Toast-y Special

The pandemic has heralded the rise of quality food trucks and one of the newest additions to the trendy food scene is Toast which has just set up shop at the Olde Faery Trail in Ballinlough Park in Cork.

It’s been the lockdown project of actor and artist Sebastian Thommen (who you might remember as Michael Collins from RTÉ’s Rebellion).

The coffee is something to talk about. Not only is he using beans from Clonakilty’s Stone Valley Coffee Roasters, it is served in 100% compostable cups adorned with beautiful prints of Sebastian’s Cork-inspired watercolour creations.

Toast obviously gets its name from quality toasties which are stepping it up a notch from your standard cheese and ham.

Using local baker Declan Ryan’s Arbutus Bread, the open gourmet sourdough menu includes the Tom Durcan with Tom Durcan spiced beef, Toons Bridge Dairy Smoked Scamorza, Italian mozzarella and spring onion.

For cheese lovers, the Three Cheese is oozing with Smoked Toons Bridge Dairy Scamorza, Macroom Buffalo mozzarella and Gubeen Farmhouse Cheese or you could opt for the Ham & Cheese which features delicious rosemary ham.

It’s all served up from a lovingly restored 1960s Rice horsebox trailer. Once restrictions are lifted, Toast will also be available for private hire. Wouldn’t that be a cool alternative wedding reception treat?

Great Irish Bake

Great Irish Bake.

One of our favourite social media trends of the week has been the #GreatIrishBake as people across the country have been making their favourite treats in aid of the little heroes in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street.

There have been bake sales galore in shops, cafes and businesses and some of our favourite little people such as Adam King and Saoirse Ruane from the Late Late Toy Show are also whipping up a treat.

Tesco have gotten behind the fundraiser and discounted some popular baking products this weekend. But even if you can’t get baking, if you’re doing your shopping in Tesco this weekend, you can donate €1 at the till or when you check out online with 100% of the funds going to Temple Street.

Aimsir Garden

Aimsir BBQ Box.

The weather hasn’t really been co-operating with the easing of restrictions, but we remain optimistic and you cant get more hopeful than planning a barbecue for next weekend.

The Aimsir Garden is a delicious treat with ingredients selected by the two star Michelin restaurant team.

Serving two people, it includes the Starter Box which is €38 and includes Irish sourdough flatbread stuffed with handmade Cáis na Tire sheep cheese, a weekly changing Aimsir garden leaf salad and dressing, roasted bog carrots dressed in chamomile pickle and heather oil, celeriac remoulade, Drummond House asparagus and wild garlic mayonnaise.

Then you can add to your basket with options such as rare breed sausage seasoned with foraged Wicklow mountain herbs (€9), rare breed pork jowl slow cooked in a dry rub of Irish seeds and spices with a smoked whiskey glazed (€15), wild halibut t-bone steak with a herb butter or the Proper Dairy Company Halloumi coated in a sweet onion glaze (€12). That’s barbecuing on another level.

Available for a limited time only, check out www.aimsir.ie