Aillwee Cave Homemade Fudge and Farmhouse Cheesemakers

Ballyvaughan, Co Clare

Come into the cosy surrounding of the Farmshop and sample their award winning Burren Gold cheese, which is produced on site using the finest milk from cows grazing on the lush grasses and herbs of the Burren and separate Tea Rooms serving light refreshments. The Gift Shop includes a wide selection of gemstones, fossils, clothing, pottery and gifts. Cave tours, birds of prey centre and woodland walks here too. Situated in the heart of the Burren in County Clare lies one of the oldest caves in Ireland. Perched high on its Burren terraced mountain side with what has to be one of the most spectacular views of Galway Bay.

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Chez Emily Fine Handmade Chocolates

Main Street, Ashbourne, Co Meath.

Magical would seem to be the appropriate word for the Chez Emily Chocolate Boutique on Ashbourne’s Main Street. Chez Emily was established in 1996 by Ferdinand Vandaele & Helena Hemeryck and they have built a justifiably loyal following with a selection of over 30 divine chocolates. The chocolate couvertures they use are rated between the best worldwide and they combine this with the best local ingredients using family recipes to bring us a unique and versatile assortment of chocolates and chocolate articles.

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Chocolate Garden of Ireland (The) and Tipperary Organic Ice Cream

Rath, Tullow, Co Carlow.

Jim and Mary Healy and their dedicated team of chocolate and biscuit experts, produce a spectacular range of luxury, handmade artisan chocolates, divine waffles, sensational chocolate spreads, rich butter biscuits and chocolate bars and of course their delicious Tipperary Organic Ice Cream, which you can now enjoy at their delightful new coffee shop and ice cream parlour in Carlow. The Chocolate Garden of Ireland is a real family destination set in lovely grounds with outdoor seating. Educational groups and school parties catered for also.

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ChocOneill

The Hollow, Dunbeggan, Aughnacliffe, Co Longford.

Owners Jamie and Beatrice O’Neill have an important aim for their business - to produce fresh artisan chocolates with no added vegetable fats, artificial colours or preservatives. White or champagne truffles, crystallized ginger dipped in plain chocolate, a milk chocolate selection and swirl chocolate lollipops – just some of the delicious range available from ChocoOneill.

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Co Couture

7 Chichester Street, Belfast, Co Antrim, BT1 4JA.

Now anyone and everyone can enjoy superb handcrafted chocolates at Co Couture. If you’re a lover of fine chocolate chances you’ll leave Co Couture a full-blown chocoholic. Originally established as a producer of fine chocolate catering to restaurants and hotels, artisan chocolatier (and GFI member) Deirdre McCanny has recently expanded her business by opening a chocolate boutique right in the heart of Belfast.

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Ditty’s Home Bakery & Coffee Shop Castledawson

44 Main Street, Castledawson, Co Derry, BT45 8AB.

The charming village of Castledawson is home to one of Artisan Baker, Robert Ditty’s family run award winning bakeries and coffee shops. Whether your just popping in to buy something delicious to take home or taking the time to relax and indulge in something from their scrumptious range of home baked local breads, pastries, cakes, biscuits, short breads, scones and muffins or a spot of lunch, all served by friendly local staff, your are sure to enjoy your experience.

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Foods of Athenry (The)

Oldcastle, Kilconieron, Athenry, Co Galway.

Foods of Athenry had a very unfortunate fire last week 29th June 2011 and are out of production for a couple of weeks. They pass on their thanks to everyone who sent them good wishes and have been so helpful. We will keep you posted! Set among the famous rolling fields of Athenry, the Lawless family farmhouse bakery prides itself on producing healthy baked goods, made with pure and natural local ingredients, love, care and absolutely no additives in sight. They grow much of the fruit, like apples and rhubarb, for Siobhan’s pies and tarts and her vision to supply this range at an affordable price in the mainstream market is paying off, with many stockists in Galway city and county.

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Kooky Dough

1 St Mary's Terrace, Martin's Row, Chapelizod, Dublin 20.

Cookies are big in America and they’re fast becoming big here too – thanks to Sophie Morris and Graham Clarke. The pair have come up with an ingenious range of ready-made dough mix, designed to be rolled out and cooked at home for that real home baked taste in 6 delicious falvours. Kooky Dough is the new fun way to bake delicious homemade cookies in minutes. All you do is slice, place on a baking tray bake for 8 minutes and you will have 15 scrumptious and moreish cookies. They even provide the baking parchment for the tray which helps save the environment, and you the clean up! And of course, being Good Food Ireland producers, they are committed to sourcing their ingredients from Ireland.

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Lorge Chocolatier

Bonane, Kenmare, Co Kerry.

Benoit Lorge, Master Chocolatier may be slightly off the beaten track, but his delightful gourmet chocolate shop is well worth a visit. Ben, originally from Lorraine in France, creates his unique and individual chocolates with fervent passion for you to enjoy and of course share if you feel you must.

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Man of Aran Fudge

Man Of Aran Fudge

Ballivor County Meath Artisan fudge maker who uses local produce and flavourings to make hand made fudge the old fashioned way. Tomas Poil’s lovely hand made fudge takes its name from his days growing up on Inishere on the Aran Islands, out in the Atlantic off the country’s wild and beautiful west coast. When Tomas was sent to boarding school in Galway , his parents always sent him away with a ‘sticky treat’ in the fudge style – a gift from his mum’s home kitchen to enjoy whilst he was away studying. In later years, after his sheep shearing career declined, Tomas had fond memories of the fudge style sweets he got at home, and used it as inspiration for his business today. Man of Aran was established in 1999 with great acclaim from critics. Medal honours followed fairly rapidly and still continue to do so today.

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