Upper room with high class cuisine
He's one of the finest chefs to have ever practiced on the Oul’ Sod and a tremendous teacher to your humble scribe. O’Connell remains an outlier, forging his own path away from the mainstream, a true culinary innovator and you can be sure whatever oddball experiments he may be currently conducting in his ‘laboratory’ will be the stuff of trends in years to come. No self-respecting Gael can truly claim to be a devotee of the nosebag until they have dined at least once in that renowned upper room overlooking Oliver Plunkett St. (www.ivorytower.ie) The next edition of the Bia Sásta’s Critic’s Night takes place in O’Connell’s Ivory Tower (March 13) with seats filling fast. http://biasasta.blogspot.ie
Elsewhere, today, in this publication, there is an extended celebration of the wonderful Myrtle Allen and her incredible achievements over half a century in Ballymaloe, in this her 90th year—there are bound to be plenty more to come but one of the first of the parties involves a candlelit gala supper followed by a screening of Jean-Luc Godard’s Le Mepris at the Ballymaloe Grainstore (March 7) with a musical introduction by special guest composer/pianist Laurent Levesque. For those still entangled in the thorny briars of January resolutions, there are tickets also available for screening only from Pro Musica, Plugd Records and Festival Office (021 4310677).
The Menu is most partial to a drop of sherry and finds it baffling that it is still viewed in some quarters as your spinster aunt’s idea of a high old time and he loves nothing better pairing it with the appropriate nibbles. L’Atitude 51 welcome César Saldaña, President of the Consejo Regulador de Jerez to L’Atitude 51 for a sherry & tapas tasting (March 4) that will run the gamut from bone-dry to syrupy-sweet, a perfect fit for a whole range of tapas with a distinctly local flavour. (www.latitude51.ie). And while we’re about matters of the grape, O’Donovan’s Off Licence Group/Cork Wine School are beginning (March 6) another round of the 15-week WSET Level 3: Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits, open to those industry pros or serious amateur oenophiles who have already completed Level 2. www.odonovansofflicence.com
The Menu believes his latest concoction, two ice cubes, two parts gin, one part syrup of Bee Sensations Amarena Cherries with Honey and Poitin, shaken with two ice cubes (or crushed ice) and served with one of those fine sweet and succulent cherries, to be amongst his greatest achievements to date but perhaps he should save that for the cocktail bar and instead suggest dear readers might try some with ice cream or with melted dark chocolate or even, as he did in a moment of divine inspiration, with some tender Comeragh Lamb. Twitter/@Bsensationnews
Stockists: Bradleys, Next Door Raheen & Sundrive, Redmonds, McHughs, Diceys. Rochefort is one of the six remaining Belgian Trappist brewers and has been brewing since 1595, although the Rochefort 8 was first introduced in 1955. This was originally brewed for New Year celebrations but is now in continuous production and is their biggest seller. Like all the Belgian Trappist beers this is strong stuff but don’t let that put you off as this is for drinking slowly, preferably with a Carbonade beef stew or perhaps with some ripe Milleens cheese. Aromas of brioche and dark malt with a fruity rich flavour. — Leslie Williams
