James Whelan Beef Wellington
Now this is a dinner that will wow. I have only ever tasted a great beef wellington either in a restaurant or through a lot of time and effort creating the perfect pastry at home. And then the James Whelan beef wellington arrived at my door.
James Whelan's beef wellington.
It's stunningly delicious without any effort. Just under an hour in the oven and out comes a prime aged Irish beef fillet wrapped in a mushroom duxelles encased in puff pastry.
Even on its own, the beef is tender and melt in your mouth, while the mushrooms add a moreish luxury.
But the pastry tastes like it is homemade, flaky and light, adding a satisfying crunch to the meal.
It is pricey. At €60, it just serves two, but given that it takes very little effort for a delicious meal, it's cheaper than a meal in a restaurant and just as impressive.
Available to order for collection at any of the 12 James Whelan Butcher shops across the country. For more details visit www.jameswhelanbutchers.com.
Freddy’s heart-shaped pizza
For all you Galway foodies, Freddy’s one, of the city’s much loved and oldest pizzerias, has created a cheesy, delicious heart-shaped pizza for the weekend of love, topped with aphrodisiac ingredients that are sure to get the blood pumping.
'Take A Pizza My Heart!' is topped with goats cheese and parma ham, along with nature’s natural aphrodisiacs.
Rocket is one of the oldest aphrodisiacs vital to sexual health, fig is a natural sexual stimulant to boost your stamina and honey regulates hormone levels and increases blood flow.
These delicious ingredients are carefully assembled on Freddy’s signature light and airy pizza base shaped like a love heart.
'Take A Pizza My Heart!' (€15.50) is available through Valentine’s weekend.
Foodies in Cork will have lots of gift options in the English Market this weekend and we’ll be heading straight to On The Pig’s Back as it has a specialty Valentine’s cheese and charcuterie hamper available from €65.
On the Pig's Back Valentine's English Market.
The box includes everything you need to assemble and recreate an authentic tapas experience at home, available with or without wine or prosecco to toast the occasion.
Contents include a selection of cheese and charcuterie, as well as On the Pig’s Back terrine, paté, crackers, dressed mixed olives, relishes, pickles and fruit, black olive tapenade, lemon and garlic hummus and Lorge handmade chocolate truffles to finish the evening with something sweet. Visit onthepigsback.ie to view the full range.
If you’re based in the midlands, then it's not too late to order a really special chocolate treat.
Praliné Chocolatiers was co-founded by Irish chefs Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan in 2020 and they create special chocolate moments, lovingly by hand in the heart of Ireland, Athlone. They select the finest ingredients and forage locally as much as possible.
Their limited-edition 'With Love' gift box is a beautiful collection made by hand and filled with romantic flavours.
They include:
Ballymore honey caramel and biscotti: a decadent caramel made using raw Irish Ballymore Honey paired with a biscotti crunch.'Strawberries & Cream': fruity mara des bois strawberry gelée and creamy Madagascan vanilla ganache match perfectly together inside a 64% shell. Hazelnut poppin' candy: a smooth Frangelico ganache which contrasts the playful hazelnut base.Rosewater and cacao nib: a velvety milk chocolate and rosewater ganache balances the intense caramelised cacao nib layer.The boxes are €25 and collection details are on www.pralinechocolatiers.com.
Tesco Finest new range of chocolates
We also love the idea of bars of chocolates, hand wrapped with beautiful paper so that you can spread out the love over a few weekends.
Tesco Ireland has just launched five new handcrafted chocolate bars in its Tesco Finest* range. The selection of delectable treats feature silky-smooth Belgian chocolate made by the Irish chocolatier experts at Lir, based in Co Meath.
The range includes Belgian dark chocolate, made from 64% cocoa solids, which creates a rich and intense flavour; the Belgian dark peppermint chocolate bar with a zingy soft filling; and the Belgian smooth milk chocolate bar, which has a creamy, silky milk chocolate filling for a smooth rounded flavour.
There is also the Belgian milk chocolate orange bar, where the chocolate is coated in a zesty orange oil.
However, our absolute favourite has to be the Belgian milk chocolate Madagascan vanilla and sea-salted caramel bar, which is a taste explosion of velvety vanilla and salty caramel.
The new range of Finest chocolate bars are available now for €2 or buy two for €3 until 17 April in Tesco stores nationwide.
This Valentine’s Day, Tribe Irish Gin has created the perfect cocktail to prepare for that special someone in your life.
The Tribe Tickler, inspired by its aphrodisiac qualities, is sure to get hearts racing and set the mood for the evening ahead.
Recipe
The Tribe Valentine's cocktail.
The Tribe Tickler
Ingredients
40ml Tribe Irish Gin
15ml Fig Liqueur (Aelred)
10ml Orgeat Syrup (Monin)
25ml Lemon Juice
20ml Egg Whites
1 Dash of Salt Solution
1 Small coin of fresh Ginger
Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.Dry shake and double strain into a cold coupe.Garnish with a few drops of Peychauds Bitters on the foam, run a toothpick through them to create a heart effect and an edible viola to finishIf you prefer a little fizz, add a drop of soda water or Champagne.Aphrodisiac ingredients: fig, almond and ginger.
Mixologist details: Jamie McCabe / Insta handle:@jmemccabe.
Tribe Irish Gin 70cl is priced at €35.00 and is available to purchase from www.tribegin.ie.
James Whelan Beef Wellington
Now this is a dinner that will wow. I have only ever tasted a great beef wellington either in a restaurant or through a lot of time and effort creating the perfect pastry at home. And then the James Whelan beef wellington arrived at my door.
James Whelan's beef wellington.
It's stunningly delicious without any effort. Just under an hour in the oven and out comes a prime aged Irish beef fillet wrapped in a mushroom duxelles encased in puff pastry.
Even on its own, the beef is tender and melt in your mouth, while the mushrooms add a moreish luxury.
But the pastry tastes like it is homemade, flaky and light, adding a satisfying crunch to the meal.
It is pricey. At €60, it just serves two, but given that it takes very little effort for a delicious meal, it's cheaper than a meal in a restaurant and just as impressive.
Available to order for collection at any of the 12 James Whelan Butcher shops across the country. For more details visit www.jameswhelanbutchers.com.
Freddy’s heart-shaped pizza
For all you Galway foodies, Freddy’s one, of the city’s much loved and oldest pizzerias, has created a cheesy, delicious heart-shaped pizza for the weekend of love, topped with aphrodisiac ingredients that are sure to get the blood pumping.
'Take A Pizza My Heart!' is topped with goats cheese and parma ham, along with nature’s natural aphrodisiacs.
Rocket is one of the oldest aphrodisiacs vital to sexual health, fig is a natural sexual stimulant to boost your stamina and honey regulates hormone levels and increases blood flow.
These delicious ingredients are carefully assembled on Freddy’s signature light and airy pizza base shaped like a love heart.
'Take A Pizza My Heart!' (€15.50) is available through Valentine’s weekend.
Foodies in Cork will have lots of gift options in the English Market this weekend and we’ll be heading straight to On The Pig’s Back as it has a specialty Valentine’s cheese and charcuterie hamper available from €65.
On the Pig's Back Valentine's English Market.
The box includes everything you need to assemble and recreate an authentic tapas experience at home, available with or without wine or prosecco to toast the occasion.
Contents include a selection of cheese and charcuterie, as well as On the Pig’s Back terrine, paté, crackers, dressed mixed olives, relishes, pickles and fruit, black olive tapenade, lemon and garlic hummus and Lorge handmade chocolate truffles to finish the evening with something sweet. Visit onthepigsback.ie to view the full range.
If you’re based in the midlands, then it's not too late to order a really special chocolate treat.
Praliné Chocolatiers was co-founded by Irish chefs Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan in 2020 and they create special chocolate moments, lovingly by hand in the heart of Ireland, Athlone. They select the finest ingredients and forage locally as much as possible.
Their limited-edition 'With Love' gift box is a beautiful collection made by hand and filled with romantic flavours.
They include:
Ballymore honey caramel and biscotti: a decadent caramel made using raw Irish Ballymore Honey paired with a biscotti crunch.'Strawberries & Cream': fruity mara des bois strawberry gelée and creamy Madagascan vanilla ganache match perfectly together inside a 64% shell. Hazelnut poppin' candy: a smooth Frangelico ganache which contrasts the playful hazelnut base.Rosewater and cacao nib: a velvety milk chocolate and rosewater ganache balances the intense caramelised cacao nib layer.The boxes are €25 and collection details are on www.pralinechocolatiers.com.
Tesco Finest new range of chocolates
We also love the idea of bars of chocolates, hand wrapped with beautiful paper so that you can spread out the love over a few weekends.
Tesco Ireland has just launched five new handcrafted chocolate bars in its Tesco Finest* range. The selection of delectable treats feature silky-smooth Belgian chocolate made by the Irish chocolatier experts at Lir, based in Co Meath.
The range includes Belgian dark chocolate, made from 64% cocoa solids, which creates a rich and intense flavour; the Belgian dark peppermint chocolate bar with a zingy soft filling; and the Belgian smooth milk chocolate bar, which has a creamy, silky milk chocolate filling for a smooth rounded flavour.
There is also the Belgian milk chocolate orange bar, where the chocolate is coated in a zesty orange oil.
However, our absolute favourite has to be the Belgian milk chocolate Madagascan vanilla and sea-salted caramel bar, which is a taste explosion of velvety vanilla and salty caramel.
The new range of Finest chocolate bars are available now for €2 or buy two for €3 until 17 April in Tesco stores nationwide.
This Valentine’s Day, Tribe Irish Gin has created the perfect cocktail to prepare for that special someone in your life.
The Tribe Tickler, inspired by its aphrodisiac qualities, is sure to get hearts racing and set the mood for the evening ahead.
Recipe
The Tribe Valentine's cocktail.
The Tribe Tickler
Ingredients
40ml Tribe Irish Gin
15ml Fig Liqueur (Aelred)
10ml Orgeat Syrup (Monin)
25ml Lemon Juice
20ml Egg Whites
1 Dash of Salt Solution
1 Small coin of fresh Ginger
Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker.Dry shake and double strain into a cold coupe.Garnish with a few drops of Peychauds Bitters on the foam, run a toothpick through them to create a heart effect and an edible viola to finishIf you prefer a little fizz, add a drop of soda water or Champagne.Aphrodisiac ingredients: fig, almond and ginger.
Mixologist details: Jamie McCabe / Insta handle:@jmemccabe.
Tribe Irish Gin 70cl is priced at €35.00 and is available to purchase from www.tribegin.ie.
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