Recipe's and Stories from Ireland

Book Review

Recipes and Stories from Ireland’s

Wild Atlantic Way

By Jody EddyPhotography by Sandeep Patwal

I loved this book right from the start. It features a compilation of stories about people and the ways of living along Ireland’s wild west coast, together with recipes that feature the local fare. It’s a fantastic complement to our own Cruising the Wild Atlantic Way.

 

I’ve often wondered what the story is behind a successful regional niche product. Who thought of it?  How do they produce it?  Who buys it?  Where are they heading with it?  Those types of questions are answered and explored in intriguing storytelling fashion.  I’ve even learned about my personal favourite cheese: gubeen!  They’ve even included short regional travel guides to tell you where the hidden gems are. And County Mayo features quite prominently.

Jody Eddy, a world renown food writer, has joined up with Sandeep Patwal, a world-class food photographer, to create a truly remarkable book.  Combine one of the most beautiful stretches of landscape in the world with people who make an inventive living from a food revolution in which terroir plays a huge role in the subtle flavour and textures variations from point to point and you have a magical experience to convey. And they do it brilliantly.

A follow on to an article published in Saveur in September 2015 about ‘Ireland’s Culinary Coast’, Recipes and Stories delivers 144 pages of interesting tales of artisanal food producers.  With 80 stunning colour photographs of places, people and the foods they produce, it will make you want to travel the wild west coast to sample their fare personally. Published in February 2016 as a paperback (260x198mm) by Gill Books, it is also beautifully produced.

At a price of €9.99/£8.99, it’s an amazing value. It reflects the love so many people have for this island nation of Ireland, which attracts tourists from all around the world.  In the words of the publisher, “This book invites the reader to participate in the culinary awakening that is happening all along the Wild Atlantic Way, and to bring the wonderful recipes inspired by the landscape into their homes.” I can’t wait to test some of those recipes out. The first one will be garlic and nettle soup with chive yoghurt. The wild garlic and nettles have just come to life as spring settles in to stay. Yes, the seaweed can wait.