Aoife Carrigy

1 week ago | independent.ie | Aoife Carrigy

Rosé is a no-brainer when the sun shines, though given its unpredictability here in Ireland, we should remember that rosé is not just for sunny days. Sure, many of the simpler ones are just that, delivering refreshing fruity fun but little besides. But like any other wine style, when well made, rosé can be complex and nuanced — and brilliantly gastronomic, as with today’s wine of the week.

2 weeks ago | independent.ie | Aoife Carrigy

I also wanted to take a little deep dive into the history of ginger beer to get my head around it. Like many Irish people, I suspect, I didn’t have a firm grasp on what this beverage was, beyond vaguely associating it with England. (I was sad to learn that Enid Blyton’s Famous Five never were served lashings of ginger beer, or at least not in her original stories.) So what’s ginger beer got to do with beer? Is it even alcoholic in its natural traditional state?

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Aoife Carrigy

The beauty of slow travel is having the space to discover local magic otherwise easily missed. Chatting with a farmer about some quirk of local history. Following a tip for the best seaview walks or trad music sessions or whatever you’re having yourself. Gold-dust moments like these unfurl on self-guided routes along Northern Ireland’s Causeway Coastal Route and Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way, which pick up at Derry~Londonderry.

3 weeks ago | yahoo.com | Aoife Carrigy

Maybe it’ll be a glass of the latest Donegal whiskey, delivered with a quick-witted serve of local storytelling. Or tangy fermented potato bread with a bacon and cabbage sauce that rave reviews are made of, opening a meal in the remotest of white-washed pubs from one of the island’s most talented chefs. Or maybe the nostalgic indulgence of a cream horn – a sweet treat sure to charm your fancy woman, as dedicated Derry Girls fans can tell you.

3 weeks ago | independent.ie | Aoife Carrigy

Their status as Ireland’s only Polish wine importer is very new, with their first official trade tasting earlier this month. Cleverly, however, they built a fanbase for Polish wines ahead of importing them. In spring 2022, they held their first Polish wine festival at Dublin’s Fumbally Stables. Now annual, this public wine fair features informative masterclasses from Polish wine writer Maciej Nowicki, providing historical context about Poland’s unique contemporary wine culture.