A family affair
Patricia Messom starts work at 4.30am every day in The Stuffed Olive café, food and wine shop in Bantry, Co Cork, which she runs with her daughters Sarah and Grace O'Shea.
The café’s baking is done by Messom in the kitchens above the shop, and she is an adventurous cook – her rugelach, a Jewish cream-cheese pastry, was a recent hit with customers.
She also makes pâtes and soups for the lunch trade, and says her cooking has Mediterranean, Eastern and Asian influences.
Messom has just published her second volume of recipes (€9.95). It can be bought in- store or from thestuffedolivecookbook@gmail.com
Haven for Haiti
Haitian chef David Destinoble is travelling from Miami, and fellow chef Stephen Durand from Port-au-Prince to cook at a celebration of Haitian food in aid of Haven for Haiti at Clodagh's Kitchen in Blackrock on Thursday, January 23rd. Cocktails and canapes, and a three-course Haitian dinner with wine and musical entertainment is billed at €80 per person, with all proceeds going to support Haven's work in Haiti. For reservations, email reservations@clodaghmckenna.com, or telephone 01-2122981.
Learn to eat well
Full of good intentions and intent on staying on a healthy eating regime? There are some upcoming classes at the Cookery School at Donnybrook Fair in Dublin, that might provide inspiration and support.
Executive chef Niall Murphy, demystifies selecting, preparing and cooking fish, the most diet-friendly of ingredients, at an evening course on January 10th (7pm-9.30pm, €75).
Eating to Stay Young is the title of another two-hour class the following morning, January 11th (10am-12.30pm, €60), when healthy ingredients will be to the fore and Dorcas Barry will be sharing her insights. See donnybrookfair.ie/cookeryschool.
Anti-detox
Some of us are undoubtedly rethinking our eating regimes, cutting back and cutting out, but not everyone approaches January in this way. Brasserie Le Pont on Fitzwilliam Place in Dublin is staging a "Detox – No Way" campaign and will be offering a free bottle of wine to diners during this month. See brasserielepont.ie.
