Old Kilbeggan Distillery, Co Westmeath

The word whiskey descends from the Irish words "Uisce Beatha", which translate direcly as "Water of Life". Due to the similarities between the Irish language and Scots Gaelic, the Scots use the variation "whisky" for their national spirit. Currently, Scotland supports about 90 distilleries, while Ireland has just a mere 4, albeit each producing several whiskies. Only one company remains independant, Cooley Whiskey, which has resurrected the Kilbeggan Whiskey brand and invested in the Old Kilbeggan Distillery.

The town of Kilbeggan is located a few minutes off the M4 motorway between Dublin & Galway, on the old N6 road. It's just over an hour from Dublin, and it's well worth making a detour to visit the charming Old Kilbeggan Distillery. Located on the main street of Kilbeggan, the distillery is housed in an old set of whitewashed buildings. Daily guided, multilingual tours are available, or alternatively, it is possible to take a self-guided tour and explore the distillery at your leisure (This was our chosen option at €7.00 each).

Clutching the sheets of paper which comprised our guide, we set off to explore. The guide takes you through a sequence of numbered features scattered amongst the gigantic copper tuns (vats) and massive toothed gear wheels of the original water-powered machinery. Outside, the local river is dammed to provide a steady flow to the water wheel, and it is pretty amazing to think how the smooth-flowing small river  powers the rotating iron gears and cogs that run throughout the building.

Chimney at the Old Kilbeggan Distillery

Gears from the water wheel at the Old Kilbeggan Distillery

The leaflet was full of straightforward facts and numbers, as well as providing some amusing insights into how the workers "acquired" the benefits of working in a whiskey distillery. Some of these perks were highly guarded secrets such as the pipe which ran from underneath the spirit receivers connected to the stills. From this, the workers could tap their own supply of the clear unaged spirit that would eventually become whiskey. Outside in the yard, it is possible to see copper stills which would have been used to distill the whiskey from a wash to a clear spirit ready for casking. Unfortunately, the stills on display are not the originals, which were sold for copper scrap in the 1960s, but they are old, coming from B. Daly's Distillery, Tullamore. Spent wash, which was not distilled into sprits but still contained alcohol, was dumped into the river where it had the effect of temporarily knocking out the fish, until they were washed downstream and literally sobered up.

Copper still at the Old Kilbeggan Distillery

There are rules and regulations which govern the production of Irish whiskey. They are relatively simple - whiskey must be distilled and aged in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland. The contained spirits must be distilled to an ABV of less than 94.8% from a yeast-fermented mash of cereal grains and lastly, the whiskey must be aged for at least three years in wooden casks. Thus, any distillery will have large amounts of wooden casks laid down at any given time containing whiskey that is maturing and aging.

Commemorative whiskey casks at the Old Kilbeggan Distillery

The last portion of our tour including a little tasting of Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey in the little bar. The standard Kilbeggan whiskey is a smooth, sweet spirit with a malty finish. Other more matured versions are also available, and we took home a bottle of 8 year old Greenore Single Grain Irish Whiskey. It's made from maize/corn and aged for 8 years in first fill ex-bourbon casks. Like it's relation, it's a sweet whiskey, with tastes of vanilla and caramel and is a lovely whiskey to drink neat.

Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey at the Old Kilbeggan Distillery

The Old Kilbeggan Distillery is a wonderful location to visit. It hasn't been glossed and polished to within an inch of its life. Instead, it's been bought back to working condition and the factory is allowed to sing its own song. The air in the yards is fragrant with alcohol aromas and it's not hard to imagine the hustle and bustle that once filled the buildings.

[Review] Eastern Seaboard, Drogheda

I work as a management consultant for a major consulting firm. It's a great job with challenging work and interesting clients. During the 5 years I've spent with my current employer, I've had the privilege and pleasure to work with a wide range of firms, some of which have been well-known household names. Others have been less well-known, like one pharmaceutical firm but which is truly doing something special for people who suffer from rare, degenerative disorders.

My job involves travelling, and I have more familiarity with airport lounges than any sane person should have. I've lived in Brussels for 7 months and Amsterdam for 13 months, but right now, I'm currently back home in Dublin and commuting to Drogheda. To be quite honest, I used to think that the best thing in Drogheda was the M1 road back to Dublin, but that viewpoint has changed recently, thanks to the Eastern Seaboard Bar & Grill (and its sister venues Mo's and the Brown Hound Bakery).

The Eastern Seaboard & Brown Hound Bakery was the recent target of an Irish Food Bloggers Association field trip. Afterwards I read the results of the trip with increasing envy and jealousy. Check out Claire's Brown Hound & Eastern Seaboard summary from her An American in Ireland blog. The Katz Miaow went even further with a 3 part summary - you can start with Part 1 here. The professional accolades have been rolling in as well with Chef Reuven Diaz winning a Best Chef award at the 2011 RAI Leinster Awards.

I've visited the Eastern Seaboard 4 times in recent weeks and I have to say that it is a fantastic spot. It's large and open, with bare concrete floors and exposed walls. Warmth and charm comes from the funky art pieces and furniture arranged throughout and daily specials are chalked onto one of the main columns. In short, it's an inviting and relaxing space.

Fresh flowers on tables at Eastern Seaboard

So what have I sampled? I'll quickly run through the assortment of dishes that I've enjoyed. Word of warning - as I'm currently eating low-carb, I cannot comment on the bread in any of the following dishes, as it all got pushed to the side of the plate. On my first visit, I sampled the Irish beef burger with cheese, which comes with tangy tomato relish, fried onions and spicy mayo (€9.95 + €1.00 for cheese). This dish comes with one side, so I chose the garlic zucchini (courgettes to you and me). The burger was moist and tasty, I really enjoyed the sauces, but the garlic courgettes were the star of the show. Thin slices, gently cooked with a lovely garlic flavour - soulfully good.

Burger with garlic zucchini

For my second visit, I decided to choose two of the smaller plates, so I ordered the Butcher's Board with saucisson, pork rilettes, black pudding & chorizo ballotine and parma ham (€8.50) along with the Ploughman's Plate which featured cheddar, apple and relish (€4.95). Both dishes came prettily served on wooden boards and featured lashings of crusty fresh bread. The Butcher's Board was a visual feast for the eyes, and although the ballotine looked amazing, it just didn't deliver in the taste stakes. Pork rillette was deliciously soft and flavoursome. The Ploughman's Plate featured large chunks of tangy mature cheddar with a rich, darkly sugary relish for dipping.

Butcher's Board at the Eastern Seaboard

Ploughman's Plate at the Eastern Seaboard

On my next trip, I decided to try one of my favourite dishes, Caesar Salad - with chicken and crispy bacon (€10.00). The bacon turned out to be crispy pieces of parma ham and I love the chargrilled flavour on the chicken. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough dressing on the leaves for my liking, and when I got to the bottom of the bowl, the dressing was diluted by the excess water which had drained off the leaves into a pool at the bottom of the bowl.

Chicken Caesar Salad with crispy bacon

My favourite dish however, came on my last visit. As I was feeling in a fishy kind of mood, I chose the sesame seeded Loch Duart salmon with soy butter (€14.50) which came with two optional sides - so again I chose my beloved garlic courgettes and wilted spinach. The salmon is described as being sustainably farmed and environmentally responsible and is cooked medium, unless otherwise requested. It arrived looking beautiful with a monochrome sesame seed coating, sitting in a golden brown pool of soy butter. Deliciously soft, flavoursome salmon and I found myself running my finger around the plate to catch every last drop of the beautiful sauce. A definite winner of a dish.

Sesame seeded salmon with soy butter

The Eastern Seaboard is the kind of restaurant that every town should have. (All the more amazing that Drogheda has it). I have been recommending it far and wide and with Drogheda Train Station only a hop and a skip down the road, there's no excuse not to visit. And after you've sated your appetite, you can head down to the delectable Brown Hound Bakery to select a box of delicious cupcakes or goodies to take home. You just might end up becoming addicted!

Eastern Seaboard Bar & Grill, 1 Bryanstown Centre, Dublin Road, Drogheda, Co. Louth.

Tel: +353 (0)41 980 2570

Twitter: @eseaboard

Michie Sushi

Michie Sushi has been around for quite a while now, quietly tucked away on a little Ranelagh laneway. It's not a big spot, probably seating a maximum of 20 people in close quarters. Based on that fact alone, it's probably fair to say that it's authentically Japanese. The addition of a kimono-clad waitress and some top-notch food are only garnishing the experience.

We visited late on a Saturday afternoon, but despite this, there were enough customers present to make the place feel busy. You enter through a sliding door which you could easily pass by. Inside, the walls are painted a fresh shade of green with lightweight tables and chairs. We were given cups of  a light green tea to drink while reading our menus, which featured covered lunch, sushi, hot food and specials. No shortage of choice here folks. 

Plate setting at Michie Sushi

As I'm currently eating low-carb, my options were a tiny bit limited and I did cheat a little with my main course. We chose a plate of tuna & salmon sashimi (€9.95) to start which quickly arrived at the table with 5 slices of each fish along with some seaweed and a dollop of the fiery goodness that is wasabi. As you'd expect from a good sushi restaurant, the fish was impeccably fresh, with that sweet taste of really excellent sashimi.

Tuna and salmon sashimi

I chose a special of Tonkatsu (€8.51) for my main. I was cheating somewhat on my low-carb eating as this featured sliced pork loin in crispy Panko breadcrumbs served with a sweet homemade tonkatsu sauce. However, I did justify it somewhat by declining to order a side dish of rice to accompany it. The pork was fine on its own, but came to life when dipped into the excellent sauce or smeared with a little of the hot Japanese mustard that lurked behind the shredded cabbage. Despite all my years eating in Japanese restaurants, this was my first time experiencing Japanese mustard and I can now tell you that it a condiment that deserves respect. There's a reason that you're only served a small amount.

Tonkatsu with homemade tonkatsu sauce

He chose a salmon bento box (€10.95) for his main course. It featured a tasty miso soup, piece of delicately cooked salmon with courgette, rice, a lightly dressed salad and 2 large pieces of sushi roll. The main components of salmon & sushi were excellent and the salad was tastily dressed. A great example of healthy, balanced eating.

Salmon bento box

Our total bill for lunch came to €31.21, including one small bottle of sparkling water and unlimited free green tea. It's an absolute pleasure to eat lunch somewere like Michie Sushi. There are no pretensions and no fuss. Instead you get clean, exact food with the balance and delicacy that is so typical of Japanese food. This is truly food for body and mind.

Michie Sushi, 11 Chelmsford Lane, Ranelagh, Dublin 6
Tel: +353 (0)1 497 6438
Web: www.michiesushi.com
Twitter: @MichieSushi

Gambas Pil Pil

Recently I've been eating low-carb. This is in an effort to knock off some weight, which I could frankly well afford to do. Several years ago I successfully lost 12-13 kg on a low-carb diet with lots of taekwon do training and kept it off for a few years. Then I moved to Dublin and started work as a consultant. Irregular hours, lots of travel, bad canteens and an eye injury meant that I stopped exercising and the weight crept back on. So, I'm back on the low-carb wagon and I'm running again. I'm only at at the start, but I already feel much more energetic. I do low-carb 6.5 days of the week, with one carby meal a week. I think this is psychologically as well as nutritionally important.

As any low-carb follower will tell you, eating out can be a challenge. I have ended up in canteens with the weirdest combinations of food - sometimes boiled broccoli from the hot counter with rocket and ham slices from the salad counter. My current work assignment has ZERO low-carb suitable options at breakfast time. So where's good to go when low-carbing?

Well, one clear option is tapas. I've been to Port House Ibericos in Dundrum twice recently, and both times I had the Gambas Pil Pil or basically prawns served in a garlic & chili oil. Plump juicy prawns that you can dip into the garlicky oil, what's not to love? Today, while shopping, I picked up some raw, peeled prawns and I decided to make Gambas Pil Pil at home. It's really easy, but the secret is to take your time and not overheat the oil. The results are amazing. I've listed quanities below, but don't get hung up on the measurements. I used 140g of prawns because that was the pack size I purchased.

I use a lot of garlic in my version, because that's the way I like it. Feel free to adjust to your own tastes. One word - the traditional recipe uses parsley, which I don't personally like, so I've omitted it. However, feel free to add some finely chopped parsley if that floats your boat. Pimenton, or smoked paprika, adds a real Spanish flavour of smokiness and warmth to the dish. It's readily obtainable in any good food shop and makes a valuable addition to any spice shelf.

Gambas Pil Pil and assorted snacks

Ingredients

140g raw prawns, peeled

6-7 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

1/2 red chili, finely chopped

1 knob butter

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon pimenton (smoked paprika)

Lots of olive oil

Sea salt (flakes are best)

The first thing required is to remove the prawns from their packaging and place them in a bowl along with some salt. This is not to add flavour, but instead to draw out some moisture from the prawns. Otherwise, when later placed in the oil, the water will leach out causing the prawns to boil rather than fry. Leave them to sit while preparing the oil.

Put a small skillet or heavy pan on a low-heat. Pour in lots of olive oil. The idea is that the prawns will sit in the oil and cook that way, rather than shallow-frying. As the oil warms up, add the knob of butter. I do this because it helps me see how hot the oil is getting. Reserve about one clove of garlic and a little chili. Once the butter has melted, add all the remaining garlic, chili and pimenton to the oil. They should be sizzling gently. The idea is to cook the garlic and chili very gently in the oil, so that it absorbs all the flavour. If the garlic shows any sign of browning, remove the oil from the heat until it is cooler. Allow the oil to infuse for approx 10 mins. Stir frequently and taste occasionally to see how the flavour is developing.

Place the prawns on kitchen paper and pat dry. Once ready, turn the heat up under the oil, stir in the reserved garlic and chili, then drop in the prawns one by one. Depending on the size, they should take no more than 2.5 - 3 minutes to cook. Serve either in the skillet or remove to a dish along with plenty of the tasty oil. Add a light sprinkle of sea salt and some crusty slices of bread for the people who are not low-carbing. Enjoy!

You may find that you won't eat or use all the oil. But this oil can be reused to cook more prawns, or reserved for use in a salad dressing.

Bellinter House, Co. Meath

We recently spent a night at Bellinter House near Navan in Co. Meath. This hotel has been on my hit-list for several years now, but I could never quite stomach the expensive rates charged. Firstly, I can't stand hotels that charge per person, and secondly, I can't really get my head around a hotel charging more than €100-150 for a night's B&B. Only 5 star venues in great locations with perfect service can justify big-buck rates. Thanks to Boards Deals, I was able to secure a mid-week B&B stay in Bellinter House and two 30 minute spa treatments for the excellent value sum of €99.

The very first impression of Bellinter House is that of slamming on the brakes. The entrance is located on a bend with no signage beforehand. It makes me wonder how many people sail past, rubbernecking at the entrance they've just missed. A short drive leads to a fine example of Palladian house, designed by the same architect responsible for Russborough House, Carton House, Powerscourt House and lastly, Leinster House. Bellinter House has had a mixed history passing through the hands of landed gentry, the Sisters of Sion,and the goverment before finally arriving into the hands of the current owners.

As we climb the steps to reception, we are greeted by two running kids and their nanny. I can safely assume she was the nanny due to her ethnicity and the fact that Mammy and Daddy were following behind. I sigh. A luxury night away with spa treatments just doesn't seem the same when there are rugrats involved.

The public areas...

The Lounge at Bellinter House

All the receptions rooms are interlinked allowing us to wander from hallway to games room to bar to lounge. Only the library is separate, presumably to allow for some quiet time. Original features have been maintained, but there is a minimal amount of the expected period furnishings. Instead, there are leather loungers, velvet sofas and cowhide rugs. Fantastic Minotaurine paper lamps feature on the walls. Later in the night, when sated after dinner and full of wine, these provide a focal point for thoughtful gazing.

Paper lighting at Bellinter House

We arrive straight from work, so we don't have much time before our dinner reservation. We  head to the lounge for a pre-dinner drink. Sitting on the comfortable seats, looking out the sash windows, we breathe deeply and relax. Big, tall rooms are always a good influence on me. It makes me wonder why we have an obsession with building box-like, identikit homes and apartments. Why have we abandoned the scale and elegance that our ancestors enjoyed?

Himself is pleased to find that the bar sells pint bottles of Guiness (priced at €5.20) while I go for a mojito. This is despite the fact that I cannot find a price list, an omission which comes back to haunt me the next morning. The mojito turns out to be quite poor and bitter, mainly due to the use of too-old limes, so I choose a much better glass of Sauvignon Blanc (€6.50) for my next drink. 

Later that night, after dinner, and after the children have gone to bed, we invade the games room to play pool. Dimly lit with mis-matched balls, it's immense fun and feels like a secluded spot.

Pool table in the Games Room at Bellinter House

The food....

Dinner is not included in our deal, but when booking we were offered the option of dining at Eden for €25 per head. The restaurant is located in the old basement which turns out to be a space even more sparse than upstairs. I  can't bring myself to like the swivel chairs and orange carpet. The menu offers plenty of choice and we enjoy the dishes listed below. Overall, the food is good in a traditional way. I get the feeling that Bellinter House is somewhere the whole family could eat. Meat & 2 veg grandparents all the way down to little ones will be satisifed with the food on offer.

• Crispy slice of pork belly served with scallops, mixed Shiso cress, pancetta crisps and honey & soya dressing. Perfectly cooked scallops and very tasty.
• Eden Smokies - smoked haddock, cherry tomatoes, scallions, creme fraiche and melted cheddar cheese. I'd been informed beforehand that I had to try the Smokies. Having done so, I now offer the same advice to all my readers. They are addictive.
• Pan-seared fillet of beef, green beans & champ. The menu offers peppercorn sauce, which is a substance that I abhor so I request another sauce. The waitress looks at me as if I have two heads, but after some guiding, she suggests that the chef might be able to offer some garlic butter.
• Braised pork belly served with crushed pea mash potato, carmelised onion and Calvados sauce. A massive portion of pork belly arrived. Clearly Bellinter House is used to catering for men with large appetites.
• Chocolate pear and caramel gateaux with pear sorbet. Now why would anyone list a dessert as gateaux and then offer a single-serve dessert portion that bore no resemblance to a slice of gateaux. Descriptions - they're important.
• Vanilla creme brulee with hazelnut biscotti

The famous Eden Smokies

Braised pork belly - enough for two!

Fillet steak - with garlic butter

The next morning, we're back in the same venue for breakfast. As well as the familiar, dreary continential buffet, we are also offered a selection of fresh-cooked dishes. The menu looks tempting, but it takes ages to get a waiter to take our order. The staff display an amazing failure to make eye contact and we eventually resort to grabbing the manager and asking (a little rudely it must be said) for service. Other tables around us suffer the same lacklustre service.
 

The freshly-cooked dishes are a nice change from the normal heat-lamp breakfast. My French toast with marscapone and berries is delicious, if drowning in berry coulis. Less is more. However, the long delay for service means that we are running late for our spa treatments and I have to wolf it down.

French toast with marscapone & berries

The spa...

We had both chosen the 30 body polish as part of our package, and we very much enjoy our treatments in the Bathouse. A mixture of sugar and lavender is used to scrub off all the badness and then we are left to relax in loungers with a snack of smoothie & fruit, which is very cutely served in Villeroy & Boch delph. We planned to continue our relaxation in the pool and sauna, but we find that the pool is infested with children. Any continued feelings of relaxation quickly disappear.

The room...

Our room was located in the West Wing and first impressions are good. A large white fluffy bed, a flatscreen TV on the wall and a well-appointed bathroom. Tea making facilities are provided via a set of 8 mason jar which contain everything from coffee and herbal teas to tea cakes. The ceiling is high, with exposed wooden beams which have been washed with white paint.

Tea cakes in the bedroom

However, things just don't work out for us in the room. The night is boiling hot, despite the fact that we've left the two small windows open. The rough finish on the plaster doesn't cut the mustard in the retro-chic stakes and the lighting control panel results in me blinding himself twice while on a late-night trip to the bathroom. I wonder what is wrong with basic switches. All that aside, despite a night of tossing and turning in our sauna, I can testify that the beds are comfortable.

The verdict...

Bellinter House is an elusive venue - it's all shabby chic, but with distincly unshabby prices. At checkout I am stunned to learn that my mojito costs €14. This leaves a sour taste in my mouth as I hand over my credit card. Leaving aside the sauna bedroom experience, I am somewhat happy with our stay. There is a lot of charm here, but it needs to acquire some polish.

Bellinter House, Navan, Co. Meath
Tel: +353 (0)46 90 30 900
Twitter: @BellinterHouse

Baked Mini Blackberry Cheesecakes

Did you know that there's a National Cheesecake Day (well, in the US at least)? The official date was July 30th, and I have a whole heap of websites bookmarked following a blitz of cheesecake-related tweets on Twitter. My undoubted favourite of all these links is "10 rich recipes for National Cheesecake Day" from Yummly.com.Feast your eyes on the luscious photos in this link - don't they just want to make you run to the kitchen and start baking?

Lately, baking seems to be obessed with individual portion food. First there were cupcakes, now the trend seems to have moved on to mini-cheesecakes. Now, I can undoubtedly see the attraction of miniature cheesecakes. Perfectly sized for an individual treat, they also look adorable. Check out Irish blog Like Mam Used to Bake for Individual Strawberry Cheesecakes for a miniature take on the traditional cheesecake.

Like most Irish people, I grew up on the traditional cheesecake, but in later years, I've grown the prefer the American-style baked cheesecake. Thus, when I decided to make my mini-cheesecakes, I went Yankie-style. Autumn fruits are in season now, so it's easy to pick up plump, sweet blackberries which, when baked, will produce fabulous streaks of colour in the finished treat.

Baked mini blackberry cheesecake

Ingredients
1 pack shortbread biscuits
100g butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1x 220g tub of cream cheese
1 egg
70g icing sugar
1/2 small punnet blackberries

(makes approx 12 cheesecakes)

Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius.  Line a bun tray with paper cases.

Place the biscuits into a plastic bag and smash with your rolling pin until broken with evenly sized crumbs. Alternatively, you can blitz the biscuits in a food processor. Meanwhile, place the butter in a saucepan and melt over a low heat. Once melted, add the biscuits and cinnamon and mix thoroughly. 

Divide the mixture bewteen the paper cases (if you're falling a little short, then allocate the mixture so that you have a reasonably thick base, rather than too many thin bases). Tamp down the mixture and pop the tray into the oven for 10 minutes in order to firm up the base. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack, but make sure to leave the oven on.

Place the cream cheese into a bowl, along with the egg & icing sugar. Beat with a mixer until smooth and combined. Roughly chop the blackberries into large pieces and stir loosely into the mixture. Divide the mixture between the cases, filling up the top.

Place the cheesecakes in the oven, and bake until lightly golden, and the top has started to split. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecakes to cool in the oven. Once cool to touch, remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!!

Baked mini blackberry cheesecakes

The Campaign for Raw Milk

Raw milk is a nostalgic subject for me. I grew up on a small dairy farm in rural Cork, where we drank our own milk. One of my jobs as a child was to take a bucket and jug, walk down to the milking shed and fill up the bucket with the creamy, rich milk, straight from the bulk tank. 

The bulk tank appeared as a fearsome device to the young me. It was a massive, enclosed, stainless steel tank whose cleanliness sat in stark contrast to dirt that comes naturally on a farm. It had two agitators which ran on a regular cycle to keep the milk from sitting still too long. My naturally jumpy disposition meant that I would leap a foot in the air if they started while I was in the vicinty. To get the milk, I would lift off one of the small circular lids and peer in. My nightmare scenario was finding the milk level to be low, meaning that I would have to drag over a milk crate so that I could reach in I feared falling into the tank, despite the fact that the aperture was really only about a foot across.

Back at the kitchen table, you quickly learned to shake the milk bottle, or give the jug a stir, before using the milk. Otherwise, the rich creamy top would pour out, causing disaster central when you were making a cup of tea. I drank this milk from infanthood through to my teenage years. I never thought anything about it until I departed for university and started to drink cartons of pasteurised milk Then I realised that there was something missing. The pasteurised milk tasted flat and thin. Don't even get me started on how low-fat and skim milk tastes.

Tiernan's Raw Milk available at Sheridan's Cheesemongers, Carnaross

I realise that I was a product of my environment. My parents drank raw milk and thus my siblings and I drank raw milk. Nothing more fancy than that. I realise that there are health concerns associated with drinking raw milk, just as there are health risks associated with eating or drinking any uncooked, or unclean foodstuff. (Trust me, grow up on a farm and you are used to dirt and sh*t, it's a natural part of life). I simply fail to see why there should be a complete ban on the sale of raw milk. Surely this is a simple matter of choice for the consumer?

Currently, the Irish government is proposing to ban the sale of raw milk before the end of 2011. This proposal is stirring up a debate on the internet and in the newspapers. Sheridan's Cheesemongers are supporting the pro-raw milk side, and have been involved in the creation of the Campaign for Raw Milk - an organisation of  farmers, food sellers, food organisations and consumers who are opposing the proposed ban on the sale of raw milk.

Campaign for Raw Milk

In order to educate and inform, a debate has been organised for September 6th at the Sugar Club, Leeson Street, Dublin. Doors will open at 19.00 with the debate commencing at 19.30. The event will consist of a panelist debate with arguments for and against, with lots of audience participation and Q&A. The evening will be chaired by journalist Aoife Carrigy, one of the organisers of the For Food’s Sake series of debates. Panelists will include broadcaster and journalist Ella McSweeney, farmer and raw milk producer David Tiernan and retailer of raw milk Kevin Sheridan. Other panel members will include scientists and food and farming industry representatives (more details to follow, check the Raw Milk Ireland website).