The Espresso Bar heads to the pier in Kilkee

Last week, we were writing about the new beach café in Ardmore and, this week, we’re delighted to hear of another new beachfront eatery, this time on the west coast.

The Espresso Bar - a quirky family friendly café on the Wild Atlantic Way - has just moved into new larger premises on the pier in Kilkee, Co Clare.

The café, originally set up by owner Judi Kinnane, has been enjoying great success since 2018 at the Oceanlife Dive Centre, but now it’s time to move on to a newly refurbished larger space and a prime location on the pier.

On any given day, The Espresso Bar caters to everyone from beach-going families, walkers, sea swimmers and the local scuba divers.

Its specialty takeaway coffees are made using a custom blend that they’ve specially developed in partnership with Tipperary-based roasters The Old Barracks in Birdhill.

And after a fresh morning swim, the tempting ‘Good Morning Kilkee’ breakfast menu includes a full Irish sourdough breakfast baguette, a hearty Kilkee pork and black pudding sausage roll and freshly baked pastries to name but a few.

Lunch choices consist of the imaginatively named sandwiches the hot and steamy Italian stallion - roasted red pepper, spinach, cured meats, Macroom buffalo mozzarella, basil pesto, Ballymaloe tomato relish and tapenade - served on local Considine’s Bakery’s doorstep bread; the bloody big croque (their own take on a croque monsieur - also served on Considine’s doorstep bread); and the chick magnet - artisan Irish sourdough baguette from Limerick-based baker, our daily bread, filled with chipotle smokey Irish chicken, freshly made cucumber pickle, cheddar and iceberg lettuce.

Sweet treats also include a moreish Nutella and s’mores stuffed croissant, a matcha minty slice and chia raw energy balls available for people wanting a healthy sweet hit.

Stillgarden reopens distilling academy

There has been much talk about the bars and restaurants reopening for indoor drinks, but the distilleries and breweries have also missed out on people doing distillery tours throughout the pandemic.

The doors have swung open again and there are so many with a good story to tell.

One of these is the Stillgarden Distillery in Dublin, which is reopening its distilling academy this Saturday (31 July) for fully vaccinated visitors.

Science meets nature, as you can distill your own spirit, crafting your own gin or vodka recipe, choosing from a wall of over 120 botanicals.

While your spirit is distilling, you’ll then be taken on a tour of the distillery, see a demonstration of its state-of-the-art lab equipment and participate in a cocktail masterclass where you will learn to create signature drinks at home.

Each distilling academy ticket includes drinks and tastings throughout, garden and botanical explorations, a gourmet food box from a local supplier and your own bottle of gin or vodka distilled by you.

The distilling academy experience will run from Friday to Sunday weekly. Tickets are €100 and fully inclusive of all drinks and food throughout, with the experience lasting two and a half hours.

After a tour of the distillery and the R&D lab, you can relax in the covered terrace and enjoy the drinks you’ve concocted. Stillgarden Distillery also offers a one-hour cocktail masterclass for €30.

Check out www.stillgardendistillery.com.

Kerrygold Spreadable food truck hits the road to spread the love

So you’ve heard about Kerrygold Spreadable, but if you’re still hesitant to deviate from the beloved block of butter, now you have a chance to try the new product as the Kerrygold Spreadable truck is hitting the road to offer 230,000 free samples to butter lovers nationwide.

Taking in 14 locations across Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick, consumers can try the new product slathered on delicious fresh breads and be in with the chance to win a range of prizes including over €2,000 worth of kitchenware.

Kerrygold Spreadable is a new product from Ornua, owner of Ireland’s only €1bn food brand, and is made from Irish creamery butter blended with natural rapeseed oil to ensure a rich, buttery taste, with the added convenience of being spreadable straight from the fridge.

You’ll find the truck parked outside shopping centres from now until 27 August.