Gubbeen - The Story of a Working Farm and its Foods by Giana Ferguson
 
Foreword by Darina Allen

With recipes from the Dairy, Smokehouse and Kitchen Garden

Photography by Andy Sewell. Hardback Published by Kyle Books
www.kylebooks.com

This is an exceptional insight into the running of a traditional farm, from how to look after your animals (poultry, pigs and cows) to cheese-making, smoking meats and growing your own fruit and veg. The book comprises of four voices – Tom, Giana, Fingal and Clovisse – who talk about their passions and positions on the farm. Tom has worked the land all his life, following the old farming ways of his forbearers; Giana controls the dairy as well as keeping a keen eye on the poultry; their son Fingal uses the pigs to make bacon and smoked goods from the Smokehouse (and has a side-line in creating beautiful knives for famous chefs); and their daughter Clovisse grows chemical-free vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers in the Kitchen Garden (this section comes out of a conversation with Joy Larkcom, her mentor).

Recipes are included in every section to illustrate and celebrate the farm produce, resulting in a truly inspirational read.

‘This West Cork family of artisan producers is a symbol of what can be achieved when a family works together to add value to the beautiful produce on their farm. In just a few decades the name Gubbeen has become synonymous with superb-quality artisan produce, both in Ireland and abroad, and I’m so delighted that their inspirational story has been written to continue to intrigue others.’
Darina Allen

'I can’t commend this groundbreaking book highly enough. Visionary, inspiring and practical, there should be a copy in every school in the country - and, in every home where good food matters, it should take pride of place on the kitchen bookshelf.'
Georgina Campbell, Editor Georgina Campbell's Ireland

To read the full review from Georgina please click on the logo

‘Going to Gubbeen is like stepping back in time as you eat cream and cheese fresh from the dairy, delicious charcuterie that Fingal has been experimenting on, Giana’s wonderful chutneys and Clovisse’s incredible salad leaves. The warmth of the welcome envelopes you at the door, a genuine love of looking after people, feeding them well and listening to their stories. I wish I were there now.’
Tommi Myers

‘It is important that there are still farmers like the Ferguson family who, with their loving and thoughtful approach to the land and their partnership with it, still produce these wonderful foods that are so beautifully and deliciously created at Gubbeen.’
Jane Scotter, Co-Founder, Neal’s Yard Dairy, London

‘Looking into this book is akin to stepping over the threshold of that farmhouse in West Cork and a glimpse of a better, more ordered and kinder world. Looking at Andy Sewell’s pictures you can almost smell the gorgeous bloomy rind of Giana’s cheese, the rich smoky scent of Fingal’s bacon and the fragrance of Clovisse’s herbs. You can feel Tom’s kind and guiding hand in a world where food plays the central role, not just in the economy, but in the way people connect with each other. Gubbeen means more than just food or farming: it is a culture of husbandry, horticulture and hospitality.’
Rowley Leigh

Gubbeen – The Story of a Working Farm and its Foods is available from the Gubbeen stall at the Farmers’ Markets at Skibbereen, Bantry and Mahon Point.

It is also available at local bookshops such as, Whyte Books in Schull www.whytebooks.com and Skibbereen Bookshop www.skibbereenbookshop.com

It was made Book of the Week by The Guardian in January 2015, to read their review please click on their logo:      

To order online, please visit Amazon