Published: Friday, 22nd January, 2010 11:02am

New Bridgestone food guide has 25 Offaly entries

Offaly food culture is well represented in the latest Bridgestone Irish Food Guide with 25 separate listings lauding everything from a Portarlington blueberry farm, a pretty Birr cafe, to organic wholesome soups in Cloghan and superb rock buns in a Tullamore bakery in the ninth edition, written by highly regarded food writers John and Sally McKenna.

"Artisans and good restaurateurs are bucking the economic trend," said author John McKenna. "It may seem hard to believe, but many of the people featured in the latest edition of the Bridgestone Irish Food Guide - whether they are artisans, shopkeepers, restaurateurs or marketers - have had their best ever year in business. The sheer number of new entrants in the book amazed us, and we were also amazed by the quality of foods they are producing and cooking."

Among the Offalians praised in the tome include Meadowsweet Apiaries, Doon, for their heather honey from Clara bog described as "intense and louring", while Lough Boora Farm's successful box scheme contains "the beautiful carrots that Tony Garaghy's light sandyish soil brings forth" and "the perfect stop for coffee and something sweet, or a light and energy-filled lunch" is Maidin Gheal in Ferbane. Meanwhile, Clareen-based Slieve Bloom Foods is singled out for noteworthy comments as the owners of the only cranberry farm in Ireland.

Other well known names in the Offaly food industry featured again this year include Glenisk Organic Dairy, Mossfield Organic Farm, Andrew Rudd Food Group, organic vegetable grower Philip Dreaper and Annaharvey Farm Foods, all favourably commented on the foodie guide, as are newer names like Mill House Sheep's Cheese in Tullamore, speciality cake maker and designer Miriam Pearson's business Sweet Creations and Farm Factory Direct in Tullamore.

Speaking at the launch of the guide this week, John McKenna called for fair trade for Irish farmers and for the public to support them. "Fundamentally, the crisis in Irish agriculture is a matter of power. The relationship between multinational supermarkets and farmers is not one of equals, or even one of trading partners, instead it is one of master and slave. Irish farmers are powerless."

"In exercising power without responsibility, multinational supermarket chains are the harlots of the age. They are amoral and destructive and they dance only to the bidding of the money markets," he said. "Whilst the speciality and artisanal food sector we describe is thriving, mainstream agriculture has been sacrificed by the Government, who have allowed multinational supermarket chains to exercise unprecedented power over the production and sale of Irish food."

For more information

log onto www.bridgestoneguides.com