I am just back from a trip just south of the border and impressed at what a vibrant lively part of Ireland it is.
Now that some sort of peace has happened here this unknown (to southerners) part of Ireland is being given a chance to flourish and it is grasping the nettle with style.
Interreg, which is a European cross border initiative, has been funding various events in this area for the last couple of years and we in Euro- Toques have been involved in aiding and abetting them with the food related ones for the last while. This is what brought me, in my new capacity as Commissioner General, up to this part of Ireland for the last two days.

The Olde Post Inn in Clover Hill

The trip began very well with a meal and an overnight stay in Gearoid Lynch’s Old Post Inn in the little village of Clover Hill in County Cavan.
I knew that Gearoid was a member of Euro-Toques but really nothing else about him. My expectations weren’t particularly high but I knew that, as he was a member I would at least dine well.

Gearoid and his wife Tara

We did better than dine well. Gearoid, as it turned out, cooks the must beautiful food. His pedigree is impeccable having trained with both Kevin Thornton and John Howard (Thorntons and Le Coq Hardi), he has absorbed the best of the old and the new.
His terrine of Bacon and Cabbage and his fabulous Chocolate Tart alone would have been “Vaut le Voyage”.Go there soon before it gets too busy.
His number is 0047 55555.
The following day we were in Castle Leslie in County Monaghan. I have known Castle Leslie now for a long time but since Paul McCartney decided to have his wedding reception there it is having a great renaissance.
The Painted Gallery has now been renovated and is beautiful as is the new conservatory but I am glad to report that the eccentric heart of the house remains as attractively quirky as ever.

The Gallery setting up for the Food Initiative

We were in the Castle for a Small Food Initiative which was very ably organised Euro-Toques own Abigail Colleran. This was spotlighting some of the small food producers in the region (both north and south of the border) and introducing them to us chefs.
There was tremendous food on offer, it would be invidious to pick anyone out, I grazed extremely well and then fed well on a spit roast pig which was cooked in the conservatory for the occasion.
A further highlight to my day was that I had the job of giving Veronica Steele a lift back to Dublin. Now Veronica is recognised as the mother of Irish Farmhouse Cheese as the one who set that whole ball in motion with her delicious Mileens in the late seventies.
It is a pleasure to talk to Veronica,( who has now passed the business on to her son,) she is an learned student of cheese ,both its history and its chemistry. and she has managed to retain her enthusiasm for the subject after years of cheese making.
The trip to Dublin was over too soon.