Articles

Famed for her passion for natural food, sustainability, biodiversity – and good healthy eating – who better than Darina Allen to introduce us to some less usual winter vegetables that are both seriously useful and fun to experiment with. Here she tells us about some of her favourites – and we can get started with them in our own vegetable plots this spring, as well as seeking them out out in local markets when their season comes around again.
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Chef Ali Honour's lovely little book all about beans hit the shelves at the end of January and it couldn’t be more welcome. Having earned her place as Ireland’s Bean Queen thanks to her particular passion for these brilliant little power houses over many years, you could be forgiven for thinking that she eats little else and - while obviously not so, although it’s certainly possible - there’s no better woman to put the case for their extraordinary versatility...
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Coming from a farming family in West Clare, John Howard would have had that down to earth grounding in his DNA. For many years he has been in our minds as a source of wonder when travelling in the area - and we will now remember him with special pride every time we are fortunate enough to return.
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Occasional visitors to London with an interest in food are always well advised to check out Darina’s latest recommendations before heading off. Her focused interest and specialist contacts are unique and, even when - as on her most recent trip - the main reason for being there is quite different, she will make a point of sussing out the scene. This time she was there to celebrate the life of a late friend in food, Skye Gyngell, whose fresh seasonal style – at her original Petersham Nurseries location and the current restaurant, the wonderful Spring at Somerset House - has long been a special favourite with the Guide. But Darina also has news to share about other exciting places, to help you plan your next London foray…
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In a guest column this month, the well known Northern Irish chef, food writer and TV presenter Paula McIntyre celebrates the life and legacy of her friend Simon Dougan, co-founder of The Yellow Door...
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It’s coming up to lunch time as I write this on a cold and blustery January day, and I can’t think of anything better as a reward than a bowl of one of the hearty soups below with some of The Mustard Seed’s gorgeous brown bread, lashings of butter and a wedge or two of one of our delicious farmhouse cheeses - Gubbeen or Durrus, perhaps...
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Famed for her curiosity about good practice in food production and support for producers and establishments providing sustainable hospitality, who better than Darina Allen to shine a light on the exciting people and places she visited recently in the northerly half of Ireland...
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The famous foodie who’s flying the tricolour for us in Texas reflects on time spent at home in Ireland last summer – and how it’s still the people that keep visitors coming back
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Online information may be the order of the day for many things, but when it comes to cooking nothing beats a book...
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Georgina Campbell gives a hearty shout-out to the team who created a memorable meal for our recent Irish Food and Hospitality Awards – carefully cooked and special without being over-dressed, the exceptional ingredients were happily allowed to retain their starring roles centre stage
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