A taste of Ireland
Noel Kenny is chef-proprietor of Crookedwood House, Mullingar, County Westmeath, 50 miles from Dublin, which he runs with his wife Julie.
Housed in a 200-year-old former rectory, the hotel overlooks Lake Derravaragh. Julie says people come from miles around to sample Noel's dishes and enjoy the tranquillity of the Irish countryside.
Kenny cooks a traditional Irish breakfast for guests staying in the eight en suite rooms, and he uses local produce, bought fresh every day where possible. Guests are tempted with home-cured bacon, fresh oyster mushrooms, which Kenny picks every morning, and his own recipe for potato pancakes flavoured with parsley and chives. Fillet of lemon sole and Irish wild salmon baked with olive oil and seasoning are also on offer.
Besides a cooked breakfast, guests enjoy home-made jam in a choice of flavours, including raspberry, apple jelly and blackberry.
Locally bought honeycomb is served to spread on to Kenny's home-baked wholemeal yeast and soda walnut breads.
