Food file: an island of damned good food

DUBLIN CAN'T HAVE TOO MANY DOUGHNUTS The capital's doughnut craze continues as The Rolling Donut adds a flagship store on Bachelor's Walk to its well-known kiosk on O'Connell Street. The company was formed nearly 40 years ago by Michael Quinlan, and daughters Lisa and Aimee have carried it on. The new shop will sell the company's sourdough doughnuts with a variety of fillings, including Baileys cream, salted caramel and custard, and toppings including vanilla glaze and biscuit crumble, and chocolate ganache.

More recent newcomers to the Dublin doughnut market include Aungier Danger, where the danger is they'll be sold out before you get there; Hilary Quinn's Dublin Doughnut Company, supplying coffee shops and delis, and Revolution Doughnuts, made by Patrick Ryan of Firehouse Bakery.

ISLAND OF DAMNED GOOD FOOD Chef Gavin McDonagh has an unusual larder to plunder on June 22nd, when he presents a dinner at Brioche in Ranelagh, Dublin, made with ingredients sourced from Lambay Island. The island, 12 miles off the coast, has a rich habitat that supports rabbits, cattle, deer and sheep, all of which will feature on the tasting menu.

“I’ve worked with produce from Lambay Island for two years now,” McDonagh says, “and I’m continually impressed with the quality of the meat that comes from this very pure environment. So it wasn’t difficult to come up with some cracking dishes to celebrate this great Dublin produce.”

The tasting menu will cost €60, with a wine pairing option for an additional €35. See brioche.ie, tel 01-4979163.

QUICK PICK PICNIC The sun is shining and the selection of sandwiches in the corner shop isn't quite hitting the mark . Treat yourself to a takeaway picnic from Carluccio's on Dublin's Dawson Street or Glasthule.

The antipasti selection, plus focaccia, bruschettine topped with ricotta, mint and pea shoots, citrus poached chicken, goat’s cheese salad, strawberry and pistachio cake and biscotti, is €55 for two. A children’s picnic geared to more junior palates is €12. Four hours’ notice is required.

SMOKIN' SALMON Burren Smokehouse's first smoked wild salmon of the season made a bumper price of €1,400 (normal retail price about €350) when it was auctioned for charity last week. The salmon, caught by fishermen Anthony and Simon Quilligan in Cork Harbour, was bought by Restaurant FortyOne in Dublin. The money raised will go to the Truck Run 4 Katie charity, in memory of cystic fibrosis patient Katie Drennan, who died last year.