Articles

Brave (not the word he would use), talented and inspirational, Nick Price is a larger than life character in the Northern Ireland food world, and has played a key role in many of the good things that have developed there in recent years. Although it wasn’t their first venture in the world of hospitality, Nick and his wife Kathy (a constant presence in this book, as in life) are best known for their Hill Street restaurant in Belfast, Nick’s Warehouse, which they created out of dereliction in the 1980s in what has now become the trendy ‘Cathedral Quarter’.
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Nectarines are a smooth-skinned variety of peach, the fruit of a hardy deciduous tree. Peaches are native to China, but they are widely grown in other areas, including Europe; even in Britain and Ireland they can be grown under glass or in polytunnels – or as fan-trained trees on warm south or south-west facing walls. Nectarines are slightly less hardy than peaches and need sheltered sites for successful cultivation out of doors.
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When his much loved Newbridge hotel, The Red House, was destroyed by fire a few years ago Brian Fallon (of Fallon & Byrne in Dublin) brought the whole team to this well known premises in the attractive village of Kilcullen. Following major renovations throughout, the building emerged with a beguiling interior - a stylish blend of old and new that will be familiar to anyone who remembers The Red House - and a very relaxing atmosphere.
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There has been great interest in the fabulous cookbook Truly Tasty (Atrium, hardback 332pp, original photography throughout; €19.95/£17.95), which was compiled by successful kidney transplant recipient, Valerie Twomey, as part of her ongoing campaign to promote organ donor awareness, with all royalties going to the Irish Kidney Association. And no wonder - who wouldn’t be glad of a bit of inspiration and guidance from the likes of Ross Lewis (Chapter One), Catherine Fulvio (Ballyknocken House & Cookery School), Derry Clarke (l'Ecrivain), Domini Kemp (Itsa4), Neven Maguire (MacNean House & Restaurant) and Rachel Allen, to mention only a few of the famous chefs who have each contributed recipes for a three-course meal to this unusual book.
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Joe and Eileen Condon’s farm close to the Knockmealdown mountains in Co Tipperary, is a model farm for a state initiative “Farming with Altitude”, which has been developed to encourage use of the 450,000 acres of commonage in Ireland. On their hill farm they produce exceptionally flavoursome beef, traceable from mountain to marketplace, using farming methods that are a model of sustainability.
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You don’t have to be walking in wild windswept places to find good things along the shoreline at this time of year – shoreline plants will grow anywhere they can get a hold in salty areas between the sea and the land proper, so there are plenty of foraging opportunities on summer walks along the edge. The range gradually changes through the season but there is overlap between the times when the common varieties are available and no shortage of edible finds right through the summer.
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It is always a pleasure to see classic cookbooks coming out again in shiny new covers and specialist publishers Grubb Street have some treats lined up for us in the coming months - Elizabeth David fans, in particular, will enjoy seeing some of her titles again, along with some other favourite kitchen classics.
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The Cavaliere family are from Lazio in Italy and, for over twenty years, they have run the excellent and very popular Italian restaurant, Rinuccini, in the heart of Kilkenny City. Situated on smart Grand Parade, just below Kilkenny Castle, it’s the first port of call for lovers of Italian food when in Kilkenny, and one of the joys of this place is that the simplest things are done so well – not only is the cooking excellent (try something really basic like their minestrone soup, and you’ll be a fan for life), but owner-chef Antonio Cavaliere makes it clear that his classic Italian cooking is based on the very best Irish produce sourced locally – and he is proud to shout that from the rooftops. Well, from his menus anyway.
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In her article this month Lucy Madden laments increased bureaucracy and the apparent desire of the tourism authorities in Ireland to make all accommodation uniform - quashing any charm & character that individuality brings along the way. Picture this. Somewhere in a condominium in Florida, Duane and Barbra, third generation Americans, are planning their first trip to Ireland to seek out their roots. Before them is spread out the ample literature provided by the Irish Tourist Board. They have saved for this journey for years and have decided to opt for bed and breakfast accommodation. They are a little nervous about their forthcoming adventure and want to pre-book, so are discussing their requirements. “We’ve got to find some place where the tables are laid correctly, with cutlery of uniform design. And I’d like a choice of two fishes for breakfast,” says Barbra. “I’ll need an all-night floodlit parking lot,” says Duane. “We don’t want anywhere where the telephone rings more than 5 times,” Barbra insists “And if the walls in the rooms are plain I must insist on some homey prints...
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Back by popular demand - we gave a taster of Happy Heart Eat Out Month in our last e-zine and there were so many requests for more that we said, sure, why not... Small is beautiful when you’re dining out in June according to the Irish Heart Foundation (IHF), who have linked up with the HSE and safefood for this year’s Happy Heart Eat Out month. Running throughout June in hundreds of participating restaurants, workplaces and communities all over Ireland, the theme ‘For a Happy Heart...Think Small’ carries a simple message.
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