What would Halloween be without traditions, eh? We’ve got a very special, and rather unusual, Halloween Recipe for you – Irish Colcannon, with a twist. Russet leaves. That’s the first thing Halloween brings to my mind. Russet leaves covering the lawn like a crunchy ginger blanket. Of course, I was one of the lucky ones. My [...]

“You won’t have a bad meal here, boy” says the taxi driver, winding the car between Cork’s city streets to our dinner date. This humble response (followed by ‘boy’ when neither myself or my thirty-three year old companion would quite qualify) is typical Cork, but as much as this Dubliner smirks at the superiority complex [...]

September is oyster season here in Ireland, and you know we couldn’t let that go by without a festival… or three. Yep, no less than three festivals will be celebrating the moreish molluscs next month, with tastings, music, parades and some competitions to break a world record or two. It’s the Atlantic Ocean and Irish [...]

“What’s the best thing about Galway?” My taxi driver is the latest local I’m mining for an insider take on the city du jour. “The best thing about …” he taps the steering wheel thoughtfully, “is that it’s so laid-back”. Too true. If this beacon of bohemian was anymore laid-back it would roll right off [...]

Have you ever been hungry in a city? Have you ever been immersed in culture and history but your stomach just won’t quit rumbling? Let’s take a for instance – you’re in Dublin, slowly creeping around the inner sanctum of , the smell of incense lingers in the quiet air, and the only sounds are [...]

According to some very wise and ancient dietician – you are what you eat. In Ireland, we like to believe that and perhaps that’s the reason why we’re such a cheery bunch. We spend our time munching on drool-inducing potato farls, creamy seafood chowder and hot, out-of-the-oven Guinness bread so it’s natural that we have [...]

Thought all you’d find on our plates is potatoes, meat and two veg? You’ll have a tasty time being proved wrong. Culinary traditions differ all over the island of Ireland, producing local delicacies and regional specialties you’ll be dying to sink your teeth into. From berry liqueur and specialty cheese, to craft beer and free-range [...]

We’re all familiar with the big brand Irish cream liqueurs on shop shelves. The velvety-smooth taste has been a winning addition to cocktails, cakes, mousses, and sauces since its invention in 1974. But what you might not know is that this Irish specialty is quite easy to make at home, according to guest blogger Allie [...]

Café Paradiso is a Cork institution. Between gracefully winning awards, being listed as an ‘icon’ in the Bridgestone Restaurant Guide, and serving movie star Cillian Murphy when he’s in town, the restaurant produces some of the tastiest dishes in the city - a combination of the freshest ingredients from local suppliers, and innovative recipes from chef and owner [...]

It’s no surprise that the potato is a bit of a favourite on the island of Ireland. We’ve been munching on the humble spud in all its guises for centuries. We love potatoes so much in fact, that we’ve managed, with a bit of culinary wizardry and out-of-the -box thinking, to incorporate the potato into [...]