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Aw shucks! Fall In Love with Achill Oysters
“He was a bold Man, that first ate an Oyster,” wrote Jonathan Swift in 1738, but Irish people have been slurping these silky molluscs for thousands... -
Featured Location
The Mayo landscape provides plenty of things to do and opportunities for a phone full of photos. It inspires the heart and imbues the senses. But the landscape also infuses the food, which makes for a unique culinary experience, one that evokes a sense of place. A food memory to take away with you. One that will linger long and not languish on your camera roll. The Island of Ireland is fertile, with arable land surrounded by rich seas. We are a land of plenty. In Mayo, the cold waters supply a bounty of seafood. The lush fields are home to grazing cows. Sheep forage high in the heather-covered mountains. The bays are bursting with shellfish. This means you can tuck into flappingly fresh fish and the creamiest dairy products. The sheep high on the mountain graze the salty sprayed heather. The shellfish have subtle peaty notes thanks to the streams which flow down the surrounding mountains and bogs and make their way into the bays. Eating this local food, you cannot help but notice the contribution of the terroir. It evokes a deep connection with this rugged and remote place. The food of Mayo tells the story of the land and also its people too. The beautiful food and drink products are lovingly created by passionate producers, fishermen and farmers, many of whom use traditional methods passed down through generations. They supply their produce to the local shops, cafes and restaurants where skillful butchers, bakers and chefs celebrate and re-imagine these indigenous ingredients. To spread the word about this glorious food, these businesses and people throw open their doors to the community and visitors. They welcome you in and share the story of their family and their land through the dishes they serve. These dishes are reflective of the history of the Irish people and the island. It is in these places where you’ll enjoy an authentic cultural food experience. Where you can taste Mayo on a plate.
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Featured Location
Keeping it Local with Kelly’s of Newport
In Seán’s small abattoir, artisan practices are just as important for the welfare of the animals as for the end product. When animals don’t have to... -
Featured Location
A Warm Welcome Awaits in Westport at An Port Mór
Then there’s the Achill Mountain lamb. “It has got such a unique taste”. This is Martina Calvey’s lamb that is grazed down on Achill Island. “The... -
Featured Location
Calvey Achill Lamb
Everywhere you went today, you saw the recognisable Achill Mountain sheep and you wouldn’t mind trying some for your dinner. They are the 100% purebred... -
Featured Location
Magical Mayo – An Insider View
On their night of arrival my mother would cook a traditional Irish dinner of bacon and cabbage. She’d cook the bacon in cider first and finish it... -
Food for Thought
Import Substitutions – Producing Results
So often people forget to even ask where their food comes from and if what they are picking up in a grocery store is actually Irish grown or just packed... -
Produce
Wild Irish Foragers & Preservers 2021
And so began the process of teaching their children about nature, which eventually became Wild Irish Foragers and Preservers. “There was no plan. We... -
Drink
The Village Dairy 2021
Milk has always been part of our culture, but we lost our way, according to Noel Barcoe of The Village Dairy. “Forty years ago, milk had real flavour,... -
Drink
Art Of Fermentation
“I come from a family of publicans,” he tells me. “Our home base is The Silken Thomas in Kildare. It is forty-five years in the family. When I was...
