Food File: The weekly food news round-up

Post-coded raw honey, gluten-free pastry, festive coffee cups and a flavours market

Speciality drinks from the Christmas range at Insomnia
Speciality drinks from the Christmas range at Insomnia

The Dublin Honey Project, run by photographer Kieran Harnett and architect Gearóid Carvill, will have post-coded raw honey for sale in attractive boxes at selected shops and markets in the run-up to Christmas.

They currently have honey produced in Dublin 1, 6, 4, 14, as well as Dublin county, on offer – and the boxes’ cases will contain a mixture so that the regional variations can be experienced.

A single jar of floral honey is €8 and heather honey is €12. The two-jar box is €22 and the three-jar is €30, while each of them will contain one pot of heather honey in the mix.

They are on sale at Christmas on the Square at Merrion Square today, and will be available at the Dublin Flea Christmas Market at Point Village on December 9th-11th, as well as from The Fumbally cafe and Irish Design Shop.

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Gluten-free pastry

Mairead Finnegan’s Roll It pastry company in Crossakiel, Kells, Co Meath has added an all-butter puff and a gluten-free shortcrust to its range, joining the plain and sweet shortcrust.

The business has gown from Finnegan’s kitchen to now occupying a purpose-built commercial kitchen alongside her home.

The shortcrust and puff pastry is made with only three ingredients – Irish butter, unbleached flour and egg (with sugar and vanilla extract in the sweet shortcrust).

It's a frozen product, and can be found in 40 SuperValu stores countrywide, as well as independent stores including Ardkeen Stores, Fallon & Byrne, Nolan's of Clontarf, Morton's in Ranelagh and Fresh in Grand Canal Square.

Festive cups

The festive coffee cups at the Insomnia chain are this year wearing the latest designs from fashion label Manley.

“I wanted to design a beautiful Christmas cup range that conveys the happiness and spirit of the Christmas season in a way that resonates with Insomnia customers,” says Emma Manley.

There are three designs using a colour palette blend with the designer’s signature metallic in silver and pewter with Insomnia’s red and yellow livery.

The coffee chain has also released a festive beverage and cake range – including gingerbread latte, almond white hot chocolate, red velvet brownies, festive snicker doodles, gingerbread people and mince pies.

Personalised toppings

Arnotts Festive Flavours Market is now open in the Dublin 1 store, with Clodagh’s Kitchen Pantry, Benoit’s Chocolate Factory, a Tayto pop-up and Cupcake Insanity.

Clodagh McKenna’s recipes for chutneys, jams, puddings and sauces are being made for the Pantry by artisan suppliers.

Benoit’s Chocolate Factory will offer a hot chocolate bar with personalised toppings, and Cupcake Insanity will have gluten-free and egg-free confectionery as well as regular cakes – and gingerbread families.