Derek Kelly, head chef at Kathleen's Kitchen at Carton House in Co Kildare, will be joined by guest chef and TV presenter Mark Moriarty for a two-night collaboration on March 3rd and 4th. The pair will cook a six-course tasting menu each evening in the open kitchen, which is the restaurant's centrepiece. The kitchen, part of the original servants' quarters at Carton House, is right in the heart of the restaurant, and the preparation and plating of each of the six courses will be visible to diners.
The menu features Irish mackerel with yuzu kosho and ponzu jelly, followed by celeriac baked in bread with hazelnut and smoked celeriac tea. Ray wing with caramelised onion and dashi broth and vegetables is the fish course, to be followed by aged Feighcullen duck with turnip, potato, citrus, shiso, liver and toast. There are two desserts – yogurt mousse with blood orange and corncake and Guanaja chocolate with yuzu, coffee and salted black truffle sorbet. Canapés and petits fours will also be served, and tickets are €110 each. Bookings are being taken at cartonhouse.com/dining-event.
Love-themed cocktails
Craft Cocktails has released a Valentine's Day limited edition love-themed range of four pre-mixed drinks. The Be Mine Strawberry Daiquiri, Grá Mo Chroí Raspberry Negroni, True Love Cosmo and Kiss Me Quick Bramble each come in 200ml bottles, which serve two and cost €12.50. They can be collected seven days a week from the brand's cocktail factory at Cuckoo Lane, Green Street, Dublin 7, or purchased at more than 40 retailers nationwide. For stockists see craftcocktails.ie.
Not your usual cookbook
"This is not a conventional cookbook," states the introduction to Rekindling the Fire: Food and the Journey of Life, by culinary lecturer Dr Martin Ruffley and writer Dr Anna King. Instead, it is a collection of recipes, a travelogue and a deeply personal memoir, informed by Ruffley's life story and beautifully captured in words by King. The pair are friends and colleagues at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, and the book is published by Austin Macauley Publishers, €24.95.
Special menu at Camile Thai
How did it take them so long? The creatives behind the Camile Thai chain have signed up chef Harry Colley, creator of the Harry's Nut Butter range, to collaborate on a special menu addition. Harry's Bangin' Panang Curry, available with chicken or a vegan version with chickpeas, is the result, now available for a limited time at Camile branches across the country. The nutty, mildly spicy curry is served with rice (€14.50).
Delightful comeback
Were you a butterscotch fan or did you prefer the strawberry? Along with Findus crispy pancakes, Angel Delight was a real treat for the children of the 1970s, and it’s making a comeback, as a soft-serve ice-cream. Exclusive to Iceland Ireland, the 800ml tubs (€4.50) are now on sale in the chain’s 27 stores nationwide.
Growing kits
Grow It Yourself (GIY) and the drinks company Innocent are making food growing kits available to schoolchildren. Primary school teachers can sign up now for the free kits at innocentdrinks.ie/big-grow, and will be sent everything they need to grow mixed salad leaves, peas and radishes, as part of a classroom experience. It's the 11th year of the popular initiative and participating schools can share their growing experiences online and compete to become The Big Grow Champions 2022. The winners will receive a school garden revamp.
