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Featured Articles Edited by Hugo Arnold

Local Heros by Jeanne Quigley

Ireland has a well-deserved reputation for good, fresh food. Fish straight from the pier, mountain lamb, smoked salmon, breads and cakes are all foods that the Irish - and our visitors - know and love. Over the years, Irish products have continued to improve, with many small enterprises and businesses supplying the market. In recent years, the organic market has been increasing steadily, particularly vegetables, salad leaves, fruit, meat and dairy products. The growth of Farmers' Markets around the country shows the supply and demand of fresh, local produce.

But how much importance is placed on having local foods available? Tim O'Sullivan, Head Chef at Renvyle House Hotel says ' by using local produce we get a very distinct flavour. Our guests expect to get foods from Connemara.' His menu reflects this with Connemara lamb, salmon, lobster, prawns, oysters, sausages, and black and white pudding.

Denis Cotter from Café Paradiso in Cork City says that a restaurant has an obligation to become part of a community and buying locally benefits the whole area. Working closely with local suppliers allows the menu to be changed constantly.

Tom O'Connell of O'Connells in Ballsbridge echoes this thought. 'The ultimate in sourcing is when the vegetable supplier is organising his planting programme and asks us what vegetables we'll need.' He also says that customers are interested in organic produce, again a point that's consistently made.

Some of the recipes used around the country taking advantage of local produce include carrigeen moss, an edible seaweed that was valued by our ancestors because of its nutritional properties. It's usually mixed with milk, sugar and eggs to make a soufflé-like pudding. Mary Wheeler of Rathmullan House Hotel in Donegal uses an old recipe from her mother. 'Our chef collects the carrigeen moss at his front door. We serve it for breakfast with poached berries from the garden.'

'Tourists are looking for Irish produce when here on holidays,' says Norah Browne from Grange Lodge in Dungannon, Co Tyrone. 'They've left their own country so don't want their own type of food.' Norah's Bushmills porridge will, as she says, 'set them up for the day.' This is not at all surprising - large flakes of organic oats soaked overnight. Next day, double cream, brown sugar and a good dash of whiskey are added - a hearty breakfast.

The Waterford Blaa causes great interest on the breakfast menu in Arlington Lodge Country House Hotel, Waterford. Maurice Keller explains. 'The Blaa dates back to the 17th century when French Huguenots arrived in Waterford. They integrated with the locals and opened bakeries in the city. The Blaa is a soft white bun eaten on a daily basis. We half the Blaa, toast lightly on each side, place a poached egg on each half, sprinkle with Kilmeaden cheddar and hey presto - the Waterford Blaa, Arlington style.'

In the Kitchen and Foodhall in Portlaoise, Jim Tynan sees local foods from both the manufacturing and retailing viewpoints. 'We manufacture most of what we sell in the restaurant and shop. There are local free range eggs in the cakes, we cook our own hams and turkeys and my father grows the vegetables. Small producers must be encouraged.'

The importance of having local foods on menus around the country also gives a sense of pride in Irish heritage and culture. Many Irish products are known worldwide and visitors to the country are always interested in trying them out. And knowing where the food on the table is coming from is important to all - suppliers, retailers, chefs and of course, customers.

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