Chicken a là King, curry chips and sausage rolls, the canteen staples we all remember fondly in NCAD. To say a transformation has taken place in the heart of the college is an understatement. Past pupil & visual artist Jennie Moran considered her toughest challenge to be altering students tastes when establishing her newly opened Luncheonette, but, “it turns out there is no love lost for sausage rolls OR chicken curry”.

Luncheonette offers customers colourful, seasonal and comforting food at affordable prices which changes daily. Expect such delights as: Flatbread and thyme braised mushrooms, sumac barley, lemon ricotta for €3, lemon and almond cake for €2, and tea or coffee for one and two euro. Captivated by the food and atmosphere of Luncheonette, we asked Jennie to tell us a little about her project:

“Last year I got wind that NCAD had lost its canteen. This was a bad scene – like taking a kitchen out of a house. I know how tough days can be in those studios and how vital it is to be able to wander over, covered in plaster and be fed or handed tea. So - irate, I decided to operate a Wednesday soup stand in the college. One such lunchtime, I was handing soup to the director of the college and heard the words "I should reopen that canteen" come out of my mouth. And, remarkably, here I am.”

A homely atmosphere is achieved in Luncheonette’s basement space with communal wooden tables, quirky lampshades which incorporate recycled plastic containers and china tea cups. Fresh vegetables are visible from the counter where tempting baked goods are on display along with the days specials.                          

Questioned on the most popular dishes, Jennie explains: “The most popular additions to the menu are those that come from students. Today we served Inam from textiles Iraqi Biryani with lamb and peas.” 

Hungry members of the public are welcome in Luncheonette, it is not just an eatery for NCAD staff and students. Hours of trading are 8.30am-3.45pm, Monday to Friday. Plans are afoot for some special weekend hospitality around the NCAD Degree exhibition in June. But don't leave it till then to sample the culinary delights Luncheonette has to offer. We’re looking forward to a second visit and checking out their new drinking glasses made from beer bottles, cut and finished by Andy in glass. 

Follow Luncheonette on facebook or twitter.

Finally, thanks so much to Kaethe Burt-O'Dea for allowing us to use her beautiful photos of Luncheonette. Check out Kaethe's website for information on the many collaborative projects she is involved in.

The Christmas pudding recipe, held in the highest regard in every Irish household, is passed down through generations with a sense of pride and respect. 

This year, my mother passed on my Granny's cherished recipe to me. On a crisp Autumnal Sunday, we made two puddings, the one we will serve on Christmas Day and a small pudding which we will have in early December referred to as 'The Kitten'. 

Once all the ingredients are added, the mix is left to rest overnight in the mixing bowl, under a tea towel allowing the dried fruits to absorb the alcohol. Whereas my Great Gran would have boiled the pudding in a cloth bag, nowadays, we cook the pudding in a bowl immersed in a tray of water for approx 6 hours. Following a second cooking on Christmas day, the pudding is topped out and served as the finale to the Christmas meal

Each family's recipe is generally inherited with individual customs and traditions, so instead of divulging my family's recipe, I thought I would focus instead on a brief history of this yummy festive dessert. 

Originating in medieval England, the Christmas pudding is also known as plum pudding, referring to the Victorian use of the word 'plum' as a term for raisins. Traditionally made up of 13 ingredients (representing Christ and the 12 Apostles) including dried fruit, breadcrumbs, whiskey, stout, suet and spices. This sweet pudding recipe replaced the original savoury recipe containing poultry, pheasant, rabbit and partridge in the 17th century. 

Common customs associated with this pudding include each member of the household stirring the mix while making a wish. It is also common to include tokens such as coins (to bring wealth in the coming year). 

Due to its high alcohol content, the pudding does not spoil and can keep for up to a year. Some households produce a second pudding to be consumed at Easter.

In my family, the pudding does not see St.Stephens day, let alone Easter. Each year we will declare how successful or unsuccessful the pudding is. Needless to say the successful years have outweighed the unsuccessful ones. No doubt my time will come to prepare the Christmas pudding to the family recipe, but for the moment, I'm happy to let my Mum take full responsibility, allowing me to enjoy my favourite festive dessert. 

I like mine served with custard, to my Granny's recipe of course. 

Blog post by: Clare Grennan

Back in August 2013 team Irish Design Shop decided to head west for a bit of an adventure. After a quick trip to Westport to try out the infamous Greenway route on our bikes, we headed north to Co. Sligo.

It was in Strandhill where we set down to visit the lovely folk at Shell’s café. Facing the amazing beach, which is the perfect haven for surfing enthusiasts, Shells not only serves up the most delicious food all day long, but also houses a small gift shop selling everything from homemade brown bread to hand-made jewellery and homewares.

Jane and Myles opened Shells back in March 2010 having travelled the world to find the ideal spot to settle down, with the goal to create a special place for people to come and eat simple hearty food after a long day on the waves. On arrival to Strandhill you may also pass their beautiful home which is an extended old cottage, with concrete floor and countertops, the kitchen is really at the centre of this small but perfectly formed home. We were lucky enough to be invited to a small barbeque with a wonderfully diverse guest list. It was there that we met the owners of Voya Seaweed baths.

The highlight of the trip was a hike up Knocknarea mountain to see the burial mound of the legendary Queen Maeve. For those of you who don’t know the the story behind this celtic queen allow me to give you a brief outline:

There is the mythological Queen Maeve and a real counterpart whose stories appear to overlap. The real-life Meave was a very ambitious woman, born in Rathcroghan Co. Roscommon, daughter of the King of Connacht. When her father died and her sister Clothra was named Queen she murder her pregnant sister in order to take the throne by force. Maeve married several times, most famously to Conor, King of Ulster, and apparently lived to 120 when she was eventually murdered by her sister’s son. Her legend was used to inspire warriors through the ages, when women were allowed to partake in battles.

When we visited the cairn up on Knocknarea a creepy dense mist came in from the sea (the ghost of Queen Maeve perhaps?!)

The final morning of our trip we paid a visit to the aforementioned Voya seaweed baths to rid our bodies of all of the alcohol related toxins we had forced upon ourselves. Not knowing what to expect from it at all, I was totally amazed, and really can't recommend it enough!

On the route home we dropped in to visit Elizabeth who makes the amazing “Salt of the Earth” plywood jewellery we sell in store. She is currently “minding” in her (architect) uncle’s incredible home just outside Strandhill, with the most amazing views of the beach. You couldnt choose a more inspiring spot to create from.

One more stop before the long journey back to Dublin. We called in to Matt Jones, woodturner in the sleepy village of Riverstown, to have a nose around and pick up an order of twig pots. Matt has his home and workshop just behind the local parish hall. The workshop is kitted out with a variety of wood-turning lathes and chisels that we spent the afternoon coveting. Here he creates the most incredible hand turned bowls and vessels.

Our highlights and tips for a trip West:

•  A cycle along the Greenway (we went from Mulranny to Achill)
•  A hike up Knocknarea to see Queen Maeve’s tomb.
•  Visit Dolly’s cottage (a 200 yr old preserved thatched cottage)
•  Dinner or Brunch in Shell’s café (we tried both).
•  Take a seaweed bath at Voya 
•  Surfing in Strandhill of course!