Darina gives some very timely statistics on food production and sustainability, which are shocking but not surprising, and advocates a return to mixed farming. But, now that the current situation is at least being acknowledged as a crisis, she senses that we’re on the cusp of change- and shares some ways in which we can all be part of the solution. more...
Mindful that Ireland has recently become only the second country in the world to declare a climate and biodiversity emergency, the Grow It Yourself movement has even more relevance now. more...
Dinner in France: When Euro-Toques chef Martin Dwyer and his wife Sile sold their eponymous restaurant in Waterford and moved to France to run a Chambre d’Hote in France they soon discovered that there were a lot of differences in the practices in the two countries. more...
I delivered a course on growing tomatoes at GROW HQ recently, and though I was ostensibly ‘at work’, it didn’t really feel like work to be teaching about growing tomatoes (don’t tell anyone though). more...
Chocolate seems to have taken over everything at Easter, including cakes, and the traditional Simnel Cake has become an endangered species - but it’s one of my favourite cakes and anyone who likes almond paste (marzipan) will probably agree. A tradition well worth bringing back! more...
Ah… Paris in the spring. In her guide to a Food Lover’s Weekend in Paris, Darina shares tips on some of the most exciting places to eat and shop in the gastronomic capital. She welcomes the explosion of modern ingredients-led cooking and informal eating places, revels in the specialist cookware shops - and notes where she felt quality wasn’t quite up to scratch… more...
It’s synonymous with spring and - while I would be the first to agree that a flavoursome free range roast chicken is still one of the best dishes around -lamb has taken over from it as the favourite Easter meal in recent times. more...
Now in their 25th year, the annual Irish Food Writers’ Guild Food Awards were held this month - and the main message from IFWG Chairperson, Kristin Jensen, was a call for more support for indigenous Irish food producers as the threat of Brexit looms... more...
A selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection, the ‘glovebox bible’ includes a uniquely diverse range of Ireland's greatest places to ...