Food File: seasonal Sundays at Forest & Marcy, ham to your door

Seasonal Sundays

Sundays have become a time to celebrate seasonal, organic Irish vegetables at Forest & Marcy on Leeson Street in Dublin, John and Sandy Wyer’s younger sibling to their Sussex Road restaurant Forest Avenue. Chef Ciarán Sweeney will be creating four-course menus (€32) that while not exactly vegetarian, will have vegetables as the focus of each dish.

The menus will be created around whatever is harvested that weekend at Patrick and Jenny McNally’s organic farm in north Co Dublin.

“The concept has been discussed between myself and John and Sandy for months, and we didn’t want to rush into it until the idea was something we believed in and could stand behind.

“We discussed the possibility of a vegetarian menu but I didn’t want to just have vegetables as I like to add touches of meat or fish to dishes, be it in a sauce or just a garnish,” Sweeney says.

Wine tasting specials feature too – “sometimes a wine made with the same grape, sometimes a producer, and sometimes a region”. Reservations can be made, and walk-ins will also be accommodated where possible. See forestandmarcy.ie

Ham delivered

It's not too late to order a Heritage Cure Irish ham from James Whelan Butchers and have it delivered in time for St Patrick's Day. The 6.35kg, on-the-bone hams (€49) each serve up to 16 people, or a smaller group with lots of very useful leftovers (and don't forget to make a stock or soup base with the bone). Orders placed before 2pm Monday-Thursday can be delivered the following day (€10, or free with orders over €100). Saturday-morning delivery can be arranged for a €23 supplement. See jameswhelanbutchers.com

Moves in Mount Merrion

Gareth (Gaz) Smith and his wife Rita have taken over neighbourhood restaurant Michael's Italian in Mount Merrion, south Co Dublin, where Gaz was previously involved in his role as development chef with the Kinara restaurant group. This is the couple's first business venture, though they have worked together in the past.

“It’s any chef’s dream to run a spot with no silent, or vocal, partners, so I’m chuffed to get this chance and have been overwhelmed by the support from exemployers and colleagues,” says Smith.

Smith is ramping up the seafood offering at Michael's and it has been going down well with his customers. "Seafood sales are double the meat sales, which is surprising, considering the quality of meat we buy. Michael Madden (The Village Butcher in Ranelagh) and I pick out the cuts each week from his ageing room.

“We get lots of fish direct from the boats whenever possible, and Kish Fish always call me very early in the morning to see what I want from that morning’s boats, before their vans leave.”