If you would like to indulge in heavenly chocolate then I would recommend you pay a visit to The Chocolate Garden of Ireland in Tullow, Co. Carlow.
Buzz and myself were delighted to have an excuse to visit under the guise of coffee training with Mary and her team. It was great to meet a group of ladies who are so enthusiastic and passionate about serving good coffee.
This was also the perfect opportunity for me to select an Easter Egg for our Easter Competition which I will be letting you know about shortly.
So whether you are interested in handmade chocolates, fudge, spreads, novelties, or even organic homemade ice-cream, I can safely say you will be spoiled for choice at The Chocolate Garden.
I just spent a great day on Saturday doing a Coffee Tasting at The Country Basket in Limerick. There was a fantastic turn out and plenty of questions/answers and opinions on how to get the best from your coffee.
The Country Basket is a wonderful store that opened its doors in June 2009. Limerick has indeed been crying out for a good speciality store for some time. Owned and managed by Simon Wilkinson he prides himself on stocking unique quality products that are difficult to source.
I was particularly impressed watching Simon in action and witnessing his outstanding customer service. There is a friendly word of advice for everyone in terms of getting the best from your purchases- such as how to cook it, alternative uses and suggested recipes.
As an avid food and wine lover, it was also a great opportunity for me to stock up on new items in the market. My favourite was the French style macarons made by Iseult Janssens, a Paris trained pastry chef who has previously worked in Michelin Star restaurants and now runs her own company The Cake Stand. The macarons come in eye catching colours and as well as being beautifully presented, are truly delicious! I also have a few new wines from Portugal and Argentina to sample and look forward to doing that next weekend!
Anne
