Articles

Stunning is a word that’s overused these days, but first sight of this beautiful and long anticipated book simply took my breath away. It is big, very big (weighing in at around two and a quarter kilos in fact) but, even before you open it, the subtle, enigmatic cover design flags an original and thought provoking approach.
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This month Darina writes about an aspect of 'cheap' food production that is rarely discussed - the human cost. And says it is time to ask questions. I was totally shocked by an article by George Arbuthnott in the Sunday Times Magazine recently on the human cost of our food...
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If, like me, you like your apples, you will almost certainly have noticed how badly served we are by the commercial food chain when it comes to this wonderful fruit. Though there are literally thousands of apple varieties available around the world, just a handful make up the vast majority of apples sold by supermarkets.
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In the latest of a series which shows how to get the best from particular food and beer pairings, our expert columnist and food blogger KRISTIN JENSEN gives her tips on matching a different kind of brew - Cider and Food - an age-old partnership and, for small production units, a seasonal treat too
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This month Martin recalls their connections over four decades with Chateau de Teildras, near Angers. This adventure in France which Sile and I are involved in at the moment was not our first. In 1974, a year after we were married we decided to give up all - I was a chef in Snaffles restaurant in Dublin, Sile a primary school teacher in Dublin’s Basin Lane - and move to France.
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This month Lucy Madden considers what an 80 year old friend calls 'romantic Ireland' - but, while mourning the passing of so much that was unique about this country, she also finds its spirit flourishing anew in unexpected places
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Rachel Gaffney, the famous foodie who’s flying the flag for Ireland in Texas, reveals that In America just like Ireland, Autumn is Pumpkin Time
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Closely related to the carrot, this creamy coloured root (Pastinaca sativa) has been used as a vegetable since antiquity and was cultivated by the Romans. Like carrots, parsnips are valued for their natural sweetness and they are a good source of antioxidants and dietary fibre, and also high in vitamins and minerals, notably potassium.
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With only four more of Castlefarm’s autumn herd to calve and most of our calves sold I feel like I can take a bit of a breather from the farm. Our cows are now indoors full time. They eat silage and sleep on straw.
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In 2014 Ireland’s premier association of country houses, historic hotels and restaurants, The Blue Book, will celebrate 40 years since its foundation. Gillian Nelis talks to founder member Myrtle Allen and incoming president, Catherine Dundon, about the association and its enduring success
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