FOOD: The Bridgestone Irish Food Guide and a wine tasting weekend in the West, by Marie-Claire Digby.
GET THE KNOWLEDGE It's five years since the Bridgestone Irish Food Guide appeared in a single volume and let's hope another half-decade doesn't elapse before we get the next edition of this bible of restaurants, food and wine shops, markets and food producers. The biggest development in that time, John McKenna points out in the introduction to his newly-published guide, is the rise and rise of the artisan food producer. Apart from the invaluable county-by-county listings of places to stay, eat, and shop, the inclusion of hundreds of these small, regional specialists sets the Bridgestone Guide apart. In it you'll find contact details for all those interesting artisan producers you've read about or heard of, looked forward to trying out, and consigned to (faulty) memory.
The 32-county restaurant listings include authoritative reviews, peppered with anecdotes and insider info on the driving forces in the food business in Ireland. The farmers' market phenomenon is also covered, with comprehensive guides to the main markets and the vendors participating at each.
Hot on the heels of McKenna's welcome new offering is the first ever stand-alone Les Routiers Guide to Ireland for 2005, edited by Hugo Arnold, which is launched next month. This guide includes recommendations for hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, restaurants, pubs and cafés, the best of which will be singled out for recognition at the Les Routiers awards in Dublin on November 1st.
The Bridgestone Irish Food Guide, written by John McKenna, edited by Sally McKenna and published by Estragon Press, is €15. Les Routiers Guide to Ireland 2005, edited by Hugo Arnold, is €14.95.
WINE OUT WEST Enniscoe House, Crossmolina, Co Mayo, is running a wine weekend on October 15th-16th, with tastings hosted by our own Mary Dowey (Funky Grape Varieties) and wine importer Simon Tyrrell (Châteauneuf du Pape). On Saturday evening, there's a meal of "organic and seasonal" foods, with wines to match. The cost for the weekend is €295 per person for two nights' B&B, dinner with wines on Friday and Saturday, plus tastings. To book, call Gina on 087-2400727.