In this new series Rachel takes to the road visiting the south and west coasts, hunting down the very best of the abundant local produce; foraging and, at times, battling wind and rain. Rachel cooks as she goes, for her crew and participants, usually outside in the elements and subject to the vagaries of the Irish weather. Taken away from the relative comforts of the kitchen, Rachel’s Coastal Cooking plays to her natural curiosity and sense of fun while showcasing some of the best of Ireland’s produce and the people behind it.
This food and travelogue series marks a real departure for Rachel, as she challenges herself to explore landscape, culture, social and culinary history in a way she has never tried before. The series also sees Rachel immersed in local communities, meeting incredible characters and exploring a mix of traditional and contemporary approaches to food production, from a state of the art Abalone farm to foraging for Woodruff in ancient woodland.
Episode One of Twelve – RTÉ One, September 23rd at 7.30pm
In this episode Rachel Allen travels from Dungarvan to Ballycotton as she embarks on her coastal cooking adventure. She meets up with old friend Paul Flynn for inspiration, and hears about a very special food memory of his that she tries to recreate.
First she goes lobster fishing with Colin Dwan, in some rather choppy seas. Then she sets up an al fresco kitchen with Paul to cook lobster with wild garlic aioli.
Rachel then heads to Midleton for a masterclass in whiskey tasting from Dave Quinn, and a hands-on lesson in barrel making from Ger Buckley, who is keeping the craft of coopering alive.
She borrows the old distiller’s cottage kitchen to bake an Irish gingerbread that will go perfectly with whiskey. And she takes her cake and whiskey to her local pub where Cobh shanty singers The Molgoggers are visiting for a Sea Shanty Festival.
After a quick bit of bartering, they give her the perfect send off as she continues her coastal journey.