Explore Ireland 2015

Dingle Cookery School

The difference is Dingle… Once cited as one of the most beautiful places on earth by National Geographic, the blue waters surrounding the lush green hills of the Dingle Peninsula give rise to not only the beautiful scenery that it is now famous for but also to an intense devotion by its residents to the fresh locally landed, reared and produced foods. The small town offer visitors 52 places to eat, enabling you to feast on not only the impeccably fresh fish landed daily but also on an array of locally produced food and drink which draws its inspiration from our naturally bountiful surroundings.

The people of the Dingle Peninsula have adopted a type of self sufficiency and we are now producing as large a range of products locally as you would find anywhere in the world, from locally landed fresh and smoked fish, lamb, beef to cheeses and ice cream made using the milk of the rare Kerry Cow and local free range eggs, locally produced Pudding, sausages and rashers, preserves, breads, chocolates, pies, salamis, chorizo and pates.

Visitors to the area are welcome to sample the local delicacies in every shop, eatery and Bar in Dingle, tour the local brewery and distillery, visit the weekly farmers market and follow the Dingle Peninsula Food Trail. The food trail brings visitors on a veritable treasure hunt of Dingles Foodie Offerings. Other visitor activities include foraging walks, boat charters allowing you to Catch and Cook your own fish, cheese making classes and cookery demonstrations.

What we did while in Dingle was to take a course in Irish cooking – offered by Dingle Cookery School. The cooking school founded by chefs Martin Bealin and Mark Murphy and Muireann Nic Giolla Ruaidh, offers cooking lessons for any level of cook. There are different classes available, and we decided to go on the Catch, Cook and Eat experience, a class that combines the thrill of Atlantic sea fishing with cooking and eating the fresh catch.

We first went out on a charter boat for some Atlantic sea fishing with Mark Murphy. The team caught heaps of mackerel – and the fishing part was so much fun. We not only enjoyed the fishing part, but also were amazed by the beautiful scenery.

We then headed to the kitchen to cook the freshly caught mackerel the Irish way. Stuffed with beautiful mixture of herbs (tarragon, basil, parsley and chive), local Dingle cheese, wholegrain mustard and local potatoes and spring onions --- and then grilled – this dish is simply divine.

For more information about Dingle Cookery School and the town of Dingle, visit: www.dinglecookeryschoo.com and www.ireland.com.