A SMOKING IDEA AT TANKARDSTOWN
If you stand still for long enough in the kitchen at Tankardstown House in Slane, you’re in danger of being tossed into the smoker, just to see what happens. Chef Robbie Krawczyk, who heads the kitchen at Brabazon restaurant at Tankardstown, inherited his interest in charcuterie and smoking from his father, Frank, who is an acknowledged expert in this area. “One of the first things Robbie did when he arrived was to introduce the in-house smoker, which is in constant use, infusing everything from butter to fish,” says proprietor Trish Conroy, who has just opened a gin room at the hotel and restaurant to capitalise on the upsurge in popularity in drinking – and distilling – this spirit in Ireland. Guests visiting the gin room can order a sharing platter selection of ham, four types of salami, coppa, spiced beef, brined ox tongue and smoked duck breast, served with celeriac remoulade, pickled vegetables, fermented cabbage and preserved chillies, all prepared in-house. The platters (€35) are served on wooden boards made from a tree on the estate that was a victim of one of last year’s storms. See tankardstown.ie.
STILL TIME TO VOTE: RESTAURANT AWARDS
Online voting closes tomorrow in the seventh annual Irish Restaurant Awards, for which The Irish Times is media partner.
To vote for your favourite restaurants and chefs in a number of categories, log on to irishtimes.com/sponsored/ restaurant-awards-ireland.
As well as having your say in the first step of a very comprehensive judging process, you’ll be entered into a draw to win one of three weekend getaways.
A GUIDE TO EATING OUT IN WATERFORD
EAT Waterford is a guide to where to eat in the city and surrounding area, compiled by 25 local restaurateurs.
The idea for the publication, which is distributed free of charge at hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions and can be downloaded at eatwaterford.ie, came from feedback from visitors, according to Fiona McHardy, CEO of The Viking Triangle in the city.
It is distributed free of charge at hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions and can be downloaded at eatwaterford.ie
SOUP WITH A HEART
A donation from every pot of the new Cully & Sully Magic Bean soup will be made to Heart Children Ireland, which supports families of children with congenital heart disease. The gluten- and dairy-free soup made with butter beans and canellini beans in tomato broth, is on sale nationwide in SuperValu and Dunnes for a promotional price of ¤2.
YOUR DAILY DOSE OF VEGETABLES
We all know we’re supposed to eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, but it’s not always easy to do so.
Five, by Rachel De Thample, provides inspiration – and a little push in the right direction – with 150 interesting recipes, each of which details just how many of that magic number are included in a portion – many of them even reach the full five.
Five is published by Ebury, €12.99.
