Mickael Viljanen day in Tannery Cookery School

We had the privilege on Monday last 9th Jan 2012 of having Mickael Viljanen – one of Ireland’s most respected and progressive chefs, give a demo and afterwards cook an amazine dinner for 30 lucky people.  One dark day here last November, Paul had the brainwave of asking Mickael down.  Mickael actually used to be part of our team here circa 2005/2006 and so he knew the ropes so to speak.  Luckily he said yes straight away and we put it out on twitter a few days later – the rest is history.

So last Monday at 12pm and group of mostly industry people gathered and enjoyed watching Mickael demonstrate his cooking techniques.  Later that evening a few more joined for dinner, menu below.  In true Flynn fashion, the rest of the evening progressed in a quiet orderly fashion with a little nightcap in our local pub before retiring.

Menu dinner 9/01/12

-Canape(parmesan sable, roasted onion, fennel pollen)

-Poached and roasted foie gras with tokaji vinegar, puffed grains, apple & jasmin, gingerbread, pickled shimeji, mushroom sabayon, sorrel

-Brandade of cod with crab, kale and crispy batter bits

-Saddle of wild wicklow venison calf with liquorice, jerusalem artichoke, beetroot, peanut praline with vadouvan, malt jus. truffle

-Bitter sweet chocolate tart, avocado & lime, celery, honeycomb

coffee: white chocolate macaroon, smoked fudge, blood orange pate de fruit 

 

 

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The man himself, Mickael Viljanen

Foie Gras dish

When the bloggers came to town….

Two weeks ago, we were delighted to host some UK food bloggers including our very own Niamh Shields originally from Dungarvan who is one of the UK’s top food bloggers with her fantastic Eat like a girl blog.  I would say Paul enjoyed his morning, surrounded by women hanging on his every world – these pics tell a story.  If only it could be like that for him all the time……

Marathon Woman

And…… another thing thats been occupying me for the last few months is Marathon Training so I am really hoping to finish the course this Monday.  It has been a long, hard slog….

Sunday Tribune Review

Almost forgot the nicest thing that has happened us in the last few months.  Last Sunday 17th Oct, Katy McGuinness gave us a really great review in the Tribune.  Click on the link here to read it in all its five star glory.  We were DELIGHTED!!!

http://www.tribune.ie/magazine/food/article/2010/oct/17/restaurant-review-the-tannery/

Paul Flynn’s Winter Warming Kitchen

So much to think about right now but this week I am on the case of filling this course.  Paul’s Winter Kitchen will take place on the week commencing 15th November and promises to be a fulfilling and challenging week for the more experienced cook.  Even though, we dont discourage beginners on this course, I think to get the most out of it, you need to have the basics.  Its a great week where you get to spend time with like minded foodies and the chefs from the restaurant are also over and back all the time so you really get a flavour of the Tannery.  If you would like to talk to Paul about the course, give us a ring and he would be delighted to have a chat with you. 

Restaurant Redecoration

Even though its been a few months, our redecoration really gave us a new lease of life in the restaurant.  Freshened things up for us and our customers.  Few pics here to give you a flavour

Whats been happening here the last few months

The last few months have passed by here in a bit of a blur.  The summer was really great.  We were very busy.  The restaurant hummed away and the cookery school looked after itself.  The garden supplied tomatoes it seems to the whole of County Waterford.  Then September came, Dan Shanahan retired, children went back to school and there was more bad news from the banks.  This year though, it seems like we are ready for the winter.  The likes of David McWilliams and Shane Ross no longer strike fear into my heart.  In fact they just annoy me now.  Like everyone else in the country we have to just get on with things and sitting around moaning about the state of the country is not going to pay our staff.  So we have a few things up our sleeve for this Autumn.  One of them is with our friends in the Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore and O’Brien’s Chophouse in Lismore.  Its an update on the West Waterford Weekend which was so successful for us.  This time its three chefs, three restaurants, three nights and on 18th November, the first dinner is in the Tannery with Martijn Kaujiter from Cliff House cooking with Paul.  25th November sees Paul in the Cliff House – I am definitely going to that one myself and in December, Paul will be going out to O’Briens Chophouse in Lismore for the last in the series.  The price is €55 per person but if you book all three is €150