Winter is hard. It’s cold, there’s been a winter's worth of rain already, and it’s just too dark - bring on 2020 and the end to this clock-changing nonsense. While it’s probably too early to yearn for tidings of comfort and joy, we’re very much in need of some comfort right now, and think these five things will give us that food hug to get us through these darker days. 1) The Smoked Bacon And Marmalade Sandwich From Velvet Café
We love sweet and salty combos, but this one made us pause for thought when it come up on our Insta feed. We’ve never thought of putting bacon and marmalade together but Velvet Café in Portmarnock have, and now we can think about nothing else.
2) The Secret Saucy Burger From The Saucy Cow
One of our favourite things to do on a cold weekend has long been to wander around Eatyard and heat up as we eat. With the sad loss of the Bernard Shaw, Eatyard has had to relocate and they’ll be open again from 15th November at Crossguns Bridge, between Phibsboro and Glasnevin. As ever, they’ll have a mix of vendors catering to lots of different tastes, but this vegan take on a Southern-fried chicken burger from The Saucy Cow is calling us to the Northside. Loaded with pickles, garlic sauce, and their secret burger sauce, this looks like the best kind of hot mess.
3) Ham Hock Croquettes With Charred Pineapple From The Woollen Mills
There’s nowhere nicer to be on a cold, rainy day than indoors - ideally by a big window looking out at people trying to keep their umbrellas upright. The Woollen Mills is prime people-watching real estate and these ham hock croquettes with celeriac slaw, cider-soaked sultanas, charred pineapple,and chorizo mayo will make you happy to give the cold shoulder to anyone who tries to tell you that Dublin has hit peak croquette.
4) Slow-cooked Oxtail With Polenta From Sprezzatura
The appeal of comfort food is very straight-forward: it’s food we could cook reasonably well ourselves if we had the motivation and time to do so. Could we take a piece of oxtail and roast it slowly until it comes away in sticky strings? Probably. Could we make polenta that’s creamy and comforting and the perfect foil to the fatty meat? Most likely. Are we going to order Sprezzatura’s new oxtail and polenta dish with a side of potato focaccia for mopping? Definitely.
5) Toasted Marshmallow Fluff Hot Chocolate from Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab
While we rarely miss the opportunity to eat ice-cream, whatever the weather, the team at Three Twenty Ice-Cream Lab have made it that bit easier to opt for a creamy treat without sustained teeth-chattering. Made with Valhrona chocolate and topped with toasted marshmallow fluff, this not only looks delicious, but it’s practically an act of charity if it means those guys don’t have to stand over mixers of liquid nitrogen all winter.
