Classic Christmas pudding with a modern twist
It’s been some year for Scéal Bakery in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Along with releasing their beautifully photographed eponymous cookbook – one to delve into if you want to upgrade your laminated pastry game, or even learn how to make a better sandwich – Charlotte Leonard-Kane and Shane Palmer have been working on getting their incredible Christmas puddings out into the wider world.
Made by hand with sourdough breadcrumbs, blood orange marmalade, dark stout and warming spices, the Scéal pudding takes a classic recipe from 1903 and adds a very modern Irish bakery twist into the mix.
They’re now available at independent grocers in Sligo, Kilkenny, Oughterard and Kerry, priced €35, or that exact recipe is on page 171 of the cookbook if you want to make it yourself.
Stockists listed at scealbakery.com.
Top of the world for St Tola cheese
It’s celebration time for Siobhán Ní Ghairbhith and her small, dedicated St Tola team in Clare with the news that St Tola Karst won Super Gold at the 2025 World Cheese Awards in Switzerland, along with taking the award for the Best Cheese in Ireland. A total of 5,244 cheeses from international cheesemakers were assessed by a panel of 265 judges to identify 110 Super Golds, putting St Tola Karst in the top 2%.
It’s not the only plaudit that’s come St Tola’s way for their ash-rolled cheese lately: their ash log was recently named as one of the top 100 cheeses in the world in One Cheese To Rule Them All book by international cheese judges Patrick McGuigan and Carlos Yescas. They describe this ash-rolled beauty as “a zingy lactic acid cheese with a dark wrinkly rind and smooth, creamy body that sings with citrus and yogurt notes.“ No arguments from us on that score.
In production since 1978, St Tola uses milk from their own family herd of goats at the farm near Inagh.
As part of the Burren Ecotourism Network, Siobhán welcomes visitors to St Tola: you can book a tour to meet the goats, learn about cheesemaking and do a cheese tasting on your next trip to Clare. Time to stock up ahead of Christms, as we can guarantee that there’s going to be a run on both the St Tola Karst and Ash cheeses.
See st-tola.ie
St Tola staff.
Make it a saucy dip into Christmas
While the big Christmas centrepieces – turkey, ham, spiced beef, perhaps goose are essential, few meals are complete without a good condiment, dip or sauce. Chef Kev Aherne, who first made waves with his 12-mile menu at the award-winning Sage Restaurant in Midleton, pivoted during COVID-19 to produce a range of restaurant-quality foods that people could enjoy at home. When Kev set up his own production kitchen, he continued to celebrate local Irish produce, using ingredients like buttermilk and sour cream from west Cork, Irish free range eggs and Irish honey in his buttermilk ranch, roasted garlic aioli and tartare sauce.
All of these, along with treats like beetroot orange relish, winter spiced plum sauce and a peanut chilli rayu are available in Sage’s 12 Dips of Christmas limited edition gift box.
Order in advance for delivery in December and you’ll be able to enhance everything from cheeseboards to sandwiches and prawn cocktails. I’ve my eye on the hot honey ranch for those leftover roasties. €60, inc delivery.
See sageproducts.ie
Sage’s 12 Dips of Christmas limited edition gift box.
Past times, present food
Going out for dinner is always a treat. Going out for dinner that involves live music, theatrical performances and a meal showcasing local ingredients? Now, that’s an experience! It’s all happening at Townhouse Doneraile in Co Cork on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 December, with a celebration of The Glenanaar, which was written by local priest and activist Canon Sheehan in 1905.
The Verdant Troupe, experts at bringing history to life in places like Anne’s Grove Gardens and Doneraile Park, and acapella vocal ensemble Various Voices will provide the night’s entertainment while local chef Jack O’Keeffe, who if often cooking on Ireland AM is in the kitchen for this multi-sensory event.
Honouring the past while eating the present: now that’s a combination worth checking out. Tickets are €120 and available from Eventbrite.ie.
Townhouse Doneraile's Christmas event.
Jar of hearts
Are you a jam lover or a chutney fiend? If so, you’ll be glad to know that while you’re enhancing your morning toast with some winter spiced rhubarb jam, you’re making a contribution towards those at risk from homelessness. Folláin, the family-owned Irish preserves company have teamed up with the Simon Communities of Ireland for the fourth consecutive year and have pledged to donate 50% of all proceeds from online sales to Simon.
This partnership has raised €58,000 since 2021. Along with their regular range, Folláin have special gifts, including 12 day jam or chutney advent calendars (€14.99), a cheese pairing six-jar box set (€20) and the Christmas gift box which covers everything from breakfast marmalade to an Irish cream liqueur caramel sauce (€25). See follain.ie
Jars with lots of heart - Fóllain's 12 days of cheese box.
Classic Christmas pudding with a modern twist
It’s been some year for Scéal Bakery in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Along with releasing their beautifully photographed eponymous cookbook – one to delve into if you want to upgrade your laminated pastry game, or even learn how to make a better sandwich – Charlotte Leonard-Kane and Shane Palmer have been working on getting their incredible Christmas puddings out into the wider world.
Made by hand with sourdough breadcrumbs, blood orange marmalade, dark stout and warming spices, the Scéal pudding takes a classic recipe from 1903 and adds a very modern Irish bakery twist into the mix.
They’re now available at independent grocers in Sligo, Kilkenny, Oughterard and Kerry, priced €35, or that exact recipe is on page 171 of the cookbook if you want to make it yourself.
Stockists listed at scealbakery.com.
Top of the world for St Tola cheese
It’s celebration time for Siobhán Ní Ghairbhith and her small, dedicated St Tola team in Clare with the news that St Tola Karst won Super Gold at the 2025 World Cheese Awards in Switzerland, along with taking the award for the Best Cheese in Ireland. A total of 5,244 cheeses from international cheesemakers were assessed by a panel of 265 judges to identify 110 Super Golds, putting St Tola Karst in the top 2%.
It’s not the only plaudit that’s come St Tola’s way for their ash-rolled cheese lately: their ash log was recently named as one of the top 100 cheeses in the world in One Cheese To Rule Them All book by international cheese judges Patrick McGuigan and Carlos Yescas. They describe this ash-rolled beauty as “a zingy lactic acid cheese with a dark wrinkly rind and smooth, creamy body that sings with citrus and yogurt notes.“ No arguments from us on that score.
In production since 1978, St Tola uses milk from their own family herd of goats at the farm near Inagh.
As part of the Burren Ecotourism Network, Siobhán welcomes visitors to St Tola: you can book a tour to meet the goats, learn about cheesemaking and do a cheese tasting on your next trip to Clare. Time to stock up ahead of Christms, as we can guarantee that there’s going to be a run on both the St Tola Karst and Ash cheeses.
See st-tola.ie
St Tola staff.
Make it a saucy dip into Christmas
While the big Christmas centrepieces – turkey, ham, spiced beef, perhaps goose are essential, few meals are complete without a good condiment, dip or sauce. Chef Kev Aherne, who first made waves with his 12-mile menu at the award-winning Sage Restaurant in Midleton, pivoted during COVID-19 to produce a range of restaurant-quality foods that people could enjoy at home. When Kev set up his own production kitchen, he continued to celebrate local Irish produce, using ingredients like buttermilk and sour cream from west Cork, Irish free range eggs and Irish honey in his buttermilk ranch, roasted garlic aioli and tartare sauce.
All of these, along with treats like beetroot orange relish, winter spiced plum sauce and a peanut chilli rayu are available in Sage’s 12 Dips of Christmas limited edition gift box.
Order in advance for delivery in December and you’ll be able to enhance everything from cheeseboards to sandwiches and prawn cocktails. I’ve my eye on the hot honey ranch for those leftover roasties. €60, inc delivery.
See sageproducts.ie
Sage’s 12 Dips of Christmas limited edition gift box.
Past times, present food
Going out for dinner is always a treat. Going out for dinner that involves live music, theatrical performances and a meal showcasing local ingredients? Now, that’s an experience! It’s all happening at Townhouse Doneraile in Co Cork on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 December, with a celebration of The Glenanaar, which was written by local priest and activist Canon Sheehan in 1905.
The Verdant Troupe, experts at bringing history to life in places like Anne’s Grove Gardens and Doneraile Park, and acapella vocal ensemble Various Voices will provide the night’s entertainment while local chef Jack O’Keeffe, who if often cooking on Ireland AM is in the kitchen for this multi-sensory event.
Honouring the past while eating the present: now that’s a combination worth checking out. Tickets are €120 and available from Eventbrite.ie.
Townhouse Doneraile's Christmas event.
Jar of hearts
Are you a jam lover or a chutney fiend? If so, you’ll be glad to know that while you’re enhancing your morning toast with some winter spiced rhubarb jam, you’re making a contribution towards those at risk from homelessness. Folláin, the family-owned Irish preserves company have teamed up with the Simon Communities of Ireland for the fourth consecutive year and have pledged to donate 50% of all proceeds from online sales to Simon.
This partnership has raised €58,000 since 2021. Along with their regular range, Folláin have special gifts, including 12 day jam or chutney advent calendars (€14.99), a cheese pairing six-jar box set (€20) and the Christmas gift box which covers everything from breakfast marmalade to an Irish cream liqueur caramel sauce (€25). See follain.ie
Jars with lots of heart - Fóllain's 12 days of cheese box.
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