Everyone at O’Connell’s Restaurant in Ballsbridge in Dublin was celebrating last week; they have just been awarded The “Just Ask!” Georgina Campbell Restaurant of the Month Award for October 2009.

Grow your own Vegetables: Experienced growers Caroline Robinson and Rupert Hugh-Jones will talk about starting a garden, preparing the soil, making compost, sowing seeds, caring for plants and getting the most from polytunnels at the Crawford Art Gallery Café on Thursday, February 26, at 7.30pm, entrance €6 including tea or coffee.

Slow Food Limerick for Babies & Toddlers: Mothers and fathers mark your calendars; Slow Food for Babies will take place at the Hunt Museum on Sunday, February 1, at 3pm.

Cardiff’s restaurant scene is on the ascent.

XANTHAN GUM: An invaluable aid for gluten-free baking, as gluten-free flours are less elastic in texture. Adding a small amount of xanthan gum will to some extent replace these elastic qualities.