An education in Spanish food – in Dublin

A TASTE OF SPAIN

It might not be quite as good as being there, but the Spanish gastronomic workshops run by the Instituto Cervantes bring a real flavour of the country to Dublin. The next series runs on the last two Tuesdays in May (23rd and 30th) and June (20th and 27th), from 6.30-8pm.

The first session explores modern Spanish food, and the topics that will be covered include regional variations in ingredients, entertaining trends, and a promise to answer the eternal question of why Spaniards like to eat so late at night.

The second is devoted to charcuterie and cheeses, with instruction on how to correctly arrange a Spanish charcuterie board, along with a tasting of chorizo, jamon, lomo and Manchego, as well as the more unusual Torta del Casar, set with thistle rennet.

The Spanish obsession with canned fish, and why it is possible to pay €30 for a can of cockles, is the third topic. Workshop participants will use a variety of canned products to assemble tapas, including the traditional gilda pintxo (olive, anchovy and pickled chilli).

An exploration of olive oil brings the series to a close on June 27th, with a tasting of monovarietal oils followed by a cooking demonstration using olive oil in gazpacho, confit oranges, fish escabeche and escalivada.

The cost for the four workshops is €80 and places must be booked in advance by emailing bookings.dublin@cervantes.es.

WINE WEDNESDAYS

Simon Keegan, sommelier at Suesey Street, has some treats in store for fans of the grape taking part in Wine Wednesdays at the Fitzwilliam Place restaurant in Dublin 2. Most bottles on the wine list will be half price, or less (6-9.30pm). So you could be enjoying a Brunello di Montacino Poggio San Polo 2010 for €45 (instead of €105), or a Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières Alain Chavy at €49 (instead of €120. Down the scale a bit, Malbec Vista Flores, Bodegas Catena 2014 will be reduced from €44 to €15.

DUBLIN’S FOOD HISTORY

Dublin’s Culture Connects: The National Neighbourhood is a project that connects communities new and old across Dublin city centre, with artists working in different disciplines to explore their own and the city’s food history.

A short film, Around the Table, follows on from the lovely book that accompanies the project. A free screening of the film will take place at the National Library of Ireland on Kildare Street, May 24th, at 1.15pm.

DONEGAL GOURMET GETAWAY

Donegal is winning at everything these days, and the northern county's food is a big part of the attraction. If you're able to drop things and go, chef and food blogger Zack Gallagher, founder of Irish Food Tours, is offering a three-day break on May 21st-23rd, based at Harvey's Point hotel and exploring the area's culinary attractions.

The Donegal Gourmet Getaway will include visits to a craft baker and a brewery, a fishing trip on the bay, a cooking demonstration and wine tasting, along with three nights’ B&B accommodation, a carvery lunch, and dinner on one evening. The cost is €318 per person sharing. See harveyspoint.com