| “Best year ever” for many in Irish food sector? |
 Pub businesses are doing badly because the customer is discerning and the pubs are not offering service. So believes, John McKenna, Co-Author of The Bridgestone Guide to Irish Food 2010, published recently.
John McKenna also fires a broadside at the multiples in his introduction to the ninth edition of the Guide when he states, “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”.
He continues, “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”.
His introduction calls for fair trade for Irish farmers. “Fundamentally, the crisis in Irish agriculture is a matter of power,” he comments, “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”.
He claims that Ireland has been colonised one more time. “We are but a pawn in an empire and we need resistance to this economic colonisation. That resistance will not come from the Government, for the Government is intellectually incontinent”.
The resistance will need to come from the grassroots, he says, “... and the first step should come from the realisation that buying imported food in a foreign-owned supermarket in Ireland is, quite simply, a traitorous action.” Despite this, he claims that 2009 was the best year ever for many in the Irish food sector.
“Artisans and good restaurateurs are bucking the economic trend,” he claims, “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.”
The latest edition boasts 1,500 entrants.
Speaking at the launch of the new larger ninth edition of the Guide, he explained that the Guide will, “... tell you were to find ‘ooooby’! We advise in which Westport restaurant they recite poetry when you are having your dinner! And if it’s Thursday and you are on Mespil Road in Dublin, we indicate the chances of finding a Poulet Bonne Femme – which are very good, actually!”
The Guide will also help you, “Discover what oil should you have on the table instead of extra virgin olive oil or who makes the best salted caramels in Limerick. Get the info on which is the hottest restaurant in Leitrim - and which is the hottest restaurant in Longford!”
The authors, John and Sally McKenna, have won the Glenfiddich, André Simon and Slow Food Ireland awards while the New York Times described them as “Ireland’s leading food critics” and said, “The wise traveller pays close heed to their recommendations”.
The Bridgestone Guides is written with a team of editors based all around the country and published by Estragon Press at €15.
www.bridgestoneguides.com.
|
|
Print this page
Tell a friend
