Lords ladles in westport

THE stately homes of Ireland are being invaded by three intrepid chefs who take RTÉ viewers on a quest to recreate the grand feasts, lavish dinners and party buffets that these great kitchens once prepared for all kinds of special celebrations.

Each Sunday evening at 6.30 p.m., Lords & Ladles give the audience a peep behind the doors and histories of some of the grandest stately private homes and the families who have lived there. It takes the viewer on a historical journey to celebrate our past through the wonders of food and the glories of cooking.

The three chefs - Derry Clarke, Catherine Fulvio and Paul Flynn - are as oddly complementary as the Top Gear trio, with egos to match.

Each week the chefs arrive at a great Irish country house and must recreate a grand dinner from its history while tantalising the TV audience with sumptuous descriptions of the treats that are on the menu. But first they must draw lots for the division of labour - one gathers the ingredients, one cooks, and one gets to dine with the gentry.

Today's episode (Sunday, June 28) is set in the beautiful Westport House, where the Browne family open the house’s doors and give their kitchen over to Derry Clarke and Catherine Fulvio. Paul Flynn takes a tour on a swan while Derry gets busy making calf’s foot jellies and a battalia pie.

Catherine, meanwhile, gathers some local ingredients with a trip to Padraic Gannon at Croagh Patrick Seafood Ltd. for some native oysters and Dave McEvoy in Delphi to try her hand at fly-fishing. Sheelyn and Alannah Browne are joined by some more Westport locals to enjoy an 18th century feast at the end of the day.