Whiskey Week comes but once a year, but oh, what a glorious week it is. This time last year, I wasn’t much of a whiskey drinker (with or without the e) but a day spent sniffing, swirling, sipping and sampling at Whisky Live changed all that, and I’m now a confirmed mistress of malt.

So far, this year’s festivities are just as thrilling, with the launch this evening of Irish Distillers’ Yellow Spot single pot still, and more exciting events in the offing from the bekilted Michael Foggarty and the WJ Kavanagh crew. And all this before the main event in the Mansion House this Saturday! So, for the week that’s in it, some decadent whiskey-laced treats are in order – delicious on their own or with the dram of your choosing.

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The idea for Sunday’s dinner started, as so many things do these days, with a tweet. The talented Vlad from Arun, my local bakery here in the ‘batter, had something special up his sleeve for Saturday’s Honest2Goodness market – his own take on the Waterford blaa, aptly christened the ‘Vlaa’. My poor jet-lagged brain went into overdrive the second I read the news, trying to come up with a worthy filling. Until – bingo! – I remembered that I still had a lovely cut of pork belly from the foodie uncle in the freezer, and a head of cabbage left in the garden. Pulled pork sandwiches with a crisp slaw it would be.

(Of course, the same jet-lagged state had me snoring in bed until far too late on Saturday morning, and we only just managed to snag the last four vlaas at the market, but all’s well that ends well!)

This method of cooking pork belly lends itself well to a lazy Sunday: minimal prep, of the sort that can be done in one’s pyjamas over a cup of tea, and a long, slow, delicious-smelling roasting time. And, as an added bonus, a leftover cider aperitivo – it’d be wrong to leave it behind, right?

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This has been the longest January ever, has it not? It took me a good two weeks to drag myself out of my sleepy post-festive state. No-one told me that hosting a twelve-person Christmas would be quite so exhausting, although I loved every minute of it and am secretly considering offering to repeat the feat next year.

Anyway, it has been as quiet in my kitchen this month as December was manic. Having resolved to make 2012 my year of eating Lots More Veg, I’ve been pootling steadily through the fantastic River Cottage Veg book, a much-welcomed Christmas gift. I now have a mild addiction to kale, and growing confidence in my ability as a veggie cook (one bland biryani incident aside).

What with all this veg consumption, there’s been much less meat eaten at Runcible Spoon HQ this month – no bad thing, considering the size of our festive turkey, ham and spiced beef! It’s also meant that we can spend our money on the good stuff, like this wild Wicklow venison from Hick & Sons, which I picked up at their H2G stall, and baked in a pastry-topped pie.

The filling for the pie takes a while to put together, but it’s entirely worth it, and could be prepped in advance if you’re stuck for time. It’s also delicious without the pastry topping and with a heap of mashed potato. And maybe some kale, if you’re as hooked on it as I am.

"Beware of shot" - oo-er!

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