Tuck into latest board game with Smorgasboard

One could manufacture an exceedingly fine frazzle seeking out suitable Irish-produced gifts for nearest and dearest, or one could join a smug Menu in the snug sipping a hot port, as he has the Christmas shopping thing down to a fine art. In those brief moments between Christmas eating and drinking, The Menu likes to take a spot of exercise, ahem, playing board games but at this stage of his life is rather Cluedo-ed out and the Monopoly is pretty much useless ever since The Menu spent all the toy money at the K-Club during the height of The Boom. But a new board game has arrived — a beautifully designed and cleverly constructed Irish board game based entirely around food, Smorgasboard. But while it will hold obvious appeal for the extreme epicure it will equally enchant the class of player who eats only every other month. (www.smorgasboard.ie)

Bumper year for Irish cookbooks

It’s been a bumper year for Irish cookbooks for all ages and tastes, including: Irish cookbook of the year, Catherine Fulvio’s Eat Like an Italian; Paul Flynn & Martin Shanahan’s excellent Surf n Turf; Neven Maguire’s the MacNean Restaurant Cookbook; Martijn Kajuiter’s rather astounding art tome/cookbook, Let’s Go Disco; Ard Bia Cookbook by Aoibheann Mac Namara & Aoife Carrigy; Michelle Darmody’s Cake Café Cookbook; Darina Allen’s re-issued Traditional Irish Cooking; Donal Skehan’s Kitchen Hero: Eat For Less; Gimme The Recipe by Sheila Kiely; Michelle Horgan’s Recipes From The English Market; The Irish Countrywoman’s Association Cookbook; Sophie Kooks by Sophie Morris; and Domini Kemp’s Domini at Home. And make sure to buy from an Irish bookshop — Bandon’s Urru culinary emporium is not a bookshop per se, but does have a wonderfully comprehensive section dedicated to cookbooks. (www.urru.ie)