What makes the recent Irish whiskey success story most interesting, is that it’s not a new venture, but a revival of an industry that was once great. It’s a story complete with history and tradition, and as more brands land on the shelves and more distilleries open their doors, our interest peaks. The next time you’re heading on a long drive or have some downtime, download the podcast A story of Irish Whiskey.

The brainchild of Irish Distillers, Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and produced by Last Cast Media, the five-part series is a story of coming together, sharing, conquering markets and how three families, competitors for generations, united to save Irish whiskey from extinction.

A story of Irish Whiskey begins with Irish whiskey on its knees, about to become extinct after 200 years, crippled by war, prohibition and bootleggers. It then takes the listener on a journey through the never-before heard tale of how Irish whiskey was brought back from the brink; beginning with that pivotal meeting of the Jameson, Powers and Murphy families in Tourin house in 1966, and detailing the highs and lows of business in the 20th and 21st centuries. Using a mix of interviews, archive recordings and dramatic recreation, it’s a story of community, hardship and the courage to succeed.

The podcast features commentary from a variety of guests throughout, including Kristen, Tara and Andrea Jameson; Charles C O’Reilly, descended from John Power, and master distiller emeritus at Irish Distillers Barry Crockett – all of whom offer first-hand accounts of events that shaped the landscape of Irish whiskey as we know it.

Episodes are available to download now on Audioboom, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, Castbox, RadioPublic.

Clonakilty walking food tour

With its quirky colourful streets and the sound of the sea never too far away, Clonakilty is one of those towns you come back to again and again. Nestled in west Cork, home of some of the best food in the country, it’s no wonder that a food tour of the town continues to be a success. The 2019 season of the Clonakilty Walking Food Tour has just kicked off.

Now in its fifth year, the tour, run by Kate Ryan, food writer and author of A Taste of West Cork-Artisan Food Guide, unwraps the town’s delicious food culture through a story of history, tradition, innovation and community; attracting curious foodies from all over the world keen to meet the real people crafting foods treasured by locals and visitors alike.

Kate says the real highlight of the tour is bringing food stories to life with hundreds of years of history to draw upon.

“West Cork has always been at the forefront of the modern Irish food movement. The quality of Irish food is recognised globally for its ability to innovate, while preserving crafts rooted in tradition.

“Interest in Irish food culture is fuelling a curiosity in visitors who are keen to learn more and understand what makes our food so special.”

Bookings can be made online at www.flavour.ie/clonakilty-food-tour. The cost of the tour, including all the delicious things to eat, is €45/head. The early bird offer applies to available dates in June, and must be booked via Eventbrite to avail of a 12% discount on the standard ticket price.

Tipperary Breakfast

Breakfast lovers, get yourself to Tipperary. We have covered the Tipperary Breakfast Champions previously in Irish Country Living, but it’s in full swing again. An amazing initiative, where Tipperary hotels, guest houses, restaurants and cafés all join forces with the Tipperary Food Producers Network (TFPN) to celebrate local ingredients as your day begins.

Tipperary breakfast food producers

To get involved, the hospitality provider must include at least five ingredients supplied by members of the Tipperary Food Producers Network, then each champion can put their own unique stamp on the breakfast dishes they create.

This is phase two of the initiative. Phase one took place in 2017, with the creation of the signature Tipperary breakfast designed by legendary Irish chef Kevin Thornton.

Tipperary Breakfast Champions include The Horse & Jockey Hotel, Cloughjordan House, Dooks Fine Foods and Raheen House Hotel to name a few, and the interesting selection of dishes that have been created include everything from the Tipperary full Irish to eggs Benedict served on Hickeys sourdough and raspberry coulis with yoghurt and granola.

To find out more about who is serving the best of Tipp breakfasts, log onto www.tipperaryfoodproducers.ie

Bao Buns

Meat in a bun, it’s a no-brainer really. But as our cuisine continues to expand, an ole burger or hot dog bun doesn’t always cut it anymore. Now we’re about tacos and wraps and the new food trend, bao buns. These are soft, fluffy, steamed buns originally from China (although some say Taiwan) – the perfect bite-sized snack, with sticky pulled pork, hoisin duck or crispy chicken.

Small bao restaurants have started popping up in Cork and Dublin in the last year or two, but as the trend is still quite new, you might need to put your hand to your own bao creations at home. Marks & Spencers has just started selling them at €2.90 for a pack of six. Plus it also has a selection of slow-cooked meats, including Vietnamese pork, aromatic duck or teriyaki beef. Just add zingy pickles and a flavour-packed sauce, then sprinkle with fresh herbs or nuts.