FOOD FILE:Would you drink something that promises to "boost immunity, cleanse and detoxify the blood, tone the nervous system, restore youthful hair colour, retard ageing, combat fatigue, stimulate the mind, control the appetite, reduce stress, and eliminate insomnia?" I can't vouch for the efficacy of Argentinian Yerba Mate as a cure-all, but the tea-like beverage is to Argentinians living abroad what Tayto crisps and red lemonade are to the Irish.
Ana Maria Larchet (below), who has been living here for 15 years, has an online shop – www.almacenargentino.com – to supply Argentinians living in Ireland with the food products they miss. High on that list is the Yerba Mate tea, which isn’t exactly your nice cup of Barry’s. However, there are lots of other interesting things to try, such as dulce de leche, a selection of sweet and savoury biscuits, and an authentic spice blend for making chimichurri, the traditional Argentinian partner to grilled meats (which supposedly owes its name to an Irishman, Jimmy McCurry, who is said to have invented it). Almacen Argentino delivers for free in the Dublin area, and for €11 nationwide. www.almacen argentino.com or tel: 087-2964586.
WEB WATCH
www.irishrail.ie/diningbydart
Some of Dublin's top restaurants are offering reduced-price menus to diners who bring a Dart ticket with them next week. Dining By Dart week (August 19th-26th) will also feature some of the city's best restaurants handing out samples of their signature dishes at Connolly, Tara and Pearse stations next Wednesday between 4pm and 7pm.