Offaly delicious It's a bit of a corny name, but this initiative from some of Offaly's local food producers is a terrific idea.
Ten of them have banded together to feature in a very professionally produced brochure, with stunning photographs by Robbie Reynolds and Eoin Clarke.
You'll probably have heard of Mossfield Organic Farm, makers of award-winning cheese, and the Rudd family - mother Prue and sons Simon and Andrew. This busy family has a range of food-related enterprises on the go, including sausage- and jam-making, and fine-food sourcing and distribution. They are well-known in the food world. But there are other Offaly-based enterprises that are worth seeking out, too, and this brochure will lead you to them.
Annaharvey Farm Foods home-baking business has grown to include a cookery school, and a retail outlet is planned. Meadowsweet Apiaries produce honeys that are as individual in character as wines, and also make beeswax skincare products, furniture polish and candles. O'Donoghue's Bakery has been producing breads, rolls and buns for more than 25 years. Miriam Chadwick of Sweet Creations decorates cakes that win national and international competitions. Orla Clancy of Clanwood Farm makes a range of fresh soups with organic vegetables supplied by a neighbour. The Scullery Fine Foods is a chutney, relish and sauce producer (and supplier to O'Brien's sandwich shops). Margaret and Ivor Deverell's Farm Factory Direct provides Hereford beef and Offaly lamb straight from the farmyard. And they're all in Offaly. The brochure is available from LEADER (rural development) offices nationwide. www.offalyleader.ie.
Go for king-sized King crabs are about four times the size of British and Irish varieties, and have a distinctively sweet taste that is often compared to lobster. M&S has sourced a Norwegian supplier of the rare shellfish, and is introducing king crab legs and king crab cocktails, also containing prawns, to the Irish market. The legs come ready-cracked and are perfect for setting out on a seafood platter. They cost for €14.50 for 100g, and the crab cocktails are €13 for 140g. Shellfish is a something M&S is doing increasingly well - not easy as it is a short-life product - and these delicacies are worth trying.
Kitchen confidence Thinking about a career change, or not sure what to do after those all-important exam results come out? Cooks Academy in Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin is running a month-long professional certificate course, beginning on September 4th. Classes run from 8am to 4pm each day, and the cost is €2,950. www.cooksacademy.com.