generating worldwide interest, will take place in the Instituto Cervantes.

Both these events are free and open to the public.

• November 15th - The search is on for ‘The Best Taco in Dublin’. This will be hosted in the Mansion House with a judging panel including the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Oisin Quinn, renowned chef and food writer Darina Allen, and chef Helma Honda, (this is an invitation only event). Foodies around Dublin have also been asked to vote online who serves the best tacos in town. Voting has now opened on the taste of Mexico Dublin Facebook page, www.facebook.com/tasteofmexicodublin 

The festival offers a wide range of authentic and traditional Mexican events including a variety of tastings, cookery workshops by the renowned Mexican Master Chef Claudio Loredo  and chef Helma Honda, live Mariachi music and events so bring your amigos to this fiesty fiesta. For further information visit the Embassy of Mexico’s website: www.embamex.ie.

The Taste of Mexico Festival is sponsored by Pernod Ricard-Irish Distillers, the Cervantes Institute, The Village at Lyons, Aeromexico, the regional office of the Mexican Tourism Board, Corona, Barry and Fitzwilliam, and The Porterhouse Group. 

[Listing] Bend in the River Wine & Style Night

I'm always a fan of a free event so when details of the inaugural Bend in the River Wine & Style Night appeared in my inbox, I felt it was worth sharing. The event will take place in House of Fraser at Dundrum Town Centre on Thursday, November 14th. It will form part of the Shop & Rock event, and The Bend in the River will host their own VIP exclusive event as part of the fun-filled night.

Cafe Zest on the top floor of House of Fraser will serve The Bend in the River wine alongside tasty canapés, free beauty makeovers, tips by Benefit and other cosmetic houses, great music, a novel photo booth, jam-packed goodie bags and much more. Bairbre Power, fashion editor of the Irish Independent will deliver a winter fashion masterclass, outlining all the key trends to watch out for this season.

In addition, there will be prizes on offer on the night including a trip to London with budgetair.ie, an overnight stay at the lovely Wineport Lodge thanks to Ireland's Blue Book and a House of Fraser shopping bonanza. 

The Bend in the River takes its name from a beautiful gorge section of the majestic River Rhine, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where it meanders and bends it way past the small town of Bingen in Germany, the home of The Bend in the River wines. 

[Event] Bán Poitín Launches in Ireland

When I was growing up, there was always a newspaper wrapped bottle lurking under the kitchen sink. Even in my maternal grandparents' house, a house of Pioneers, there was a twin to our newspaper wrapped bottle. It lurked in its secretive spot, only being pulled out to serve a small drop when old men visited or when it was time to bake the Christmas cake or puddings, and a good strong dose of alcohol was required. 

My aunt whispered to me that this was "poitín" (pronounced put-cheen) or illegal Irish hooch. As I grew older, I learned that one of my neighbours was a distiller of this clear, potent liquid and who was often to be seen ferrying around barrels loaded onto the rear of his battered Toyota jeep. Distilling poitín had been illegal in Ireland since 1661 and I was amazed at his boldness. Only later did I understand that poitín distilling was a somewhat tolerated local industry. 

Things have now changed and distilling of poitín is once again legal in Ireland. In fact, poitín has even been granted Geographical Indicative Status by the EU Council and European parliament in 2008. A new addition to the growing group of poitíns comes from a collaboration between Bán Poitín and West Cork Distillers (It does seem that us West Corkonians know the most about poitín!).

At the launch of Bán poitín

I recently got to meet the founders of Bán Poitín, Dave Mulligan and Cara Humphreys, at a recent launch event in a distressingly distressed and cool studio above Damson Diner. These two people are passionate about poitín, having helped establish the world's first poitín bar, Shebeen in London. And for the event, they had enlisted the services of mixologist Louis Lebaillif from Shebeen.

Louis mixing Bán cocktails

With a whole list of creatively-named cocktails including the Michael Collins, the Poitini and the Bán Ultimatum, we got the opportunity to sample poitín in a variety of cocktail styles. And it stood up to the test. This traditional-style overproof spirit, fermented using malted barley and sugar beet, delivered a slight sweetness that married well in the cocktails.

In our household, poitín was responsible for transforming the Chistmas cake into a fire hazard that shouldn't be left near the net curtains. However, I think it's now safe to say that poitín is ready to assume a place front and centre of bar counters, rather than lurking underneath the kitchen sink. 

[Listing] Kanchi Dine in the Dark at Waterford Harvest Festival

Kanchi "Dine in the Dark" is a pop-up restaurant with a difference coming to the Waterford Harvest Festival this weekend (September 12th-15th). Guided by a team of visually impaired hosts, guests will enjoy a truly unique dining experience as they sample food prepared by local chefs, while immersed in complete darkness. 

Social enterprise Kanchi work to transform how people think about disability through unique experiences and events. Nikki Hegarty of Kanchi explained the concept behind this event, "We have created Kanchi Dine in the Dark as a way to enable guests to experience how, by removing one sense, others can be altered and heightened, encouraging them to value different abilities. How we communicate is also impacted when we are alone in the dark, making the social side of the experience unlike any other."

Kanchi Dine in the Dark takes place at the Harvest Festival from September 12th - 15th, in the Medieval Museum. The cost is €15 per person, including a selection of "taster" plates. Each session will last one hour. Pre-booking is available on the festival website and is strongly advised owing to the limited capacity of this event. 

Please email nicola@kanchi.org to make a corporate booking.

‘Kanchi Dine in the Dark” is a pop-up restaurant with a difference coming to the Waterford Harvest Festival this weekend. Guided by a team of visually impaired hosts, guests will enjoy a truly unique dining experience as they sample food prepared by local chefs, whilst immersed in complete darkness. - See more at: http://www.kanchi.org/blog/kanchi-dine-in-the-dark-at-this-years-waterford-harvest-festival/#sthash.62G2cTrv.dpuf

Social enterprise, Kanchi work to transform how people think about disability through unique experiences and events. Nikki Hegarty of Kanchi explained the concept behind this event, “We have created Kanchi Dine in the Dark, as a way to enable guests to experience how, by removing one sense, others can be altered and heightened, encouraging them to value different abilities. How we communicate is also impacted when we are in the dark, making the social side of the experience unlike any other”.

Kanchi Dine in the Dark takes place at the Harvest Festival from 12^th – 15^th September, in the Medieval Museum. The cost is €15 per person, including a selection of ‘taster’ plates. Each session lasts one hour. Pre-booking is available on the Festival website and is strongly advised owing to the limited capacity of this event.
Please contact Nicola@kanchi.org to make a corporate booking, we hope to see you there!
- See more at: http://www.kanchi.org/blog/kanchi-dine-in-the-dark-at-this-years-waterford-harvest-festival/#sthash.62G2cTrv.dpuf

Social enterprise, Kanchi work to transform how people think about disability through unique experiences and events. Nikki Hegarty of Kanchi explained the concept behind this event, “We have created Kanchi Dine in the Dark, as a way to enable guests to experience how, by removing one sense, others can be altered and heightened, encouraging them to value different abilities. How we communicate is also impacted when we are in the dark, making the social side of the experience unlike any other”.

Kanchi Dine in the Dark takes place at the Harvest Festival from 12^th – 15^th September, in the Medieval Museum. The cost is €15 per person, including a selection of ‘taster’ plates. Each session lasts one hour. Pre-booking is available on the Festival website and is strongly advised owing to the limited capacity of this event.
Please contact Nicola@kanchi.org to make a corporate booking, we hope to see you there!
- See more at: http://www.kanchi.org/blog/kanchi-dine-in-the-dark-at-this-years-waterford-harvest-festival/#sthash.62G2cTrv.dpuf

Social enterprise, Kanchi work to transform how people think about disability through unique experiences and events. Nikki Hegarty of Kanchi explained the concept behind this event, “We have created Kanchi Dine in the Dark, as a way to enable guests to experience how, by removing one sense, others can be altered and heightened, encouraging them to value different abilities. How we communicate is also impacted when we are in the dark, making the social side of the experience unlike any other”.

Kanchi Dine in the Dark takes place at the Harvest Festival from 12^th – 15^th September, in the Medieval Museum. The cost is €15 per person, including a selection of ‘taster’ plates. Each session lasts one hour. Pre-booking is available on the Festival website and is strongly advised owing to the limited capacity of this event.
Please contact Nicola@kanchi.org to make a corporate booking, we hope to see you there!
- See more at: http://www.kanchi.org/blog/kanchi-dine-in-the-dark-at-this-years-waterford-harvest-festival/#sthash.62G2cTrv.dpuf