After our fascinating excursion to Fota Arboretum we headed off into Cork for another fine meal at an establishment recommended by Joy and Don. Being so passionate about growing and cooking good food themselves, it’s only natural that they migrate to the best restaurants.

Café Paradiso is a fine vegetarian restaurant and I could run on about its virtues. But I’m just going to mention my starter, which I cajoled my wife judy into photographing: “Deep fried courgette flowers filled with fresh goat’s cheese and capers, basil alioi, courgettes panfried with ‘Sungold’ tomatoes and a potato cake.”

It was simply delicious. I’ve tried stuffing courgette flowers myself and I think there must be a knack to it! (I had as little success with daylily flowers – perhaps I should practice…) The crunchy flowers, the creamy filling with its little bite, the slender slices of green and yellow courgette (zucchini for the benefit of American readers), the aromatic basil – and notice the specific variety of tomato… any old tomato just won’t do! The potato cake was a perfect accompaniment. Perhaps one of these days, when I’ve honed my flower stuffing skills, I’ll have a go at it myself.

You can check out many of the recipes from the Café Paradiso in their cookbooks, written by its founder Denis Cotter.