Food File: What’s happening in the world of food

Medal for Belvelly Smokehouse

Frank Hederman of Belvelly Smokehouse in Cobh, Co Cork, recently became the first Irish person to be awarded the Walter Scheel Medal, an annual award that recognises outstanding contribution to European culinary culture. Previous recipients include Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger of Taittinger Champagne and Spanish Chef Ferran Adrià of El Bulli restaurant.

The award comes as Belvelly Smokehouse, run by Hederman and his wife Caroline Workman, celebrates 40 years in business. As well as salmon, Belvelly Smokehouse also smokes mackerel, eel, haddock, mussels, butter, spices and nuts, and produces pates, fishcakes and readymeals, which are all available at their shop in Cork's English market, as well as farmers' markets in Cobh and Midleton. The salmon can be ordered online for delivery in Ireland, mainland Europe and North America. See frankhederman.com.

Coffee for connoisseurs

There’s something sweet about knowing that the cup of coffee you’re drinking is made by a company that has exemplary sustainability credentials, as well as looking out for its staff and others. Gary Grant’s Imbibe Coffee Roasters, which is based in Dublin 8, donates 1 per cent of its sales to Women’s Aid, a further 1 per cent to support community projects where their coffee is sourced, and the same amount is shared as a bonus among staff members.

The company celebrates its fourth year in business on May 1st, and to celebrate it is bringing Gesha, a very rare coffee, to Ireland. Gary Grant, owner of Imbibe, says these beans are much sought after by baristas for high-level competitions. "It was used to win the Chinese Brewer's Cup and was used as part of a blend to come second in the World Coffee Championships. It's at this point that coffee becomes very similar to fine wine. This coffee can be very expensive (it will cost in the region of €38 for a 150 gram bag), but it works out at just €3.80 per cup at home."

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Imbibe will stock Gesha coffee grown in Colombia by Mikava Coffee's Paul Doyle, whose father was from Dublin. To buy some, you'll have to sign up to Imbibe's Coffee Club at imbibe.ie.

Gaz’s second edition

If you missed out on the first edition of And For Mains, the debut cookbook by chef and restaurateur Gareth (Gaz) Smith and butcher Rick Higgins, a second edition has just been printed. The first print run of 5,000 copies sold out, and there are another 4,000 on the way. It's available online at andformains.com and signed copies can be picked up at Michael's and Little Mike's in Mount Merrion, and Higgins Butchers in Sutton.

Work is powering ahead on Smith’s next opening, Michael’s Blackrock, which is expected to open in July or August, with a steak and seafood restaurant, champagne terrace, cocktail bar, and Mini Mike’s, a private dining space.