Wow, the food is fantastically good in Australia. I’ve just come back from a two-week trip to promote my new book Grow Cook Nourish. A whistle-stop tour where I visited Sydney, Melbourne, Byron Bay and Tasmania.

WHEN superfit Clodagh McKenna started spinning classes in a Manhattan high-octane studio she was floored by the speed.

The weather gods smiled down on the third Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food & Wine, as 8,000-plus visitors from more than 30 countries streamed through the gates of Ballymaloe House, in East Cork, over the weekend to watch Irish and international stars of food and wine strut their culinary stuff.

JUST as there’s a dish for every palate, there’s a food writer for every taste.

There’s great excitement at Ballymaloe this weekend for the third Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine, which by now is affectionately known as the LitFest, a mega two day celebration of great food and drink and food writing. 

JUST a week to go to the Kerrygold Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine May 15-17, there’s a mouthful! 

THE most anticipated baking book of 2015 has just been published, it’s called The Violet Bakery Cookbook by Claire Ptak, whom Jamie Oliver described as “my favourite cake-maker in the world”.

Still another full week of January to go but I recommend you cheer yourself up by checking out the line-up for the Ballymaloe Litfest which has just been announced.

Joe McNamee reveals some new year highlights in the food and drink world.

FOR ME it was a wonderful surprise that my latest book 30 Years at Ballymaloe won the Avonmore Cookbook of the Year award at the Bord Gáis Irish Book Awards — and it really was a surprise.

Higgins is a food writer, photographer and chef with regular TV series, including Ireland’s Best Young Baker (RTÉ). Her new book, Dream Deli (Gill & MacMillan), is out now. www.lillyhiggins.ie

Renowned TV chef, cook and cookbook author whose latest book is Rachel’s Everyday Kitchen.

IN THE US something very interesting is happening, it’s virtually a grassroots revolution.

Transition year students are the focus of the ‘Future is Food’ drive to promote Irish artisan foods, launched by the Taste Council of Ireland and Bord Bia.

Vintage rally to launch new cider

HERE in Ballymaloe we are so excited about the first ever Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine taking place in Ballymaloe House; at the Grain store and Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Barack Obama’s pastry chef and the co-founder of the world’s best restaurant are among a galaxy of global culinary giants on the menu for a major national festival next month.

I'M just back from the 2012 edition of the international Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre, Slow Food’s biannual event which brings together small-scale farmers, artisan producers, fishermen, experts, academics, chefs and young people from over 160 countries.

Madagascar Vanilla at one at the Terra Madre event.

CHEZ PANISSE is a legendary restaurant and café in Berkeley, California.

I BET lots of you have a book token or two or tucked away somewhere since Christmas, so before they get lost here are a few suggestions for cookery books that have caught my fancy in the past few months.

IT’S JUST possible that whoopie pies may be the next cupcake — ‘homey’ to look at, totally scrumptious to eat but mercifully less luscious icing than a cupcake.

NOW that I am a grandmother with seven precious grandchildren, I am more aware of the importance of passing on some life skills to the next generation. They all live within 15 minutes of us so we are fortunate to see them almost every day.

CLAIRE PTAK makes wonderful cakes. It all started when she was little girl in Point Reyes, California – every time her Irish grandmother visited they baked cakes together all day long.

I’VE JUST heard exciting news that gives me hope for the world. Michelle Obama plans to cultivate an organic vegetable garden on the south lawn of the White House.

CLAIRE PTAK had planned to move to London with her English boyfriend Damian when she was offered a job as pastry chef at the famous Chez Panisse in Berkeley in California.

WATERFORD CITY and the south-east region will be the venue in September for a leading food festival being held for the first time in Ireland.

AT Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California, Alice Waters has been known to serve just a perfect peach for dessert.