FEAST: A Dinner Journal | Spring/Summer 2013

FEAST a

dinner

journal

spring/summer 2013

Welcome

welcome a

feast

of

s p r i n g / SUMMER

2013

W

elcome to the spring issue of

foraged cocktail masterclass showing us how to

FEAST. A delicious celebration of

make a hedgerow cocktail with elderberry gin, all his

this spring’s seasonal produce and

foraging takes place in urban Dublin.

a show-case of some of Ireland’s The

From the romance of an island bakery off the west

opening features in this dinner

Cork coast Patrick Ryan’s Heir Island Firehouse

journal take us on a journey across Ireland through

Bakery shared his recipe with us. Over in Drogheda

our FEAST spring menu. Each ingredient feature

Jeni Glasgow shares the much lusted after secrets

brings you closer to a dramatic spring meal in the

of her wild and wonderful Brown Hound Bakery,

Glade, a stunning old church surrounded by forest in

with the recipe for her sweet torched lemon temples

Kinnegad, Co. Kildare.

making a dramatic end to our FEAST.

On our way to the great FEAST we travelled to the

The importance of every element of our FEAST is

wild and rolling hills of Connemara for spring lamb

highlighted by a visit to Rosemarie Durr’s pottery

for our main course of braised lamb shanks. This

studio in Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny who kindly

was extra special as the lamb is not just unique to

allowed us to use her beautiful hand crafted bowls

Ireland but unique to the Connemara Hills. In the

for our wild garlic soup. A morning spent with

lush countryside surrounding Ballyvolane House in

Mark Grehan in his beautiful Dublin city flower

Co. Cork we found cool rivers teeming with fish and

shop located on the steps of the Powerscourt Town

were inspired to create our gravadlax starter. In a

House ensured we had unique floral displays on our

converted railway station in Carnaross, Co. Meath we

table setting.

finest

food

producers.

explored Sheridans Cheesemongers’ headquarters where mountains of cheese act as taste-snapshots of

Turn the pages and follow our spring 2013 journey

Ireland’s many terroir.

through Ireland as we gathered the ingredients for a Spring FEAST.

It’s hard not to be inspired by the raw and beautiful scenery which produces so much of Ireland’s

Enjoy,

finest food. But townies in Ireland are not without

Donal

their foodie credentials. New voices in food like Oisin Davis of Dublin’s Damson Diner gave us a

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Contributors

Ross Golden-Bannon

Donal Skehan

Sharon Hearne Smith

Editor

photographer

Ross has been eating for Ireland as

Donal is a food writer and photographer

Sharon’s job has taken her around the world

restaurant critic for The Sunday Business

with three cookbooks under his belt and

working with names like Ina Garten, Lorraine

Post since 2001 and he’s been the editor

presents TV show, Kitchen Hero, on

Pascale and Jamie Oliver. We’re head over

of FOOD&WINE Magazine since 2008.

RTÉ One in Ireland. Donal shot all the

heels in love with her styling and she made the

He was elected to membership of the Irish

features for FEAST and enjoyed every

soup on our cover look as good as it tastes.

Food Writers’ Guild in 2006. As the author

minute. FEAST was a dream he has had

Alongside her fabulous assistants Emma

of the ebook How to Write About Food

since he first started writing about food

Nelson and Julie Ann Miller she cooked

he’s happiest when he’s a good meal in

and his guiding principle was to celebrate

through our FEAST recipes making each and

front of him along with some fresh copy

the stories of the people

every one look particularly special.

and a big red pen.

behind the food.

Food Stylist

Text copyright © 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon & Donal Skehan Photography copyright

Jane Matthews Designer

Having previously designed some of

© 2013 Donal Skehan Cover copyright © 2013 Ross Golden-Bannon

Sofie Larsson

Prop stylist

& Donal Skehan.

Sofie, originally from Sweden now works

Ireland’s leading magazines we knew that

with Donal Skehan on his TV series and

Jane’s elegant designs would help make

All rights reserved.

cook books and has the rather exciting job

sense of the wild idea of FEAST. She

of collecting beautiful things from far and

was immediately enthusiastic when we

Published by

first mentioned it to her. She has chosen

wide to feature in his food photography.

Donal Skehan

Sofie’s extra touches made the table setting

some of the best images from a pile of

trading as

for our final FEAST something truly special

thousands and tied them down with

Donal Skehan

with vintage plates and napkins all the way

sweet and simple designs.

& RGB Consulting.

from Sweden.

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xxxx

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T H E MENU

MENU SPRING / SUMMER

Bread Rosemary & olive oil sourdough

COCKTAIL Hedgerow CoCkTail

Soup wild garliC soup wiTH a poaCHed egg

STARTER ballyvolane gravadlax & CuCumber piCkle

MAIN COURSE braised Connemara Hill lamb sHanks

Cheese Sheridans CHeesemongers Cheese Board

Dessert Brown Hound Bakery Lemon Temples

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2013

T H E MENU

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Firehouse Bakery

BREAD firehouse

bakery

Heir Island Co. Cork

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Firehouse Bakery

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Firehouse Bakery

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Firehouse Bakery

A

n obsession with detail has got a bit of a bad rap in recent years, yet it is the deep knowledge of the details of a craft which ensure the very best quality. That’s what you’ll find at the Firehouse Bakery on Heir Island where Patrick Ryan and partner Laura Moore have created a bakery school of unparalleled excellence.

Patrick is the star of BBC2’s the Big Bread Experiment, which

charted a social experiment in reuniting a community through bread. He is also the co author of Bread Revolution. He wrote this book with Duncan Glendinning who hails from Bath, where Patrick spent four years as head baker at Duncan’s Thoughtful Bread Company, an award wining artisan bakery.

The Firehouse Bakery is located on a picturesque island off the West Cork coast.

A ferry takes you across the sea to their world of baking, where all aspects of their craft are taught from bread and scones to sour dough. Once you’ve finished pummelling and proving, the baking is done in the wood burning clay oven, the only oven they use. Time spent at the school is an opportunity not just to learn bread making but to gain a life skill that was previously such an important part of daily Irish life. The work at Firehouse Bakery acts as an ark of ancient skills where hands are still intimately involved in the bread making process. Machines that make soulless bread have no place at Firehouse Bakery where the human touch has been woven back into this most ancient of foods.

Alongside Patrick you’ll find his ever supportive partner Laura Moore. They have quickly developed a highly successful business, and are kept busy with bookings which already stretch into the summer. The pair have also just launched a bakery in Delgany, Co. Wicklow, which is now up and running.

In an age of mass bread production this thriving artisan business is a lesson in the fine art of integrity and quality. They’ve shared with us their rosemary and olive oil sourdough bread as well as a bit of a masterclass in giving life to your very own sourdough starter. Bread revolution, here we come. Firehouse Bakery, Heir Island, Skibbereen, Co. Cork, Ireland, Tel: +353 85 1561984. www.thefirehouse.ie

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Patrick and his partner Laura run the bakery together on Heir island; Boatman Richie Pyburn in oilskins at the helm as he drives the ferry on the short trip from the mainland to Heir Island; Patrick sprinkles his toasted seed bread with sesame seeds before they bake off in a wood fired oven; Bread bubbling with air being punched down to create Patrick’s classic sourdough loaves.

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Firehouse Bakery

Set like a tiny jewel in the many gem-like islands of Roaringwater Bay, Heir Island has a tranquility and peacefulness to match the easy-going folk on the island.

Heir Island is located South West of County Cork and boasts over 200 species of wildflower, making it a unique and dramatic setting for the Firehouse Bakery. The island, home now to only thirty people can be accessed by a short ferry trip departing from Cunnamore Pier. It was once inhabited by over 400 people evidenced by the ruins of a schoolmaster’s house on the main road through the island.

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Firehouse Bakery

Heir Island casts its spell on all who visit and all that’s made there, there’s surely alchemy in the bread that’s made in the great outdoors.

Patrick’s wood fired oven is located at the back of the Firehouse Bakery and he bakes his bread there rain or shine.

Patrick’s infectious passion for bread is clear and he takes time to explain in detail every step of bread making from the dough to the baking process.

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Firehouse Bakery

Rosemary and olive oil sourdough 500g strong

Mix together the flour, starter and water in a bowl. Add the salt and

Let there be sourdough

unbleached white

olive oil along with the roasted garlic and roughly chopped rosemary.

Giving life to your very own

Turn out on to a clean kitchen surface and knead for 10 minutes.

sourdough starter The use of

bread flour

natural yoghurt gives your starter

300g sourdough starter 210ml water 75ml olive oil 1/2

Put into a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and let it

a helping hand by introducing a

prove for 2 ½ hours to 3 hours. You won’t notice anywhere near as

little friendly bacteria

much of a rise in the dough as you would with a normal, yeasted bread and it will take a lot longer.

Day 1 75 ml natural yoghurt

bulb of roasted garlic

Turn out the dough on to a clean kitchen surface and knock back.

150ml skimmed milk

2 sprigs of fresh

Portion the dough into two and shape into two rugby ball shaped

Heat the milk gently, place the

rosemary

loaves. Flour generously, and place each loaf seam side up in a bowl,

yoghurt into a bowl and stir in

10g salt

lined with a couche cloth, a heavily floured tea towel will work fine.

the milk. Cover and leave in a

Without the cloth, your loaf will stick in the bowl and you won’t be

warm place for 12-24 hours until

able to turn it out. Leave to prove for a further 2 ½ hours.

thickened. Stir in any liquids that may have separated.

Pre-heat the oven to 230°C /Gas 7 and place a baking stone on the middle shelf. Turn the loaves out on to a baking tray or hot baking

Day 2

stone. Score with a sharp blade and place in the oven. Throw a hand-

120g white flour

ful of ice cubes into the bottom of the oven to create steam in the

Stir the flour into the yoghurt,

oven. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a good crust has formed and

incorporating evenly.

the loaves sound hollow when tapped on the base.

Cover and leave in a warm place for 2 days. The mixture should be full of bubbles and smell pleasantly sour.

Day 5 150 ml water 150 g white flour Add the flour to the starter, and mix in the water. Cover and leave in a warm place for 12 – 24 hours.

Day 6 The starter should be quiet active now and be full of little bubbles.

If by the end of Day 6 your starter is not as active as hoped, do not worry simply repeat the feeding process of Day 5.

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Firehouse Bakery

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Damson Diner

c o c k ta i l DAMSON

DINER

South William Street Dublin 2

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Damson Diner

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Damson Diner

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Damson Diner

H

ipster New Yorkers probably come to Damson Diner for inspiration. Located on South William Street in Dublin 2, the space is a modern style American diner with neon lights, exposed pipes and high ceilings. They’ve the low-down on what’s happening in the food world too. Run by Oisin Davis, formerly of The Sugar Club, and the guys behind Coppinger Row the diner serves up dishes

like Vietnamese bánh mi, a sort of light baguette along with other Thai street food favourites. You’ll also find Louisiana crowd pleasers like po’ boys and Indian inspired nibbles like courgettes and fennel bhaji.

We love the food but we’re in love with the cocktails. Damson have their cocktail shakers right on the ancient and modern zietgeist by celebrating old infusion traditions. Foraged wild foods like sloes and elderflowers are combined with gin, vodka and whiskey helping to revive old glories like elderflower gin but creating exciting new mixes too. These are then combined into the latest cocktails, one of which they’ve kindly shared with us for our feast. 52 South William St, Dublin 2; Tel: + 353 1 677 7007.

clockwise from top left With tables right on Dublin’s popular South William Street diners can soak up the atmosphere of this busy area; Quirky and modern interiors with exposed pipes and filament light bulbs set the tone for this fresh diner; Strong colours and neon lights are the back drop for the restaurants extensive bar; Pickled baby apples make an interesting garnish for Oisin’s hedgerow cocktail.

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Damson Diner

THIS PAGE Oisin Davis OPPOSITE Futuristic interiors and neon lights give this modern diner the perfect backdrop for it’s unique cocktails and eclectic menu of Asian and American ingredients.

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Damson Diner

Dublin city is filled with passionate foodies who also know an artisan cocktail when they see one – foraged fruit drinks are the latest celebration of all things Irish.

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Damson Diner

Hedgerow cocktail 70ml elderberry Infused

Chill a tumbler with ice and water and set aside. Place all ingredients

Cork Dry Gin

in the shaker with ice, shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Empty your tumbler

50ml Crinnaughtan

and strain the shaker into the glass. Garnish with a preserved baby apple

Apple Juice

or slices of apple dipped in lemon. The Damson Diner’s gin was infused for 5 months with wild Irish elderberries, though we have a 2 month

20ml Green Tea Syrup

version below.

a dash of lemon juice

Elderberry gin 500g elderberries, ripe

When gathering the elderberries make sure to just pick the ripe ones. Be

100g sugar

a responsible forager too, always leave plenty behind for the birds. To prepare the berries use a fork to strip them from the stalks. Pick through

700ml Cork Dry Gin Gin

removing any unripe berries and stalks.

Put the berries in a microwave proof bowl and pop in the microwave for about 2 minutes. Stir half way through. The berries are ready for the next stage when they have started to split and juice is coming out. They should be hot but not collapsing into a mash. A more traditional method is to piece each berry with a darning needle instead of heating in the microwave.

Once the berries are ready place in a sterilised jar, add the sugar and finally the gin. Seal tightly and shake vigorously. Shake two or three times a day for for 2-3 days ensuring all the sugar has dissolved. Store in a dark press or shed for one month.

Strain the berry and gin mix through a fine muslin. Taste for sweetness and add sugar if necessary. Bin the berry mush and store the liquid for another month before decanting into individual bottles.

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Damson Diner

Oisin Davis

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Rosemary Durr pottery

oU u Pp Ss O Rosemarie

Durr

Pottery

Castlecomer Co. Kilkenny

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Rosemary Durr pottery

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Rosemary Durr pottery

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Rosemary Durr pottery

I

rish craftsmanship has become famous the world over with names like Nicholas Mosse, Steven Pierce and even Orla Kiely setting the bench mark.

There is a wealth of handcrafted ceramics to be found throughout Ireland and when it cames to choosing some bowls for our wild garlic soup, Rosemarie Durr’s striking free form colourful pottery was an obvious choice. The distinctive powder blue glazed ceramics are hand thrown in her studio and

shop at the Castlecomer design yard. A graduate of the esteemed Craft Council of Ireland’s pottery course, Rosemarie has worked in some of Ireland’s leading pottery studios. In 2006, alongside her husband and designer Andrew Ludwick, she set up the Rosemarie Durr Pottery shop. Her range includes scalloped bowls, cups and saucers, plates and tea pots, all are made on site and delightfully displayed in her studio. What we love about them is that although they are exceptional pieces of art, they are also functional everyday kitchen items which are comforting to hold and eat from. The contrast from her eyecatching blue bowl was perfect for the seasonal wild garlic soup, drizzled with a zingy wild garlic oil, flowers, Durrus cheese toasts and poached egg. Rosemarie Durr Pottery, Castlecomer Estate Yard, Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland. Tel: +353 (0)56 4440007. www.rosedurr.com

clockwise from top leFt: Rosemarie throws one of her classic bowls in her Castlecomer workshop; Rosemarie’s studio takes pride of place in the Castlecomer design yard; Powder blue plates, bowls and cups displayed in Rosemarie’s gift shop; Rosemarie chats to a customer about her beautiful blue teapot.

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Rosemary Durr pottery The simple tools and implements used to create Rosemarie’s trademark ceramics.

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Rosemary Durr pottery

Hand crafted means each item is unique unto itself. Eschewing the mass-produced and the mechanical gives objects and foods a poetry which the machine can never deliver.

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Rosemary Durr pottery

Wild garlic soup with a poached egg and Irish cheese toasts For the soup

For the soup

25g butter

Poach the eggs first and then set aside, semi-cooked until ready to serve.

2 medium potatoes,

Melt the butter in a large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and

cut into 1cm cubes

potatoes and fry gently for 2-3 minutes. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

1 medium onion, chopped roughly 1 litre vegetable stock

Lower the heat, cover with a lid and continue to cook for 10 minutes until

200g wild garlic leaves, chopped

the potatoes are tender. You can check this by piercing them with a fork.

8 large free range eggs

Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil over a high heat. Add

Wild garlic flowers, to garnish

the wild garlic leaves and stir through. Cook for 2-3 minutes until wilted and tender.

For the wild garlic oil

Blitz the soup with a hand blender and season to taste. Pass through a

500ml rapeseed oil

sieve for a silky smooth finish. Place the poached eggs in warm water to

75g wild garlic

revive.

For the toasts

8 slices of sourdough bread

For the wild garlic oil In a food processor, blitz the wild garlic and 6 tablespoons of the oil until

150g of Durrus cheese, grated Serves 8

completely smooth. You may need to add a little oil to loosen the mix.

Transfer to a bottle and top with the remaining rapeseed oil.

For the toasts Toast the slices of sourdough bread under a hot grill and then add a little cheese to each one and place under the heat until melted. Serve the soup in deep bowls with a poached egg and a cheese toast. Drizzle with wild garlic oil and sprinkle with wild garlic flowers.

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Rosemary Durr pottery

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

STARTER starter Ballyvolane

house

C astlelyons F e r m o y, C o . C o r k

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

Justin Green of Ballyvalane House

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

T

he first view of Ballyvolane House by the weary traveller is a welcome one, framed as it is by shimmering trees, green lawns and languishing mauve wisteria. It is a grand house, a Georgian county retreat, but not overwhelming and the simple façade feels homely and welcoming. No surprise really considering the welcome you’ll get from Justin and Jenny Green, this unique and peaceful spot is

their place of work and their home so there’s a great family run atmosphere here.

Guests all sit around the family dinner table for breakfast and dinner. Attention to detail is everything from the deep, cloud-like beds to the impeccably sourced food, it is a place set apart.

Evenings start with rhubarb martinis from the Victorian walled garden, though this obviously changes with the seasons, their hedgerow martini of autumn fruits is something of a legend. They keep rare breed pigs including Saddlebacks, Gloucester Old Spots and Durocs all of which appear on the menu in some form, breakfast being the natural starting point. A meander around the estate is a chance to see a country house which is truly embedded in the locality. Justin proudly shows off their chickens, doves, donkey’s and a motley pack of dogs which add a huge amount of personality to the setting. Guests can choose to go fishing in the local river for salmon and trout, and then see the fish appear on their dinner menu.

Justin’s father Jeremy grows a huge amount of vegetables throughout the year in Ballyvolane’s vast walled garden. Guests are lucky enough to see these appear on the menu which often includes more exotic vegetables like sea kale, asparagus and globe artichokes. Salad leaves of all hues and textures are grown along with chard, spinach, courgettes, all sorts of cabbages, curly kale, beetroot, Jerusalem artichokes and four varieties of potatoes. And that’s just the short list. Fruit such as loganberries, figs, pears, apples and raspberries are served up in season and the green house is used for growing cucumbers, chilies and tomatoes too. The menus change daily and are dictated by what is ready to harvest, what’s seasonal and of course the weather and fishing conditions also dictate what will appear on your plate. Inspired by our fishing trip to Ballyvolane House we’ve come up with a favourite salmon dish for our feast. Ballyvolane House, Castlelyons, Fermoy, Co. Cork.

Tel + 353 (025) 36 349.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Beautifully kept antiques and family heirloomes in the drawing room of Ballyvolane House; Just one of the many friendly family dogs of Ballyvolane House; Freshly shaken rhubarb martinis made with rhubarb from the walled garden; The lavish dining table where guests enjoy breakfast and dinner.

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

Fishing in the cool clear waters of the Blackwater River.

The Blackwater River flows from Kerry to the sea at Youghal stretching a mighty 150km from it’s source.

The salmon season runs from the start of February up until the end of September.

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

The welcoming door of Ballyvolane House where you’ll find a sanctuary underpinned by integrity.

A uniquely warm family atmosphere can be felt throughout Ballyvolane.The impressive grounds boast a mixture of mature deciduous trees, formal, semi-formal, walled and woodland gardens, making them the ideal home to a wide variety of wildlife.

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

Ballyvolane gravadlax with cucumber pickle and dill mustard mayonnaise 2 sides of salmon, with the skin on,

for the gravad lax

approximately 900g each

Mix the salt, sugar, pepper and dill together. Lay out one side of salmon

2 tablespoons Atlantic Sea Salt

on clingfilm and spread on the mixture ensuring it is evenly coated. Cover

2 tablespoons sugar

this prepared side with the other side of salmon. Wrap all the salmon well

2 tablespoons ground black pepper

in the clingfilm and refrigerate. Turn this every day for 4 days. It will be ready on day 5.

4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (Note you will need to start this dish 5 days in advance)

for the cucumber pickle Cut the cucumber in half lengthways. Slice very thinly, preferably with the thinnest setting of a mandolin, if you have one. In a bowl mix together the sugar, salt, vinegar and hot water until combined and then add the cu-

For the cucumber pickle

1 cucumber

cumber, shallot and red chilli. Transfer to individual serving jars and place in the fridge overnight before serving.

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

for the dill mustard mayonnaise 4 tablespoons caster sugar

Whisk the yolk, mustard and sugar in a bowl, slowly until combined. Add

1 tablespoon salt

the oil drop by drop until the mixture has emulsified, then add the vinegar

1 small red chilli, chopped very finely

and dill. Season with salt and pepper

1 small shallot, very thinly sliced

to serve 3 tablespoons hot water

Remove the salmon from the fridge just before you are ready to serve and slice very thinly. Serve slices with the cucumber pickle jars, a dollop of dill mustard mayonnaise and some lightly dressed salad leaves.

Dill mustard mayonnaise

1 large egg yolk 2 tablespoons of French mustard 1 tablespoon of white sugar 1

/2 pint of sunflower oil

1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon of dill salt and pepper

Serves 8-10

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b a l ly vo l a n e h o u s e

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Connemara Hill Lamb

main CO U R S E connemara hill lamb

Corr Na Mona Connem ara, Co. Galway

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Connemara Hill Lamb

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Connemara Hill Lamb

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Connemara Hill Lamb

I

f ever the essence of terroir was expressed in an Irish product it is Connemara Hill Lamb. We visited Martin Joe Kerrigan’s lamb farm at the edge of Lough Corrib and in the heart of the Connemara Ghaeltacht region. He is part of a group of farmers who have gathered together to promote and protect the lamb which is indigenous to the Connemara region. The Connemara Blackfaced Horned Ewe dates back to the 1800’s. The grand sweep of herbage, heathers

and grasses on the Connemara Hills are its feed which gives the lamb a natural, succulent flavour with a very pronounced aroma. The carcass is lean and the meat is rose red in colour with a solid deep, texture and a light covering of fat.

Like other heritage livestock it matures at a slower rate gaining the benefits of their natural habitat in the taste. The result is a lamb of specialised quality which is an expression of the heathers, herbs and grasses of Connemara, almost symbols of Ireland in themselves. When Martin Joe was growing up, the lower lands were saved for the dairy cows but now the lamb have become his main source of income. Modernity is only allowed to peek in where it doesn’t interfere with the traditions of the region. Martin Joe used to walk the land but he now uses a quad bike, though the fences which divide the lands are all maintained by hand. While we were up the mountain shooting, ten lambs were born and we watched them up and walking within a few hours.

The lamb has won a number of important awards including one from the Guild of Irish Food Writers. Most importantly has been their designation of EU wide recognition through Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status, a little like an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC), on French wines and food. There are at present only three others in Ireland.

Without the dedication and passion of these farmers this breed would no longer exist and our feast would be sadly lacking in the taste of Connemara Hill Lamb. Corr Na Mona, Connemara, Co. Galway, Tel +353 9495 48798; www.connemarahilllamb.ie

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT Sheep wander the hills feasting on a diet of heathers, herbs and grass; The rolling view down to Lough Corrib from the hills above Martin Joe Kerrigan’s farmhouse; Martin Joe stands proudly with a newly born lamb; The winding road up the hills where the sheep graze.

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Connemara Hill Lamb

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Connemara Hill Lamb

Connemara Hill lamb matures at a slower rate than commercial breeds and it feeds on the Connemara heathers, herbs and grasses, almost symbols of Ireland in themselves.

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Connemara Hill Lamb

Braised Connemara Hill Lamb shanks with gremolata and wild garlic mash 8 Connemara Hill Lamb shanks, about

lamb shanks

475g each

Place a really large casserole pan on a high heat. Season the lamb shanks

50g plain flour

and toss them in the flour to coat. Add the oil to the pan and working in

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

batches, sear the lamb shanks all over until golden brown, transferring them to a large plate as you go.

2 onions, finely chopped 2 sticks celery, finely chopped

Next, reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, celery and carrots to

2 carrots, finely chopped

the pan. SautĂŠ for 6-8 minutes until soft but not coloured, adding the gar-

3 garlic cloves, crushed

lic at the last minute. Increase the heat and then add the wine, allowing it

375ml dry white wine

to bubble down for a minute or two. Then add the stock, anchovies, lemon zest, tomato puree, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves and season well. Return

750ml chicken stock

the lamb shanks to the pan and cover with a tight fitting lid. Bring to the

50g can anchovies, drained

boil and then reduce to a very gentle simmer for about 3 hours. Turn the

1 lemon, the zest peeled into strips

shanks occasionally during this time.

1 tablespoon tomato puree flat leaf parsley leaves, a small handful

gremolata 2 tablespoons roughly chopped rosemary 2 bay leaves

Meanwhile, prepare the gremolata. Simply toss the mint, garlic and lemon zest together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

mash for the gremolata

Half an hour before serving, prepare the mash. Cook the potatoes in a

4 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

large pan of boiling salted water for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Warm

2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped

the milk and butter in a small pan until just coming to the boil and remove.

2 tablespoons lemon zest, finely grated

Drain the potatoes well and mash until smooth with the milk and butter mixture. Stir the wild garlic through to wilt and season to taste. Cover and keep warm.

for the wild garlic mash

1.2 kg floury potatoes, peeled and halved

to serve

or quartered if large

Once cooked the meat from the lamb shanks should be really tender and

75g butter

just falling off the bone. Carefully remove the lamb shanks to a large plate and keep warm covered in foil. Discard the bay leaves from the sauce and

100ml whole milk 50 wild garlic leaves, washed well and

then blend the sauce using a stick blender until almost smooth. Check seasoning and return the lamb shanks to the sauce.

roughly chopped sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve, spoon a large dollop of creamy mash into the centre of each serving bowl or plate. Sit a lamb shank proudly on top, spoon the sauce

Serves 8

over and scatter generously with gremolata.

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Connemara Hill Lamb

Anchovies and gremolata are a natural match with lamb, the first adding richness the second cutting through the sweet tasting meat and fat.

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S H ERIDANS

CH E E S E Sh e r i d a n s Ch e e s e m o n g e r s

Carnaross C o . M e at h

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S H ERIDANS

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S H ERIDANS

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S H ERIDANS

T

he idea that there’s a central storage point for Sheridans Cheesemongers seems like something of a foodie fairytale, like a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Yet in the depths of lush County Meath you’ll find their headquarters in an old converted railway station brimming with every imaginable cheese. From enormous cheese wheels, as big as tyres, to tiny single portions it is a cheese

lovers dream come true. The cheesemongers was established by brothers Seamus and Kevin Sheridan in 1995. They started small, with a stall at the market in Galway City, but from these small beginnings the business grew and has now become a byword for quality cheeses in Ireland. They have shops in Dublin, Galway City and Ardkeen in Waterford, you’ll also find them at many market stalls and in some Ireland’s finer retailers.

The Carnacross headquarters also houses a shop run by Frenchman Franck Le Moenner. The stock is made up of a personally selected range of artisan ingredients from Ireland and further afield as well as a full selection of cheeses.

There’s also a cosy little cafe where they serve a stonking good coffee and tasty nibbles from the small deli. Sheridans are tireless promoters of artisan produce, making them an ideal addition to our feast. www.sheridanscheesemongers.com

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The beautiful original features provide the perfect backdrop for Sheridan’s dramatic cheese warehouse; Hand picked cheese on display in the warehouse shop; Warehouse manager Franck proudly presents freshly sliced cheese; Vintage railway sign hangs proudly beside the entrance.

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S H ERIDANS

Warehouse manager Franck Le Moenner, a font of knowledge on all things cheese.

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S H ERIDANS

The Sheridan brothers’ principles of being gentle with the earth are writ large in the recycling of the old Virginia railway station into the head quarters for the cheesemonger business.

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S H ERIDANS

Cheesey notes The first rule of a good cheese board is to offer some contrasts of textures and flavours: a soft cheese, a hard cheese and maybe a blue one in between the two.

The second rule is not to get too caught up in the rules, pick a selection that you love or even just showcase a single cheese. We’ve included some lesser known cheeses along with the more famous ones and in our case we decided to stick to goats’ cheese and take a flight through its flavours. By choosing just goats’ cheese we got to compare the glory of goats’ milk in its many different guises and see how it changes from terroir to terroir and method to method.

St Tola Ash

St. Tola Ash was created by Meg and Derrick Gordon in that most unique of places, the Burren. Starting in 1978 their cheeses grew and grew in popularity and some twenty years later their neighbour, Siobhan Ni Gharbhaith, took over the business and now produces the cheese from the McDonald’s family farm, just a stone’s throw from the original birth place of the famed goats’ cheese.

Young St. Tola is mild, creamy and slightly crumbly, as it matures the flavour deepens and the texture becomes softer. Even when it matures it has a lightness of flavour with some citrus notes, so it makes for an ideal entry level for people who might normally shy away from goats’ cheese.

Killeen’s goat’s cheese

Killeen’s goat’s cheese has been made by Marion Roeleweld in Killeen Millhouse outside Balinasloe since 2005. It’s a gouda-style goats’ cheese that celebrates the terroir and flavour of her own tribe of goats. The cheese is made in a classic Dutch style and has a natural orange-beige rind which contrasts with the bright white paste. It has a fresh, clean taste with a slightly lactic note on the wash.

Knockdrinna Snow

Knockdrinna Snow is a Camembert style cheese with a soft bloomy rind, it is aged for between 2 to 6 weeks. Made by the redoubtable Helen Finnegan, Knockdrinna is one of the stars of the new generation of Irish farmhouse cheeses. Knockdrinna Snow is matured and washed with organic white wine, giving it a unique flavour. The rind develops a yellowish beige colour and the ivory paste is firm and sometimes speckled with holes. The texture is smooth and the initial mild palate gives way to a slight acidity with a touch of hazelnut at the end.

Gortnamona goat’s cheese

Gortnamona Goat’s Cheese is made by Breda and Pat Maher in Moyne, Thurles, Co Tipperary. It is a hand-made, soft goats’ cheese and Gortnamona is something of the new kid on the block, but that hasn’t stopped them stacking up some impressive awards. It won the Best New Cheese category at the British Cheese Awards in 2003. Gortnamona is a smooth, soft white cheese with a mushroom-like rind on the first taste, then giving way to almond notes, aromatic flavours and obviously the subtle stamp of goats’ milk in the background.

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S H ERIDANS

Kevin Sheridan

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Th e G a r d e n

F LOW E R S T H E GARDEN

Powerscourt Town House S o u t h W i l l i a m S t r e e t, D u b l i n 2

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Th e G a r d e n

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Th e G a r d e n

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Th e G a r d e n

T

he elements which make the perfect FEAST are not just delicious food, great company, and inspiring surroundings, there’s also the table setting and a final flourish of flowers lift an impressive table to a table for a FEAST. There are few florist shops in Ireland as breathtaking as Mark Grehan’s: The Garden in the dramatic setting of Dublin’s Powerscourt Townhouse on South William Street. From

a market stall at Dublin’s busy Coppinger Row market, Mark’s rainbow of flowers are now a popular and permanent fixture on the steps of the townhouse. Mark has a background in landscape design and freelance floristry, skills used to stunning effect in the display which elegantly drapes down the exterior steps and hallway of the historic Georgian townhouse. In the shop itself the beautiful arrangements are accentuated by crystal chandeliers, French armoire display cabinets and a large gold mirror sitting atop the original Georgian fireplace. Mark’s fresh and exciting hand tied bouquets have won him fans at home and abroad with tourists stopping not just to smell the flowers but to take photos too. Having grown up in the wild and rugged landscape of Connemara Mark has created a unique style which really sets him apart. His gorgeous combinations of seasonal flowers, foliage and twigs can be found not only in his shop but at some of the country’s finest weddings and celebration events. For our elegant spring table setting Mark created special hand tied bouquets to form a centrepiece for our FEAST. The Garden, Powerscourt Townhouse, South William Street, Dublin 2, Tel: +353 1 612 5260 www.thegardenpowerscourt.ie

clockwise from top left: A selection of potted herbs on display on the steps of Powerscourt Townhouse; A restored french armoire makes the ideal display cabinet for the hand picked products for sale; Bright and vibrant floral displays are stacked on old wooden crates Mark creates his unique floral arrangements in front of the large Georgian fireplace.

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Th e G a r d e n

Mark meticulously hand ties his bouquets for his displays which line the steps of Powerscourt Townhouse.

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Th e G a r d e n

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Brown Hound Bakery

brown hound bakery

Drogheda Co. Louth

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Brown Hound Bakery

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Brown Hound Bakery

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Brown Hound Bakery

I

t’s hard not to feel like you’ve stepped through an enchanted door when you enter the magical Brown Hound Bakery in Drogheda. A trio of talent including Jeni Glasgow, with her Willy Wonka mystery smile, her partner Reuven Diaz and New York City Baker Craig Thompson, all came together to create a dark and quirky welcoming place. Here you’ll find all things sweet and savoury sitting like precious exhibits under giant Victorian glass domes. The room is

dotted with vintage finds, bentwood chairs and indie-objects reflecting the owners’ interests in roads less travelled. Next door you’ll find the Eastern Seaboard, their restaurant which celebrates Irish suppliers and artisan ingredients with some American chutzpah.

The cakes and pies in the Brown Hound Bakery initially look familiar. Then a closer inspection of the exquisitely hand-written labels reveal clever twists which cast the sort of spell that makes you want to buy double. Richly veneered wooden cabinets act as counter tops and display areas for mountains of chocolate cakes with torched meringue, American style parmesan-chive scones, apple monkeybread, pumpkin spiced doughnuts and chocolate banana bread. Precious take-away treats are carefully wrapped and tied with dainty string, more of Jeni Glasgow’s just-so stylish take on life. They shared their lemon temples recipe with us for our feast and we’ve been worshipping these tangy treats ever since. Brown Hound Bakery, Drogheda, Co. Louth. Tel: + 353 (0) 41 983 3792.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT The biscuits and breads of Brown Hound Bakery hand tied with colourful bakers’ twine; Dark and stylish interiors highlight the sweet treats on display; Jeni’s handwritten menus and signs feature throughout the bakery; Jeni lays out the wide selection of Brown Hound classics like their torched maple meringue topped chocolate cupcakes and tooth achingly sweet trail bars.

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Brown Hound Bakery Precious time well spent eating cake and drinking tea in the stylish surroundings. Vintage finds like church pews, old school house stools and old tea pots set the tone.

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Brown Hound Bakery

Aged cheddar and red onion American style biscuits, sweet and savoury and rich with Irish butter are piled high awaiting hungry customers.

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Brown Hound Bakery

Lemon temples for the pie dough

for the pie dough Sieve the flour. Add the salt and sugar. Lightly rub in the butter until

500g plain flour

you have a rough bread crumb-like consistency. Make a well in the

1 tablespoon

centre. Combine the water, eggs and cider vinegar. Pour into the well and

caster sugar

gradually combine with the dry mix until it comes together to form a thick

2 teaspoon salt

dough and leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Wrap in parchment paper and chill for at least 30 minutes

340g unsalted butter 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

for the Italian meringue Lightly whisk the egg whites in a metal bowl with a hand mixer until foamy. Set aside. Boil sugar to a temperature of 180ËšCt (soft ball). You

for the lemon curd

will need a proper sugar thermometer for this. Be careful as hot sugar is

3 eggs

Carefully pour the hot sugar in a steady stream into the egg whites while

4 egg yolks

slowly whisking. Increase the speed until the egg whites have increased in

190g sugar

volume and have cooled.

very dangerous.

260g butter 30g cornflower for the lemon curd 3 lemons

Melt the butter and add sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice. Bring to the boil. In a separate bowl combine the egg yolks and cornflower to a smooth paste. Pour some of the hot liquid onto egg mixture and whisk quickly to

for the Italian meringue

ensure the eggs don’t scramble. Pour this mixture back into the pot and cook very gently until smooth. Allow to cool.

150g egg whites 300g caster sugar 50ml water

to assemble Roll out the pie dough and cut into discs measuring 10cm in diameter.

Place the discs in a mini pie tray and bake blind by placing a layer of parchment paper filled with baking beans in the base. Bake at 180ËšC, Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool. Pipe in the lemon curd then pipe on the meringue. Gently torch until desired color is achieved. Serve immediately or they can also be carefully stored in an airtight container in the fridge a day in advance of serving.

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Brown Hound Bakery

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final Feast

f i na l feast Th e G l a d e

Kinnegad C o . W e s t m e at h

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final Feast

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final Feast

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final Feast

H

aving decided on the ingredients for our menu for our FEAST we set out across Ireland to meet the people who make and grow the best of Irish produce. The journey took us from Dublin to Galway to Cork and many places in between. You could not help but be inspired by the stunning scenery just coming into bloom. It never ceased to amaze us that after an hour or two on the motorway we were driving through tree covered countryside and

rolling mountain roads, the grey buildings of Dublin far behind us though the sun didn’t always shine. We broke bread with Patrick Ryan at the firehouse bakery on a wet and windy day on Heir Island, as the rain poured down outside he shared the secrets to his rosemary and roast garlic sour dough bread. Back in Dublin we found sunshine in some foraged cocktails.

One of the newest additions to Dublin’s food scene is Damson Diner where drinks guru Oisin Davis treated us to a cocktail masterclass and demonstrated how to make his hedgerow cocktail with foraged elderberry gin.

The sun was out for us when we headed off early one bright morning for Ballyvolane House in Fermoy, Co. Cork for our starter of gravadlax, where Justin Greene gave us a tour of the grounds, showed us some fly fishing techniques and we even got to feed the pigs and collect freshly laid eggs. On the same day we visited Rosemarie Durr’s sweet little workshop in Kilkenny where she showed us how to throw a pot on a pottery wheel and provided us with the beautiful blue bowls we used for our Wild Garlic Soup. The star of the show was our main course of braised lamb shanks; we’d travelled deep into the hills of Connemara to get these from Martin Joe Kerrigan. There was lots of deep breaths as Martin took us up the hills on his quad bike to take photos from the top, mountain climbing is not so easy for city slickers like us. Dessert was provided by the Brown Hound Bakery and Jeni Glasgow who we needed no excuse to visit. Jeni treated us to sweet and savoury baked goods before revealing the epic lemon temples for our FEAST. You can’t talk cheese in Ireland without referencing Sheridans Cheesemongers, and after a call to Elisabeth Ryan we were winging our way to their headquarters in the converted Carnaross Railway station. We were treated to homemade pizza’s in between taking images of Kevin Sheridan and Franck Le Moenner who manages the warehouse.

One of the many highlights of shooting the images for FEAST was a visit to Mark Grehan’s stunning Powerscourt Townhouse shop, The Garden, where he put together the incredible bouquets which took pride of place on our FEAST table. We were on the lookout for a beautiful location for our final FEAST for quite some time until the suggestion of The Glade, a beautiful old Church of Ireland chapel was discovered. We drove down to meet the owner Nida Collins, who showed us around and we instantly fell in love with it. Finally everything was in place and all that was left to do was serve up our FEAST!

Laying the table for the perfect spring feast with hand tied flower bouquets from The Garden displayed in vintage pewter tankards.

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final Feast

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final Feast Wild garlic oil: a spring ingredient which can easily be made and stored for use in salads and soups.

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final Feast

Gravadlax makes an easy starter which is prepared in advance and served with dressed leaves, cucumber pickle and a dill mayonnaise.

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final Feast

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final Feast

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final Feast

Vibrant green wild garlic soup is topped with wild garlic flowers, a poached egg, Irish cheese toast and drizzled with wild garlic oil, an ideal spring celebration dish.

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final Feast

Slow braised meat like lamb shanks make the ideal dinner party dish, they can be slowly bubbling away without the fear of overcooking.

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final Feast

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final Feast Beautiful lemon temples filled with creamy lemon curd and topped with torched meringue, a sweet accompaniment to a spring FEAST.

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final Feast

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final Feast

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final Feast

A selection of Irish cheeses, served with Sheridan’s brown bread crackers and apple and plum chutney.

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final Feast

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