Foodie Articles

Is it over?  Is it really over?  Is the entire month of January now in the past?  Thank God for that as I’m not sure I could have taken much more of those on the New Year abstinence kick. Somehow there seemed to be more of them this year than ever before.  Everyone I met […]

We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of  James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates […]

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of being on Pat Kenny’s new radio show on Newstalk. On the show we discussed my new book, co-written by Katy McGuinness, the Irish Beef Book which is full of tips, advice and recipes to help you get the best from your beef. We also talked about the art […]

Last weekend I was delighted to appear on Marian Finucane’s RTE Radio 1 show to discuss the best way of coping with the stress of Christmas. We discussed the stress people put themselves under when deciding what to cook for Christmas dinner. I talked about the differences between the two main breeds of turkey – […]

  Our Christmas week opening times for our butcher shop in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary are as follows: Day Opening Times Thursday 19th Dec 8am – 7pm Friday 20th Dec 8am – 7pm Saturday 21st Dec 8am – 7pm Sunday 22nd Dec 8am – 7pm Monday 23rd Dec 8am – 8pm Christmas Eve 24th Dec 8am […]

We are delighted to announce that following the successful launch of our first butcher shop in Dublin, at Avoca Monkstown in 2011,we are bringing our craft butchery excellence and expertise to the new Avoca Food Market in Rathcoole. The entire food market will include James Whelan Butchers and a number of new additions to Avoca. […]

I came across The Bowler at an event in the UK earlier this year.  He’s part of the street food movement that’s been growing over the past few years.  He makes gourmet meatballs using meat, fish and vegetables and serving them all from an eye catching grass covered van, affectionately known as the ‘lawn ranger’.  […]

I’m shouting again, but with good reason.  When will we realise that real food is a huge part of our overall health?   The endless scientific studies on food that are released on an unsuspecting public have created an insecure population that feels it just doesn’t know anything anymore, but we do!   Often times the information […]

When it comes to food and things food related, honesty is important.  I love it when someone introduces me to something I’ve never heard of before; a new method of cooking, an interesting ingredient or a great recipe.  Not for me is the feigned jadedness of the ‘know it all’ foodie.  I believe that no […]

Following the successful launch of our first butcher shop in Dublin, at Avoca Monkstown in 2011, we are delighted to announce that we are bringing our craft butchery excellence and expertise to the new Avoca Food Market in Rathcoole. The entire food market will include James Whelan Butchers and a number of new additions to […]

Any kitchen hero usually masters the basics of stirring and frying early in their careers.  The frying will initially yield a few crispy edged eggs or a blackened sausage but it will be mastered quickly.  Stirring is perhaps even more fool proof but marry the two and we have trouble.  There is the general assumption […]

We worry far too much.  Even if there are no more hazards for humans today, we seem to believe the environment has become extremely dangerous.  With all our progress, life has become more deadly at every turn and we are constantly inventing things and ways to protect ourselves from ourselves.  Taking a cursory glance at […]