The Menu is, naturally, swathed in green this weekend, raising a glass to the Oul’ Sod and all who eat in her, recalling another splendid celebration of fine Irish produce and producers last week in Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud for the Irish Food Writers’ Guild’s annual awards beano. 

Slow Food West Cork host a delightful ‘Pick and Plant’ event (March 20) at Nick’s permaculture smallholding in Rossbrin, near Ballydehob.

Nobody knows Irish food better than Joe McNamee. From chutney to cheese, craft beer to chocolate, he’s put together The Menu’s Annual Christmas Hamper – full of the local products that really stood out this year. Plus, he’s got the top gifts for foodies.

The menu consents to being showered by Father’s Day gifts from his progeny; less grudgingly, if those gifts are designed to appeal to his innate gluttony.

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;

March 23-30

MARCH 16-22

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THERE is something defiant about a restaurant that, in our pestered, politically-correct times, is called a chop house.

A number of restaurants are bucking the trend and thriving during the economic slowdown.

ALL Slow Food events have an educational element as well as a hedonistic one. So when we gathered in Lismore recently we started our evening at Michael McGrath butcher’s shop on Main Street. We were all anxious to learn from this man whose skills have come down through four generations – his father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

ABBEY Travel has released the latest selection of high-quality holidays to Dubai and Oman, with an additional destination to Abu Dhabi. That’s not surprising since the relatively recent start-up of flights from Dublin with Etihad to Abu Dhabi and beyond.