TD 1
PICTURE THAT Craig Atkinson Café Royal Books seri
es is one of the great and most earnest documentations of 20th century photography on these isles. It’s a remarkable endeavour which sees him issuing a new zine every week. His collections of 18 Irish related titles include, Sheriff Street 1989 (Colm Pierce), Biddy Boys 1972 (Homer Skyes), Christmas Turkey Market 19901993 (Tony O’Shea) and Reagan Protest Dublin 1984 (Rose Comiskey) Available for €10 in The Library Project. caferoyalbooks.com/ireland Stamp of approval… illustrator Alan Dunne’s magical selection of Christmas stamps commissioned by An Post have landed him a shortlist nomination at the World Illustration Awards. Joining him from this isle is Alé Mercado for his organic landscape backdrops created for the live show version of the West Cork podcast. @alandunnedraws, @alemercadodraws NEW WAVE ROADMAP Michael McDermott More than 50 poets from all over the world explore the many meanings and connotations of the word ‘home’. Hailing from places as diverse as India and Italy, Poland and Pakistan, Canada and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, together they present an updated picture of a changing country while, at the same time, expanding the very definition of ‘writing from Ireland’. This is writing as a kind of home-building, not least at a time when so many borders, physical and psychological, are under threat of closure across the world. Contributors include Raquel McKee, Chandrika Narayanan-Mohan and Rafael Mendes. Writing Home: The ‘New Irish’ Poets edited by Pat Boran and Chiamaka Enyi-Amadi, Dedalus Press, €14.50 HOT SAUCE IN MY BAG, SWAG Some of our finest reside in Berlin, just ask our designer! Another Weserstraße grafter in the heart of Neukölln is Jonathan O’Reilly, the founder of Crazy Bastard Sauce. Having lived in the city for over 14 years, he set up his hot sauce empire six years ago. And with a recent report indicating that the global market is set to grow from €2bn in 2018 to €3.3bn in 2026, it’s clear why he wants to spice up our lives. “It’s food with special effects. It’s got drama. If I made mayonnaise, nobody would care, but people get really excited about chilli sauce,” says O’Reilly. So, before we give you an idea of the scale of heat, a little lesson. The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency (spiciness or “heat”) of chili peppers, as recorded in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Right, you’re ready now. Offerings include Jalapeño and Date (3000 SHU), Ghost Pepper and Mango (30,000 SHU) all the way up to Carolina Reaper and Blueberry (65,000 SHU). You can pick up some Crazy Bastards from Bang Bang in Phibsborough, and if you wish to extend your global hot sauce collection, there’s a subscription service based out of Holland. crazybsauce.com / bangbang.ie / heatsupply.nl €40 for a subscription every two months 8