Strawberry Fields…for Another While Yet
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Strawberry Fields…for Another While Yet

There is more to the strawberry than cream and Wimbledon. From wild fruits and French spies to black pepper, summer salads and eating them straight from the punnet, this is a celebration of strawberries while the season is still with us.

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Worth Its Salt: Do We Really Need More Electrolytes?
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Worth Its Salt: Do We Really Need More Electrolytes?

Electrolytes seem to be everywhere this summer, with social media offering plenty of quick fixes. But do we really need them, and is a pinch of pink salt in water the answer? Let's separate the science from the hype.

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The Heart of Summer: A Seasonal Boost When We Need it Most
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

The Heart of Summer: A Seasonal Boost When We Need it Most

Finding balance when the season heats up can be tough - tough on us emotionally and tough on the heart and circulatory system. But luckily for us, Mother Nature has our backs with a delicious of colourful, juicy foods that gives us a boost to keep us going all summer long.

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Hydrated & Happy: How to Stay Nourished this Irish Summer
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Hydrated & Happy: How to Stay Nourished this Irish Summer

Staying hydrated in an Irish summer sounds simple β€” until the sun actually shows up and you realise you've been running on coffee and optimism. Here's what actually works, from seasonal foods to a homemade electrolyte drink worth keeping in your fridge all summer.

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Fermented and Fabulous: Rediscovering the Magic of Living Foods
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Fermented and Fabulous: Rediscovering the Magic of Living Foods

My fermentation adventures began with a SCOBY β€” a rubbery, jelly-like culture sitting in sweetened tea, doing something quietly miraculous on my kitchen counter. It sounds more like a school science experiment than a recipe, but what it produces is one of the most ancient and nourishing drinks in the world. Fermentation, it turns out, is not a wellness trend. It is one of humanity's oldest survival skills β€” and it belongs back in our kitchens.

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Loving the Skin You’re In: Summer Skin Starts in the Kitchen
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Loving the Skin You’re In: Summer Skin Starts in the Kitchen

The first hint of sunshine in Ireland sends us all slightly feral β€” barbecues are uncovered, herbs are purchased with enormous optimism and suddenly everyone believes they are Mediterranean. But before we fling ourselves at the first warm spell, it might be worth remembering that summer skin starts long before sunscreen and sandals. This piece explores how colourful foods, healthy fats, hydration, herbs and sensible sunshine habits can help support the skin from the inside out β€” with a little humour, a few sardines and absolutely no promise of perfection.

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A Blooming Good Way to Welcome Summer
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

A Blooming Good Way to Welcome Summer

May has always belonged to flowers. From Bealtaine blossoms at the door to chive flowers on warm potatoes, edible flowers are one of the simplest ways to bring seasonality, colour and delight to the table. This piece explores what is blooming now, how to use May flowers safely in food and tea, and why beauty belongs in nourishment too.

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Not All Hunger Looks the Same: What the ScairbhΓ­n Still Teaches Us
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Not All Hunger Looks the Same: What the ScairbhΓ­n Still Teaches Us

An old Irish word, scairbhΓ­n, once described a time of year when food ran low and people felt itβ€”not as famine, but as a quieter kind of hunger. A hundred years on, the cupboards are full, but not all hunger looks the same. What’s changed is not just how much food we have, but how well it truly sustains us.

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Feed Them Well and They’ll Look After You
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Feed Them Well and They’ll Look After You

What we eat doesn’t just feed us β€” it feeds everything living within us. This piece explores the often-overlooked role of postbiotics, and why it’s not just about what we eat, but what our microbes are able to make from it.

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Chocolate: From Food of the Gods to Something Else Entirely
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Chocolate: From Food of the Gods to Something Else Entirely

Chocolate was once revered β€” a food of ceremony, nourishment, and even currency. Today, it’s something else entirely. This piece explores how chocolate lost its way, and how we might find our way back to something more real.

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Nettles, A Timely Tonic (If You’re Brave Enough!)
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Nettles, A Timely Tonic (If You’re Brave Enough!)

A plant we spend most of our time avoiding is quietly offering exactly what we need this time of year. Nettles are back β€” fresh, green, mineral-rich and right on time. Long used as food and medicine, they support the body’s natural shift into Spring, asking only that we pause, look a little closer, and see them differently.

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Faith, Food and the Making of a Saint
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Faith, Food and the Making of a Saint

Every year on St Patrick’s Day we celebrate with corned beef, cabbage and spuds β€” a meal recognised around the world as β€œtraditionally Irish”. But when Saint Patrick himself was travelling across Ireland in the 5th century, that famous dish wasn’t on the menu at all. So what did he actually eat?

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Shedding Light on Seasonal Shedding
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Shedding Light on Seasonal Shedding

If your hairbrush seems busier than usual this spring, don’t panic. Hair doesn’t follow the calendar β€” it follows stress, sleep and nourishment. Here’s why seasonal shedding happens, and how to support steady rebuilding from the inside out.

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Valentine’s Day Foods for Love & Libido: The Nutrition Behind Romance
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Valentine’s Day Foods for Love & Libido: The Nutrition Behind Romance

Love is in the airβ€”and on your plate! From zinc-packed oysters to luscious dark chocolate, the foods we eat can do more than just satisfy hunger; they can ignite passion and enhance well-being. In this post, I explore the science behind aphrodisiac foods, the power of frisky fruits and why green tea might just be a better wingman than wine. Whether you're planning a romantic dinner or simply looking to nourish your body, discover how the right ingredients can help fan the flames of romance.

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Food Trends for 2026: Hype, Hope and a Head of Cabbage
Irene Flannery Irene Flannery

Food Trends for 2026: Hype, Hope and a Head of Cabbage

Food trends come and go, but they often reveal more about our anxieties than our appetites. In this piece, I reflect on what’s emerging for 2026 β€” not to tell you what to eat, but to question why we’re eating the way we are, and what might actually nourish us now.

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