Editor’s letter
An origin story all kids should read
Usually, in the lead-up to February 14, you’ll find a plethora of articles written about why Valentine’s Day is just an empty marketing construct that’s only designed to part us from our pay packets, paying no heed to the hurt caused to the lonely, bereaved and brokenhearted along the way. I’ve read countless pieces like this over the years — indeed, I’ve written a few.
This year, however, I find myself coming to the defence of Valentine’s Day. Unlike so many of the other markers in our year that have disappeared in the pandemic and taken our sense of passing time with them, this ‘Hallmark holiday’ can still be celebrated as it always has — by sending a card or cooking dinner for the people you love.
In our locked-down world, ‘tell someone you love them today’ seems less marketing squeeze and more golden opportunity to me. And I’m clearly not the only one with an appetite for love in these dark times; romantic drama Bridgerton is now Netflix’s most popular show ever.
In today’s magazine, we’ve gotten similarly loved up — Rachel Allen is making sweetheart treats, Emily Hourican finds out how to write romance, the couple behind Aimsir restaurant share their real-life love story, and Stefanie Preissner recounts her dating disasters. All SWALK just for you.
Leslie Ann Horgan Editor
The question of where our food comes from has never been more topical yet is one that can be answered by only a small number of people. It comes from a box, or the supermarket, or the takeaway guy.
Lockdown one, as we are now calling it, saw many of us growing our own food for the first time. From a little box of herbs to a bag of potatoes, the beautifully addictive buzz of seeing edible crops come to life in front of your eyes, captured our imaginations and our stomachs.
Irish Food From A-Z, a beautifully illustrated, clever book by Dr Vanessa Woods, a scientist and consumer engagement professional, tells simple stories of where our food comes from through the medium of poetry. A book like this is long overdue and will help close the knowledge gap in a fun, fresh way.
Beautifully illustrated, the science-based book is aimed at four- to 12-year-olds and covers a wide range of topics: nutrients, sustainability, traceability, soil health, grass-fed Irish food, greenhouse gases, biodiversity, the importance of a balanced diet, farm safety and Irish culture.