BOOK TOUR! 📚 Updated with next dates coming up in October & November! I’ve been on the road with my book since the end of August, and there’s still some road left ahead of me! Pop along and say Hi! No rinse and repeat here: each event is unique to the venue and festival… FUN! 🩸

Very chuffed about this! Thank you @mbrowley.bsky.social 🩸🙌🩸

Matthew Rowley@mbrowley.bsky.social · last wk.

Arrived while I was away: Kate Ryan’s new (Sept 2026) ‘Blood, Guts & Black Pudding: Ireland’s Dying Art of Blood as Food.’ Ireland is not unique in its blood-eating (Germans, Filipinos, Maasai, Cajuns, and French—to name a few—also indulge), but I’m particularly looking forward to biting into this.

EDINBURGH 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Wednesday 23rd September @ Cook Book Shop, Edinburgh I’ll be in conversation with Peter Gilchrist about the Folk Puddings of Ireland & Scotland! Last tickets remaining, so grab yours today. Expect chats, tastings & perfectly paired sips! Tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/1196817818...

PUBLICATION DAY for my new book: Blood, Guts & Black Pudding - Ireland’s Dying Art of Blood as Food charts the history of Ireland’s blood pudding traditions & customs from 1st century to present day! Out now with worldwide shipping @9beanrowsbooks.bsky.social ninebeanrowsbooks.com/products/blo...

CORK FARMERS LEADING A FOOD REVOLUTION www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... Earlier this year, Peter Twomey of glenbrookfarmcork near Glanmire, called and said he and Brian Murray, of The Glass Curtain, had gone halves on a cow, and was I interested in following the farm-to-fork journey?

Cork farmers, a butcher, and a chef leading a revolution on food

KATE RYAN finds out about a novel project between a Cork pig farmer, a chef, a dairy farmer, and a butcher to produce local and sustainable ex-dairy ...

echolive.ie

“It’s important that we protect the space” New evening initiative at Cork's Quay Co-Op www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... A new chapter began at Cork’s Quay Co-Op when My Goodness took over the café at the iconic space. A new night-time initiative has been launched there to support it into the future.

‘It’s important that we protect the space’: New evening initiative at Cork's Quay Co-Op

A new chapter began at Cork’s Quay Co-Op when My Goodness took over the café at the iconic space. Now, a new night-time initiative has been launched ...

echolive.ie

CORK’S ANSWER TO AÇAI - The Purple Superberry Being Grown in Cork… www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... While açai has exploded in popularity in recent years, aronia berries, grown right here in Cork, could prove an even more nutritious alternative…

Cork's answer to açaí...the purple superfood being grown on our doorstep

While açai has exploded in popularity in recent years, aronia berries, grown right here in Cork, could prove an even more nutritious alternative, ...

echolive.ie

PECKISH TIMES - THE HAGGART #3 Gardening With Vibes “Where did you learn to garden?” a friend asked one day as we wandered around The Haggart which was threatening to unleash all the beauty of May. “Well,” I began… theflavourfiles.substack.com/p/the-haggar...

The Haggart #3 - Gardening with Vibes

Optimism and blind hope are part of the planting plan - honest...

theflavourfiles.substack.com

WOW! BITES : HANNA’S BEES 🐝 www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-418... May’s WoW! Bites features the very lovely Hanna's Bees who invited me to visit her home and garden from where she runs one fabulous cottage industry all powered by bees…

WoW Bites: 'I loved my old business, but I love bees more – and I get peaches'

In this month’s WOW BITES, KATE RYAN meets Cork beekeeper, Hanna Bäckmo and hears about her move from wedding dressmaking to beekeeping and her plans ...

echolive.ie

SCÁLAÍ - BRINGING A TASTE OF VENEZUELA TO CORK www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... Cousins Rodrigo De Almeida & Paulo Ferreira are 2nd gen Portuguese, born + raised in Venezuela with Cork their home for 8 years. They have joined forces + opened Scálaí - the newest “plaice” to get your fried fish fix!

'We're bringing a taste of Venezuela to Cork': Meet the chefs behind Scálaí

A new food outlet at Cork’s Black Market is making waves. KATE RYAN hears about the unique story and inspiration behind Scálaí.

echolive.ie

THE FLAVOUR FILES - #3 theflavourfiles.substack.com/p/the-flavou... The April edition of The Flavour Files - a monthly roundup of really good things - is now live on Substack! All this plus a super tasty recipe that’s small of effort and big on flavours. Check it out!

The Flavour Files #3

A monthly round up of really good things - April 2026

theflavourfiles.substack.com

WORTH THEIR SALT : CORK’S SEA SALT MAKERS… www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... Making sea salt in Ireland is no easy task, but in the last decade a number of producers have emerged here. I take a look at three Cork businesses crafting salt from the briny waters off our coast.

Cork’s salt makers: ‘It’s as local and as fresh as you can get’

Making sea salt in Ireland is no easy task, but in the last decade a number of producers have emerged here. KATE RYAN takes a look at three Cork ...

echolive.ie

THE HAGGART: PLANT A SEED I’m thinking a lot about seeds these days. It’s the time of year, of course. Seed planting is at its peak March to May and there is no speedy way to plant them. It’s the beginning of a cycle of life; a fascinating one at that. theflavourfiles.substack.com/p/the-haggar...

The Haggart #2 - Plant a Seed

Optimism and hope in tiny specks of life...

theflavourfiles.substack.com

INSIDE THE STUDENT-LED FOOD HUB AT UCC… www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... Cian Walsh & Sumaya Mohammed are the founders of UCC’s Students Union Food Pantry - a student-led service that redistributes 700kg of food waste a week to their fellow students in partnership with FoodCloud.

Inside the student-led food hub at UCC  redistributing more than 700kg of food each week

KATE RYAN pays a visit to a student-led food pantry at UCC and meets some of those involved in the initiative to find out more about how it works.

echolive.ie

MEET THE “FISH-FLUENCERS”… www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... It wasn’t so long ago that fish was something to be endured. Now, it seems Irish fish and seafood is having a renaissance, so I asked four of Ireland’s best “Fish-Fluencers” to spill the tea on how they’re making seafood, well, sexy again!

Meet the fish-fluencers changing our plates

It wasn’t so long ago that fish was something to be endured. Now, it seems Irish fish and seafood is having a renaissance, writes KATE RYAN.

echolive.ie

This was a very nice surprise! I’ve been nominated in the Hi Style Villa Maria Women of Vision Awards 2026 in the Media & Communications Maven category 🙌

“Writing a novel is a terrible experience, during which the hair often falls out and the teeth decay. I'm always irritated by people who imply that writing fiction is an escape from reality. It is a plunge into reality and it's very shocking to the system.” ― Flannery O'Connor

WOW! BITES: ANNA’S DARLING DINNERS www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-418... Having spent years honing skills in hospitality & kitchens working @ Le Cordon Bleu, Adare Manor & Goldie, Cork chef Anna Darling Hevers embarks on a new venture, Anna Darling Dining, bringing luxury of restaurant dining to homes.

WoW Bites: Cork's Anna hoping to bring luxury of restaurant dining into people's homes

Having spent years honing her skills in hospitality and in the kitchen, working at Le Cordon Bleu, Adare Manor, and Goldie, Cork woman Anna Darling ...

echolive.ie

ICE CREAM OF THE CROP... Meet Aidan & Meg, the siblings turning their farm fresh milk into delicious Ryan’s Farm Ice Cream. A story of personal resilience and the bonds of family that's as inspiring as their ice cream is dreamy, creamy and perfect anytime! www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar...

‘We spotted a gap in the market..and went for it’: Cork siblings making ice-cream on their home farm

Ryan’s Farm Ice Cream is the passion project of Cork siblings Aidan and Megan. KATE RYAN finds out more about the venture and the family’s plans for ...

echolive.ie

“Here I am again. Another spring, which means oscillating between cup-overfloweth feelings of joy at the prospect of planting seeds & periods of intense scrutiny hoping to witness fabled green shoots. All of which requires a lot of time staring at mud…” theflavourfiles.substack.com/p/the-haggar...

The Haggart #1 - Staring at Mud

In which the author anxiously inspects patches of soil for signs of life, and stumbles across community.

theflavourfiles.substack.com

CORK’S REAL CHOCOLATE MAKERS… 🍫 www.echolive.ie/corklives/ar... With consumers increasingly curious about what is in their chocolate, I talk to three chocolate makers in Cork to find out about their work and what customers on the ground are really looking for…

'I see more interest in learning about real chocolate': Meet Cork’s chocolate makers

With consumers increasingly curious about what is in their chocolate, KATE RYAN meets three chocolate makers in Cork to find out about their work and ...

echolive.ie

DGS 2026 Delighted to have a paper selected for this year’s Dublin Gastronomy Symposium on 26-27 May at TU Dublin on the theme of Food in Crisis or Hope. Organisers have developed a brilliant programme for 2 days; tix for the event @ TU Grangegorman Campus available now. arrow.tudublin.ie/dgs/

FIBREMAXXING - Worth the hype? I asked Dr Jens Walter, Prof of Microbiome Science @ APC Microbiome Ireland based in UCC, about his research into health benefits of fibre published in 2025. Is Fibremaxxing based on fact or if it's just another food-based wellness fad? www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-418...

Fibremaxxing... Just another trend, or does it have benefits?

With the concept of ‘fibremaxxing’ trending, KATE RYAN finds out more about the concept, and chats to Dr Jens Walter about whether it could be ...

echolive.ie

WOW! BITES: FINDING COMMUNITY THROUGH FOOD www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-418... March WoW! Bites features the uplifting story of Steph Ayers of Gather Community Grocery who, through perseverance in trying to find a place to fit, found the perfect community in West Cork’s food people & places.

WoW Bites: Cork woman's novel venture to make good food more accessible

In this month’s WOW Bites, KATE RYAN heads to Ballinspittle to meet ‘accidental’ grocer Steph Ayres and finds out about her novel Gather venture.

echolive.ie

LAUNCHING SOON… Stay tuned! 🤫 #flavour #westcork #teaser #maketimedontfindit

It's the Leeds Symposium of Food History & Traditions' big 4-0. It's on Friday 24 April & the topic is 'Food and War'. There are some great speakers inc BFHP podcast alumni @alessandrapino.bsky.social & Marc Meltonville. REMEMBER, IT'S IN YORK! Book here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/food-and-w...

Food and War (40th Leeds Symposium on Food History & Traditions)

A 1-day conference on food and war in Britain, including the challenges of feeding armies and the wider impact of warfare on British food.

eventbrite.co.uk

WOW! BITES… SEXY BEANS! www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-417... Cork’s Bean Queen, Ali Honour (@honouryourfood ) is on a mission to change how we think about beans by turning them into the sexiest things you can eat!

WoW Bites: Meet the Cork woman who wants to make beans sexy

Cork woman Ali Honour is on a mission to change how we think about beans. She’s just published a new pulse-powered cookbook, Bean, filled with ...

echolive.ie

WOW! BITES: A CORK COFFEE REVOLUTION www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-417... The very first WoW! Bites of 2026 kicked off with an inspiring message from Ancient Greece and the time of Alexander The Great and given a 21st Century twist courtesy of a coffee revolution happening right here in Cork!

WoW Bites: Cork sustainable coffee company making waves

In this month’s WOW Bites!, KATE RYAN chats to Sofia Kalfa from Fzin Coffee about her pivot into the industry and her ambition to change how we use ...

echolive.ie

Lovely to see this pop up again after a special celebrating the mad world of publishing with Network Cork last night! 🙌

Writing.ie Online Writing Magazine@handle.invalid · 9mo ago

'It’s a rare thing for someone deciding on a career in food writing on leaving college, so, whether your 21 or 65 the good news is: it’s never too late!' Getting into Food Writing by Kate Ryan Read: www.writing.ie/resources/ge... @flavour-ie.bsky.social

NEW YEARS EVE PARTY PLANS? www.echolive.ie/wow/arid-417... Mixologists + chefs from Cork’s 5 Market Lane Group restaurants share their favourite cocktail recipes and the best accompaniments to eat with them so you can be cocktail savvy and party ready for ringing in the New Year!

NYE party plans? Cork mixologists share their favourite cocktail recipes

KATE RYAN asks mixologists at the Market Lane restaurants in Cork to share their favourite cocktail recipes, while their chefs have tips on the best ...

echolive.ie