Food and Wine with Mairead Robinson

Food and Wine with Mairead Robinson: Chef John Drummond on cooking for one

Don’t Waste Ingredients – Or Money Buying individual servings of meat or even produce can be impossible or at the very least, more expensive per unit. Continuing to buy ingredients as packaged or in bulk quantity is okay if you know how to store it properly allowing it to last you weeks, even months. Most meats can be frozen so buy the bulk package that’s less expensive per pound and freeze it in quart size freezer bags in 1 or 2 portion sizes. When you need a chicken breast for dinner or some ground beef for a taco salad you can pull just the portion you want from the freezer. Bonus – because it’s a small portion it will thaw much faster as well!

Food and Wine with Mairead Robinson: Mairead meets John Drummond

The Executive Chef at the four star Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney, John Drummond has carved out an illustrious career in catering, winning medals at international competitions with the Irish Panel of Chefs. He has been at The Gleneagle Hotel for the last twenty-six years, and has vast experience of serving up superb menus to large numbers of guests. Big weddings are very challenging for a top chef and his team, and John shares his secrets of how to get it right with minimum stress.

Food and Wine Podcast Series Mairead Robinson meets Executive Chef Garry Hughes

Garry Hughes, is the Executive Chef at Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel The Shelbourne is a luxury 5-star hotel in Dublin city centre overlooking St. Stephen’s Green, Europe’s grandest garden square. Ideally situated close to the cultural and historic buildings, The Shelbourne offers a great location from where one can visit the majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College Dublin. This 5-star Dublin hotel offers spacious accommodation, with luxurious Egyptian cotton bedding, flat-screen TV, laptop-size safe and marble bathroom, ideal for relaxation. One could Enjoy a cocktail or Ireland’s own Guinness at our renowned Horseshoe Bar. Or Celebrate life at our Oyster Bar or a prime-cut steak at The Saddle Room Restaurant. For nearly 200 years, The Shelbourne Hotel has been the centre of Dublin city’s social and cultural life and the favorite destination of visitors from around the world. The Hotel is only steps away from Dublin’s main arts, entertainment, and shopping areas and many important historical sites. The Hotel played host to one of Irelands most historic meetings: the drafting of Ireland’s first Constitution. Under the chairmanship of Michael Collins, the committee met in room 112, to write the Constitution of the Irish Free State. This room is now The Constitution Suite, and contains the original table and chairs. To learn more visit https://www.theshelbourne.com/

Food and Wine Series Mairead Robinson meets Sommelier - Tomasz Szczepanski

Mairead Robinson chats with a leading Sommelier Tomasz Szczepanski A Sommelier is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, normally working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food pairing. The role of the sommelier in fine dining today is much more specialized and informed than that of a "wine waiter" Wine is Thomas passion in life. Learning all aspects of wine from growing, making, serving, paring and drinking wine has been an utmost pleasure for him over the last decade . Wine is a personal choice and the world of wine can seem a bit daunting. If you don’t have that “favorite " or special one yet, why not check out some of our upcoming Corkscrew wine tastings , you may make wonderful memories and discover a new passion. To find out more Visit: The Corkscrew website https://www.thecorkscrew.ie or email sales@thecorkscrew.ie

Food and Wine Podcast Series - Organic Wines - presented by Mairead Robinson

In this podcast Mairead chats with an Irish Organic Wine Importer Seamus Goulding who in 2011 set up this Wine importing company with brother Fergal. Organic wine is wine made from grapes grown in accordance with principles of organic farming, which typically excludes the use of artificial chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. The wines Seamus tells us he imports are exclusively organic or biodynamic wines. He says “Our aim is to forge links with artisan producers of high quality wines who are as passionate about organic as we are. In selecting our wines we visit each vineyard in advance to build up the personal business relationship with our future partners. “We currently import wines from France, Germany, Spain and Italy, and are constantly working to expand our range of wines. The business model we have initially adopted has been to deal directly with the consumer, offering quality organic wines at a reasonable price. “ www.seniortimes.ie

Food and Wine Podcast Series - Mairead Robinson talks to A Mixologist Sean McGoldrick

Mairead talks to Sean McGoldrick, Bar Manager at Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel and one of Ireland’s top Mixologists. “A mixologist is an individual with a passion for combining elixirs and creating extraordinary cocktails, whereas a bartender is an individual with a passion for making great drinks and creating well-balanced experiences. To be successful, you really need both types of pros behind the bar." The term ‘mixologist’ refers to a professional well versed in the culinary art of making cocktails and mixed alcoholic drinks. A mixologist is also a bartender but with added knowledge concerning the history of the ingredients they use, plus an ability to understand flavor profiles to develop a palate-pleasing drink. The Shelbourne Hotel is where Sean our Guest Mixologist shows off his skills . This 5 Star hotel in the center of Dublin City is a national treasure built in 1824, it has been magnificently restored while keeping its historic charm. its a luxury overlooking St. Stephen’s Green, Europe’s grandest garden square. Ideally situated close to Dublin’s cultural and historic buildings, The Shelbourne offers a great location from where you can visit the majestic St. Patrick’s Cathedral and Trinity College https://www.theshelbourne.com/

Food and Wine Podcast Series - Celebrity Wine presented by Mairead Robinson

Celebrity Wine The drinks industry has been using celebrity endorsements for a long time Mairead Robinson investigates A very drinkable New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc named after Sarah Jessica Parker and selling in the same shops for €17.70 Cork native Graham Norton’s Own Sparkling Frizzante Rosé, which sells for €12, and is the fifth addition to the Graham Norton’s range of still and sparkling wines. This Italian wine is about as bubbly as Norton himself, and is made with the Glera grape used to make Prosecco. The word is that Hollywood actors prefer to make drinks rather than endorse them. George Clooney and two friends put $600,000 each in a tequila called Casamigos in 2013 and sold it for $1bn four years later. George would have to star in a few films to make that sort of return.

Food and Wine Series Mairead Robinson meets 5th generation wine producer Jenna Bruwer Kruger Ep3

Mairead Robinson meets Jenna Bruwer Kruger, a fifth-generation member of the family whose Springfield Estate winery in South Africa’s Western Cape produces a wide range of distinctive and intriguingly-named wines.