Top o' the mornin' granola
It is a testament to Paddy O’Connell’s superb selling skills that l would have bought his bags of granola regardless of what they actually contained. As it happens, Paddy’s O’Granola was well worth the investment, as my breakfasts lately will testify.
That granola was just one of the edibles either in my bag or in my belly following what was a thoroughly enjoyable visit to this year’s Taste of Dublin festival. The enjoyment was helped, of course, by the fact that the sun was shining. And there were lots of bubbles. Like so…
Recession, eh?
The Irish food world being the small place that it is, there were also lots of familiar faces.
Emerging from the official launch, I spied with my little eye Catherine Fulvio, demonstrating her own particular brand of Italian cooking, with charm and shots of homemade limoncello, an irresistible combination. Up ahead, John McDonnell from Wine Australia, complete with Aussie hat and boogie board, was pouring, while over yonder, that champion of Irish food, Peter Ward from Country Choice, was dispensing cheese and enthusiasm.
Catherine Fulvio shows attendees how to make stromboli (the bread that is, not the volcano)
Everywhere else I looked, there was food.
Tapas-sized signature dishes on offer from a selection of Dublin’s best restaurants, though not for tapas-sized prices. This much has always been true of Taste of Dublin.
Selection of signature dishes, clockwise from bottom left:
Garlicky prawns from Roly's; Goat's cheese cake from Salon des Saveurs; Citrus cured salmon from Pichet; Fish, chips and minty mushy peas from The Merrion;
Yes, Taste of Dublin doesn’t qualify as a cheap evening’s entertainment (except, perhaps, if you have a press pass and, lucky me, I did). Yet it’s still popular enough to sell out, at least for the Saturday sessions, so there are clearly enough people left who can afford a bit of a food-related splurge. A cause for optimism, perhaps? If so, I should toast it with a few more drops of bubbly before I go…
Bubbly from Jacob's Creek at Taste:
Slightly sweet Sparkling Rosé and the drier, more to my taste, Blanc de Blancs (not that I objected to drinking either)
Yay for The Spudness (Her Royal Spudness!) and free press passes! And this looks like a great event: food and fun and lots of both!
Those fish and chips look fabulous!! Very cool you got to try it for free; my friends were all complaining about the high prices. I will have to check it out next year.
Tell me about Paddy’s Granola .. wheat free by any chance?
Jamie: Yay indeed for press passes! And the fun and food went hand in hand :)
Clare: The best part was the minty mushy peas, though my favourite was the salmon from Pichet – somewhere I need to visit, clearly. The cost of Taste really is an issue for many people – there were several years when I didn’t bother going for that reason – though it was lovely to be able to enjoy it this year.
SJ: alas, wheat-free it isn’t – the ingredient list reads as follows: oat flakes, wheat flakes, rye flakes, barley flakes, cashew nuts, sunflower seeds, sultanas, apricots, honey, organic sunflower oil – I understand it’s based on a Darina Allen recipe (Darina is Paddy’s auntie); I hear that work is underway on a gluten-free granola, though, so hopefully that will be available soon too
You are so lucky to have press pass, that’s great! So many delicious dishes there!
Chips and pea salsa. I am going to have to experiment with that one. GREG
zerrin: I know, very lucky indeed – it was a real treat!
sippitysup: I can see that you are still pondering my previous post – as usual, I am ever curious to see how the Greg version turns out…
You know how much I envy you for these exciting events you attend. Those garlicky prawns from Roly’s look divine but the flow of libations was the allure, I think, at Taste of Dublin. What great fun you must have had!
All of the food looks splashing & ooh so tasty!!
I also love Champagne & the sparkling Rosé from Jacob’s Creek!
MMMMMMMMMMM,…Lovely & beautiful pictures too!
This is where my mind goes when I look at photos- I could open every bottle of that bubbly and fill one of those cheesy champagne glasses the size of a tub (the ones supposedly shaped like Marie Antoinette’s breast), and have fun- weeeee
Okay serious, sounds like my kind of shine dig, not to mention that granola, I think it is the one we had when I was there years ago!
Tangled Noodle: The flow of libations certainly helped the flow of the evening :D And you know how much I would love to have your company at such an event – double orders all ’round!
Sophie: thank you – all in all it was a very pleasant and tasty way to spend an evening :)
Chef E: Would that you too could have joined me – fun would indeed have been had :) Someday we will raise a glass together, I promise!