The menu: Chocolat
The 60th Cork Film Festival is serving up a delicious food-themed strand including yet another welcome return to the Farmgate Café in the English Market, for a screening of Lasse Hallstrom’s Chocolat (Nov 9) along with an especially created menu from one of The Menu’s most beloved dining establishments.
Something similar takes place in the Ballymaloe Grainstore with a screening of Some Like It Hot (November 13) on foot of some fine dining in the adjacent Ballymaloe House and, finally, a one-off Fab Food Trail around some of the finer food stops in the city finishes in Triskel Christchurch for a screening of Japanese film An (Red Bean Paste) (Nov 7), in Triskel Christchurch. www.corkfilmfest.org
The milk-themed Appetite Talks (November 1) in Smock Alley Theatre space, features fascinating speakers/demos followed by the Five Corners dinner, possibly the best meal to be eaten in Ireland this year, cooked by five of Ireland’s most innovative chefs (https://theappetitetalks.squarespace.com/about-avenue).
Having an especially soft spot for the wines of the Rhone region, in France, The Menu shall be guzzling around Ireland for Rhone Wine Week Ireland (Nov 2-8) including the Big Rhone Quiz to win a trip for four to the Rhone Valley. (www.rhonewineweekireland.com).
A one-off performance of Susan Boyle’s A Wine Goose Chase (Nov 6), takes place in Market Place Café, Adare, including wine tasting and pizzetta with proceeds to charity (www.facebook.com/marketplaceadare or tel 087-0995741).
Maria Lucia Bakes range of Granolas, most especially The Menu’s favoured Cashew, Almond and Cinnamon, tick all ‘health’ boxes, ‘free’, that is, of ‘wheat’, ‘gluten’ and ‘dairy’, but thankfully not remotely free of taste and texture. The nutty baked oats with a hint of sweetness from honey and vanilla are The Menu’s current breakfast of choice served with homemade yoghurt, honey and fresh fruit.
