10 Foods to Have or Gift at Christmas

Archive - all the best places to eat, shop and stay in Ireland. A local guide to local places.

Ballymaloe Country Relish
A trio of Irish handmade cheeses – Cooleeney, Cashel Blue and Horgan’s vintage cheddar – paired with Ballymaloe relishes and Sheridan’s brown bread crackers is a dote of a food gift and, at just under €20, it’s a steal.
Little Island, Co Cork More Information

O'Neills Dry Cure Bacon
Isn’t a hamper of dry cured bacon and pork products just the thing you need for those fortifying breakfasts during the holiday season. Let Des O’Neill and his team take care of it for you.
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford Order Online

Burren Smokehouse
The Irish Independent recently voted Birgitta Curtin’s Smoked Irish Organic Salmon as the testers favourite amongst a range of seven smoked organic salmons, but don’t delay if you want this most delectable West Coast food on the table: last day for orders is the 15th!
Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare Order Online

Gaelic Escargot
Eva Milka will post 147g jars of marinated escargot if you contact through her website. No question that GE is the season’s funkiest food!
Ballymurn, Co Wexford Contact

Ballyhoura Mushrooms
Mark and Lucy have everything from porcini dust to umami powder to wild garlic vinegar, so add some swerve to the season with these delectable and delicious products.
Ballyhoura, Co Cork Order Online

Hazel Mountain Chocolate
Who doesn’t need a mince pie truffle on the Xmas table, from the brilliantly imaginative creators of Hazel Montain in The Burren. And check out those dinky Urban Woodsman enamel mugs and hot chocolate pots.
Oughtmama, Bellharbour, Co Clare Order Online

Regan Organic Farm
Check out the organic chickens and ducks from this most enterprising farm in County Wexford. If it’s good enough for the Ballymaloe Cookery School, it’s sure good enough for us.
Enniscorthy, Co Wexford Order Online

Cinnamon Cottage
If there is just too much going on in your life, make the smart choice and let Ali and Pa from Cinnamon Cottage give you an essential helping hand this year. They will make the perfect stuffing for your bird, and pretty much everything else you need.
Monastery Road, Rochestown, Co Cork More Information

Green Cat Bakery
This cute shop in ‘Derry produces the most dinky wreath cupcakes, and they are simply beyond-cute foods for Christmas.
36a Main Street, Eglinton, Londonderry  More Information