Christmas Party Time

In case you haven't planned your Christmas party yet, or think why bother; here are some ideas on what you could still do without much hassle.

Flemings Restaurant

Michael & Eileen love Christmas and it comes through in every detail. From the handpicked decorations to the amazing food, in Flemings you are made feel part of the family at Christmas dinner (without the washing up). The quality of the food is outstanding (try the venison, to die for) and lovingly prepared by Michael and his right hand man, David. The Georgian dining room is lit by candle light and open fires. The service is immaculate and personal without being invasive. The wine list is an important part of the meal and the staff is properly trained to give the best advice. One of my favourite restaurants in Cork.

Throughout December, Flemings is running a special offer Monday - Wednesday, 3 courses for €39


Ballinacurra House

There is a reason, Ballinacurra House won best Wedding Venue a few times. It is an amazing place run by the most amazing couple Lisa and Des who love nothing more than entertaining. The house can only be booked fully but don't let that put you off. Talk to them and see what they can do for you and your guests. I can promise you that you will leave with a stupid grin on your face. The food is just as outstanding as the house itself with head chef David Rice transforming ingredients into a feast par excellence.

Longueville House

Part of the Blue Book collection, Longueville House will transport you to times gone by. Leave the hectic rat race outside and join them on their Christmas Party Night on Friday, 12th December. Drink reception, open fire, roasted meats in the drawing room, 3 course dinner and music will show you the true spirit of Christmas. If you can't make it this Friday, book your party on another night as William and Aisling will welcome you with open arms. And when there, make sure to try the award winning Apple Brandy - simply delicious.




Kinsale Gourmet Academy

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Learn from one of the best in the business. Get your friends together and get hands on classes with Michelin trained chef David Rice. These classes are real hands on affairs and fun is guaranteed. After all the hard work you will sit at the large dining table and enjoy the fruit of your labour. Located at Ballinacurra House, this purpose build cookery school has several work stations to accommodate up to 16 people comfortably (you could squeeze more in)

Brennan's Cookery School

Want to learn to make your own gingerbread house? Decorate your own Christmas cake? Then head to Brennan's. They offer customized evenings for groups of 12 min. Located in the city centre of Cork, it's a perfect place for learning something new before you are heading out for a drink afterwards in one of the many pubs & restaurants.


Private Afternoon Tea Party

The Pastry Fork is run by Mags Curtin, one amazing baker and wonderful person. She will set the party up for you with her vintage collection of china, spoons and plates filled with wonderful creations of beautiful cakes, slices and cookies. And the best...... she takes the dirty dishes with her.


If you still don't know what to do, email me and I can organise something for you that will be different. Email me on elke@biasasta.ie for details

Cook like Ross Lewis

Christmas Time is the time of year where more cookery books are sold than the rest of the year (that's one reason, we get so many new publications at this time of year). And I have to admit - I have a list as long as my elbow on books I REALLY need (but that is for another post). 

One of the last books I bought, was Ross Lewis' Chapter One. It's a beautiful book, celebrating not only the years of success in Chapter One but also the producers, people who gave him inspiration and his amazing team. It is a book that is easy to read with lovely anecdotes and gorgeous photos. 

The recipes are long and labour intense and one might leave the book on the coffee table and just dreams of re-creating the dishes in the book. 

Now, here is your chance to learn how to re-create the recipes in their full glory. Let me introduce you to the Master the Star @ Kinsale Gourmet Academy. Under the gentle guidance of David Rice of Kinsale Gourmet Academy, students will be divided into groups and cook a course each from the Chapter One Cookbook. David has worked with Ross Lewis, Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver. All dishes in the book have been prepared by David while working in Chapter One - so no one (apart from Ross Lewis himself) is better suited to teach the techniques, tricks and tips. 

David will assist in the preparations, will give tips on how to re-create components of each dish, explains the different techniques and ingredients.

After cooking has finished, the students will sit together and enjoy the 'fruit' of their labour. 

This class is a unique opportunity to learn from one of Ireland's best chefs and to become confident to cook on the highest level. So, join us on Saturday, 1st February from 10am - 4pm.

It is a perfect Christmas gift for the foodie in your life. Tickets for this class go for €145 and include all recipes and ingredients for the class.

Bookings can be done via 087/3168855

The Friday Club

Finishing work on a Friday afternoon - what a great feeling. Celebrate it with The Friday Club at Brennan's Cookery School, Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork City.

 Not a cookery class as you know it but a relaxed Friday Afternoon celebration with a glass of wine and some tapas style food to get you in the mood for the weekend. 

Meet your friends, relax before heading home or simply have fun. While you are sipping on a well deserved glass of wine or non-alcoholic drink, tapas and fingerfood will be prepared in front of you and all that is asked of you is to enjoy the Friday Afternoon Feeling. 

€20 per person and includes Drink on arrival, food and recipes. For bookings please call 021/427 82 83 

Dine with the Chef

Cork has some amazing chefs and I am delighted that some of them have been willing to share their recipes and tricks of the trade with us. I have organised a series of cookery demonstration in Brennan's Cookery School starting 17th September 2014, 6:30pm. 

Over 7 weeks, we will see 7 of Cork's best chefs showing you how to create restaurant dishes at home. Tips, tricks and stories behind the food - our chefs have tales & talent. 

The series kicks off with Yoann Avignon from L'Atitude 51. He will share with us his French Country cooking - French cuisine is so much more than Fois Gras and Snails. Open your mind and enjoy wonderful food.

Each evening is €40 each, discount for multiple bookings available. 

For bookings, please call 021/427 82 83. 

The Critics are returning to Gallo & Galetti

This is a first - the Critics are returning to the 'crime scene' of a previous Critic's Night - and there is a reason. The restaurant has a new team with a new headchef on the helm and they are ready to face the critics.

The focus is still good Italian food, prepared fresh every day but with a new chef in the kitchen, let's see what he has up his sleeve. 

As always, there is work to be done for the critics - come, eat and judge - Gallo & Galetti is waiting for you

Come and join us on Thursday, 8th May at 8:30 in Gallo & Galetti, Wilton.

Price per person is €29 and places are very limited - so booking is essential. Email biasasta@hotmail.com to reserve your place. 

I am looking forward to welcoming you again to Gallo & Galetti 

The Critics are back

I am delighted that Club Brasserie is our host for our April Critic's Night. Harold & Beth have been in the restaurant business for 20 years and have still the passion for food to create an outstanding menu. Both are looking forward to meeting the Critics and are planning an excellent evening for us. 

Price per person is €34 and includes canapés on arrival and a dinner - and here is the surprise which I am not revealing :-) - we are changing the layout slightly but it will be a fun evening with excellent food. Booking is essential as places are limited and need to be done via biasasta@hotmail.com 

For everyone who hasn't been at a Critic's Night yet, the concept is easy. You come, eat and judge. You will be given a questionnaire and rate the food, dish by dish including service etc. to be filled in. The feedback is anonymous and the chef doesn't see the questionnaires as I am collecting them at the end of the night. The critic can decide him/herself if he/she would like to receive a summary by adding their email address to the sheet. Again, the chef will not see it. 

These evenings have proven very successful and normally book out quickly. This is a fun way of learning about food, discovering new restaurants and meeting like-minded people. 

I am looking forward to meeting new critics - so keep spreading the word.

Food Writer Guild Food Awards - Cork's a winner

Photoshoot before the awards

The Food Writer Guild Ireland was established 30 years ago and is currently headed by Georgina Campbell. Members  include Mrs Myrtle Allen, Darina Allen, Ella McSweeney, Dianne Curtin, Dr Oliver Moore, Joe McNamee to name but a few. Each year, the guild honors the best of food producers and this year was a triumph for Cork Food Producers and I was proud as if I won the awards. 5 out of 6 awards were given to Cork producers which proves again that County Cork is an Artisan Food County. After the ceremony we were treated to an amazing 5 course lunch prepared by Derry Clark and his team using the winning produce. I was in heaven and was indeed very happy to have been given the recipes. The food in L'Ecrivain has always been outstanding and each visit (not as many as I would have liked) was as mesmerizing as the last one. At the Irish Food Writer's Guild Awards, Derry Clark proved again that he is worth a Michelin Star or 2 (surely, the second can't be far off).

Ballyhoura Mountain Mushroom consommé with Coolea cheese tortellini

Cured & smoked Irish mackerel, Irish Heritage potato salad, pickle, beetroot

Dry-aged beef, Ballyhoura Mountain Mushrooms, Coolea cheese, parsley purée, wild garlic

Irish Atlantic Sea Salt & caramel mousse with Stonewell apple cider sorbet

Choc & Almond Lollipop with mini macaron

Wonderful Display of Mushrooms

Ballyhoura Mushrooms - if you ever have been to Mahon Point Farmer's Market or Midleton Farmer's Market, then you will have come across Lucy and/or Mark who sell their fares each week. They grow the mushrooms as closest to nature's way as possible but also forage quite a large part of their produce. To widen the range, they have added products like cep oil, marinated mushrooms and mushroom ketchup. This award is well deserved and I can't wait to see what Lucy and Mark have up their sleeves with the new season of mushrooms


Stonewell Cider - Daniel and his team should be used to awards by now but the quality of his cider is simply amazing that each new award is well deserved. Last Christmas, Stonewell Cider, introduced a Mulled Cider which went down a treat and I begged him to continue producing this amazing cider and he promised he will (no need to thank me, I did it for the greater good) - Well Done to the whole crew of Stonewell Cider.

Coolea Farmhouse Cheese - he is the gentleman under the cheese makers of Ireland. A quite man with a big cheese. I am delighted that Dick Willems took the Food Writer's Guild Food Award home. His cheese has won several awards already, taking home gold last year at the National Cheese Awards at Bloom Dublin. His son Dicky stepped into his father's footsteps and they have gone from strength to strength. Congratulations to the Willems family.

Irish Atlantic Sea Salt - what a great idea. Using the natural sea salt of Ireland, the O'Neills produce sea salt flakes flavoured with lemon & pepper, garlic and many more flavour combination. Converted fans include Darina Allen and Donal Skehan and Stuart Bowes. The Food Writer's Guild agreed and chose Irish Atlantic Sea Salt as their 2014 winner.

Responsible Irish Fish - let's face it, Ireland took the short straw when the fishing rights were given away but here is a company that wants to make us more aware of what fish we are eating. I had a lovely chat with one of the members (and I am not aware of his name - I must be getting old) about what we can do to increase the knowledge of consumers and chefs. Buy local is the main message but be responsible about it. A company worth watching. The prize was awarded for all the hard work these guys are doing for Irish fish.

Heritage Irish Potato Collection - ince the 1970s, David Langford has been collecting and growing heritage potatoes. In 2006, he teamed up with Dermot Carey, an experienced organic vegetable grower who was then gardener at Lissadell House in Co. Sligo. The horticultural skills, passion and hard work of David and Dermot have resulted in an amazing collection, grown and managed by them on an entirely voluntary basis. The collection has well over two hundred varieties including the Irish Apple (dating from 1768) and the Lumper (forever associated with Irish Potato Famines), as well as more recently developed varieties.It was announced on the night that Richard Corrigan who owns Virginia Park Hotel will house the Irish Heritage Potato Collection for the unforeseeable future. 

Grow your own mushrooms

Myrtle Allen received the Lifetime Achievement Award - on her 90th Birthday. She is a lady I have the highest respect for and who has achieved so much in her lifetime that this award is long overdue.

Congratulations to all winners - and with 5 Cork winners (6 if you count Mrs Allen) I am proud as Oscar. 

Beer Excellence in Franciscan Well

Shane Long

One of the perks in my job is that I am getting invites to a few launches and events. One of these events was the Brewery Tour & Beer Tasting at the Franciscan Well the other day. I am not really a beer lover but have to say the evening opened my eyes a lot. Shane Long and his team have taking beer tasting to a new level by installing a beer tasting room upstairs in the pub. The walls will lead you through the brewing process with a handpainted drawing. Colourful charts make it easy to recognise depth of flavours and you will find yourself tasting beer with a new eye/nose and give it the same respect that wine tastings normally have. Flavours went from spicy over sweet to sour - a palette just as interesting as any posh wine tasting I have been at.

Des McCann

We had a charming beer sommelier, Des, who was leading us through the tasting and he was entertaining while informative at the same time. Considering that his background is wine, he was extremely well educated in beer brewing methods and we were mesmerized for the entire tasting. The beers were matched with food - which was pizza with different toppings. Beer & Food matching isn't new (I did a tasting a few years back in the Abbey Ales House) but having the same food, just with different toppings was very interesting and it was indeed very well matched. I learned more about beer that night I thought was even possible and we only scratched the surface.

The history of the building that houses the brewery is as rich as the beer that is brewed here. The brewery is built on the site of a 13th century Franciscan Well and monastery (now you know where it got its name from). It was built in 1219 and has hosted King James II at one stage. The water of the well is not used for brewing but it is said to have healing powers if you have an eye problem. I haven't tried it out (needing reading glasses soon tho, so might pop in again for a test) but I love the rich history of the place. It makes for interesting table talk.

Red Rebel

The brewing process has been automated as much as possible without damaging the craft ethos of the beer. Bottling, labeling and capping the bottles is still a labour intensive part of the process. The bottling machine has been made by mounting draft taps onto a board and fitting it with little plastic pipes. The labeling machine has been handmade by an employee and the capping machine could be found in any decent museum - craft beer at its best.

One thing I have to say about Shane Long, head brewer, proprietor, all-rounder - he has an eye for talent. Many have come to clear glasses from tables for a few months to get some cash for trips etc and have stayed on to become brewers in their own right.  Padraigh Scully being the best example. He has developed a coffee flavoured beer that went down a treat last year when I hosted a beer & cider tasting at the River Lee Hotel. 

I am impressed by the entrepreneurship of Shane Long and can see the Franciscan Well becoming a centre of excellence in Ireland for beer and brewing. Wouldn't it be simply fantastic if our future craft brewers can learn the trade right here in Cork??

Brewing Process

The Brewery & Tasting Tours are open Monday - Friday from 6:30pm and include a tour around the brewery, introduction into the history of the site, tour of the tasting room and of course the tasting itself. Admission is €10 and I can only recommend the tour to anyone who would like to learn about beer. 

Handmade Labeling Machine

Roasted Malt to taste

Tasting Glasses

Bottling Unit

Jameson Cask

Little Treat

Bottle Cap Machine

The Critics are back in March

The Critic's series has gone from strength to strength since I started them back in January 2013 and there is no end it seems. Last month's event took the critics to Longueville House for Sunday lunch and the critics left with a smile on their faces. William O'Callaghan and his team made the critics feel welcome and transported them back in time in their conservatory. 

Our next event is taking us to Ivory Tower in Cork City. Seamus O'Connell has been a staple in the Irish food scene for decades and his reputation for outstanding food has never crumbled despite some up and lows in the past. On Thursday, 13th March he will be once more prove that Ivory Tower is one of the best restaurants in Cork. 

So, join the Critics for an Irish inspired tasting menu on Thursday, 13th March at 7:30 and do what our critics do best - enjoy wonderful food, meet great people and give us your feedback. 

Price per person: €39 - Bookings are essential as places are limited due to space in the restaurant. 

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Critics.

The Critics are having Lunch

We are delighted to offer you a wonderful opportunity to visit one of Ireland's best country houses - Longueville House just outside of Mallow. William O'Callaghan and his wife Aisling are famous for their outstanding food and hospitality and more so for their excellent Apple Brandy & Cider. 

The Critics are invited to lunch on Sunday, 2nd February at 1pm. Lunch includes a starter buffet that includes homemade sausages transformed into delicious sausage rolls, homemade soup, home-cured meats, salads, homegrown vegetables and much much more. Main course is an affair of love and care and the dessert buffet will make it next to impossible to try them all. The day also includes a visit to the Apple Brandy Distillery for which Longueville House has won several awards at home and abroad. 

The 500 acre farm of Longueville House provides the restaurant with fresh seasonal vegetables, fruit and herbs while the woodland pork, spring lamb, woodcock, snipe, pheasant & duck come straight from the estate, depending on the season. Fresh River Salmon and Brown Trout are available when in season coming straight from The Blackwater River that runs through the Longueville Estate. A 25 acre apple orchard from which William produces his own craft apple cider, known simply as Longueville House Cider. In addition they an apple brandy, known as Longueville House Apple Brandy, made in the calvados style. The busy Longueville bees who live in the orchards produce honey for the house,  hens lay fresh eggs daily and even the drinking water comes from their own wells. Self-Sufficiency at its best and that long before it came into fashion. All this ensures that guests are enjoying the best of Irish food and hospitality. 

So, please join us for this amazing event.

Critic's Lunch at Longueville House

Sunday, 2nd February 2014

1pm

€38pp

Incl. visit to distillery

A special offer from Longueville House for the Critics - The January offer of €70 for an overnight stay has been extended for the Critics. Why not take Monday off and stay overnight and enjoy a beautiful breakfast the next morning. 

As this is the first time, the Critics are leaving Cork City, we are organising a bus service that will leave from the City Centre and returning to the City Centre. This service is not included in the price of €38 but will be added to everyone who is availing of the service. Please state at time of booking if you like to use the service at additional costs (price depends on numbers of people using the service). 

Bookings as always via biasasta@hotmail.com - please provide your credit card details at time of booking to secure your place (please note, the card will not be charged - only in the event of a no-show)

Gift Ideas for Food Lovers

It is so easy these days to find gifts for food lovers. Gone are the days (hopefully) where you got a selection of dried herbs (mostly out of date) in a dodgy little wonky rack or getting pasta & bean shapes piled up in beautiful jars (have you ever used the pasta or beans???).

We are now lucky enough to have great produce available that will make every food lover smile and dance. Below are some ideas that might inspire you (and please feel free to send any of the below my way lol)

For Coffee Addicts

Badger & Dodo have a great approach to coffee - only the best is good enough. They have now introduced a subscription of monthly coffees send to your door. Monthly subscriptions are roasted on the first Tuesday of each month, couriered Wednesday to arrive Thursday. The only exception to this is in January where it is roasted on the second Tuesday as couriers aren’t operating so early in the new year. Only the 1kg and 2.5kg bags are available for this service and costs from €265 - you can choose from whole beans and different grinds. Email info@badgeranddodo.ie  or call 087 0532660 for more details. You can also find them weekly at the Douglas Farmer's Market

For Kitchen Gardeners

Get ready in time for your kitchen garden with a hamper from Brown Envelope Seeds - their seeds are Irish grown and Madeline McKeever has creative ways of creating gift sets like the Heritage Hamper, Baby's first meal and the Purple Veg Box. She also runs courses on seedsaving and vouchers are available at their online shop. Make sure to read their story when online.

Staying in the kitchen garden - Irish Seed Savers have done amazing work in keeping heritage seeds alive and storing and archiving them. Through cuts in funding, they are in a bit of a bother and need lots of support. You can give a membership this year as a present that includes several packets of seeds & potatoes, discount on sales and workshops, free access and a bumper newsletter. A year's membership costs €50 and it ensures that Irish Seed Savers can continue their very important work.



Cookery Classes

We are very lucky in Ireland, especially in Cork to have some amazing cookery schools. If the 3 month course in Ballymaloe is a bit out of reach, fret not, we have something for everyone.

The Firehouse Bakery is run by Patrick Ryan and Laura Moore and they are running breadmaking courses in their home bakery on Heir Island. Patrick is the creator of the Real Bread Revolution - so join him in his quest and learn how to make amazing breads in a beautiful setting. I am a big fan of Patrick & Laura and can only recommend their courses highly to anyone who always wanted to make their own 'real' bread. Courses run throughout the year and cost €110 incl. fee for ferry, lunch and you get to take bread home with you. Alone the lunch is worth half the money as Laura is a fantastic cook. You will be made welcome and time will pass so quickly that you want to do it all over again. Classes are booking out quickly, so don't wait too long. Email info@thefirehouse.ieor call 085 1561984for more details.

The wonderful Christine Girault of La Spoon Patisserie is offering courses on French Patisserie throughout the year. Join her in her home kitchen where she will show you how to make macaroons, petit fours and anything you like to learn. The courses are tailored to all skill levels but Christine also gives one-on-one classes if needed. I have attended one of her classes and can only recommend her as one of the best teachers I have come across. Her style is relaxed and informative but best of all, it's hands on. Email laspoon.ie@gmail.com for more details.

If your 'thing' is more Indian Cuisine, than Annam is one to watch. Banu & Ruth are giving classes on traditional authentic Indian cooking with recipes handed down from generation to generation. But they not only offer classes but their Indian Supper Clubs are to die for. Hands on, everyone chips in with the preparations and cooking and afterwards everyone sits around a big table and tucks in nicely. This is a great ways of learning new cooking techniques and cuisines. Banu & Ruth are also planning to do 'house parties' where they bring the supper club to you. Gift vouchers are available.  Email annamkitchencork@gmail.com for more details.

Knockdrinna Cheese

And for cheese lovers - why not give the gift of cheesemaking to the foodie in your life. Knockdrinna Cheesemakers in Stoneyford in Kilkenny are offering courses throughout the year. I have attended the December course and have learned so much. Helen Finnegan is generous in sharing her knowledge and expertise and it is a great day out in a beautiful area of County Kilkenny. The course is €80 and includes lunch. Contact (056) 772 8446 for more details. They have also an online shop where the courses can be booked. If you don't want the to attend the cheese course, why not buy the cheese lover in your life a beautiful hamper instead.   




For the Traveling Foodie

Good Food Ireland has come up with a wonderful idea - the Good Food Ireland Prepaid MasterCard is a unique multifunctional card that can be purchased as a Gift Card or Food Travel Passport. More details via info@goodfoodireland.com. The GFI online shop has also hampers with Irish produce on offer.           

Hampers for Food Lovers

The wonderful people at Flemings Country House & Restaurant have been busy making lots of delicious goodies for their famous hampers. For inquiries, please call 021/4821621.

Not actual hamper - presentation only

Bradley's in North Main Street are the place to go when you are looking for a wonderful selection of craft beers and of course their amazing hampers. They are delivering nationwide and don't have a minimum requirement for orders online. For latest offers please call 021/4270845

Nash19 has long been a strong supporter of local produce - even before it became fashionable and their hampers are legendary.  Download their Christmas brochure from their website and you'll be sorted in time for Christmas.

Urru is located in Bandon and is a treasure chest for foodies and it has just won the Good Food Ireland Retail Shop of the Year award. Hampers, equipment, cookery books and so much more can be purchased at Urru just in time for Christmas.

I am stopping here but there is so much more to be had for food lovers - keep watching this space for more updates. You might say, why doesn't she include cookery books - because that is a complete post in itself as there are soooooo many out there.... coming up soon

     

Knockdrinna Cheese - A Day Out

Helen Finnegan

Everyone who knows me more than 5 minutes will know that I love cheese - no, that I am mad about cheese. So much so that I started to make cheese myself at home. I started with Labneh (Lebanese cheese made from yoghurt) and lately with the help of my wonderful farming neighbour, I started to make 'proper' cheese. Cheesemaking is easier than most people think but harder than most people hope. It is chemistry after all.

I was looking for courses on cheesemaking - Teagasc is offering Farmhouse Cheesemaking courses with a certificate at the end (did it 2 years ago and it was great) - but I wanted a more hands-on approach. Luckily I came across Knockdrinna Cheesemakers who have monthly cheesemaking courses at their premises (great opportunity to 'spy' a bit as well in case we are going into production ourselves). Located in Stoneyfort in Kilkenny, Helen Finnegan has come a long way since she started 2004 in her kitchen. She was very lucky as she had great support from the local authority who approved her kitchen for food production and after that, there was no stopping her.

Helen is a great demonstrator and very generous with advice, ideas and tips. We met all in the demonstration room where we introduced ourselves and Helen told us her background and the beginnings of Knockdrinna Cheese. She then went on to heat milk while explaining the use of starter culture and rennet. We saw the milk turning into cheese before our eyes and Helen shared with us the different uses of the curd (making cream cheese from the same batch as the hard cheese) and showed us how easy it is to make butter.

Knockdrinna Cheeses

Lunch was a relaxed affair with tasters of all Knockdrinna Cheeses - most which won awards here and abroad - and homemade brown bread. We all sat around the table as if we known each other for years. It proves again that a good meal makes people simply happy.

After lunch we pressed the curds and checked on 'our' cream cheese which turned out nicely. We then went into the cheese room and we saw the heart of the operation. It is a medium sized business that concentrates more on quality than quantity. Cheese are turned and washed by hand (a new addition of cheese is washed with craft beer) - something that is becoming quite rare with cheesemakers.

We all went home with a bit of cheese, cream cheese and butter and Mr T and I talked all cheese on the way home.

Knockdrinna has an online store but in case you are in Stoneyfort, make sure to pop into their artisan farm shop where you can buy not only Knockdrinna products but also local artisan produce. A great gift idea (apart from the course) are the hampers that have been lovingly assembled with cheese, chutney and crackers.

The cheese course is €80 all included and takes place on a monthly basis. Check out their website for updates.

There is a story to these pink pasta strainers