The weekly food news round-up

Smokin' hot flavours of Ireland
Frank Hederman of Belvelly Smokehouse in Cobh stars in the first of a series of videos Tourism Ireland has made to promote Ireland as a food destination. A Flavour of Ireland can be watched online at ireland.com (search for A Flavour of Ireland). The next film in the series will feature Fermanagh, with interviews with Noel McMeel, executive chef at Lough Erne Resort, and Pat O'Doherty, who makes superlative bacon from pigs reared on Inish Corkish on Upper Lough Erne.

Project food
There's still time to vote for one of the very diverse food proposals in the Arthur Guinness Projects, with votes accepted until August 23rd. After that the top 10 per cent of projects, as voted for by the public, will go forward for judging by a panel of experts which in the case of food projects is chef Dylan McGrath, coffee entrepreneur Colin Harmon, cake shop proprietor Michelle Darmody, and confectionery manufacturer Barry Broderick. The winning projects will receive a bursary of up to €50,000, plus mentoring. See arthurguinnessprojects.com/food and marvel at the energy and originality on show.

Pack in a picnic
No picnic of mine ever looked this stylish – but there's no harm in dreaming. Online Irish company Hampers & Co has a range of very stylish gifts, including picnic baskets, baby gifts, food hampers and drinks. The luxury picnic spread pictured here includes all the food items as well as the basket contents. It costs €123, but there are more basic picnic hampers from €22. Use the code IrishT20 at checkout between today and next Saturday and you will receive 20 per cent discount on all orders from hampersandco.com.

Spud we like
How do you like yours – roasted, boiled, steamed or chipped? There's no end to the Irish love affair with the spud, and next Friday we can indulge in celebration of National Potato Day. The potato-growing, crisp-making Keogh family is staging an urban "spud fest" on South King Street in Dublin 2 next Friday (noon-4pm), at which they promise to "bring the farm to the city". Odds-on there'll be plenty of crisps to crunch, too.

Baileys and chocolate in a liqueur
Baileys Irish Cream and Belgian chocolate combine in this scientific breakthrough from drinks giant Diageo. Baileys Chocolate Luxe took three years to get into production, and had been developed by scientist Anthony Wilson, whose dad was one of the brains behind the original Baileys recipe. It is on sale exclusively at Harvey Nichols, Dundrum, Dublin 14 until October, when it will be available nationwide, €22.