Flavors & Fun of Ireland

Wouldn’t it be great to travel without risking your wellbeing?


imagine you could…




The US Centers for Disease Control is still advising against travel, even for those vaccinated. The British government is telling citizens not to plan any holidays abroad this summer. And other Europeans recently re-entered lockdown. I know, I know… this state of affairs is frustrating and frankly still precarious.


Feed those travel cravings right from home.

 

Introducing Flavors & Fun of Ireland!

You are cordially invited to join us for a special event that will bring Ireland so close to you, you’ll be able to taste it. Literally!

 

Join us in celebrating the magic of Ireland

Together we’ll learn how to prepare a special dish that embraces the new Irish cuisine of slow, locale food. And then while you enjoy your meal, relax and take in a virtual travel experience from an on-the-ground Irish guide, one who crafts the most amazing experiences in Ireland. Join us on

April 25, 2021 | 4:00pm ET


In this virtual event, we will

  • Discover how Ireland’s cuisine evolved to prestigious heights as you prepare a dish with a hands-on lesson we will make together in real time with Chef Monica. Watch her hands for easy learning and ample time for questions

  • Learn from a top luxury travel guide on the ground in Ireland while you enjoy an engaging presentation and perhaps even a surprise guest!

  • Gain a fresh, insider perspective with innovative inspiration for your IRL trip to Ireland.

  • Relish the intimacy of a small group, with limited attendance.

  • Record all the goodness so you have lifetime access (in case you’re craving the dishes or longing to travel again!)


Master a native dish

 

We are going to have so much fun mastering a delicious new Irish dish. You’ll get an ingredient list AND an equipment list well ahead of time. And all are invited and encouraged to participate and create the dish in real time with us!

With inspiration from the Ballymaloe Cookery School, this dish embodies some of the freshest elements Ireland’s fields offer – bright green sweet peas, the ubiquitous leek and potato combination, and as a surprise, the addition of fresh lettuce! Studded with the brightness of fresh mint and an optional garnish of a smoked salmon rosette, this soup exemplifies Irish cuisine.

 

Go on a travel adventure

Context Learning scholar Jennifer Carbery will take us on a journey across the Irish countryside and share magical tales of enchanted fairy-forts, witch-hunts, and warrior battles while we virtually visit the locations where they actually existed. Wandering the haunted castles and tombs of Ireland’s fiercest tribes, saints, and spirits, we will learn about the real-life landscapes and towns where these larger-than-life legends once ruled. Our guide Jennifer will unravel the stories behind the stones of Ireland’s Ancient East for a truly enchanting time.


We’ll explore legends older than the Arthurian collection, inspired by the Norse and the Celts and encounter Celtic stone crosses which taught the early teachings of Christianity, hieroglyphics that marked the ancient calendar of the year, standing stones (think beyond Stonehenge) that screamed the name of the rightful kings, and tomb chambers which acted as liminal spaces between the world of the living and the dead.

  • The Village of Kells, where the book was penned

  • The famous passage tomb of Newgrange

  • The Hill of Tara, home to the High Kings

  • Lough Crew, where witches once created challenges for rulers of the island

 
 

A special thanks to our partners at Context Travel

 

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Here’s how it works

We’ll spend about 45 minutes preparing a delicious, native dish from Ireland! Chef Monica’s recipes are simple but utterly delicious—and this is a small, intimate group, so you’ll be able to connect and master these dishes. You’ll also have a view of her hands so you can closely see how she is preparing the recipe.  

While we enjoy the fruits of our labor, we will relax and listen to a top travel guide on the ground in Ireland to satiate your hunger for travel.

Once you sign up, you’ll get a confirmation that you are registered. And then keep a look out for your ingredient list & roster of equipment you will need — well in advance, so you’re not scrambling.

We can’t wait to bring the flavors & fun of Ireland to your home!

Note :: Once you add this event to your cart, scroll up to the top of the page to see your cart and check out to complete your purchase.

Meet your hosts Monica + Cassandra



CHEF MONICA THOMAS

Certified Personal Chef and Owner Monica Thomas is a graduate of the Culinary Business Academy, a premier member of the United States Personal Chef Association, and a ServSafe© certified food manager. In 2017 she was inducted into the esteemed Les Dames d’Escoffier, a membership-by-invitation philanthropic all-professional association. And she’s been featured twice in Personal Chef magazine, a singular achievement.

Monica’s pride and joy has been her adopted elementary school for the Chefs Move to Schools program. In 2016 she wrapped up her sixth and final academic year with the twice-monthly hands-on Chef’s Club for 4th through 8th graders. As an extension of her successful personal chef business, Monica has launched Tailored Taste Coaching for new personal chefs or those considering a career in this fascinating field. She has created training videos and provides one-on-one coaching for personal chefs across North America. 

TRAVEL DESIGNER CASSANDRA MARCELLA METZGER

Cassandra Marcella Metzger is a luxury travel designer with a background in yoga therapy and law. Her travel design philosophy aims to enable you to live your life at your fullest potential – through restoration, transformation, and inspiration. She believes luxury travel is personalized and purposeful and includes peace of mind and lots of play. She also considers herself an escape artist extraordinaire.

A published writer and former PBS attorney, she uses travel dreams to inspire la dolce vita in various ways. Premier Wellness Travel offers online courses, guided video meditations, and City Escapes, an ebook series that bring foreign cities to us – even while travel is restricted.

Her work has been featured or published in MindBodyGreen, Huffpost, and Teach.Yoga, and she’s been quoted in USA Today, The Guardian, and The Washington Post.