Happy new year!
The dust has settled on 2022, the first year in three with a prevailing sense of normality. No restrictions on family gatherings or events at Christmas, no issues getting into pubs or restaurants and little hassle getting items off supermarket shelves or in local stores.
At the heart of the last week was food, but it usually is at this time of year. New books arrive in the house, and additional time away from the office means more opportunity to get out for a coffee, breakfast, lunch or (in the case of today being New Year’s Day), a food-filled family gathering.
As I commit words to the screen on the first Sunday of the year, the “second ham” has just gone into the slow cooker to cover sandwiches and pickings for the next few days, the calendar is out on the desk to circle dates for local restaurant trips and the new Moleskine planner is starting to fill up with ideas for posts, days out and a list of places and dishes in Kilkenny that I really need to cross of my list.
Festivals and events disappeared during the pandemic while parenting took over and now that The Princess is of an age where she can enjoy a coffee shop or restaurant experience (in as much as a three-year-old can), this year should have much more of a focus on what’s happening on the local food scene in Kilkenny – a shift long overdue for the blog.
While I work out the details, let me say this – thanks for your ears and eyes in recent years and here’s to some new adventures in 2023! may your year ahead be food-filled and full of wonder, and maybe a decent coffee or two.