Hot tip

Trish Deseine will be guest chef at Ballymaloe Cookery School for a one-day course on Monday, September 15. Tel [phone]; www.cookingisfun.ie.

* As part of Fairtrade Fortnight, and to highlight moves to make Midleton, Co Cork, a Fairtrade town, two cocoa bean farmers from Ghana will visit Midleton today. The growers are members of a cooperative whose cocoa beans end up in the Divine chocolate range. They will be at the entrance to Hurley’s SuperValu from 10.30am-noon today.

Sample some of the best chocolate with a clear conscience and enjoy the festival atmosphere, with attractions for children and ‘real’ bananas walking through the farmers’ market.