The soups Dee and Blanca have collected reflect individual cultures, memories and tastes, but they are also a reflection of Irish food today and the people behind it. They will take you on a journey around the globe from the comfort of the communities within Ireland.

Dee Laffan is a food journalist and editor with over 15 years experience. Currently she is food and lifestyle journalist with Irish Country Living in the Farmers Journal. Dee also co-founded a bi-annual food journal in 2022 called Scoop, published by Nine Bean Rows Books, which she is editor-in-chief of. In 2023, Dee co-authored Blasta Book #5 SOUP with her Spice Bags Podcast co-hosts Mei Chin and Blanca Valencia. Dee was formerly editor of Food & Wine Ireland, Easy Food Magazine and Yes Chef Magazine, and Publishing Director of fft, a trade hospitality title. Her passion for Irish food has led her to many roles in the industry: a member of Irish Food Writers’ Guild, chair of Slow Food Dublin, co-host of the Taste Theatre at Taste of Dublin, host of BasteCamp stage at The Big Grill Festival, and a judge of Blas na hÉireann (National Irish Food Awards).

Blanca Valencia was born in Bilbao, Spain and grew up between Central America and Spain. She is a cook, teacher, writer, and speaker that focuses on Spanish food and drinks and loves exploring the links between Spain and Ireland. For four seasons, the co-host of award-winning Spicebags podcast, which explores international food and communities in Ireland and is co-author of Blasta book Soup. Her experience includes working as the test kitchen manager at Books For Cooks in London, completing a stage at elbulli in Spain, and running the cooking school at Alambique in Madrid. Blanca holds a Grand Diplome from London’s Le Cordon Bleu and an MA in Gastronomy and Food Studies from TU Dublin.

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