Compiled by MARIE-CLAIRE DIGBY
Gifts in the bag
The stylish canvas shopping bag is made for Cafe Rua and Rua Deli in Castlebar, Co Mayo, by Rewrap, a non-profit company that uses organic cotton and environmentally safe dying and printing processes in India. It costs €7.50 (plus €2 pp) and can be ordered by tel: 094-9286072. Rua also sells a Cook’s Notebook (€9.95), ideal for menu planning, shopping lists, and jotting down recipes.
Crazy for nuts
When Fiona Buckley lost her job as a solicitor last year, she did a business start-up programme and launched Just Nuts, selling premium-quality nuts mixed with a variety of spices, herbs and seasonings. She now has seven different products on sale, including: a festive nut mix with dried cranberries; Parmesan nuts; New York nuts; ginger nuts; sweet spiced nuts; and almendras fritas (fried almonds). You can buy Just Nuts, which sell in three pack sizes, from €2.35 up to €10.99 for the 500g size, from Buckley’s stall at the Mahon Point farmers’ market on Thursdays and the Douglas farmers’ market on Saturdays, as well as from The Pantry in Midleton, SuperValu Ballincollig, Centra on Washington Street, Cork and Morton’s of Ranelagh. They can also be purchased online from localmarkets.ie, with delivery by December 23rd.
the buzz
Elizabeth Hurley @ElizabethHurley: Our organic pork is the most delicious our crackling unrivalled. If you are a local Cotswold restaurant interested, tweet me back
Bord Bia @Bordbia: Smiling faces all around! Irish food drink exports approach a record €9 billion in 2011
Mary Portas @maryportas: In Avoca waiting for some home made soda bread and soup. Then lemon drizzle cake
Your field, my fork @yourfieldmyfork: Fresh bread made by master baker Thibault Peigne. Available each weekend @ Waterfall Farm Shop, outside Enniskerry
Cutting-edge cheese knife
This stylish cheese knife designed by Michel Bras and his brother André is hand crafted at the Forge de Laguiole in the village of Laguiole, where Michel Bras runs the three Michelin star restaurant that bears his name. The knife was originally designed to cut Roquefort, which is made locally, but can be used with any type of cheese. It costs ¤79, from Terroirs in Donnybrook, Dublin 4. Orders placed by phone, 01-6671311, up until December 19th will be delivered before Christmas.
