Laura O'Donovan — SoDoh!
Like most small food producers, Laura is a creative soul with a big heart and a strong work ethic. Her artistic flair can be seen in her beautiful sourdough loaves, each and every one lovingly marked with her signature SoDoh! logo.
There's also a real skill involved in sourdough baking, however. Each loaf takes three days to make, combining chemistry, precision, and hard graft in equal measure. It's no wonder she only bakes twice a week at her micro-bakery in Renvyle.
There has been a move to protect the word 'sourdough' since it was co-opted by many 'sourfaux' manufacturers, who have piggybacked on the trend using a type of dried fermented wheat additive. These knock-offs are a world away from the ancient process of nurturing the 'starter', a temperamental mix of bacteria, flour, and water. That's why it's important to know where your bread comes from. The complex flavour and unique texture of a proper sourdough loaf might surprise you given the ingredients list: flour, water, salt. The only other ingredient Laura incorporates is a deep-rooted belief in the importance of local food, not only for her family but for the planet. From using nutritious heritage grains and the age-old methodology of sourdough baking, Laura is not just making prized and prize-winning bread for her community — she's making change.
You can buy direct from SoDoh! on Fridays in Letterfrack, or from Coyles of Connemara in Clifden every Wednesday. Follow @so_doh_sourdough_renvyle on Instagram.
Aonghus Ó Coistealbha — An Garraí Glas
It's hard to believe that only a generation or two ago we all grew our own food here in Connemara: potatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, etc. But growing your own is out of reach for most of us these days. Short on the time, space, and skills required, we rely on imported vegetables to get our five-a-day. When did it all get so back-to-front?
Luckily for us, we have An Garraí Glas. Based in the village of Inverin, Aonghus delivers crate-loads of fresh fruit, veg, and seedlings to us every week: earthy spinach, floury spuds, peppery leaves, depending on the season. You might even find the odd snail, proof should you need it that no chemicals are used in the growing of this food — just manual labour and a dogged determination that an acre of land in South Connemara can sustain the modern family.
Having travelled and worked in small organic farms around the world, Aonghus returned to Connemara in 2013 to put his family land back to work. As well as growing vegetables, he takes in "Wwoofers" (visiting members of the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) and volunteers, nurturing a new generation of growers.
Using organic and regenerative methods means he's nurturing the land too. Everything they do at An Garraí Glas benefits our community, and every time you buy their veg you are too.
An Garraí Glas supplies to outlets across the region, including Coyles of Connemara, depending on the season. Follow @angarraiglas on Instagram.