Claire Keane of Cork’s Second Street Bakeshop on her life in food

Founder of Second Street Bakeshop, Claire Keane’s sweet cravings began at the tender age of six, when she was given a candy making cookbook for kids. Hooked, she began making cookies and candies that she sold to her classmates in Cork.

After finishing college, Claire emigrated to San Francisco, where five years later she launched her own award-winning artisan Irish cookie company, Clairesquares, in 2006. This eventually led to an opportunity-of-a-lifetime collaboration with global giants, Häagen-Dazs, and Clairesquares being given its own ice cream flavour.

After 20 years away, and having sold the business, in 2019 she returned home. Inspired by her time living in ‘candy country’, in 2021 she set up Second Street Bakeshop in Carrigaline from her base in Cork’s Incubator Kitchens, on a mission to introduce Irish palates to quintessential American cookies and candies.

Best known for her buttery-rich toffee brittles, Keane soon tasted success when Second Street Bakeshop’s Milk Chocolate Sea Salt Toffee Brittle picked up Gold at the 2022 Blas na hÉireann Awards and also scooped up Bank of Ireland’s ‘Best Startup’ in 2022 (for businesses in the food-based category).
This year, Second Street Bakeshop is one of 23 new food & drink producers that have been carefully selected by SuperValu to take part in the milestone 10th year of their Food Academy programme.

Here, Claire Keane shares her life in food…

What are your earliest memories of food?

Liga biscuits as a toddler, and school lunch boxes full of ham and cheese sandwiches with a 54321 bar on Fridays.

How would you describe your relationship with food?

Close.

What was the first meal you learned to cook?

My mother taught me how to boil spuds at a very young age. Potatoes being the foundation of most dinners in our house growing up.

How did food become a part of your career/business/personal brand?

I was always curious about sugary confections, how they tasted, how they were made – like how do they get the fig into the fig roll kind of thing. I would spend many hours trying out new recipes. Then, aged six, I started selling caramel squares to my classmates in school, and years later I set up an artisan cookie company, Clairesquares, in San Francisco.

This eventually led to an opportunity-of-a-lifetime collaboration with global giants, Häagen-Dazs, and Clairesquares being given its own ice cream flavour, which was an incredible achievement for a small business like mine.

After 20 years away, and having sold the business, I moved back to Ireland and my native Cork, which is where I started my current confectionery company – Second Street Bakeshop – in 2021. Inspired by my time living in ‘candy country’, I’m on a mission to introduce Irish palates to quintessential American cookies and candies.

What’s your go-to breakfast?

Porridge.

If you’re impressing friends and family at a dinner party, what are you serving up?

An elaborate salad, full of colour, textures, and flavour.

Who is your culinary inspiration?

Martha Stewart – she’s 82 years old and is still teaching people how to cook, whether it be cookies, cakes, pies or lavish Thanksgiving dinners.

What would your last meal on earth be?

That’s an easy one – a dessert trolley.

What’s your go-to comfort food?

Home made apple crumble with custard.

What’s the go-to quick meal you cook when you’re tired and hungry?

Soup with lovely rustic sourdough bread, especially at this time of the year.

What is one food or flavour you cannot stand?

I know I’m not alone in saying that I have a dislike for celery.

Hangover cure?

When I used to drink, it would have been a good Pad Thai.

Sweet or savoury?

Sweet, always.

Fine dining or pub grub?

Pub grub.

Favourite restaurant in Ireland?

Paradiso in Cork city – Denis Cotter certainly knows how to make vegetables taste sublime.

Best coffee in Ireland?

That’s a hard one, as I’m more of a tea drinker and there’s a lot of great artisan coffee makers out there.

Go-to beverage accompaniment?

Being a Cork girl, I have to say a mug of Barry’s Tea.

What are your thoughts on the Irish foodie scene?

It’s vibrant and dynamic with lots of local gems to explore in each county.

What’s your favourite thing about cooking?

You can zone out and really enter a different frame of mind.

What does food — sitting down to a meal with friends, mindfully preparing a meal, nourishment, etc — mean to you?

Breaking bread with others is the most humble and natural thing we can do as humans. Cooking a great meal for someone you love can heal arguments and warm hearts. It’s a simple act.

Food for thought — Is there room for improvement within the Irish food/restaurant/hospitality scene?

Irish producers punch above their weight when it comes to the level of quality artisan food produced on this small island. But, we could still do a better job at marketing Ireland as a food destination. We all know that Italy is a food destination, but people abroad don’t think of Ireland in the same way.

Chef’s kiss — Tell us about one standout foodie experience you’ve had recently.

I had the smoked potatoes at Pilgrim’s Restaurant in Rosscarbery, Co. Cork before they closed for the pandemic. They were some very memorable potatoes.

Compliments to the chef — Now’s your chance to sing the praises of a talented chef, beloved restaurant or particularly talented foodie family member.

I recently had dinner at An Port Mor in Westport, Co. Mayo. Between the warm welcome made by the staff and chef, coupled with unique flavours, and incredibly fresh fish, I left knowing that I’ll be back in a heartbeat.

Secret ingredient — What, in your estimation, makes the perfect dining experience?

The way someone makes you feel when you enter their restaurant or home, coupled with simple food made with love and intention.

Imagery via Kirsty Lyons