Articles

As we head into early summer - loveliest of seasons for gardens, whether your own or others to visit - there’s no better time to remember the late great Christopher Lloyd, gardener and garden writer extraordinaire. His books are inspiring yet full of common sense and they read like novels, and his home - Great Dixter, on the borders of Kent and Sussex - was designed by Edwin Lutyens, who also designed most of the gardens that were the love of Lloyd’s life and remain one of Britain’s favourite gardens.
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It is the quality of their products that leads many to Pat and Miriam Mulcahy’s farm on the edge of Mitchelstown in Ireland’s Ancient East, as their tender Ballinwillin venison and free range wild boar features on many leading hotel menus
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Asparagus is all too familiar as an all-year flown-in product, but locally grown asparagus is a different thing altogether. It was once widely grown in walled gardens and flourishes in many areas of Ireland - where it would be nice to see it back in production again.
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The arrival of April, and Easter, brings a change of tone in the kitchen. Here are a few suggestions for some aromatic recipes that can be served as sharing dishes and suit the longer, brighter days - and, perhaps, a little casual entertaining.
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Just across the road from An Grianan Theatre in Letterkenny, Restaurant Sage is the brainchild of Donegal man and hospitality professional Garvan Gallagher, who travelled far and wide before settling back here to open the restaurant of his dreams in 2013. It’s a lovely big modern room and very simply decorated - think local photographs of Donegal set against white walls. Just the right setting when you want the food to take centre stage.
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A wonderfully atmospheric restaurant in the vaulted basement of Waterford’s Chamber of Commerce building, La Bohème immediately took its rightful place as the area’s leading fine dining destination when well known Breton chef Eric Thèze and his wife, Christine, restored the fine Georgian building and opened it as a restaurant in 2006.
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Since 1993, the Irish Food Writers’ Guild (IFWG) Food Awards have celebrated Ireland’s food producers and organisations, recognising those behind the great Irish produce that is integral to Ireland’s growing reputation in food and drink, both at home and abroad.
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The Little Milk Company is an innovative cooperative demonstrating that environmentally responsible small producers can thrive by working together – and they are the winners of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild 2017 Environmental Award. In 2008, ten organic dairy farmers from Munster and Leinster came together as a discussion group chaired by Pat Mulrooney to consider the sustainability of their family farms.
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For some reason I always feel that - apart from the big baking build up to a traditional Christmas - March is the month when the gentle rituals of baking really come into their own. While bright and brave, with its cheery bulbs in flower, it can be a harsh month and the idea of spending hours creating delicious bakes in a cosy kitchen seems very appealing.
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Thanks to its inspiring leaders, brilliant calendar of events throughout the year and enthusiastic support from producers, chefs ad the general public, Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink 2016 was a huge success - and the legacy lives on.
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