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...
This month: Our Irish Chef in France, Martin Dwyer, extols the (occasional) joys of the French equivalent of the car boot sale - Le Vide Grenier - and recalls his most treasured find. more...
The famous foodie who’s flying the tricolour for us in Texas welcomes direct flights between Dallas and Dublin - and reflects on the (perhaps unexpected) similarities between Texans and the Irish more...
This month Darina talks about her Ballymaloe Alumni and what they’ve all been getting up to since graduating from Ireland’s leading cookery school more...
“Grand bit of spring in the air” the lady said to me as we stood waiting for the pedestrian lights to go green. “It’s lovely” I said and smiled back at her. And it was lovely to be walking along the quays in brilliant sunshine carrying my jacket under my arm. The combination of brighter mornings, longer evenings and mild weather had put a spring in my step and I was feeling chipper. I suspect I’m not alone. more...
The ‘glovebox bible’ is back! This selective companion guide to our famous broad-based online collection includes a uniquely diverse range of Ireland's greates ...