After four wonderful years of episodes, we at Spice Bags are bowing out. While we do announce this with a heavy heart, we – Blanca, Dee, and Mei – wish to end on a high after publishing our very own cookbook Blasta Books 5: Soup, and at a moment when we are still passionate about the issues Spice Bags has uncovered, and the individuals we have befriended. In this final episode, we recount our journey from its foundation to our many varied episodes over the years, and to our many adventures and achievements including winning Best Food Podcast 2021 from the Irish Food Writing Awards. Lastly, we’d like to take this opportunity to give special thanks to the HeadStuff Podcast Network. HeadStuff took a gamble on three unseasoned women in the podcast world. They hatched us! Over the years, the team nurtured and gave us the confidence and tools to craft ourselves into what we are today. A special shout out to Conor, Paddy, Gearóid, Claudia and Amy, who would always find time to sit down to edit and brainstorm, come up with PR strategies, and take us through the nuts & bolts of podcast tech. Thank you, HeadStuff for letting us into your family. It’s been a privilege. Continue to follow our blog: www.spicebags.ie To buy our Blasta Book: Soup: www.blastabooks.com For more about Headstuff: www.headstuffpodcasts.com *Correction: We misidentify Julien in an episode “In Conversation with Angel and Julien of Miso Sligo Isakaya” as “Thibault.” His first name is Julien. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Dee and Mei have bonded about their passion about fast food over the years, it was a surprise that our elegant Blanca nurses a passion for White Castle and corn dogs.   What is fast food? Is it simply chains like McDonalds, Super Macs, and Burger King? Or does fast food also encompass street food stalls, where generations of families have perfected one dish, which – as it is in McDonalds – is made for the customer in minutes. Perhaps tapas in Spain can be also considered a fast food.   We chat about how the Italians brought the chipper to Ireland.  We remember how fast food can be a cozy, sit-down family treat. We discuss how fast food was important to feminism, for it freed women from the stove. Also we talk about how foodies, when traveling, head to McDonalds as it gives them a sense of the place. (McChevre or McAlloo, anyone?) Listen to us dish about youtiao and churros, fried pineapple and pastries in Kathmandu, and chain restaurants like 100 Montaditos in Spain and Bembos in Peru, the former which may be making its way to Irish shores.   Fast food is not just global corporations and grease. For many of us, it is a place from which our fondest memories are hatched.    Mentioned in this episode: https://www.bembos.com.pe/ https://us.100montaditos.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nigeria is a complex place, in terms of food, history, geography, and its three hundred plus ethnicities. Edizemi Onilenla, or Emi, founder of the culinary brand Mama Shee, grew up in Nigeria. Victory Nwabu-Ekeoma, founder of Bia! Zine is from Dundalk. Emi is Yoruba, and Victory is Igbo. Emi says, ‘every tribe has its own vegetable.’ Emi came to Ireland as a social worker and then started cooking the food of her home, which she started in the Dublin markets and is now widely recognised and carried by shops like SuperValu. We are honoured to have her soup, Efo Riro, in our Soup cookbook, recently published by Blasta Books. Victory is a writer and photographer, who became curious about her origins and, from there, delved into other immigration stories in her publication Bia! Zine. They talk about ingredients like peppers, palm oil, leafy greens, and crayfish powder. Where do they shop? Why do they love their food to be blazing hot? With Dee and Blanca, Emi and Victory discuss the two-Michelin starred Ikoyi restaurant in London and the future of Nigerian cuisine in Ireland. Plus, there is a guy called Tony. With his produce and his van, he has made both of these wonderful women feel at home. Mentioned in this episode: www.mamashee.com www.biazine.com www.ikoyilondon.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist Ali Dunworth and Blanca talk about their recent trip to the Asturias region in Spain, where they were pampered with cider, veal, cheese, and conservas. Oviedo, the capital, is on the Camino Norte, the famous pilgrim walk that winds its way through the north of Spain. Listen to them as they chat about cider, which ranges from a champagne-like fizz to an uncarbonated brew that is pungent with apples, and which is often poured by handsome men with beards. They visit a factory for conservas (tinned fish and seafood) in Gijon, which are prepared by hand by women. They also do a tasting with Asturias’s most famous cheesemonger Aitor Vega which is done geographically and presents a great variety for a small region of Spain. Ali and Blanca also discuss how this part of Spain reminds them of the West of Ireland with its rugged coast and green pastures. They talk about the exquisite cheeses, egg yolk pastries in Oviedo, rice puddings, Cachopos (veal cutlets with ham and cheese) and fabada. However there is no butter; you have olive oil instead. Even without butter, the allure of this lush land is clear. Mentioned in this episode: Meauldflower.com Asturex.org Icex.es Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk to American-born editor, writer, and publisher, Kristin Jensen, who has had quite the year. Founder of Blasta Books and Nine Bean Rows Books, as well as the long-form magazine Scoop magazine (helmed by our own Dee Laffan), Kristin has been shaking things up on the Irish food scene. Her first endeavour, Tacos, written by our friend and guest Lily Ramirez, attracted international attention. She’s published our mate and guest Kwanghi Chan’s book, Wok. Her Nine Bean Rows book, And For The Mains, written by Gaz Smith and Rick Higgins, won a much-coveted IACP award. She’s also the publisher for our book, Soup! Kristin tells us about her motivation for giving a voice and a platform for people who were unheard; what makes an elegant recipe; what comprises a gorgeous cookbook; and why her books should be accessible to everyone. How does a graceful, well-mannered girl from Illinois start an Irish food writing revolution? Tune in to find out. Related Links blastabooks.com ninebeanrowsbooks.com scoopfoodmag.com To order your copy of our cookbook SOUP, click here: https://blastabooks.com/products/blasta-books-5-soup Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcoming Lunar New Year the K-Way with Gunmoo Kim & Soonie Delap   South Korea is a country that is a pioneer of pop music, cinema, television, fashion, and cuisine. In this episode, we talk to Gunmoo Kim and Soonie Delap as they reminisce about the Korean Lunar New Year.   Our guests are from different generations and backgrounds. Gunmoo came to Ireland in 2010, founded Jaru, a food enterprise that meshes modern Korean cooking with Irish produce, and is opening his first restaurant, Space Jaru on Meath Street. Soonie, a retired social worker, arrived with her Irish husband in the 1980s, and has been for decades at the forefront of promoting Korean culture. She is now the principal of the Korean language Hangeul School in Dublin.   Gunmoo is from Daijeon, a modern, science-forward industrial city. Soonie is from Gyeongju, which was Korean’s capital until the 10th century, and remains steeped in history as a mecca of Confucian practice.   Expect conversation about New Year ancestor worship and why red (a lucky New Year color for many countries) is eschewed in Korean culture. What is Confucianism and its role in Korean Lunar New Year rituals? What is the rice-cake dduk and its significance? Why do some Koreans have pizza on the ancestral table?   Also listen to Spice Bags co-host Mei, who is the 2023 cultural ambassador for Dublin Lunar New Year, chat about Zodiac signs and her favourite Lunar New Year events, which encapsulate both historically erudite and youthfully cool.   새해 복 많이 받으세요! Saehae bok mani badeuseyo!   Mentioned in this episode:   Dublin Lunar New Year and events www.dublinlunarnewyear.ie   About Gunmoo Kim www.jaru.ie https://www.koreadailyus.com/30-year-old-entrepreneur-brings-the-taste-of-kimchi-to-dublin/   About Soonie Delap and the Hangeul School www.hsdublin.org https://www.independent.ie/life/how-a-house-build-ended-up-unearthing-five-12th-century-bodies-36857404.html   https://www.independent.ie/life/food-drink/a-flavour-of-lunar-new-year-in-every-sichuan-household-there-will-be-a-whole-steamed-fish-40047417.html   Nation of Broth https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21443848/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our Spice Bags Christmas Special Episode, we celebrate with Marcus O’Laoire, DJ, chef and owner of D8 pubs Anti-Social and Jackie’s, and Chris Mellon of Blackberry Café and creator of Dublin Social.  Marcus and Chris are also the co-hosts of the award-winning HeadStuff podcast That’s Bangin’, which makes them friends, colleagues, and occasional rivals! We are all from different cultures and upbringings, so it was joyful to reminisce about Christmases past and the Christmases to come. Marcus, who is half French, recollects some of his Christmases with oysters and foie gras. Blanca muses about small seafood bites, and her mother getting a live turkey to make her famous turkey truffle terrine. Chris waxes about how to do a perfect ham. Dee talks about doing a half-Brazilian, half-Irish Christmas dinner this year. Mei remembers that her family Christmas dish was cassoulet, which her family fell in love with in Carcassonne. Other mentions: turkey, stuffing, spiced beef, mulled wine, mince pies and Christmas sandwiches + traditions, going abroad for the festivities and a very strange Fairytale in New York courtesy of Tinder!  Tune in! We all had a very merry time!   Chris Mellon Instagram and Twitter @themagiccat Marcus O’Laoire Instagram and Twitter @marcusolaoire That’s Bangin’ https://headstuffpodcasts.com/show/thats-bangin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shamzuri (Sham) Hanifa, is a beloved denizen of the Irish food scene. Based in Leitrim, he is the award-winning chef and owner of the Cottage Restaurant, Buffalo Boy, and Chef Sham Sauces. His new restaurant, My Kitchen, will also feature cooking classes. Vikkineshwaran (Vik) Siva Subramaniam is a medical doctor and surgeon whose South Indian father founded Babas, the leading spice and curry mix brand in Malaysia. Our two guests wax and unpack about their country, Malaysia, which is a scrumptious, multi-ethnic melting pot of people truly passionate about its food. Sham and Vik talk about hawker street stalls, Nasi Lemak, Rendang, roti, Kuey Teow soup, coconut, tamarind, sambal, and that polarizing fruit, the spiky, somewhat pungent Durian! They mention the Malay love of strong coffee. Plus recent Ireland arrival and chocolate sommelier Shobitha Ramadasan chips in about Malaysian cacao. In Malaysia, Vik declares, “All meals are important meals.”  We adored taking a bite out of Malaysia with Sham and Vik, and hope you will too.   Mentioned in this episode Babas: https://www.babas.com.my/ (available at Asia Market in Dublin) Cottage Restaurant: http://cottagerestaurant.ie/ My Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/SynergyCafe Chef Sham Sauces: http://chefshamsauces.com/ Buffalo Boy: https://www.buffaloboy.ie/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cake is more decadent than brioche or stollen, in that it is leavened with eggs, enriched with butter, and sweetened with sugar. To quote Nicola Humble, author of Cakes, A Global History: “Cakes are very strange things, producing a range of emotional responses far out of keeping with their culinary significance.” The idea of cake opens many questions. Did the ancient Romans, who nibbled on honey flatbreads, have “cake”? Can a cake be a tart, a pastelito, or a bun? Do you buy a cake in a bakery, make it from a box, or compose it from scratch? Why do the Spanish avoid fruit in their cakes? What is a perfect Brazilian, Irish, or Chinese cake? How do you make cake when you do not have access to an oven? When do you eat cake; is it for dessert or is it something you nibble throughout the day? Do you eat cake with savoury things, like in dim sum and afternoon tea? In this episode, we try to explore all of the above and talk about favourite recipes, our best bakers and cookbooks, our personal baking failures, and why only to trust a cake recipe from someone who is middle-aged. Mentioned in this episode: Nicola Humble, Cake, A Global History www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/7631625-cake Euzana Foran: Bola de Fubá www.spicebags.ie/post/bolo-de-fub%C3%A1-brazilian-cornmeal-cake Graham Herterich, Bake   www.ninebeanrowsbooks.com/products/bake thecupcakebloke.com/ Honey Bun www.honeybun.ie Aran Bakery: www.arankilkenny.ie Theodora Fitzgibbon: Gur Cake www.facebook.com/donalskehan/photos/a.184230568281714/686215414749891/?type=3 Maida Heatter and Book of Great Desserts www.amazon.com/Maida-Heatters-Book-Great-Desserts/dp/0836278615 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blanca, Dee and Mei recorded this special live episode in Kells Courthouse, Tourism and Cultural Hub at Samhain Festival 2022 – Celebrating 5,000 years of Food and Culture.  Samhain is such a special time of year and the ladies were delighted to be invited to be a part of the festival in County Meath celebrating it and highlighting incredible Boyne Valley food and drink. They kicked off this episode by delving into the traditional foods and feasting associated with this Gaelic festival that marks the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker half of the year. And speaking of darker, they also explored other festivals connected to this time of year when the veil between the spirit world and ours is at its thinnest... Halloween, Dias Los Muertos in Mexico and Día de Todos Los Santos in Spain.  The stars of this episode however are Allen and Lorena Krause, the couple who have beautifully restored Killua Castle in Clonmellon, County Westmeath. Allen was born in Mexico of Austrian and Spanish ancestry and Lorena is also from Mexico. They have spent 21 years renovating the castle and land where they now use regenerative agriculture and have red deer, Irish moiled cattle, old Irish goats, Jacob sheep, Kerry Bog ponies, geese, ducks and hens. Plus they are in the final stages of their own restaurant on-site, which they hope to open soon.  Their story is fascinating and unfolded in the most charming way with our Spice Bags hosts before a live audience at Samhain. Tune in to hear it for yourselves!   https://boynevalleyflavours.ie/collections/boyne-valley-shop https://killuacastle.com/ With special thanks to Samhain Festival and Boyne Valley Flavours for including us as part of this year's line up.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hui-Wen Angel Cheng and Julien Thibault, owners of the award-winning Miso Izakaya Sligo restaurant, are not a conventional Irish culinary couple. Angel is a 23nd generation Hakka from Taiwan with a biomedical doctorate; Julien is a butter-loving chemist from France. They met and fell in love in Ireland; even while they pursued their day jobs in this country, their passion for eating endured. Tune in to get a glimpse of the different elements that comprise Taiwan’s food and culture, and what it means to be the minority Hakka (guest people). Listen for Taiwan street food tips, how one tweaks a san pei chi (three cup chicken) to perfection, and what is the most excellent fish to cook when you are courting. Plus hear insights into being an international foodies in rural Cavan. Where do Angel and Julien shop? (A favourite Spice Bags topic.) Where do they eat? Besides running Miso Izakaya, Angel and Julien are active members of Cavan 4C (Cavan Cross Cultural Community), which unites the international-Irish people in their area with festivities and – you guessed it -- food. **** Mentioned in this episode: www.misosligo.ie  www.facebook.com/mimikoshopireland/ Cavan 4C Cross Cultural Community  For more about Taiwan and its history, we recommend Murray A. Rubenstein’s Taiwan: A New History.    Getting to Know SpiceBags Our podcast episodes come in three delectable flavours: Deep dives – comprehensive explorations into a country’s cuisine. Staple chats – where we dish about a topic amongst ourselves. Interviews – with individuals who have been impactful on the international Irish scene.  Pick a flavour, we hope you like more than one!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first episode of our new season we delve into one of our favourite topics: shopping!  In the shopping trolley: What are our number one food shops both nationally and internationally? What shops did we grow up with? What do snobby French people think of Eataly? Why the shopping trolley is essential? What is the special night time ingredient men can get at Pinoy Pinoy Sari? While Mei as a child was fascinated with the deli counter and the immensity of American supermarkets, Blanca spent her childhood between the sterile supermarkets and lush food markets of Central America and Dee grew up in Tipperary with a freezer full of meat and doing shopping at Bernie's her local supermarket.  This episode is the perfect complement to our very successful shopping guides that cover Korea, China, Spain, Venezuela, ramen, Turkey, Egypt and fun grocery shopping and which are available on our website. Our cookbook Soup published by Blasta Books will be published on January 26, 2023 and you can pre-order here.                                                       **************** Mentioned in this episode: Verafoods Ayla Turkish Shop Costless (Tallaght) Pinoy Sari Sari Dasco Deli The English Market in Cork Bernie's Eataly Cavistons Getting to Know SpiceBags Our podcast episodes come in three delectable flavours: Deep dives – comprehensive explorations into a country’s cuisine. Staple chats – where we dish about a topic amongst ourselves. Interviews – with individuals who have been impactful on the international Irish scene.  Pick a flavour, we hope you like more than one!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sally Barnes, the only exclusive smoker of wild salmon in Ireland and a legend in the artisanal food world, was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Irish Food Writers’ Guild. Born in Scotland, Sally washed up on the shores of West Cork with a fisherman husband. With a kiln that she procured from a man with a drinking debt, the young woman made sea-smoking history.  In our chat, Sally talks to us about her passion for the ocean and her concerns for its future. She delves into her experience as a Scottish woman in West Cork in the 1970s, and how she refined the process of her smoked fish, which is still made by hand and continues to be one of the most luxurious products in Ireland today. As a master of her craft, Sally has also begun to do fish-smoking workshops, transmitting her broad knowledge in her smokery, outside of Skibbereen, West Cork.  Dee and Mei were privileged to take a plunge with Sally Barnes, fishwife (her term, not ours!) and fish-whisperer, and understand her love for smoke, salt, salmon, and the sea.  For Sally’s fish and for more information about her fish smoking workshops: www.woodcocksmokery.ie Special thanks to  the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery, West Cork where this episode was recorded. www.celticrosshotel.com Correction 8/04/2022: We originally said Sally was the last wild salmon smoker in Ireland. That was factually incorrect, there are several other smokers of wild salmon. She is the only smoker who exclusively smokes wild fish and does not use farmed or organic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Part 2 of our St. Patrick's special minisode and in celebration of the Celtic Ross Hotel's 25th birthday, we talk to two of the hotel’s local producers – Jeffa Gill of Durrus Cheese and Caroline Murphy of West Cork Eggs. Both multi-award winning women were born in England. They also belong to two distinct generations of producers, and hence have different stories to tell. Legendary cheesemaker Jeffa Gill of Durrus made her first cheese in 1979, and together with Veronica Steele of Milleens, engendered the modern Irish farmhouse cheese movement. The semi-soft Durrus cheese is renowned all over the country for its pinkish-mottled rind and grassy, buttery flavour. Self-dubbed “City Chic turned Country Chick” Caroline was born in London to Irish parents, and although she spent many childhood holidays in West Cork, she never thought she would end up there. Nevertheless, in 2009 (thirty years after Jeffa made her first cheese) she found herself husbanding her first flock of hens, which would eventually produce the West Cork eggs that are so coveted today. Join us as we talk eggs and cheese, community, cottage farming, and most importantly, why women have been so crucial in shaping the West Cork artisanal food movement. For more about Durrus cheese: https://www.durruscheese.com/ For more about West Cork eggs: https://www.neighbourfood.ie/producers/west-cork-eggs/8844 For more about the Celtic Ross Hotel: https://www.celticrosshotel.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We were honoured to be invited to the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery to record as part of their celebration of their 25th birthday! Like many ventures in West Cork, the hotel is a family-owned business. Operated by the Wycherley family for over two decades, its welcome is cozy and warm and with ease, you’re made to feel at home.  West Cork is widely recognised in Ireland as the cradle of modern Irish artisan food. However, it is also one of the most international spots in Ireland, having attracted people from abroad since the 1950s which has informed its culinary culture. For part 1 of our St. Patrick’s Special, we were delighted to talk to Scotsman Neil Grant, general manager of the Celtic Ross, about his childhood in Dundee and what brought him here. Plus Chef Laurentiu Samoila (known as Chef Lawrence) regales us of early days in Romania, and his time spent in France, Italy, and the UK before he, like so many others before him, succumbed to the West Cork allure.  Expect chat about pig nose-to-tail, Abernathy smokies, and gorgeous local sardines. For more about the Celtic Ross Hotel -https://www.celticrosshotel.com/     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aziz Krouch has been a chef in La Mamounia in Marrakesh (recently featured in Netflix's show Inventing Anna), La Medina in New York, and now he is the head chef of Marrakesh By Mindo on Capel Street in Dublin. As a child, he harvested cumin and made warqa pastry with his grandmother in the Atlas mountains. He has worked in Paris and has a pash for boeuf bourguignon.  From shopping in souks, tagines, and bisteeya, to almond ghriba and honey chebakia pastries at Ramadan, Aziz takes us through a tour of his rich and storied life and his understanding of Moroccan food. Why are certain fruits paired with certain meats? Why is the number 7 considered lucky in Morocco and how does that figure into the seven spices of ras el-hanout and the vegetables of couscous? How do dishes differ if they are from Tangier, Fez, or Casablanca? We chat about chefs like Spanish-born Najat Kaanache and Moha Fedal, who are reviving the best way to cook Moroccan, which is long and slow.  Also, we talk about tea, a staple in Morocco, and which, according to Aziz, just like Moroccan food, requires patience. Mentioned in this episode: Marrakesh by Mindo https://www.marrakesh.ie/ La Mamounia https://mamounia.com/en/ Chebakia pastry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chebakia Najat Kannache https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Najat_Kaanache Moha Fedal: https://darmoha.ma/index.php/en/chef-moha.html  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this mini-episode, Mei quizzes Blanca on one of her favourite topics – Kitchens in Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar's movies. From the tenebrous kitchen in What Have I Done to Deserve This? to the airy 90s kitchen in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, some of the most famous kitchens of the Almodóvar universe are discussed. Plus Mei and Blanca discuss foods like flan and gazpacho that are quintessential to understanding Almodóvar himself, Spanish society and being a woman. Almodovar has just released the movie Parallel Mothers with Penélope Cruz, one in which the kitchen tells us about the lives of the characters and his first openly political movie about the consequences of the Spanish Civil War. Furthermore, Almodóvar recently edited the Director’s issue for W magazine in which Penélope Cruz, his longtime muse, is featured as an aspiring actress in a casting of the opera Carmen. See a young Pedro in Spain’s most iconic cooking show Con las Manos en la Masa Movies and shorts mentioned: What Have I Done to Deserve This? Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Pain and Glory The Cannibalistic Councillor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a trip down memory lane! As children, Blanca, Dee, and Mei inhaled the glossy pages of food magazines and the promises of far-flung worlds from the recipes and the stories that they contained. As a result, the three of us have written, fact-checked, test-kitchened, and been editors for magazines throughout our adult lives. Magazines are dear to us. In this episode, we talk about long-form food journalism, gourmand elitism, and pretty food-styled pictures. We discuss how in Ireland, food publishing gave voice to female writers, some of whom were salty. We chat about test kitchens, about the future of food magazines and whether a tradition of “tested recipes” is financially viable on the publishing market today. Gourmet, The Gourmand, Olive, Australian Women’s Weekly – we name-drop them all. Plus we sneak in a reference to our old host Julia Langbein, and the social media account ‘70s Dinner Party’ that has brought Dee and Mei much joy and laughter. We mentioned too many publications to list here, but should you have a question, please contact us at hello@spicebags.ie. In this episode: For food magazines: Ireland local libraries libby app 70s Dinner Party: Twitter and Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We celebrated the first day of Lunar New Year, on February 1st, in a very special way this year by recording this mini-episode of Spice Bags in the Guinness Storehouse! We are delighted to have been invited to record in the Guinness Storehouse as part of their celebrations for the Dublin Lunar New Year Festival. Guinness has exported its dark, iconic brew to East Asia starting from the early 19th century, and so we were honoured to be in their beautiful Connoisseur bar discussing New Year holiday food, traditions, and, of course, Guinness.  Joining us is executive chef of the Guinness Storehouse, John Bueno, whose Lunar New Year dish in 1837 restaurant of Black Pepper and Guinness Short Rib of Beef is in collaboration with Terry Yang of Stoneybatter’s Hakkahan. What Asian foods pair well with Guinness? What's his craziest Guinness food venture? Bueno is from the Philippines, home of the world's oldest Chinatown, so he also shares some Filipino Lunar New Year memories.  Next, Taiwan-born Yvonne Kennedy and Korean-born Carol Cherico give us a tantalizing glimpse into their traditions and how they celebrate the New Year in Ireland. Moreover, Yvonne and Carol have lived in a number of places (including California, Connecticut, Beijing, Seoul) so their memories and knowledge offer a broad scope.  Tune in to hear about red versus white envelopes, Filipino mooncakes, hot pot, rice cakes, and yes, most importantly, Lunar New Year drinking etiquette!    A big thank you to the Guinness Storehouse for including us in their Lunar New Year celebrations.  LINKS For more about Lunar New Year at Guinness Storehouse For more about the Dublin Lunar New Year Festival Hakkahan Dublin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're back after our mid-season break with a jam-packed episode, which we're delighted to say is sponsored by the Dublin Lunar New Year festival, whose lineup (from 26 January – 6 February) of food, art, music, and lectures pays tribute to the different cultures that celebrate this holiday here in Ireland.  Chúc mừng năm moi, Saehae bok mani badeuseyo and Gongxi facai! To mark the Lunar New Year starting on February 1, Mei, Blanca and Dee discuss New Year foods from Singaporean fish toss to Korean ddok (rice cakes) and the role that phonetic puns play in Chinese New Year foods. New Year fashion tips are shared (you don't want to wear the wrong thing and bring bad luck!) and we touch on what is many people’s favourite New Year tradition: cash in fancy red envelopes. Next, Blanca and Dee are joined by @foodstagram.ie duo Irah Mari & Lou Jurelle (Jelly) who are two of Ireland's rising stars of Instagram and TikTok. Born in Dubai and Singapore, these two Filipino/Irish girls’ Toonsbridge cannoli TikTok video took the city by storm – if you haven't seen it, check it out! These culinary influencers are known for their charm, winsome photos and videos, and real knowledge about restaurants and recipes, with a spotlight on Asian and international flavours. Spice Bags chat with them about the room that is the soul of many homes around the world (but not all!) – the kitchen. This room can be a mirror into a person’s heritage, character, habits, but more importantly, if they have loads of money, their taste. Tune in to find out what we think about all types of kitchens from pretentious to one-pot ones. Also, discover what Irah calls “dirty” kitchens, what Blanca really thinks about Agas and Dee's keen interest in the use of movie kitchens as murder scenes.  Follow Foodstagram.ie on: https://www.instagram.com/foodstagram.ie/ https://www.tiktok.com/@foodstagram.ie For information about Dublin Lunar New Year: https://www.dublinlunarnewyear.ie/ For details & to book tickets for our Sunday, Feb 6 Spice Bags Dublin Lunar New Year event: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/239577251007 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices