The soft power of the female gamer
The soft power of the female gamer

IMAGE

This picturesque West Cork home with separate basement apartment is on the market for €695,000
This picturesque West Cork home with separate basement apartment is on the market for €695,000

Sarah Finnan

Ingrid Hoey: ‘This serum reversed visible signs of sun damage on my skin’
Ingrid Hoey: ‘This serum reversed visible signs of sun damage on my skin’

IMAGE

Design coach Karen Douglas shares her tips for working with an architect
Design coach Karen Douglas shares her tips for working with an architect

Megan Burns

How to spot a scammer (according to someone who was actually scammed)
How to spot a scammer (according to someone who was actually scammed)

Sarah Finnan

Cillian Murphy’s book about empathy is essential reading for everyone
Cillian Murphy’s book about empathy is essential reading for everyone

Sarah Gill

Supper Club: Hot-smoked salmon rice and asparagus salad
Supper Club: Hot-smoked salmon rice and asparagus salad

Sarah Finnan

My Life in Culture: Actor Lucie-Mae Sumner
My Life in Culture: Actor Lucie-Mae Sumner

Sarah Finnan

Social Pictures: Sharon Corr debuts new Boots No7 Future Renew product
Social Pictures: Sharon Corr debuts new Boots No7 Future Renew product

IMAGE

Need to boost your productivity? Make a not-to-do list
Need to boost your productivity? Make a not-to-do list

Sinead Brady

Image / Editorial

Irish cheeseboards and wine glasses for when you’re sick of cooking


By Lauren Heskin
20th Oct 2020
Irish cheeseboards and wine glasses for when you’re sick of cooking

Make it an easy date night at home with these Irish wine glasses and cheeseboards.


We all have high hopes for a date night at home (and Lord knows we could use one) but the aspirations of showering, pulling on a pair of *whisper it* jeans, and maybe even finding time to drag a brush through your hair can all go out the window when you realise that someone has to actually prepare the meal for your date night.

Instead, you rock out of the kitchen sweaty and covered in carrot peelings.

I’m not sure if it’s lockdown anxiety setting in, but I have even less patience than I normally would for drawn-out dinner prep. No, I do not want to stew the meat for four hours… I stupidly Googled a recipe for ramen the other day, it takes three days to make from scratch.

Why not make life easier instead with a simple (but beautiful) cheeseboard and a good bottle of wine. Cheeseboards don’t take much to pull together and then can be prepped hours before and popped in the fridge ready to go. You can make your wine and cheese night extra fancy with two simple additions: a nice cheeseboard and two beautiful wine glasses. Here are our picks.

 

Cheeseboards

Heart cheese board, €48, Slated

Slated are a beautiful Irish brand that have so many gorgeous cheese and chopping boards and coasters. They use ethically sourced slate that is meticulously handcrafted by owners Ed and Tara Hammond. You can even have the name of your loved one, a personal song lyric or a special date etched into your board.

Cheese paddle, from €22, Caulfield’s Country Boards

Another beautiful Irish company Caulfield Country Boards has a significant focus on sustainability. These sharing platters can be laid in the centre of the table for everyone to pick from.

Torched sycamore board, €65, Two Wooden Horses

If you’re looking for something a bit edgier, Two Wooden Horses boards are all hand carved and finished using a natural beeswax and mineral oil in their Greystones workshop. Choose from pieces with raw edges, torched handles and undulating shapes.

 

Wine Glasses

Festival wine glass, €38.50, Jerpoint Glass

Based in Kilkenny, Jerpoint Glass is a family-run studio and probably one of the most innovative glass-blowing studios in the country. Their pieces are beautifully finished and once you have a pair, they’ll always be the first ones out of the cupboard.

Tonn white wine glass, €22o for a pair, Criostal na Rinne

Criostal na Rinne is another excellent glass-blowing studio, whose main focus so far has been whiskey glasses. Founded by Eamonn Terry, who has almost fifty years of glass cutting experience with Waterford Crystal, their wine glasses are beautiful, with gently flowing curves designed to replicate the swirling seas around Ireland.

Galway Crystal Erne Champagne Saucer, €19.95, Arnotts

For celebrating a special occasion at home, a Champagne coupe is a great choice. Go for this Art Deco look from Galway Crystal, inspired by the River Erne.

Featured image: Camille Brodard on Unsplash


Read more: Dinner party for two? Here are ideas and tableware to set the mood

Read more: The people of Twitter are sharing their best date night ideas for isolation

Read more: How I’m doing date night during social-distancing