Join me and my husband, photographer Oof Verschuren for an exploration of the Connemara food culture through the kitchens of Ballynahinch Castle. Ballynahinch Castle is a luxury county estate in the heart of Connemara on Ireland’s West Coast. Situated overlooking it’s own wild salmon river and enjoying produce from their walled garden, the kitchens of Ballynahinch Castle are renowned for their use of fresh local produce and exploiting the larder of Connemara. A frequent top 10 and Gold List property for Conde Nast Traveller readers, Ballynahinch Castle is one of the finest hotels in Ireland.

Arriving on the 29th March for 3 nights, this is a food, producers, and landscape adventure assisted by locally based Sunday Times food journalist Cliodhna Prendergast. Discovering the source of local foods, meeting the producers and experiencing the produce in the landscape of Ireland’s most scenic region. Dutch people might remember Cliodhna from one of our Irish episodes of my tv series Koken met van Boven.

Taking from the walled gardens, the mature woodland and coastal shellfish beds we will create dishes and memories to last a lifetime. Each evening we will dine from our adventures in the atmospheric Fisherman’s Pub and the elegant riverside restaurant of the castle.

TRIP INCLUDES:

3 Nights accommodation in Ballynahinch Castle with breakfast each morning.

Pre-dinner cocktails.

Dinner on three nights, two in the Fisherman’s Pub and one in the Owenmore Restaurant.

Lunch on two days,one in-house and one while out.

Transport each day for field trips and adventures.

€950 per person / €850 per person sharing

RESERVATIONS:

Places are limited, call Ballynahinch Castle on +3539531006
or email info@ballynahinch-castle.com to book your place.

Please note: price does not include flights or transport to Ballynahinch Castle.

ITINERARY:

March 29th

15.00 – 18.00: Arrive at Ballynahinch Castle Hotel.

19:00: Pre-dinner cocktail, followed by welcome dinner in the Fisherman’s Pub.

March 30th

7.30: Breakfast.

8.30: Depart for Connemara Mountain Lamb with Bernard King for a talk about lambs, rearing, feed etc.

11.30: Killary Fjord Mussels: a trip out to the mussels at sea and a talk on all things mussels.

13.00: Lunch at Killary Fjord cooked by Yvette van Boven.

14.30: Depart Fjord.

15.45: Arrive at the oyster farm for a tour and tasting.

16.45: Return to Ballynahinch Castle Hotel.

18.30: Pre-dinner cocktail.

19.00: Dinner in the Fisherman’s Pub.

March 31st

8.00: Breakfast.

9.00: Walk of the Walled Garden.

9.30:In Lettery Lodge: Lamb butchery demo by John Malone, a short cookery demonstration by chef Pete Durkan and Cliodhna Prendergast.

11.30: Foraging walk with Cliodhna & chef Ronan Faherty.

12.30: Lunch in the woods.

14.00: Depart for Roundstone for a seaweed forage followed by a short boat trip to see lobsters being pulled. Afterwards there is time for a pint in O’Dowd’s Pub and a visit to the Roundstone potter for those wishing to do so.

18.00: Return to Hotel.

19.00: Pre-dinner cocktail.

19.30: Dinner in the Owenmore Restaurant.

April 1st

8.00 – 10.30: Breakfast at your leisure.

12.00: Depart from Ballynahinch Castle.