Search Results for 'pastry chef'

The little lakeside town of Loughrea represents the last outpost of civilisation before you reach the 'midlands'. If you are in search of refreshments before venturing forth into a territory where good places to eat are few and far between, you will be glad to know that it is increasingly possible to dine well in Loughrea.

The Prince Bar is home to live music every Wednesday to Saturday night, bringing you local and national bands.

The motto at the Prince Bar and Kitchen is ‘Fresh ingredients, freshly prepared’, and their delicious lunch options certainly live up to their reputation for fresh, wholesome food.

It is no secret that the Irish love their tea. The Irish drink more of this hot beverage per capita than any other country. The presence of tea making facilities is considered essential in any hotel or bed and breakfast room and is offered at breakfast, 'elevenses', lunch, dinner, and any time in between. Lately we have even begun to embrace that very English tradition of afternoon tea. Legend has it that the ritual of afternoon tea owes its origins to Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford. As a young women in the early 1800s at this time, it was common to eat only two main meals a day, with breakfast scheduled in the morning and dinner taken late in the evening. When kerosene lamps were introduced in wealthier homes, eating a late dinner became increasingly fashionable, widening the long wait between meals.

The last few years seem to have seen an explosion in the market for eating out on Sundays. Once upon a time it was not considered acceptable to make others work on a Sunday, but I think that day is past (for good or ill), Perhaps it is because so many people do not get a chance to sit down together during the week and they feel that their treat is to eat out together on Sunday. For some it is absolutely every Sunday, for others it is the occasional treat. I often ask restaurant and hotel owners what their business is like on Sundays, and I am regularly astounded by the number of covers they do on a Sunday, it is enormous. Often it is an excuse to bring together extended family for a meal out without breaking the bank, and most establishments make particular efforts to see that children are catered for, thus making it less stressful on parents.

O’Connor’s Bakery was established in Ennis in 1961 by Pat and Mary O’Connor. Pat was a pastry chef in Shannon Airport at the time and both he and Mary trained as confectioners in a small coffee shop/bakery in Kilkee. For the first few years Pat commenced working in the bakery at 3am, left for work in Shannon at 7am and then did a few more hours in the bakery when he came home at 6pm.

The Prince of Wales Hotel is to start its baking demonstration classes this Tuesday May 10, running for four weeks in total. The classes will be run by Liz Carey who currently works as a pastry chef in sister Callanan hotel The Skeffington Arms Hotel. The classes will include essentials such as basic baking, kids’ party treats, delicious chocolate heaven, and afternoon cakes.

The four-star McWilliam Park Hotel, Claremorris, has launched an Indian night with a superb menu to suit.

I met Jamie Peaker, owner and chef of Builín Blasta Café, at a tasting of his chutneys and salad dressings during the McCambridge’s food and wine tasting last Christmas. I loved his products and said I would call sometime to see his café in Spiddal. J-Me (as he spells his name) hails from New Zealand and made his way to Galway via two years in London working at that fantastic London restaurant The Ivy, then a stint in Africa visiting 20-plus countries and meeting his Galway partner Nina. The Ivy has an incredible name for producing uncomplicated food in the best way possible. It is so successful at this that some of the dishes on the menu have not been changed in over 26 years.