Hello there, my name is Kate Packwood and I am an English woman living in Dublin for the last 17 years.
I am fascinated by flavour – by how and why things taste amazing, and specifically the intersection of food and drink. I love discovering new flavours, but also learning and investigating what flavours go together. I adore whiskey, and a lot of my work has focused around pairing foods with whiskeys (as well as beers, gins and other spirits), both for my own enjoyment but also for drinks brands and agencies.
I previously owned and ran Wildflour Bakery, a Dublin based micro-bakery that made cakes with a difference. Based in Stoneybatter on Dublin’s Northside, I supplied high quality, design-led artisanal cakes for weddings, PR & corporate events as well as private functions. Through designing cakes for Wildflour, and creating food pairings for various drinks brands, I honed my fascination with flavour, and this blog is where I document that.
In a former life I studied English literature, intending to become an academic. Artichoke & Typewriter is the marriage of my passion for food and flavour, and my love of the written word.
Thank you for stopping by.
Kate
Artichoke & Typewriter 
Kate,
I came across the post about you and your bakery on Donal Skehan’s blog by chance and am so glad I stumbled across this. I have now spent most of the past hour (if not longer) perusing your facebook page, this blog and signing up to follow your instagram account and I am truly impressed by all your creations, your philosophy and the success you have had with the Wild Flour Bakery.
Above all, the fact that you are not afraid to polarize with your flavour creations really struck a chord with me. I agree that it is much better (and much more rewarding) to create something that some people really love than to create something that most people wouldn’t mind eating but don’t care really care about – so what if some people don’t like it at all.
Can I ask how you went about getting into the farmer’s market business and how easy it was to do that, what kind of permits (if any) you needed and also how you worked out how to price your items? I am curious about this from a personal perspective – I love to bake but can’t keep on eating all of my creations with my boyfriend or keep on giving things away to co-workers and friends & relatives!
I look forward to reading your future posts and reading more about the Wild Flour Bakery!
Sophia
Kate,
Thanks to the latest issue of Image magazine I have come across your blog and have spent lunch hour at my desk reading every word. Your former study of English Literature was certainly not in vain as you write beautifully. I must admit that dont eat dairy produce (health reasons) but as an Irish girl, passionate about health and wellbeing and the importance of local, fresh produce, grown and produced with love and care, and without chemicals and additives, your writing resonates with me.
Your article about Rosie’s farm reminded me of my own childhood gathering fresh eggs from the Carmelite Nun’s farm in Goatstown, Dublin which my late grandfather farmed for over 50 years. My grandmother would remark taht the eggs “are so fresh, theyre still warm”.
I will be certainly be visiting your facebook page for more of your posts…some lunchtime escapism and nostalgia is always welcome.
Wishing you the very best.
Pamela