After a slightly stressful one last week, this one was just wonderful.
It started off last Saturday with our very first customer visit since inter-county restrictions were lifted. We called in to say hello to Brid in Honest2Goodness Market in Glasnevin. If you are in that area or even passing through, I would highly recommend a visit, the covered market offers fine wines, and an amazing selection of artisan specialty foods, with many producers manning their own market stalls. Brid was one of our very first customers five years ago and I still remember the excitement when she put in an order.
We then enjoyed some personal time with family in Dublin. The junior shepherds hadn’t seen their Granddad in 18 months, so blessed with a sunny Sunday morning we had breakfast in the garden, with my brother and all the cousins, the smiles in the photo say it all.
Yesterday (Thursday 3rd June 2021) I was ridiculously excited to visit my first chef in his kitchen, in over a year. We’ve been packing lots of catering tubs of sheep’s yogurt for the first time in so long, so it was a joy to bring him some, and discuss the various menu options and what he might create. The day ended perfectly with some lovely posts on social media by chefs showcasing their new Velvet Cloud creations.
So with a bank holiday stretching out in front of us, life is good and there is even more positivity coming down the tracks too. Next week Bord Bia is launching a promotion of Irish Farmhouse Cheese. The aim is to raise awareness of the extensive range of high-quality Irish farmhouse cheeses available in Ireland. They will also be encouraging people to use any remaining cheese from their board, in recipes and therefore reduce food waste. A beautiful Irish Farmhouse Cheese Finder Map https://www.bordbia.ie/farmhouse-cheese (where you can search by county, milk type, style and pasteurisation to find your perfect cheese) has been created. A quick heads up - there will be a competition where you will be encouraged to use the hashtag #BuildMyBoard and share your own cheese board photos and be in with chance of winning a cheese hamper. Some well-known influencers are also being sent an Irish farmhouse cheese hamper, and we were delighted to be included, so you might see us in the hands of someone Insta famous in the coming weeks!
