Food File: the weekly food news round-up

Tasty evenings of food and music

Chef and TV presenter Andrew Rudd is such an accomplished party-giver that he has written a cookbook on the subject – now you can put his hosting skills and culinary credentials to the test at a series of tasting evenings.

They are being held in the former Venu restaurant premises on Anne’s Lane in Dublin 2, which is a temporary base for Medley, his cookery class and events business.

Rudd is in negotiations to sign a lease on a new home for Medley in the old Irish Times building on Fleet Street. "It will be purpose-built as a space for private venue hire," Rudd says. "We will be able to cater for larger parties and I am opening a coffee shop/bistro/ wine bar on the ground floor."

The tasting evenings feature six- course menus (€65 each, €100 for two), and the first is an exploration of Thai food next Wednesday, June 24th. On July 3rd, there will be an à la carte evening with music from Colarossi and Keogh. Spanish and French tasting nights follow on July 8th and 14th and there is a six-course tasting dinner, with music from Mundy, on July 9th (€75 each, €135 for a pair).See medley.ie

Spice up your home life

With this spice kit from Green Saffron, you could transform your cooking. Spice expert Arun Kapil has put together three packages, each containing a selection of spices, an electric grinder and a copy of his book Fresh Spice, which he wrote to show how the uses of spice can elevate everyday cooking, not just specifically Asian dishes.

“The idea came about after being asked at various demos I was doing for a selection of starter kit spices to go with the book,” says Kapil, who is in the final stages of planning a food series to be shown on RTÉ that will involve two weeks filming in India .

The master kit shown here is the most expensive, at €245, including delivery. In addition to the book and a Moulinex AR 1044 grinder – chosen, says Kapil “ for its old-school look and glorious orange colour, it’s the authentic kitchen mill as I know it” – the kit contains 18 20g pots of new season whole spices, six blends, a grater for nutmeg and long pepper, as well as vintage rice and chutney. Prices start at €95. See greensaffron.com

New market in Blackrock

Blackrock Shopping Centre in south Co Dublin is running a new food market within the premises every Thursday (from 10am to 4pm).

The stalls currently taking part offer Lebanese food, sushi, cakes and baked goods, fresh pasta and sauces, fresh juices and smoothies, Italian goods and homemade preserves.