Import Substitution

The phrase “Import Substitution” used to mean something in Ireland. It showed an attempt to produce on home ground something that was historically associated with another country – blue cheese, for instance: if we had the milk and the starter culture, why on earth were we eating Danish Blue?
But free marketeers have made the phrase go out of fashion. Today, we are all supposed to welcome the free movement of goods as a given, and buy whatever from wherever, with the purchase based solely on price.
When it comes to food, this often means that we wind up with second-rate stuff. And so, in this issue of Megabites, we want to introduce you to some artisans who buck the trend, who want to make Irish speciality foods that are better than the imports. They are heroic folk, and they deserve your support.