At this stage 80 of our cows have calved. We have 26 heifer (female) calves out on grass, although we still feed them milk twice a day. Spring has been difficult. The calves got a bug, which spread, from calf house to calf house. 50 sick calves is no laughing matter. Still the hardship of calving time is now nearly over. more...
Irish Food Writers' Guild President, Georgina Campbell, shares some of the stunning recipes created by Derry Clarke for the annual lunch held at L'Ecrivain to celebrate the winning foods and people at the Guild’s Food Awards more...
“Our philosophy is simple, we use only the best produce from the best local suppliers and treat them with care and attention to detail” - that’s Kate Lawlor, the Euro-Toques owner-chef of Cork city’s No. 5 Fenn’s Quay, telling it as it is on the home page of their web site. more...
What makes the best of our young fishmongers stand out from the crowd? Marilyn Bright talks to John Feeney of Galway Bay Seafoods at Salthill, Galway and finds that this newcomer to fishmongering has an infectious enthusiasm for fish more...
This month Darina reminds us of the importance of the small shops that we so often value only when it is too late - and her favourite new recipes include a variation on the classic scone and a delicious way to cook that much maligned vegetable, the Brussels sprout. more...
Rhubarb and spring arrive together. I love rhubarb. It’s the first to wave the 'I have survived the winter' flag in my otherwise desolate garden. Last autumn I put my rhubarb to bed under a duvet of well rotted manure, my efforts were rewarded as my rhubarb peeked above ground a month early from its winter slumber pink and ready to be plucked. more...
“Sinfully delicious recipes for wheat-free, sugar-free and dairy-free eating” are the promise in this handsome and very timely book from Susan Jane White, a well known specialist writer who has earned a following for her entertaining and insightful column in the Sunday Independent’s Life magazine. more...
Continuing her new series that’s all about craft brews, our expert columnist and food blogger KRISTIN JENSEN says "Forego the usual pint of the black stuff this Paddy's Day for something different altogether: a black IPA." more...
Rachel Gaffney, the famous foodie who’s flying the flag for Ireland in Texas, shares valuable insights into the hopes and expectations of discerning travelers to Ireland - and how they can be met successfully. more...
No, we’re not suggesting that you should be eating seed potatoes, but it’s the ideal time to plant them (see Michael Kelly’s GIY column) and it’s worth thinking carefully about the best variety before you put the work in. You might consider a heritage variety, for example, as some of them are not only particularly well suited to the Irish climate, but also have natural blight resistance. 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 ...