weekend bites

THIS WEEK I’LL BE EATING...

...nettles, because they are at their tender best just now. Nip off the tips, using gloves, and make sure they are free of wild life before cooking gently in butter. Add a little cream and some nutmeg when they are done — a few minutes in the pan is enough. The taste is not unlike spinach and it’s a rich source of iron. In rural Ireland in the old days people used to ‘cleanse the blood’ after winter by eating nettle soup in spring.

TAKE IT FROM ME

I reported last week that the great China Sichuan in Sandyford had started to offer a takeaway service. I’m sorry to say that this is no longer the case. However, Nightmarket and Mak at D6, both in Ranefor lagh, and Ruchii and 3 Leaves in Blackrock, Dockland in Cork, and Loko, Burzza and Bodega in Waterford are all now doing takeaway, at least at the time of writing. All are excellent and need support.

PRICES WE WON’T WHINE ABOUT

Kelly’s Hotel in Rosslare is not just one of my favourite places, it also has one of the country’s best and most charitably priced wine lists. As usual, they have imported 30,000 bottles for the coming season but, in the current circumstances, must now offer these

sale online. There are some wonderful bargains, especially from Burgundy and the Rhône (where Bill Kelly’s brotherin-law runs the legendary Clos des Papes). Free delivery over €400. Seems a great way to support a great business. kellys.ie/wine-sales.html

DON’T BOTTLE IT, ORDER ONLINE

Many people who have never ordered wine online will be looking at this option now and I’d like to suggest two excellent operators in this area. Wines Direct, based in Mullingar, was Ireland’s first ‘mail order’ wine merchant, as we called it back when it started in the 1980s. Le Caveau in Kilkenny has been delivering for almost as long. Both have superb selections, are exceptionally helpful and have user-friendly websites: winesdirect.ie and lecaveau.ie.