The Menu: Burren Smoked Wild Irish Salmon

Vintage rally to launch new cider

The Menu has passed an entire evening rummaging in the attic for his goggles and kidskin leather driving gloves in readiness for The Great Highbank Proper Cider Run 2013 (May 12), a vintage car rally from Kilkenny to Wicklow, ending with an organic spit roast at Brooklodge, to launch the very first Highbank Orchard Cider. Highbank Orchard Apple Syrup is already one of the finest products to spring from these shores in many a moon and Julie and Rod Calder-Potts have such a way with the forbidden fruit it looks like this cider will also be a most serious proposition — and there are few finer experiences than a serious cider washing down a bit of serious spit roast pig! www.highbankorchards.com

Ballymaloe becomes food writers’ heaven