Drimnagh local is cooking up a storm in RTÉ’s Taste Like Home

DRIMNAGH local, Rosemary Wilson, is one of 12 Irish contestants to feature in the returning popular RTE One series, ‘Taste Like Home’, with Catherine Fulvio.

Rosemary hits the spotlight in episode one of the fourth series, which is due to air on RTE One at 7.30pm on November 4.

The show opens with Catherine spending time with Rosemary at Drimnagh Castle where they soak in the surrounding views and discuss which family member is in need of a taste of home.

Rosemary shows Catherine how to make her daughter Una’s favourite dish, Stout Soused Herrings. 

Catherine then travels to a place known for its good food, Paris, in the hope of replicating Rosemary’s dish and bringing a taste like home to Una and her French husband Jean-Christophe and their two children Alanna and Dara. 

Viewers are treated to a visit to Drimnagh Castle that was, until 1954, one of the oldest continually inhabited Castles in Ireland, and is an outstanding example of an old feudal stronghold.

It is the only Irish castle still to be surrounded by a flooded moat, a very picturesque feature, described in 1780 as a "very deep ditch of water supplied from the Green Hills". It is now stocked with fish.

The castle, built of local grey limestone, consists of a restored Great Hall and medieval undercroft, a tall battlement tower with lookout posts, and other separate buildings including stables, old coach, dairy and folly tower.

One of the most attractive aspects of Drimnagh is the garden – a formal 17th Century layout with box hedges, yews, mop head laurels and an allee of hornbeam. 

 Rosemary said of her decision to take part in the show: “It was so interesting to experience how things happen behind the scenes on a TV cookery show. I was totally put at ease by both Catherine and the production team.

“I was really chuffed that they all seemed to be genuinely enthusiastic about my recipe. I can’t wait to see the results and the Paris side of filming.

“I’m wondering how my recipe went down with the French diners.

“The whole family thoroughly enjoyed the experience … and we had a fantastic meal at the end of the day that really took me back to Mum’s kitchen.

“I have great admiration for Catherine and the team for all the hard work that goes into making everything run so smoothly and so much fun,” added Una de Barra-Lasserre

Commenting on the successful partnership between Londis, Catherine Fulvio and RTÉ, Conor Hayes, Londis Sales Director, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Catherine Fulvio and RTÉ for a fourth year on this TV series, bringing homely recipes to Irish families around the world.

“Much like Londis, Catherine values quality, local produce and bringing fresh contemporary ideas to the table.”

The popular TV series returns for six consecutive weeks this November, promising a serving of delicious recipes steeped in tradition and a flavour of incredible culture and sights from locations right across the world.

As well as delighting viewers with recipes, culture and captive travel, the series captures eight individual stories from Irish contestants who refuse to let the physical distance from home, curb their appetite for a home-cooked meal, a taste of home.

Rosemary Wilson has raised three children and Una was the eldest. Rosemary loves gardening, cooking and is quite adventurous in the kitchen. She also sings in a couple of choirs and is a chairperson of one of them.

In this episode, we first meet Rosemary at Drimnagh Castle to find out which family member living away from home and to tell us about the dish.

“I used to make this for the kids when they were small,” she recalls of the favourite family meal. “They loved it, but we only had it on special occasions or if guests were coming. It’s a roll mop type of dish and can be eaten hot or cold.”