Siobhan Lawless, owner of The Foods of Athenry, on her life in food

Celebrating a whopping 20 years in business next year, The Foods of Athenry is a family bakery specialising in vegan and gluten-free food. A woman with tradition in her fingertips, and magic in her hands, Siobhan Lawless and her husband Paul transformed a family farm into a bakery back in 2004, and they haven’t looked back since.

From the freshly made wholesome bakes to their lovingly made original recipes, quality reigns supreme across all aspects of the business. Here, owner Siobhan Lawless shares her life in food…

What are your earliest memories of food?

Fish fingers and Marietta biscuits with butter — very glamorous! But I also remember the smell and taste of fresh baked soda bread when my mother made it weekly. It sometimes had a greenish tinge, and I thought my mother was given to wizardry. Now, I realise it is caused by a little too much bread soda in the cake. I often wonder if she knew; but is no longer around to ask.

How would you describe your relationship with food?

I would say curious, grateful and sensual. I like to take it all in, the look, the smell, the textures. And I love to eat with my fingers to appreciate the tactile nature of the experience of eating; and the work, skill and nature that brought it as far as my plate. I simply love food.

What was the first meal you learned to cook?

I don’t know if I ever learned in that way. It was always just in me from watching my mother and having a great home economics teacher in school. I have just always loved to bake and to cook.

How did food become a part of your career?

By accident or maybe it was fated. I married a farmer and by the late 90’s was feeling the pinch with quotas, high input costs, bad weather that caused land flooding, so I started to bake to supplement the farm income, and it blew up from there. Now we bake daily all our own products in repurposed farm buildings, and still on the family farm. Fated because my maternal grandmother’s family had one of Ireland’s biggest bread bakeries, in Ahascragh, Galway, back in the 1940s.

What’s your go-to breakfast?

Depends on the time of the year really. Porridge is great anytime, overnight oats are always a winner and both with loads of nuts, seeds and fruits. And I do love some fresh sourdough with lashings of butter, and some great strawberry jam.

If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?

We have some gluten free and lactose free people in our friends and family group so I’m always mindful of that, so everything is made that way. I like to have loads of interesting salads or veggies made in advance, and then some various proteins of choice. And you cannot visit my house without lashings of sweet treats. I’m the dessert queen; and have multiple options to suit all tastes.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

Ireland’s great food producers. From fresh heritage tomatoes to great veggies, farmhouse cheeses, bread makers, preserve and jam makers – it is their great products that inspire me to rustle up awesome food. Fabulous ingredients simply served.

What would your last meal on earth be?

If I knew it was my last, would I be too stressed to eat it? I think just cheese and crackers with a glass of wine, shared with family. And if it was a choice of time spent eating vs hugs time, I’d go with wine and hugs.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Chocolate. Especially if it is slightly melted. Our gluten free and vegan rocky road bar melted in the microwave and eaten with a spoon. Or melt some chocolate in a cup and stir in some muesli or granola. And eat before it sets. Heaven.

What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?

Baked potato with some filling, cheese on our soda bread toasts, or scrambled egg on sourdough.

What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?

I’m not a big meat eater, so there are many meat products that are off the menu for me.

Hangover cure?

Hate to be boring and I enjoy a drink, but always stop before the pleasure is gone from it! So, no hangover cure needed. I prefer to eat than to drink, and there’s not always room for both.

Sweet or savoury?

50:50 ; stress levels dependant.

Fine dining or pub grub?

A little bit of both really. Both can be equally excellent and provide a great food experience. Great ingredients mixed with skill make for great meals.

Favourite restaurant in Ireland?

I don’t have a standout favourite, although I do love the fresh flavours of Thai or Japanese food.

Best coffee in Ireland?

I like my coffee, as I like my food; fresh and mindfully blended. Zarah and Dan from Calendar Coffee do that, and more, in spades. They are family and so take the top spot but hats off to the many roasters in Ireland doing a great job and producing great coffee.

Go-to beverage accompaniment?

Good company with a sprinkle of cheese and onion crisps.

What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?

Many thoughts but in single words. innovative, passionate, quality, inspired, resilient. Also challenging, uncertain, competitive.

What’s your favourite thing about cooking?

The smells, the textures and the metamorphosis of separate ingredients coming together to make something beautiful.

What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?

Contentment, pleasure. My happy place.

Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?

I’ll answer this one from a gluten-free perspective. To be a coeliac is to have a serious autoimmune condition, and it is not a lifestyle choice. Whenever we stay in Irish hotels or eat in cafes/restaurants and look at what is on offer, we are often disappointed. Don’t forget that your Coeliac guest pays the same for their experience as the ‘normal’ guest and does not deserve a lesser experience. And breakfast buffets / cheese boards could be so much more inclusive. There are options out there.

Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.

We visited Gdansk in Poland recently. And only ate in smaller family ran restaurants serving authentic Polish food. All of it was outstanding, and it was stunningly delicious, inspiring and beautiful. And it is such a gorgeous city.

Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.

Where would the chef be without the input of the grower or producer? So, shout out to all the farmers, and food producers. Too many to mention and the backbone of the Irish food scene.

Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?

Is there one single thing or is it an indefinable combination of many factors? a ‘je ne sais quoi’. The passion of the chef, the selection of the ingredients, the right lighting, comfortable surroundings and great company. You can have this equally in a home dining experience as well as eating out of home.

Imagery via Marta Faye