He goes on to say that his specially imported candied peels "are just magic for the bairin breac, giving a magnificent smell of orange when you open the oven door. And, if well-covered during baking, they won`t burn. The melon and apricot so on is great cut up in a cake. It removes the need for the shovel of grit that normally passes for peel. The little candied pears can be dipped in rich dark chocolate and served with coffee after dinner and the dried greengages and figs are great to gnaw on. Country Store also has two kinds of dried cherry, both naturally black and organically grown. The Spanish version is sweet, the Italian ones very tart and refreshing.

Peter himself has just come back from France in search of the best dried fruits and he is a regular visitor to Spain and Italy with the same goal in mind.

How he found the time and the energy to produce 60 gallons of pink crab apple juice the other day I just don`t know. He is stocking Batavian to prolong the lettuce season and has masses of chard but finds it hard to sell despite the wonderful flavour. Already Country Store has had inquiries about their now legendary Christmas puddings but they don`t start on these until after Halloween.

"If you are serious about your search for real food, you simply have to make the pilgrimage to Nenagh - you will be joining thousands of others who are prepared to cross the country to expierence the sense of care and dedication that characterises this extraordinary shop.