My Top 10 Irish Dishes: 2023
Maybe we are still recovering, but 2023 was a curiously quiet year, Gone is the over-the-top culinary exuberance of the pre-COVID era. The tasting menu parades of precious little plates are falling out of favor....
Judging the 2023 Irish Food Writing Awards
The charming Corinna Hardgrave, the Irish Times restaurant reviewer, was seated to my right at this year’s Irish Food Writing Awards dinner. We had a great time discussing the Irish restaurant scene and the highs...
Beekeeper’s Journal: Happy Michaelmas!
by Beekeeper Joe Shea The first look at the colonies this year was back in April, and never knowing what wreckage the winter might have bestowed, it was with great joy and relief I found...
Homestead Cottage: An Amazing New Restaurant in Doolin
Chef Robbie McCauley opened a new restaurant in late June called Homestead Cottage on the road between Doolin and the Cliffs of Moher. It’s a wonderful place to eat and the acclaim is rolling in....
Beekeeper’s Journal: Blackberry Blossoms
Bees in the Blackberry Blossoms….mid June 2023 From Beekeeper Joe Shea: Despite a cool May, the summer has jumped ahead of itself. High pressure has stalled any movement of damp weather to these shores for...
Heat Wave: June 2023
We’re having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave! -Ethel Merman June 2022 was wet and cold. It was a challenging year for gardeners. The tomatoes I grow in the polytunnel didn’t get going until...
Beekeepers Journal: May 2023
Beekeeper Joe Shea writes: Some years the month of May is a complete wash out: Not enough warmth or sunshine in the apple orchard to sweeten the nectar so the scout honeybees can track the...
10 Best Irish Burgers: 2022
1) Bunsen: Dublin, Cork, Belfast Hamburger With lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, and mayo-based burger sauce Bunsen’s extremely short menu is printed on a business card. Basically, there are only two burgers: the hamburger (which can...
Irish Burgers: Galway’s Top Two
Handsome Burger The Smokester at Handsome Burger in Galway features their juicy “hand-rolled” burger patty, a big strip of streaky bacon, smoked cheddar, pickles, crispy onion, and smokey chipotle sauce. (Chipotles are smoked jalapeños.) It’s...