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PROUDLY SPONSORED BY PITT BROTHERS X JOHN RELIHAN
GARDEN OF GRÁ We were stoked to hear about a smokin’ new partnership that sees David Stone of Pitt Bros joining forces with fire cooking specialist John Relihan, in a match that celebrates all the complexities and flavourpacked possibilities of slow-cooked, American barbecue food. Describing the relationship as ‘a perfect fit’ Stone said, “When we started Pitt Bros in 2013 we had a simple ethos; to bring the best of American slow-smoked Barbecue to Ireland, and nine years later we’re just hitting our stride. We’re delighted to have John on board for our next major phase of development.” With ambitious plans to build the Pitt Bros Smoked Barbecue brand into a household name, Relihan adds that the overall intention is to ensure that “it becomes a reference point of excellence for everything barbecue, meat and smoke.” The new partnership has already resulted in some exciting new additions to the Pitt Bros restaurant menu at South Great Georges Street, while the duo are also busy putting the final touches to a forthcoming retail range of rubs and sauces. This includes cooking up a unique new bacon jam, ahead of the launch of a new Pitt Bros X John Relihan Ready-to-Eat range, planned for early next year. Meanwhile outdoor summer festival-goers will get to sample a taste of the kind of things they currently have in development, as they spark up the principles of ‘Produce, Provenance and Barbecue’ at the All Together Now Festival in Waterford, with an appearance at The Big Grill in Herbert Park also scored in for August. @pittbrosbbq @johnrelihan We’ve been dipping into Garden of Grá, a decadent new limited collection of handmade chocolates from pastry chef Gráinne Mullins and her talented team in Galway. Inspired by summer gardens and botanicals in full bloom, the selection showcases five lovely new floral flavours, including lavender, rose, hibiscus, orange blossom and elderflower. We’re totally sold on their sweet west coast take on classic Turkish delight that sees gorgeous hibiscus enveloped in a dark chocolate case. Those who prefer their chocolate white will no doubt enjoy the lovely shell that cracks open to reveal the refreshing taste of elderflower chocolate with a mouth-watering apple gel. grachocolates.com PAIRING UP We had the pleasure of venturing out to Barry Sun’s Volpe Nera recently for a delightful evening sampling their scrumptious summer menu and delectable wine pairings. The unassuming Sun lets all his dishes do the talking but his front of house team are more than capable of representing and informing with aplomb. Manager and sommelier Darren D’arcy, who has been at the helm since its opening in late 2019, has now been joined by Assistant manager and sommelier Sinead McCarthy. They have set about delivering a new wine pairing menu to match each dish on the menu, elevating flavours, enhancing the experience and widening the scope of your wine knowledge. Savour a starter of Stracciatella, Grilled Peaches, Pistachio and Mint with a generous glass of Greco di Tufo from the famous Feudi di San Gregorio winery in Campania in southern Italy. Or perhaps, you might fancy a main of Halibut, White Asparagus, Fino, Taramasalata, Lardo with a recommended Grüner Veltliner ‘Langenlois’ from the Schloss Gobelsburg winery in Kamptal in Austria, or a slightly more budget busting Sancerre ‘Les Chailloux’ courtesy of Claude Riffault in the Loire Valley. Whatever you plump for, rest assured Sun and co. have it under command with poise and panache. volpenera.ie GROW YOUR OWN If, like us, you find yourself mesmerised by the vast array of bounty springing from gardens at this time of year, Sonairte, the National Ecology Centre in Laytown, Co. Meath is currently hosting a series of monthly workshops where you can learn how to grow your own. Get your hands dirty with gardener Damien McGroarty as he leads practical sessions on the value of soil composition and biodiversity, while sharing tips on how to successfully grow a diversity of flowers, vegetables, fruits and herbs. Each two-hour long workshop takes place in the historic surroundings of Sonairte’s 250 year old walled gardens, and tickets for the next event, scheduled for 10am on Saturday August 6th are available via Eventbrite. @sonairte.ie 39