What is it? The Lismore Food Company rosé and pink peppercorn jelly, spiced elderflower jelly, and white wine and mint jelly (€3.50 each, 105g).
What’s good about it? We’ve reached the end of January. It’s time for a little treat, and these little pots of savoury/sweet jelly are a condiment that will bring a bit of zing to lots of things, including pâtés and terrines, charcuterie and cold meats. They are made in Ireland and are part of the range of good quality gourmet gifts, beautifully packaged, from The Lismore Food Company in Co Waterford.
How do I use it? Spoon it straight from the jar, getting first dibs on the pretty pink peppercorns that are scattered on top of that one. It is made with rosé wine from the south of France and has a delicate, sweet taste that The Lismore Food Company suggest pairs well with Serrano ham. I used it in a sandwich of cold baked ham and lettuce and it was a tasty counterpoint to the salty ham. The spiced elderberry jelly is a more assertive flavour, also great with ham, but came into its own when served with chicken liver pâté. It was good stirred into roasting pan gravy for lamb, too. The third jelly in the range is mint and white wine, which would also have worked well in this gravy.
Where can I buy it? Online from thelismorefoodcompany.com.
Anything else? There is a standard shipping fee of €10 (from Lismore to Dublin, for example), so you might like to browse the online shop and pop a few more goodies in your shopping cart while you’re there. I can recommend the Provencal apricot preserve for a taste of sunshine in midwinter, and the beautifully packaged tubs of biscuits.
Send your suggestions to marieclaire.digby@irishtimes.com