Christmas is a time for a little indulgence and what better way to indulge than with top-notch food and drink from the island of Ireland.
Whether you’re treating yourself or spoiling your friends and family, Irish artisan food makes the perfect ingredient for the Yuletide celebrations.
Chocolate lovers will relish the decadent confectionery of Ireland’s acclaimed chocolatiers, Butlers Chocolates and the novel flavours of Neary Nógs, Northern Ireland’s first bean to bar craft chocolate makers. Their bars are infused with delicate lavender or seaweed or more intense Irish whiskey and orange bitters.
Christmas cheeseboards will be enhanced with creamy Cashel cheese and full-flavoured Ballylisk Triple Rose from County Armagh. Serve with Ballylisk’s spiced pear chutney for a piquant pairing.
With the island of Ireland forging a reputation for excellent craft spirits, this year’s Christmas cheer should include some of the recent arrivals.
Capture the flavour of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way in a glass of Skellig Six18 Gin, handcrafted on the coast of County Kerry. With ten botanicals, its defining aromatics include locally foraged yarrow, fresh Douglas fir needles and birch sap.
Or sip Boatyard Distillery’s aromatic double gin organically produced on the banks of Lough Erne using Sweet Gale from the family bogland.
Why not sample Ireland’s traditional spirit in the award-winning Bán Poitín, produced from potatoes, malted barley and sugar beet in County Down, or enjoy ‘Christmas in a glass’ with a tipple of Aqua Vitae, recreated from a 700-year-old Kilkenny recipe.
A Christmas hamper packed with gastronomic goodies is the ultimate Yuletide treat.
Ireland’s Artisan Pantry, the first Irish regional food subscription box with a worldwide reach, offers a variety of hampers stuffed with mouth-watering delicacies. Its Merry Christmas Everyone hamper has a unique selection of small batch artisan Irish goodies including biscuits, sweets, teas, coffees, cakes and jams.
The renowned Burren Smokehouse in County Clare is also offering a selection of hampers to gift a taste of Ireland this Christmas. Its Wild Atlantic hamper includes Cold Smoked Irish Organic Salmon with Seaweed, Gubbeen Cheese and Achill Island Smoked Sea Salt.
Or embrace extravagance with its luxury hamper which showcases a multitude of products from the Burren region and includes a bottle of champagne, Galway Crystal champagne flutes and whiskey tumblers, and a bottle of The Banner Blend whiskey.