Introducing Bia Beauty, a new Irish handmade natural skin care range.

Cork based Herbal Scientist Tracey Ryan has produced this lovely range using simple, natural food ingredients.

All the ingredients are plant based & there’s no hidden nasty stuff – obviously nothing is tested on animals.

We have an Orange & Grapefruit Facial Exfoliant, an Apple Blossom Body Butter, a Lemon Myrtle Hand Cream, a Mellow Mandarin Moisturiser and A Detox Body Scrub in store now.

Today’s new Irish product range is Cookies of Character.

Small batches are hand made in in the traditional way in Dumanway Co Cork, without artificial colours, preservatives or flavours.

The marriage between Irish ingredients including flours, free range eggs & spring water and fine Belgian chocolate & bourbon vanilla, has us on the way to being addicted already.

We have three flavours in stock, Oat & Raisin, Chocolate Chip & my personal favourite Baci di Dama (ladies kisses). Yum

We’ve just taken delivery of our first batch of Sheridan’s Brown-bread crackers for cheese.

You may have seen these the other night on Nationwide after they won a top award from the Irish Food Writers’ Guild.

They’re Irish through and through. Made in Dunmanway, Co Cork with stone ground flour from Macroom, Bandon Co-op butter, and buttermilk produced by the Cronin family in Belgooly.

We hear that there are three shifts working around the clock to keep up with demand for this superb product.

We’ve just had a delivery of Pine Grove Farm Free Range Sausages as featured in the latest Bridgestone Guide.

With all the news about processed foods containing all sorts of stuff that’s not meant to be there and “meat” travelling half way around the world and being bought & sold many times before it actually appears in the food chain, its nice to be able to trace a product back to a farm just a few miles away.

There are some great new flavours in the range. We now have Apple & Mustard, Chilli & Paprika, Garlic & Thyme, Sage & Onion as well as the original Free Range Pork.

We think they are the best tasting sausages around, but don’t just take my word for it – give them a go & let us know what you think.

We have a great offer from Dr Hauschka in time for Valentine’s Day.

We’re giving away a free mini Soothing Mask with every Dr Hauschka Day Cream.  All four varieties are included in the offer, that’s Rose Day Cream, Rose Light, Melissa and Quince.

The special packaging as beautiful as you would expect from Dr H  & would make a lovely gift for the one you love.

If you are looking to fill your stocking with Irish goodies this Christmas, we have a hundred or more products from over 40 Irish producers in store.

Many of our Irish suppliers are small independents & produce anything from handmade candles to sauces, chutnies, Christmas Puds, bread mixes, mulled wine spices & much, much more.

The Blasta elves* have been busy upstairs making up Christmas Hampers and Gift Baskets.

We have a number of ready made ideas including food and toiletries, but we’d be happy to make them up to your own choice & specifications.

Prices start at a tenner and can go as far as your imagination (& wallet) will allow.

(* actually its Anne, but don’t spoil the magic)

Jme is a collection of beautiful foods made for and inspired by Jamie Oliver.  The Jme team have collaborated with some amazing artisans and small scale food producers from across Europe.

From store cupboard basics to luxury treats, everything is made with quality ingredients, innovative recipes and lots of creativity.  You won’t find these products on supermarket shelves as they are only available in selected artisan food halls.

We’re really pleased to have been approached to stock these products. We have selected a number of items from the range including chutnies and relishes, olives, marmalades (including a really unusual lemon & lime marmalade), sundried tomato, olive and artichoke pastes, three fabulous salad dressings  and some lovely chocolate items.  Give them a try and let us know what you think.

Its still not too late to make your own Christmas Pudding. Here’s a recipe from Eunice Power that appeared in the Irish Times Weekend mag a couple of weeks ago. Its for a gluten free pud, but you really wouldn’t tell the difference. www.facebook.com/blastawholefoods

If you don’t fancy making your own, or haven’t got the time, we have some sweet little individual Eunice Power puddings in stock. We’ve also got Eunice’s own Christmas Mincemeat, a lovely Green Tomato Chutney, some Beetroot Relish and a fabulous home made Cranberry Sauce.

Don’t forget that Eunice has a Christmas Cookery demo at Lawlor’s Hotel in Dungarvan next Thursday evening.

An increasing number of customers are asking us for bulk quantities of stuff like flour, rice, seeds or herbs & spices, or even to buy by the case rather than individual item.

We’re always happy to oblige & try to source larger quantities at the best prices for you. Feel free to give us a call or drop us an e mail to let us know your requirements.