food columnists

Michelle Darmody
Michelle Darmody: How to make sugar cookies for the freezer
2030231_1_org_Darina_Allen
Darina Allen: As price of beef continues to rise, versatile venison offers an alternative
Sarah_Butler
Sarah Butler: My carbonara recipe is sure to impress, even in a rush
Aishling Moore
Aishling Moore: This smoked mackerel colcannon is a perfect lunch recipe

FOOD NEWS

Christmas mince pie survey: Which Cork bakeries are serving up the best all-butter pastry?
Christmas mince pie survey: Which Cork bakeries are serving up the best all-butter pastry?
Little tastes more like Christmas than a blob of luscious, spiced fruit encased in crisp, all-butter pastry

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025

Wine with Leslie: The three wines from Chile making their debut in Ireland
Wine with Leslie: The three wines from Chile making their debut in Ireland
The wines are only just in the market and I like what I’ve tasted so far.

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025

Italian restaurant Gloria Osteria has opened its doors in Dublin — here's what you need to know
Italian restaurant Gloria Osteria has opened its doors in Dublin — here's what you need to know
Nestled in a restored 19th-century bank on Westmoreland Street in the city centre, Gloria Osteria offers a menu of fresh homemade pasta, classic Italian secondo, grilled steaks and seasonal cocktails

Thu, 27 Nov, 2025

Irish food history book wins best of the best award at ‘Oscars’ of food publishing
Irish food history book wins best of the best award at ‘Oscars’ of food publishing
Irish Food History: A Companion is an edited collection of 28 chapters covering the story of food, drink and gastronomy in Ireland from the Ice Age to the present day

Tue, 25 Nov, 2025

Aishling Moore: Haddock is wonderful in puff pastry — try this recipe
Aishling Moore: Haddock is wonderful in puff pastry — try this recipe
Good things come in small parcels

Sun, 23 Nov, 2025

Joe McNamee: How historic recipes can teach us so much about Ireland's past
Joe McNamee: How historic recipes can teach us so much about Ireland's past
Tracing the evolution of the Irish peasant’s diet over the centuries serves up the grievous impact of Ireland’s colonisation almost literally on a plate.

Sat, 22 Nov, 2025

Sarah Butler: My one-pan chicken and brown bread will be your go-to recipes on busy weeks
Sarah Butler: My one-pan chicken and brown bread will be your go-to recipes on busy weeks
Having either of these made brings me such peace of mind during the midweek madness when dinner is still an hour away

Sat, 22 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: I am excited to see what Cairo 2 Cork food truck does next with its menu
S Restaurant review: I am excited to see what Cairo 2 Cork food truck does next with its menu
I first heard of the Cairo 2 Cork food truck upon learning the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland had written to its chef-proprietor Nivene Sadick to congratulate her on being the first to serve Egyptian food in Ireland.

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

grape harvest bucket with red wine bottle and wine glass
Wine with Leslie: What I learned about Les Deux Cols wines — and why wild boar are a challenge
Showcasing Les Deux Cols wines

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Menolicious
Mariella Frostrup: Eat your way to a healthier menopause
Exuberant, encouraging and colourful, ‘Menolicious’, by Mariella Frostrup and Belles Berry, is packed with recipes fornutrient-rich meals designed for a healthier midlife plate

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Dungarvan chef Eunice Power on love, loss, and her determination to keep going
Dungarvan chef Eunice Power on love, loss, and her determination to keep going
It is six months since Eunice Power's son passed away tragically. As she publishes her debut cookbook, Vickie Maye meets her in her Dungarvan home where they talk grief, kindness and the healing power of food

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

Sarah Butler: My recipes for comforting cottage pie and sweet potato soup
Sarah Butler: My recipes for comforting cottage pie and sweet potato soup
Serving up cosy comfort in a bowl with some handy winter warmers

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

Watch: Eunice Power speaks about the tradition and healing power of food
Watch: Eunice Power speaks about the tradition and healing power of food
Eunice Power, at home in Dungarvan, seated by the Aga with a copy of My Irish Kitchen Table, speaks about her newly published cookbook and the traditional food she grew up with.

Mon, 17 Nov, 2025

JACK AND THEO KIRWAN
Sprout founders on why they are adding a Cork restaurant to their empire
After ten years of building a cult following in Dublin, Sprout is coming to Cork city. Founders Jack and Theo Kirwan talk to Shamim de BrĂșn about the power of customer loyalty and paying it forward 

Sun, 16 Nov, 2025

Aishling Moore: An easy and satisfying hake fish recipe
Aishling Moore: An easy and satisfying hake fish recipe
You’ll find many different variations of this Mediterranean classic.

Sat, 15 Nov, 2025

Row of ascending stacks of sugar cubes
Joe McNamee: Sugar use has Ireland rising up the obesity chart
"Sweets really were treats. Bread and jam was as much as you might enjoy during the week until Pops came home on a Friday night with toffees to be thrown to the slavering hordes."

Sat, 15 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: Park yourself at Dublin's Amy Austin for a fine meal — sans wheels
S Restaurant review: Park yourself at Dublin's Amy Austin for a fine meal — sans wheels
"Jerk marinade ‘comote’ (€16), aka sweet potato, was also rather diminutive but this time we didn’t mind as it was outstanding — the dish of the evening for me."

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Curried red lentil tomato and coconut soup - delicious vegetarian food on grey background, top view. Flat lay served healthy lun
Top 8: Scoop up these winter-warmer soups in your local supermarket
"Our next survey on November 28 is our annual ‘battle of the bakers’ mince pies. Join me then..."

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

'Perfectly balanced' Weekend magazine and writers scoop food and journalism awards
'Perfectly balanced' Weekend magazine and writers scoop food and journalism awards
The food offering was commended for 'taking readers seriously'

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Family toast.
Wine with Leslie: Supermarket wines to stock up on for Christmas
"My very first taste of wine was a Christmas dinner sip of my dad’s sweet German wine (possibly ‘RM’ Liebfraumilch) in the late 1970s.  I would hate it now, but back then I thought it tasted sweet and magical, a window into the grown-up world..."

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

How to make the best chicken pie with shop-bought pastry and other easy shortcuts
How to make the best chicken pie with shop-bought pastry and other easy shortcuts
As the weather turns cooler, there is nothing more comforting than a creamy chicken pie with a crispy top

Wed, 12 Nov, 2025

How to make good soup: 10 of our most popular soup recipes ever
How to make good soup: 10 of our most popular soup recipes ever
Warm, comforting and delicious: soup season is officially here

Tue, 11 Nov, 2025

How to make James Martin's comforting beef pie and sticky toffee pudding
How to make James Martin's comforting beef pie and sticky toffee pudding
A classic dessert with a twist

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Sarah Butler: A pair of 'help-yourself' recipes, perfect for young chefs
Sarah Butler: A pair of 'help-yourself' recipes, perfect for young chefs
"Burrito bowls are a fun, healthy, and most importantly, an easy dinner to make for your family."

Mon, 10 Nov, 2025

Three hearty recipes from Mary Berry's new cookbook to try this winter
Three hearty recipes from Mary Berry's new cookbook to try this winter
The TV chef shares a mixture of brand-new recipes and her nostalgic classics

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

Joe McNamee: Why we should savour the flavour of a fine Irish cider this autumn
Joe McNamee: Why we should savour the flavour of a fine Irish cider this autumn
"In my youth we drank dirty black porter but as soon as the sun shone, we switched to cider and if we were lucky enough to hit a heatwave, we drank it until our stomachs groaned.  (The concept of perhaps not drinking was still a novel notion.)"

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: Washington Street's latest eatery brings the Soul to a busy Cork thoroughfare
S Restaurant review: Washington Street's latest eatery brings the Soul to a busy Cork thoroughfare
"As he did in the iconic Liberty pub — just around the corner — with Resistance, a speakeasy cocktail bar on the first floor, Soul proprietor Stephen O’Sullivan has once again created a canny visual concept on a tight budget."

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

Aishling Moore: Golden baked oysters with creamy chard
Aishling Moore: Golden baked oysters with creamy chard
Serving oysters cooked rather than their most often state of raw is an excellent way to encourage the reluctant to eat these marvellous molluscs.

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025

Aoife McElwain's 'Messy': A big book of comfort food for beginners
Aoife McElwain's 'Messy': A big book of comfort food for beginners
In her new cookbook, Aoife McElwain gently and patiently brings the joy back to the kitchen with recipes like messy eggs and an easy, slow-cooked beef and harissa stew

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

sunset over the vineyards in the loire valley
Wine with Leslie: Wine recommendations from the Loire Valley
"Crément de Loire sparklers are everywhere and are fantastic value, dry and sweet rosé are too."

Fri, 07 Nov, 2025

Sarah Butler: Creamy pasta bake and sweet potato wedges for easy family meals
Sarah Butler: Creamy pasta bake and sweet potato wedges for easy family meals
These recipes are proof that with a few simple ingredients, you can serve up something wholesome and satisfying that makes family mealtimes the best part of the day

Mon, 03 Nov, 2025

Aishling Moore: Brill with baked pumpkin, kale and caper salsa
Aishling Moore: Brill with baked pumpkin, kale and caper salsa
"This year at Goldie, we’ve been using lots of Uchi Kuri, a Japanese variety of winter squash that Alex at Singing Frog Gardens is growing in West Cork."

Sun, 02 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: Kaldero's Filipino focus brings charm and flavour to Dublin 2
S Restaurant review: Kaldero's Filipino focus brings charm and flavour to Dublin 2
You will find some Irish ingredients, but this is not fusion food, simply food that “reflects where we come from and where we are now”.

Sun, 02 Nov, 2025

Joe McNamee: The State must atone for 1980s regulations and save small farms
Joe McNamee: The State must atone for 1980s regulations and save small farms
"Back in the ’80s, when Larry Goodman et al began scaling up Irish meat processing to industrial levels, the Department of Agriculture revised regulations to fit this new large operational scale, regulations that shouldn’t have been remotely applicable to small abattoirs."

Sat, 01 Nov, 2025

White wine on a rustic bench overlooking a lake at sunset
Wine with Leslie: There's more to German wine than cheap 1980s plonk
"These days expect vibrant dry great value riesling, and earthy red fruited Pinot Noir (SpÀtburgunder) that rivals village Burgundy but at half the price."

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025

Darina Allen awarded Honorary Doctorate by Munster Technological University
Darina Allen awarded Honorary Doctorate by Munster Technological University
The accolade, presented on Friday at MTU Arena on the Bishopstown campus as part of the university’s week-long graduation celebrations

Fri, 31 Oct, 2025

Sarah Butler: Cosy, comfy and substantial evening meals for the whole family
Sarah Butler: Cosy, comfy and substantial evening meals for the whole family
"Two very different dishes, yet both are proof that you don’t need fancy ingredients or hours in the kitchen to make food that brings the family together."

Mon, 27 Oct, 2025

Aishling Moore: Serve up these buttermilk fried oysters with bread and butter pickles
Aishling Moore: Serve up these buttermilk fried oysters with bread and butter pickles
"Shucking oysters is nothing to be intimidated by - like most tasks in the kitchen all you require is a little patience, some clear guidelines and an oyster knife."

Sun, 26 Oct, 2025

Restaurant review: Kerry's 505 is near enough the best meal I’ve eaten this year
S Restaurant review: Kerry's 505 is near enough the best meal I’ve eaten this year
'One of the smartest moves I’ve made all year was to wangle a booking for newly-opened 505 on the Saturday night of the Dingle Food Festival and Blas na hÉireann awards'

Sun, 26 Oct, 2025

Joe McNamee: The low season of Autumn is full of boons and bounties
Joe McNamee: The low season of Autumn is full of boons and bounties
"I’m currently ‘in between’ gardens so will have none of my own produce this year but I’ll still find a day here and an evening there, to work with the harvest bounty of fine local growers."

Sat, 25 Oct, 2025

Hand choosing red bell pepper in supermarket
No wrap, no waste — just fresh veg goodness
For top eco chef and food writer Tom Hunt, shopping locally and seasonally is key to avoiding harmful plastics in the kitchen

Fri, 24 Oct, 2025

A row of beautiful wine glasses closeup on the table
Wine with Leslie: Award-winning tipples and autumnal apple rum
"As independents nationwide will stock all the winning wines, the prices are lower than usual, giving the independent trade a chance to compete (a little) with the supermarkets."

Fri, 24 Oct, 2025

Sarah Butler: Wholesome, nourishing and easy midweek meals
Sarah Butler: Wholesome, nourishing and easy midweek meals
Both of these recipes, Creamy Mushroom Soup and Perfect Roast Chicken, are great examples of how wholesome, budget-friendly cooking can be both comforting and practical. 

Mon, 20 Oct, 2025

Restaurant review: Table 45 is a Dublin home away from South American home
S Restaurant review: Table 45 is a Dublin home away from South American home
"Hogan Place is between Fenian Street and Grand Canal St Lr, just around the corner from Holles St. so right in the heart of the Dublin city, yet it still somehow feels like a secret space."

Sun, 19 Oct, 2025

Seafood Made Simple: This sardine shakshuka is the perfect brain food breakfast
Seafood Made Simple: This sardine shakshuka is the perfect brain food breakfast
Oily fish are superfoods for the brain

Sat, 18 Oct, 2025

Joe McNamee: Saving the planet with sustainable choices
Joe McNamee: Saving the planet with sustainable choices
'Almost one third of global emissions arise from food production: methane from cattle; deforestation, especially in the Amazon, to grow animal feed; and fertiliser production'

Sat, 18 Oct, 2025

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Darina Allen
Darina Allen

Serving up top food every Saturday

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