BALLYMALOE LITFEST

Neidín is on extra rations for he is going to have to hightail it west next week bearing his most corpulent master to the truly wonderful location of The Burren, in Co Clare, for the 11th Burren Slow Food Festival (May 12-14) where this year’s focus is very firmly on Irish Raw Milk Cheeses and Irish Gins. 

At the time of writing we are enjoying a bit of a heatwave but spare a thought for French winemakers who have once again been hit by late frosts and hail.

This weekend I will be at Ballymaloe House near Midleton for the Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine.

Kehlan Kirwan from the ‘Small Business Show’ looks at Ireland’s small artisan food producers and why they are turning Ireland into the food haven of Europe.

Small Business Show presenter Kehlan Kirwan meets up with some great businesses to find out where the inspiration comes from. Darina Allen also stops by to have a chat as west Clare shows off some great food, products and ideas.

Despite the summer stretch in the day, The Menu feels nothing short of a turbo-booster for the bould Neidín will enable him to attend every last one of an ever-increasing proliferation of food festivals around this glorious island.

SUNBURNT nose, sand in your toes, clear blue skies, outdoor pursuits, beer gardens, beaches and barbecues.

Easter Apple Trees: Instead of an Easter Egg, one of our teachers at Ballymaloe, Florrie Cullinane, gave each of her children an apple tree to plant — a huge success — they got plenty of Easter Eggs from other people.