Most of us would love to be the person who shows up at Christmas with homemade presents wrapped in brown paper and tied with eco-friendly twine, but that probably won't happen.
At this time of year—between Santa's visits, school plays, and the annual fairy-light untangling event—the idea of being so organized is just another holiday fantasy for most.
That's where our cheat guide comes in to help you give food gifts from Irish producers.
Buying Irish, whether in person or online, is an investment in the local economy. ISME (Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association) points out that for every €10 spent on Irish products, over €40 is generated in benefits for the local community.
Sustainable doesn’t have to be holy – it just needs to be carefully chosen and Irish-focused.
We've rounded up our favorite local discoveries, delicious shortcuts, and experiential events that won't cost the earth but will give you an eco-friendly glow while supporting small businesses across the country.
Do you know someone who loves their coffee pod machine but struggles with the tricky environmental issues that come with it? There is a company in Cork that can help with this.
Macroom's Fzin Coffee is committed to eliminating the waste caused by plastic and aluminum coffee capsules. These materials are individually recyclable, but when mixed together they cannot be easily recycled.
Fzin Coffee's Aromatico range is a bio-based, home compostable coffee capsule compatible with Nespresso Original machines. They do not require plastic or aluminum and can be tipped directly into the compost bin at home without sorting or cleaning.
The coffee used fully complies with the EU Deforestation Regulation.
The pods are available from fzin.ie (€50 for 100 pods). If you want to improve your coffee experience while supporting a local, sustainably-minded business, also contribute to the tree planting platform Treedom.
The most beautiful gifts are those that the recipient can look forward to after the Christmas baubles have been put away.
Sheridan’s Cheesemongers “virtual wine and cheese nights” definitely fall into this category.
The idea is simple: carefully selected cheese and wine are delivered to your door, a Zoom link lands in your inbox, and on the designated evening, storytellers extraordinaire Kevin Sheridan and Enrico Fantasia of Grape Circus Wines will beam into your home and explain the different types of cheese, how they are made, and what they taste as you sip and enjoy.
Both gentlemen tell lots of entertaining anecdotes about the small producers they work with. You'll develop a new appreciation for cheesemakers, discover delicious new favorites, and each ticket (€70 + €10 delivery) is good for up to four people.
It's worth giving to someone who invites you to share.
For more details, visit sheridanscheesemongers.com
A jar of honey from native Irish black bees is always special, but sticking your knife into the honey from the comb takes the experience one step further.
The hexagonal honeycomb cells made by bees provide a pleasant crunchy feeling when you bite into them, while the honey is wonderfully smooth and viscous.
It's a unique textural experience and ideal for those who want something more interesting on their morning toast, ideally on a Trencherman slice of sourdough with lots of salty butter.
Starting with a few hives at their home on the Wexford coast, Michael and Anne Wildes of Tara Hill Honey now have around 110 production hives around Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin.
Her Honeycomb (€12), available from tarahillhoney.ie, is reminiscent of summer flowers in the darkness of midwinter. Something worth getting up for.
A bean-to-bar chocolate factory right in the heart of Cork City? This isn't a fever dream caused by too many selection boxes – this is the reality for former engineer and chocolatier Paul O'Connell.
The Ballyphehane native recently returned to Cork after 35 years working in the US and opened Tory Top Chocolate on Marlboro St just over 12 months ago.
The airy space behind this former butcher shop hosts hands-on chocolate workshops where participants learn to make their own chocolate bars using ethically sourced cocoa beans from Madagascar, Mexico and Vietnam.
Adult courses cost €45; there are also family workshops (€20 for a child and €30 for an adult); And judging by the excitement of the young crew and parents who arrived there during my stay, a Tory Tops ticket isn't wrong for any age group.
Visit torytopchocolate.com
If you use good salt, you don't need much for maximum effect.
With Salt of Kinsale's finishing sea salt, you can take the time to enjoy the moment and the taste fresh from the sea as you crush the crystals between your fingertips and then enjoy the result in soups, salads and Christmas turkey.
Billy Hosford harvests water from the Old Head of Kinsale and allows it to evaporate in nearby polytunnels, where it slowly and carefully transforms into crispy salt, adding delicious depth, flavor and texture to everything it touches.
The 40g tins (€5.60 online at saltofkinsale.ie, in selected local stores and Cavistons in Dublin) are the perfect handbag size for those mealtime moments when you want to upgrade a meal.
Pro tip: Skip the salt when ordering fresh fish and chips and simply add Salt of Kinsale to taste.
A good chutney can enhance many meals—great on sandwiches, stirred into a pasta sauce, as a glaze for baked ham, and always a remarkable cheese accompaniment—so it makes sense to seek out the best from local producers, at craft fairs, and online.
Fat Tomato is a taste-driven, organic, edible garden run by Anthony O'Toole, who produces small batches of unique jars of deliciousness from the plants he grows in north Wexford.
His golden tomato jam (€15) combines heirloom tomatoes with Irish honey and apple cider vinegar for a sweet-savory condiment that pairs well with soft goat cheese. See fattomato.ie
Traditional cloth bound cheddar is a wonderful thing and we are lucky that Tom Burgess of Coolattin Cheese in Ireland makes his excellent Mount Leinster Cheddar in Wicklow.
This cheese is fruity and sweet when young and develops a rich, crumbly complexity as it ages. It is an ideal accompaniment to Christmas cake, with the salty spiciness of the cheese underlining the sweet fruit.
Mount Leinster Cheddar is available from cheesemongers nationwide, including On the Pig's Back in Cork and Avoca branches, or online at coolattincheddar.ie, from €7 per 200g.