Articles

This month Darina talks about the growing popularity of vegan, vegetarian or flexitarian diets - and how this fast-growing phenomenon is age-related and linked to concern for animal welfare and the environment. Even if you’re a committed omnivore there are times when meat-free meals are a refreshing change - just the business to lighten up the protein-heavy festive period around Christmas and New Year.
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This month Darina talks about success in achieving recognition for the culinary scene outside the capital, keeping up standards, the big VAT hike that’s forcing up prices and threatening the future of rural restaurants - and enthusiastic young foodies like James Kavanagh and William Murray, whose recently published Currabinny Cookbook exudes a love of food. Their mission is to encourage other cool young people like themselves to “discover the joy and larks to be had around the kitchen stove, doing pop-ups, selling at Farmers Markets and sharing the yummy food they’ve cooked with friends.”
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This month Darina talks about a recent visit to Copenhagen, the capital of the Nordic food scene, to attend the MAD Food Symposium and The World Food Summit.
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This month Darina shares ‘a short reconnaissance trip’, visiting producers and some places that serve delicious simple food
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This time Darina celebrates the currant season - it’s only here for a short time but currants freeze brilliantly and frozen berries can be used in any of the recipes
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What joy, the garden and greenhouses are bursting with produce, so are the Farmers and Country markets and hopefully, your local shops and supermarkets are offering the bounty of the season to tempt you to make beautiful salads, pasta dishes, gorgeous soups and crudtiés.
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This month Darina talks about getting that whiff of Spring at last, enjoying the early harvest of cultivated crops and foraged foods - and there’s her Summer Foraging Course at Ballymaloe Cookery School too: “Where you previously saw weeds, you’ll now see dinner!”
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This month Darina talks about eggs - preferably from happy lazy hens.
Eggs are truly a super food, every cook’s best friend. Unsurprisingly they are having their moment again, particularly in the US. This was very evident on recent visits to both the West and East coasts of America. In virtually every restaurant and café, eggs were starring on the menu in some shape or form, not just for breakfast and brunch. Even food carts and food trucks were serving eggs in many guises.
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A growing body of research confirms that our food should be our medicine. So making time to shop well and cook for ones family becomes an even greater priority at a time when so many people are stressed and stretched to the limit trying to keep more balls in the air than is even remotely possible. Something has to give but it mustn’t be nourishing wholesome food – too much depends on dinner…
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So what’s hot and what’s not on the 2018 food scene. Much energy and investment goes into predicting up-coming trends in the many areas of food production. From multinational companies to artisan producers and supermarket chains, all have a vested interest in having their finger on the pulse. Chefs too are keen to keep on top of emerging trends. So let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line.
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