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Patrick Hanlon and Russell Alford together curate the influential Gastrogays Blog and Social Media presence. According to their website, the Gastrogays arose from their love for Dublin and their frustration with what seemed to be a complete under appreciation of the great gastronomic delights that lay mere moments from their doorstep.
Together they made a 2013 New Year's resolution bucket list of 50 restaurants, cafes and bars to try expanded rapidly as they embraced the strong Irish food community nationwide.
Today, their beautifully documented gourmet adventures have a phenomenal social media following (32K via Instagram / 19.8K via Twitter and 5K via Facebook). Their detailed and honest accounts of their culinary adventures have created a trusted following and here at Ballymaloe House we have the pleasure of now seeing them on a regular basis.
Thank you Patrick and Russell for the attached extraordinary and photographically stunning account of your very first visit, we look forward to seeing you again soon.
A few snippets from their attached article:
"Naturally famed for its outstanding food, Ballymaloe really came into its own with the late Ivan Allen and his wife Myrtle (known as ‘Mrs. Allen’ to all and sundry) at the helm. It was this farmer’s wife who single-handedly put Irish food on the map. Quite amazingly, she was so ground-breaking and ahead of her time she won a coveted Michelin star in 1975, a year after they were introduced to Ireland."
"Naturally the interior of this historic country house hotel is eclectic, yet comfortable. From the drawing room to the restaurant, the bedrooms to the bar and lounge, the feeling of the property is that of warmth
"Fresh-cut flowers in every room, changed daily, is just one graceful little touch of the accommodation at Ballymaloe..... Each room is individually styled and all are differently-sized, whether cosily appointed in the eaves or the loftier main rooms looking out over the fields. If we say ‘classic Irish country chic’ it may allude to the interior stylings"
"The mains were refined and elegantly served. Being early Spring, one of us had to go for the roast East cork lamb with mint Béarnaise and Jerusalem artichoke, whilst the other opted for pan-seared Ballycotton cod with lobster with wild garlic and caper butter and cauliflower purée. All mains on the night were served with piped champ, sautéed kale and dressed garden leaves."
Quotes from Patrick and Russell's Gastrogay blog - Read the whole feature here https://gastrogays.com/stay-ballymaloe-house/
