There is always something to celebrate in the food world, and no sooner have the Easter eggs been consumed than Thai New Year is upon us. The holiday is being celebrated over three days, April 13-15th, and if you would like to join the celebrations by cooking an authentic version of a Thai favourite, check out this recipe for phad Thai goong (phad Thai with prawns).

It was shared with us by Jutarat Suwankeeree, co-owner of Nightmarket restaurant in Ranelagh, Dublin 6, along with some fascinating insights into the origins of the dish. For a more family friendly version, Lilly Higgins takes a vegetable-forward approach in her recipe for pad Thai salad.

If you would prefer to join the celebrations at a Thai restaurant, the Saba restaurant group has a dinner for four, with cocktails, to be won and you can enter here.

Next month, The Irish Times Magazine will be publishing a special barbecue food edition, including a selection of recipes for a Middle Eastern vegan barbecue spread that is so delicious you won’t even notice the absence of meat. Look out for that one, and in the meantime, get those barbecues sparkling clean for a new season of grilling.

Winner and more winners

This month we have two fantastic competitions to share. Fairmont Carton House, in Co Kildare is offering one reader the chance to win Sunday lunch for two in The Morrison Room with a bottle of wine and a whiskey tasting to follow in the Whiskey Library. The Station House hotel in Kilmessan, Co Meath has an overnight stay for two, plus dinner in the Signal Restaurant, to be won.

Congratulations to Paul Mathews who won a stay at the luxury Faithlegg estate in Co Waterford and Terence Tobin who won a Fercullen Falls whiskey experience and a cocktail hamper from Powerscourt Distillery, in our most recent newsletter.

Read all about it

In this weekend’s Irish Times Magazine, chef Grainne O’Keefe is writing about miso and shares three recipes, savoury and sweet, that show how versatile this ingredient is. Lilly Higgins confesses her love for tarte Tatin and gives the classic a spin with her recipe for a beetroot and labneh version. Corinna Hardgrave finds a lot to like at Domini Kemp’s latest restaurant, Lottie’s, in Rathmines, Dublin 6, and her takeaway of the week is from the much loved 3Leaves in Blackrock market. John Wilson takes a look at Rioja, one of the most popular wines in Ireland, and finds a new style emerging.

Check in with us regularly at irishtimes.com/food for all the latest food and drink news, features and great dishes to cook. If you would like to invite family and friends to join The Irish Times Food & Drink Club, they can do so here. You can also follow us on Facebook here, and on Twitter here.

Thanks for reading.

Marie-Claire Digby