Do check out these hampers: Bandon-based Urru (www.urru.ie) and the magical Diva Boutique Bakery (www.divaboutiquebakery.com) has an online pop-up Christmas food shop;

The Glenisk and Cloughjordan House initiative, a ‘Chef Star’ competition for secondary school students, is aimed at finding Ireland’s best student chef.

Pie bake-off should be filling experience

The Menu has spent the past few days rummaging through the attic for his finest Capt Birds Eye kit as he gets dickied up for what promises to be a most splendid caper: a harbour cruise down to Cronin’s Pub, in Crosshaven, for the latest Munster Foodie Tweetup, where food-loving virtual Twitter friends meet up in the flesh for … yup, food!