The Menu: Organic farming and a Dry January night out in Dublin
Kenneth Pâté Earth Walnut R) Organics (l Of Keavey And Planté Green
The New Year inevitably comes festooned in all manner of resolutions and aspirations for change that too often fizzle out by the end of January but for anyone operating on more than just a post-festive bingeing guilty whim and possibly even contemplating a life change of a more substantial order, then allow The Menu to put on his recruitment hat on behalf of Kenneth Keavey of Green Earth Organics, in Galway.
The Menu believes absolutely that the future for Irish farming, particularly, horticulture, has to skew radically away from the industrialised agriculture that has done so much to damage the biodiversity of this country and, ironically, despite volumes produced, has left the consumer less well served and 21st century Ireland in a place where the state of its food sovereignty and resilience is almost laughably poor for a country that has marketed itself as the ‘food island’.
Green Earth Organics is one of the most progressive and truly sustainable horticultural farms in the country and has two senior positions as farm (field and polytunnel) operatives which would make for a fantastic education for anyone hoping to establish their own similar enterprise in the future — and, ideally, the future of Irish horticulture would be made up of a national patchwork quilt of similar medium-sized, local, seasonal operations. GEO are also seeking junior farm operatives and part-time packers.
- Email CVs to farm@greenearthorganics.ie by Jan 31.
When it comes to food, The Menu firmly believes the Organic Centre, in Co Leitrim, is one of the best and most vital educational establishments in the country and the latest course to catch his eye is another outing (January 28) for legendary cheesemaker Silke Cropp, of sublime Corleggy (cow, goats, and sheeps cheese) renown, and one of her day-long cheesemaking classes, in which participants will make — under Silke’s instruction — using raw milk, 1kg of hard cow’s cheese as well as a soft cheese. The Menu recommends making a weekend of it in ‘Lovely Leitrim’ and checking out chef Sham Hanifa’s My Kitchen café or his Cottage Restaurant (cottagerestaurant.ie) in Carrick-on-Shannon.
Dry January comes in for its fair share of stick from those who seem to take it as a personal affront but The Menu is a big supporter of the concept, especially after a season when everything takes a hammering, from liver to fiscal liquidity, and so he is pleased to hear Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel has launched an impressive list of new low and no alcohol cocktails, wines, and spirits. While The Menu prefers to avoid ‘alcohol-free’ substitutes during his own periods of abstemiousness, he does give a pass to Lucky Saint lager, especially as served by the Shelbourne as Zero Shandy, combining the lager with ginger beer.
An entire pub given over to alcohol-free beverages is better again, for both temporary abstainers and those for whom it is a lifetime choice, and Dublin’s newly opened Board, which also serves food and stocks a huge supply of board games — hence the name — is another excellent concept from the ever-innovative Bodytonic group.
The Menu reckons there are far worse things afoot on this crazy planet than getting worked up about the concept of Veganuary, very much believing in leaving each to their own as long as they are not harming others or themselves and The Menu did absolutely no harm at all to himself when he recently sampled the very splendid Planté Walnut Pâté, a premium vegan pâté handmade in Tramore by Kasia Cichy Plante who, since beginning her genuinely artisan food business during covid, has swept the boards at two Blás na hÉireann awards, including gold, silver, and bronze last year for her range, top award going to the wonderful walnut pâté.
The fact that it is vegan is an utter irrelevance — it is a quite sublime concoction and that it is meat-free is entirely incidental.
Texture is excellently achieved, smooth, almost creamy but with a little toothsome, unctuous nuttiness still remaining and the flavours are superbly balanced, a bouquet garni of herbs, bay in particular, wending and weaving its way through as Waterford Whiskey adds a modicum of x-rated oomph.
The Menu relished it, smeared it all over sourdough crackers from Seagull Bakery, devouring it with green leaves, homemade aioli, and an ethereal Beaujolais, his own take on dry January still very much a work in progress.