OH DEAR WHAT SHALL WE DO??


News broke last week that Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine, is in serious shortage. Grape harvests of the last few years have been poor, and low stocks now seem imminenet for this summer. If you have a penchant for Prosecco, which many Irish people do, preferring it’s gentle bubbles and pocket friendly price tag in place of Champagne, you better get out there and stock up while it’s still on the shelves! As a small country, our consumption of Prosecco would be a lot lower than other parts of the world. But still it’s  as well to be informed, especially if you are planning a summer wedding or celebration of any kind and hoping to have this Italian sparkler as your toast. Get it while you can!

In other news, olive oil is also going through some troubles. In the last number of years, bad olive harvests have been regularly reported. Breaking news yesterday announced this yet again. According to reports in  The Telegraph and The Journal, the International Olive OIl Council say the shortfall in harvests in 2015 could be up to 783,000 tonnes, which may even see rationing of this prime commodity, some experts predict. Dry weather has been named as one of the causes of the poor harvest. However, disease affecting olive trees is also spreading across the olive oil growing regions of Italy. Growers in Spain and France are now worried for their own trees.

We haven’t as yet replicated Prosecco in Ireland, but we certainly have a culinary oil to challenge olive oil for taste and quality. Irish Extra Virgin Rapeseed oil is a natural Irish product, cold pressed from homegrown rape seed, which has all the taste and visual appeal of the best olive oils. Look to our producers Donegal Rapeseed Oil in and Harnett’s Oils in Waringstown, Northern Ireland, for best quality natural extra virgin rapeseed oil to make a difference in your cooking and salad dressings this season.