Articles

For years I’ve been banging on about the shortage of good Irish-made non-alcoholic drinks - and, specifically, a quality commercially produced elderflower cordial that would be available all year round like the imported ones.
more...

So far the summer has been good to us dairy farmers at Castlefarm. The warm weather has meant lot of grass growth and we have managed to harvest our second cut of silage.
more...

This series is all about Irish craft brews and, for July, our expert columnist and food blogger KRISTIN JENSEN introduces a seasonal treat that’s ‘the little black dress of beer – its versatility means it’s a good match for just about anything’
more...

One of a great Lahinch dynasty - his late father owned the town’s premier hotel, the much lamented Aberdeen Arms, and his uncle ran the legendary restaurant Mr Eamonn’s for many years - Michael Vaughan has hospitality in his blood.
more...

This month Marilyn Bright talks to Aidan McGrath, whose guests at The Wild Honey Inn in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare are delighted by the wonderful seafood dishes he serves at accessible prices - no shortcuts in this kitchen!
more...

A sense of discovery for Darina this month, as she recounts a wonderful Slow Food trip to Northern Ireland. If you’ve never taken the train from Dublin to Belfast put it on your ‘must do’ list immediately; it’s certainly one of the loveliest train journeys I have ever experienced, all along the North Dublin coast into Dundalk.
more...

New products (and themed books) are like buses, you wait for ages for one to come along and then suddenly there are several. Despite our long, rugged coastline and clean Atlantic water, Irish sea salt was a long time coming, and now we have three...
more...

This month, Lucy Madden speaks for us all - on the dread topic of calorie-counted menus - and has some sensible tips on meaningful menus too. (Ken Buggy’s quirky drawing shown here, has been pinned up in the Guide’s office for many years by the way…)
more...

Euro-Toques chef Martin Dwyer, is much missed in Ireland since he and his wife Sile sold their eponymous restaurant in Waterford and moved to France. They now live in the Languedoc, where they take guests - and feed them very well. This month Martin extols the virtues of an under-rated region, The Languedoc.
more...

Bread on the Table, Baking Traditions for Today, by Valerie O’Connor (O’Brien Press, hardback 160pp, €19.99/£17.99).
Wholesome: Feed Your Family Well for Less, by Caitriona Redmond (Mercier Press, paperback 256pp, €19.99).
Two more cookery books from well known Irish food bloggers this month - anyone who thinks print is dead should take a look at the avalanche of food bloggers’ books that have appeared since Donal Skehan broke the mould with his Good Mood Food.
more...