Join us on the ultimate baking adventure across the island of Ireland. With a storied culinary history, breathtaking scenery, amazing people, and a thriving, ever-growing baking culture, Ireland is irresistible. In our July/August issue, we take you to Ireland for an exciting, in-depth look into the authentic side of Irish baking like you’ve never experienced it before. Over the past few months, we’ve had the pleasure of partnering with Tourism Ireland and Williams Sonoma on an Irish baking adventure to share Ireland’s vibrant culinary story. We decided to call this our Authentic Ireland issue because we uncover what makes the island’s baking distinctly Irish through delicious recipes and inspiring tales of the people and places that define this island. Consider this issue your passport to Ireland. Pre-order your copy of our Authentic Ireland issue today, and join us as we bake our way through the land of a hundred thousand welcomes.
While you’re waiting for your issue to arrive, enjoy exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of the time we spent baking our way through Ireland. You can even trace our steps in the trip travelogue we share below.
You can enter to win a trip to Ireland for you and a guest in a national sweepstakes!
Authentic Ireland Trip Travelogue
Take a look at our baking-filled itinerary from our nine-day trip across the Emerald Isle. From Northern Ireland and the Wild Atlantic Way to Dublin and Ireland’s Ancient East, trace our same steps to discover wonder, beauty, and delicious baked goods at every turn. We’re sharing the incredible bakeries, hotels, cookery schools, and enriching experiences that we know you’ll love just as much as we did.
Day 1:
We started our trip in Northern Ireland’s largest city, Belfast. One night in this wonderful city wasn’t enough!
We discovered the best of Belfast’s food scene on a Belfast Food Tour that included stops into the historic St. George’s Market, gourmet chocolate shop Co Couture, and Northern Ireland’s oldest deli and Irish gourmet food shop Sawer’s Belfast.
We had a unique dining experience at the multi-award-winning hotel and private restaurant Rayanne House. The Titanic was built in Belfast, and Rayanne House has a Titanic Menu that recreates the dinner served to first-class passengers on the ship. Our stay at The Grand Central Hotel Belfast offered the perfect combination of modern grandeur and historic splendor. Grab a cocktail in the rooftop bar for a stunning view of the city.
Day 2:
We rose early and made the quick 30-minute journey from Belfast to the scenic shores of Strangford Lough in County Down to Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen for an Irish bread-baking experience.
We learned to make soda farls, potato farls, and wheaten bread. Get an exclusive inside look at Tracey’s Farmhouse Kitchen in the issue!
Then, it was on to Dublin! From Northern Ireland, we made our way down to Dublin for a tour of the city’s famous landmark the Guinness Storehouse. We learned so much about the historic brewery and world-famous Irish brand and enjoyed a few pints on the rooftop Gravity Bar with a view of Dublin’s skyline. We couldn’t leave without getting a “STOUTie,” a picture-perfect pint of beer featuring your photograph in the foam on top.
If you’re looking to savor Irish culture, stay at The Westin Dublin. Set in the hub of Dublin’s city center, it’s a short walk from high-end shopping and entertainment districts. Beyond the convenient and enviable location, the five-star hotel offers the same impeccable service and luxurious amenities, along with the bonus of warm Irish hospitality and celebration of the island’s culture.
Day 3:
We spent the morning touring the best bakeries of Dublin, all within walking distance of the heart of the city.
Order a copy of the Authentic Ireland issue for the comprehensive list of Dublin’s must-visit bakeries and an inside look at each!
After we got our fill on the most delicious bread and pastries Dublin has to offer, we ventured into the countryside of Ireland’s Ancient East to Powerscourt Hotel in County Wicklow, a mere 30 minutes’ drive from Dublin. The hotel is nestled among 1,000 acres of the scenic and historic Powerscourt Estate, home to several of the Ireland’s must-visit gems, including Powerscourt House & Gardens, one of Ireland’s most beautiful mansions and one of the finest gardens in Europe.
Day 4:
We spent the day touring Powerscourt’s incredible gardens, shopping for authentic Irish wares and artisan goods in Avoca and the Design Loft, and touring the estate’s very own whiskey distillery, Powerscourt Whiskey Distillery in the Powerscourt Estate’s renovated Old Mill House.
Then it was on to County Cork, where we stayed the night at Castlemartyr Resort, a 220-acre countryside estate situated amid the stunning woodlands of East Cork. We enjoyed a slew of exciting, immersive guest experiences, including The Lady Fitzgerald Afternoon Tea and an evening of traditional Irish music and céilí dancing with local musicians, The Castlemartyrs.
Day 5:
Castlemartyr Resort is an ideal place for exploring all that County Cork has to offer, including the internationally renowned, multi-award-winning Ballymaloe Cookery School nearby, which is where we headed at sunrise on Day 5.
We toured the 100-acre organic farm on which the school sits and learned how to make authentic Irish soda bread and scones.
The cookery school and its founder, Irish culinary icon Darina Allen, have shaped generations of Irish chefs and bakers and the island’s culinary culture as we know it today. Darina, who lives on-site, even invited us into her home kitchen for an exclusive baking session, featured in our Authentic Ireland issue.
We spent the afternoon touring the charming Cork City and its historic English Market before heading to the Wild Atlantic Way’s quaint, colorful harbor town of Kinsale, known as Ireland’s “culinary capital,” boasting some of the finest restaurants in the country.
After an adventure-packed day, a delicious meal at the award-winning restaurant Fishy Fishy, located right on the water’s edge, was much-needed, as was a relaxing evening spent at the town’s top accommodation, the Trident Hotel, just a few minutes’ walk from town.
Day 6:
We explored a family-owned Irish dairy farm in the picturesque countryside of West Cork on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. The cows, who graze in pastures that overlook the rugged coastline of the Atlantic Ocean, produce high-quality milk used to make Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur. In the Authentic Ireland issue, learn more about what makes this artisan, award-winning liqueur our favorite, and get delicious recipes to bake with it.
At Clonakilty Distillery, a waterfront whiskey and gin distillery in Clonakilty, we got a full sensory experience, where we saw, felt, and tasted the innerworkings of a distillery creating genuine Irish spirits firsthand.
We continued taking in the beauty of Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way on our journey to Adare Manor. It was a treat staying at this Gothic Revival gem and five-star resort, founded in the 13th century, and taking in the 840 acres of impeccable golf course, formal French gardens, and pristine parklands that surround it. You can’t leave Ireland without enjoying a meal and a pint in a lively Irish pub. Aunty Lena’s, located right outside of the estate, is the perfect spot to grab dinner and listen to live Irish music.
Day 7:
On to Galway! We took in the best of this charming city’s food on a Galway City Food Tour. A few of our favorite stops included Murphy’s Ice Cream, Tartare Café + Wine Bar, and Black Gate Cultural Centre for an Irish coffee and a traditional Irish sean-nós dance performance.
Our next stop was Ireland’s first Forbes five-star hotel, Ashford Castle, located on the shores of Ireland’s second largest lake, Lough Corrib, in the heartland of County Mayo.
We spent the afternoon enjoying all that this Irish oasis had to offer, from a grand afternoon tea in the Connaught Room to a walk through the woods with the Irish wolfhounds who live on the estate.
Day 8:
Kylemore Abbey in Connemara was the grand finale of our trip. We spent the day exploring the restored rooms of the abbey, the neo-Gothic church, and 6½ acres of Victorian Walled Garden in this picturesque attraction on Ireland’s Wild Atlantic Way. We learned from local artisans, including one of the abbey’s Benedictine nuns who makes something incredibly special and sweet. Find out just what that is and see what else Kylemore has to offer in the Authentic Ireland issue!
Day 9:
We spent our final day back in Dublin, exploring the endless amount of Irish culture this city has to offer. We stopped by talented Irish pastry chef Shane Smith’s charming Dublin flat for an intimate tour of his home kitchen, also featured in the issue.
We spent the last night in Clontarf Castle, a medieval castle in the heart of modern suburbia just north of the city. Clontarf is famous for being the site of the Battle of Clontarf, where Viking warriors fought in 1014, and there has been a castle on the site since 1172. Dublin’s bustling city center and the quiet coastline of Dublin Bay and its nature reserves are all only a few minutes away from the hotel.
The Emerald Isle is a baker’s paradise. Order your copy of the Authentic Ireland issue today for an even closer, firsthand look at our trip and to find out just why each of these spots should be a must-visit on your own.
Pre-order your copy of the Authentic Ireland issue today, and enjoy all things Irish baking.
I subscribe the Bake from Scratch and the Irish issue is one of the best I have seen. I have already made 3 of the recipes that have turned out picture perfect. The focus on original Irish cooking was superb and the recommendations for specific Irish foods (and drink) were spot on. I will cherish this issue and use it often.
Thank you to all!
I just bought the Irish issue and I’m ready to bake! One question, is the flour in the recipes Irish flour or American flour ? One recipe calls for self rising flour and I didn’t know if I should use American self-rising flour or create an Irish self-rising flour.
Thanks,
Laura
Hey Laura,
All of these recipes were formulated with an American brands of flour. Please feel free to use the flour you have in your local grocery stores. Happy Baking!
How can I purchase just the authentic Ireland issue.
Hi Kelly!
Thank you so much for reaching out! We are sold out of hard copies, but you can still download the digital version here. Happy baking!