The 2nd Annual Wicklow Wild & Slow Food Festival takes place 10th November weekend

"A year-long event culminating in a unique festival that celebrates everything that is good about Irish Food:

...fresh, local, traditional and wild." 

That's how Slow Food Ireland are describing the Wild & Slow Food Festival 2012 which is being held in Macreddin Village (80 km about a 1-hour drive south of Dublin) this weekend, the 10th & 11th November.

The Slow Food Ireland movement have been educating local communities and reminding people about the traditional skills used by their forefathers in gathering and preserving wild foods. Skills such as pickling, drying, curing, smoking, and preserving in oils, sugars and salts have been passed on, in detail, as well as information about the spectacular array of wild foods available during the Summer and Autumn months.

All those who took part in the information classes (adults and school kids) have been invited to gather and prepare their own wild food products and encouraged to present them for sale at what is being billed as Europe’s largest wild foods harvest market! Market Stall Holders, from all over Ireland, have being invited to provide and sell produce with a "Wild & Slow" twist over the weekend and the cream of Ireland's flourishing artisan Food Producers are taking part.

Made from the fruits of the Irish Forest 

The Wild & Slow concept is a celebration of all that is wild and naturally available in the garden of Ireland. The Slow Food mentors in the movement, want to help educate people of all ages, community based organisations, groups and clubs to gather and preserve, using traditional preservation methods, our wild herbs, leaves, berries, nuts and mushrooms.

Ireland has an abundance of wild and natural produce available to us throughout the seasons, if you know where to look and what to do with them! Wild Game, Fish, Mushrooms, Wild Garlics & Greens, Berries, Nuts & Fruits are to name a few. Check out this list of Irish Wild seasonal produce on the Wild & Slow website.

The members of Slow Food Ireland have also produced a brilliant collection of Wild & Slow Food Instruction Booklets (in PDF format) that can be downloaded from their website by clicking these links: Wild Garlic, Wild Elderflower, Wild Bilberries, Wild Sorrell, Wild Rowanberry, Wild Elderberry, Wild Ceps, Wild Crab Apple, Wild Rose Hip & Wild Sloe

The central concept of Slow Food Ireland is to cultivate enthusiasm
for fresh, local, home prepared wild foods.

Over the weekend of the Wild & Slow Food Festival, the organisers have set up a series of workshops and events presented by some of Ireland's top chefs, foragers, food producers and experts. They include Derry Clarke, Darina Allen, Ross Lewis, Sally McKenna, Evan Doyle, Ed Hick, Biddy white Lennon, Tim Daly, Gregory Alken, Enda Conneely, Mick Murphy, Oisin Davis, Mick Healy, Bill O’Dea, Clothilde Walenne, Philip McCabe and Frank Doyle. Click here at the Wild & Slow website for their full Workshop and Event details.

Slow Food Ireland is affiliated with Terra Madre, an international network of over 7,000 food producers, cooks, and university educators. Every two years, network delegates come together to discuss global food sustainability issues. The last Terra Madre took place in the autumn of 2010. Click here to visit it the Terra Madre website.

For complete details of the Wild & Slow Food Festival see: http://wildandslow.com/ 

Zack

Chef Neven Maguire cooks for the kids of Donegal's GAA Bord na nÓg in Donegal Town

Award winning Irish Chef Neven Maguire comes to Donegal Town this week to help the local Four Masters G.A.A Clubs's Bord na nÓg (under-age players division) in their fundraising efforts. The club are based in Donegal town and cater for Footballer & Hurlers players at U8, U10 and U12. The Nursery provides coaching for U6 in Hurling, Camogie and Football in the local pitch at TirConnell Park.

Neven will be demonstrating a selection of Christmas recipes and giving some tips and tricks on how to plan your Christmas Dinner in advance so that the big day turns out to be a smooth and peaceful one!

Neven Maguire cooks for the kids of Donegal's GAA Bord na nÓg in Donegal Town

Neven will use a range of local Donegal artisan food products on the night of the demonstration and will be assisted on the stage by Community Chef Brian McDermott from Moville, who is one of Ireland's leading demonstration chefs. Brian specialises in educating people on how to eat a healthier diet. All those attending the evening will receive a recipe booklet containing a selection of delicious recipes from Neven’s new cookbook.

All-Star winning Donegal goalkeeper Paul Durcan

Neven will also be joined in the kitchen on the stage of the famous Abbey Hotel by Donegal All-Ireland medal winner and All-Star goalkeeper, Paul Durcan who has volunteered to help, or was roped in to help depending on who you ask! Paul (28) was born in Donegal Town and has a great affinity for Bord na nÓg as he rose through the young footballing ranks at the Four Masters Club, alongside the two other local players, Karl Lacey and Barry Dunnion, winning numerous under-age titles along the way.

Tickets are available from the Four Masters GAA club and on the Door

The evening is being accompanied by a showcase of some of the areas finest local food produce including wine tastings, the members of the Leghowney Country Market & McGettigan & Sons award winning sausages. Doors will open at 6.00 pm and people are welcome to come early to visit the many delights available on the stands including an opportunity to select and sample the perfect Christmas Day Wine and much much more. 

There will also be a number of raffle prizes with Neven kindly providing the ultimate prize - a Voucher for Dinner, Bed & Breakfast for 2 people at his award winning MacNean House and Restaurant. Other prizes include a weekend break sponsored by the Abbey Hotel, exclusive meal vouchers and luxurious Christmas hampers. 

The All-Ireland winning Donegal team will be bringing the Sam Maguire Cup 

This promises to be a great night with an opportunity also to meet another Maguire….. Sam Maguire and some more of the Donegal All-Ireland winning players. Tickets available from the Abbey Hotel Reception, Bord na nÓg committee members or any manager of the under-age teams.

The demonstration will be held on Wednesday November 7th. Tickets are €20 and doors open at 6pm with Neven's demonstration starting at 8pm.

Zack

Irish Crisp Company launches a Spud Nav and a new Christmas Turkey Flavour

The Shamrock is widely regarded as the symbol of Ireland. In 2012 the Keogh Family launched the world’s first-ever shamrock flavoured food delight, "Hand Cooked Shamrock and Sour Cream Irish potato Crisps". These hand cooked potato crisps are produced at the crisping house on the Keogh’s Family Farm in north county Dublin. They slice each spud extra thick and gently hand cook them, skins and all, in fresh sunflower oil using a very old American kettle.

This entrepreneurial Irish farming family have been growing potatoes in north county Dublin for over 200 years. The city of Dublin has grown around the farm over the years. 

Peter Keogh on the farm in the 1950's

Tom Keogh, managing director of the family business is passionate about potatoes. “We are the only potato growers in the world who offer fresh potatoes and potato crisps from the same farm side by side in the same store and we sleep, eat, breathe potato crisps and potatoes!” he said. “We are committed to working with Irish food producers like ourselves to create a distinctly Irish range of crisps and we are delighted to be working with the "Living Shamrock" company in Ballinskelligs, Co. Kerry. This area has been producing fresh shamrock for the American President since 1952”.

The Keogh Family Potato Farmers

Keogh’s are the only “on-farm” producers of hand cooked potato crisps in Ireland. They set up a small ‘crisping house’ on their farm, hand cooking the crisps in small batches and turning them from “Crop to Crisp” on the same day.

Keogh’s also have three other original flavours of crisps available. They include: Roast Beef and Dungarvan Irish Stout Crisps, created with Irish Stout from Dungarvan Brewing Company, Keogh’s Dubliner Irish Cheese & Onion Crisps and Keogh’s Atlantic Sea Salt & Lewellyn’s Irish Cider Vinegar Crisps using David Llewellyn’s Irish Orchard Produce from his small-holding in North County Dublin, near the Keogh’s Farm, where he grows a range of fruits and produces his award-winning cider vinegar. 

The SpudNav will show you exactly where your Potato Crisps came from

Keogh’s recently launched their unique ‘Spud Nav’ through which consumers can trace their bag of crisps right back to the field it came from! Simply enter the potato field name (which is printed on each bag) into the ‘SpudNav’ page on the Keoghs website and the web app will show you the exact field that the potatoes were grown in!

This month, November 2012, will see the arrival of the fifth flavour of Keogh’s crisps. Just in time for Christmas they are launching a new hand-cooked Keogh’s Roast Turkey and Secret Stuffing crisp. They have seasoned these crisps with their own secret stuffing recipe, handed down through the generations and contains herbs and spices picked fresh from their farmhouse garden which was started in the 1920’s. The succulent roast turkey flavours give the crisps an authentic Irish home-grown festive taste.  Yum!

Keoghs Farm are on Twitter at @KeoghsFarm and you can check out more about their range of Irish crisps and purchase them too, online here.

zack

Guest Chef - James Richardson, owner and chef at Old Barn Steakhouse, in County Armagh

James Richardson is the owner/chef at Old Barn Steakhouse, in County Armagh and has recently won the Ulster Tatler Chef of the Year 2012. He began his culinary career at Newry and Kilkeel Centre of Excellence, where part of his work experience was a stint in the kitchen at Claridges, the famous 5 star London landmark hotel. 

James has cooked with some of the best in the business including Ainsley Harriott, Paul Rankin, Nevin Maguire and also spent some time at Rick Stein's Seafood School. He cooks using only the freshest of ingredients and says his motto is simply “Good, honest food”. You can follow James on Twitter at @oldbarn_mhill.

James Richardson, owner and chef at Old Barn Steakhouse, in County Armagh

James's Japanese Miso style Steak 

"This is a healthy, low calorie, and delicious steak recipe that is easy to make and really tasty. I have worked out that the approximate nutritional information is as follows: 

232 kcalories, protein 32g, carbohydrate 4g, fat 9 g, saturated fat 4g, fibre 0g, sugar 3g, salt 0.66 g."

Ingredients
2 tbsp brown Miso paste
1 tbsp dry sherry or sake
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 crushed garlic cloves
300g/11oz lean steak
Baby spinach , sliced cucumber, celery, radish and toasted sesame seeds.

Method 

1. Tip the miso paste, Sherry or sake, sugar and garlic into a seal-able food bag. Season with a generous grinding of black pepper, then squash it all together until completely mixed. 

2. Add the steak, gently massage the marinade into the steak until completely coated, then seal the bag. Pop the bag into the fridge and leave for at least 1 hour, but up to 2 days is fine.
3. To cook, heat a heavy-based frying pan, griddle pan or barbecue until very hot. Wipe the excess marinade off the steak, then sear for 3 mins on each side for medium-rare or a few mins longer if you prefer the meat more cooked. Set aside for 1 minute to rest. 

4. Carve the beef into thick slices and serve with a crunchy salad made with the spinach, cucumber, celery, radish and sesame seeds.

The Old Barn Steakhouse and Grill is located at: 

5 Mowhan Road, Markethill County, Armagh, BT60 1RQ, Northern Ireland.

Check out their website at http://www.oldbarnsteakhouse.com/main/

Miso paste is a thick paste used in Japanese sauces and for marinading vegetables or meats. It is made from soybeans which have been fermented with salt and a fungus called kōjikin, a mould which is used to make the Japanese drink Sake. If you can't get your hands on miso, you can make a rough substitute by mixing some soy sauce with tomato puree and tomato ketchup.

If you would like to Feature your Chef in the Guest Chef's Recipes Section send some bio details and your recipe to me at:

info (at) irishfoodguide (dot) ie

Zack

Winners of the Georgina Campbell Awards for 2013

Since its inception in 1997, the editorial position at Georgina Campbell Guides has always been fiercely proud of it's independent and no payment is received for their recommendations. They insist that "independence is at the core of our philosophy and we have always selected establishments for recommendation on merit alone."

Their annual assessment process is based on the principle of the ‘mystery shopper’, so their team make anonymous visits to restaurants, hotels, Bed & Breakfasts, cafes and other hospitality-providers and report back "without fear or favour". Their annual Awards are therefore coveted by those who receive them.

The Restaurant Of The Year went to The Greenhouse, Dublin 2, Co Dublin

Hotel Of The Year went to the Granville Hotel, Waterford City, Co Waterford

Chef Of The Year went to Chef Ian Orr, at Browns Restaurant, Derry City, Co Derry.

The 2013 Awards ceremony, which took place in Dublin today 

and the following received Awards:

B&B Irish Breakfast Award  - Archways B&B, Rosslare Strand, Co Wexford

Bed & Breakfast (B&B) Of The Year  - Archways B&B, Rosslare Strand, Co Wexford

Guesthouse Irish Breakfast Award  - Quay House B&B, Clifden, Co Galway

Hotel Irish Breakfast Winner  - Dunraven Arms, Adare, Co. Limerick

National Irish Breakfast Winner  - Dunraven Arms, Adare, Co Limerick

Farmhouse Of The Year  - Annaharvey Farm, Tullamore, Co Offally

Guesthouse Of The Year  - Drumcreehy House, Ballyvaughan, Co Clare

Country House Of The Year - Carrig Country House & Restaurant, Caragh Lake, Co Kerry

Natural Food Award of the Year - Glenilen Farm Dairy Products, Drimoleague, West Cork

Café Of The Year - The Wooden Spoon,  Killaloe, Co Clare

Ethnic Restaurant Of The Year - Michie Sushi, Dublin 6 

Atmospheric Restaurant Of The Year - West End House, Killarney 

Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year - The Beach House, Buncrana, Co. Donegal

Pet Friendly Hotel of the Year - Cromleach Lodge, Castlebaldwin, Co Sligo

Hideaway Of The Year - Moy House, Lahinch, Co Clare

Family Friendly Hotel Of The Year - Hotel Westport, Newport Road, Westport, Co May

Newcomer Of The Year - East Cafe Bar,  Howth, Co Dublin

Pub Of The Year - Nancys Bar,  Ardara, Co Donegal

Wine Award Of The Year  - O'Brien Chophouse, Lismore, Co Waterford

Hosts Of The Year  - The Quay House, Clifden, Co Galway

Business Hotel Of The Year - River Lee Hotel, Cork City, Cork

Seafood Restaurant Of The Year 2013 sponsored by BIM - The Oarhouse, Howth, Co Dublin

Seafood Chef Of The Year 2013 sponsored by BIM - 

Billy Whitty, Aldridge Lodge, Duncannon, Co Wexfod 

'Just Ask' Restaurant of the Year 2013 

sponsored by Bord Bia -  Ardbia Restaurant, Galway City

The Georgina Campbell Chef Of The Year - 

Ian Orr, at Browns Restaurant, Derry City, Co Derry

The Georgina Campbell Restaurant Of The Year - The Greenhouse, Dublin 2, Co Dublin

The Georgina Campbell Hotel Of The Year - Granville Hotel, Waterford City, Co Waterford 

The Georgina Campbell Award for Outstanding Contribution to Irish Hospitality 

went to Eileen Dunne & Stefano Crescenzi for their long-time contribution to the Irish hospitality industry through their Dunne and Crescenzi restaurants.

Thanks to Bob and all at @IrelandGuide who were tweeting the results Live from the Awards today. I have made all the links to the winners connect back to relevant information on the Georgina Campbell website.

Zack

Start Your Own Artisan Food Production Business in Donegal

In line with the recently launched Donegal Food Strategy, Donegal County Enterprise Board plans to run a 10 week programme on Starting Your Own Artisan Food Production Business, beginning in November. As part of their recruitment process they are holding Information Road Shows over the next two weeks at 3 locations across County Donegal.

The Donegal Food Strategy sets outs an ambitious vision for food within Donegal and seeks to make Donegal a county famous for food and recognised as a pioneering region for its approach to fostering and growing new and existing food businesses. This new Programme is aimed at People who are thinking of starting their own artisan / food production business or in the early stages of start-up.

A study by the New Economics Foundation in London found that every €10 spent with a local food business is worth €25 to the local economy which further supports the rationale for creating a vibrant local food economy. A Taste Council of Ireland Report suggests that during the next 10 years, 650 new food entrepreneurs could be established resulting in the creation of 6,500 new jobs.

Donegal Chef Gary O'Hanlon is County Donegal's Food Ambassador

Gary O'Hanlon, Executive Chef at Viewmount House is now filling the role as Food Ambassador for the Donegal Food Strategy and he emphasises the importance and opportunities there are in sourcing and using local quality produce.

On successful completion of the programme participants should have a sound knowledge of the rudiments of food business start-up, including food safety and food technology and be in a position to go about their start-up in an effective way. Participants will hear about the structure of the programme from the trainers as well as the experiences of local artisan food businesses.

The Content of the Programme includes:

Workshop 1: Selecting and Researching Ideas

Workshop 2: New Product Development

Workshop 3: Legislation and Food Safety

Workshop 4: Food Technology

Workshop 5: Marketing and Branding

Workshop 6: Sales Growth

Workshop 7: Effective Food Packaging

Workshop 8: Product Costing, Pricing & Finance

Workshop 9: Food Distribution

Workshop 10: Business and Marketing Plan

In addition to the workshop element of the programme each participant will receive up to ten hours of one-to-one mentoring delivered in 2 hour sessions. It is intended that the programme will be delivered one evening a week for ten consecutive weeks with a total workshop time of 30 hours.

Support

Where appropriate, participants on the programme will be able to apply for a range of Donegal County Enterprise Board supports in areas such as food safety, food technology, shelf life optimisation, product packaging and food labelling to assist them with the commercial realisation of their products. 

Cost & Contact Details

The Start Your Own Artisan Food Production Business Programme begins in November 2012 & the Cost is €120 which is also payable in instalments.

The Information Road Shows will be held at:

Letterkenny, Donegal County Enterprise Offices on Wednesday 17th Oct at 7pm
Donegal Town, Enterprise Centre on Thursday 18th Oct at 7pm
Moville, Community Chef Premises on Tuesday 23rd Oct at 7pm

To register or for further information phone 074 9160735

Or email Mairead at mmcmullin@donegalenterprise.ie

or Danny at dmceleney@donegalenterprise.ie


Zack

Una's Gourmet Pies Win Supreme Champion at Blas na hEireann Food Awards

The Blás na hÉireann National Irish Food Awards again took place during the 2012 Dingle Food Festival over the weekend.

The Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards are now considered to be the ultimate benchmark of quality Irish produce, from the whole island of Ireland, north and south. Each category receives a gold, silver and bronze medal winner. In addition, there is a Supreme Champion, a Best of Gaeltacht winner and a Best Irish Artisan producer.

A group of Irish food producers and grocers started the Blas na hÉireann National Irish Food Awards, in 2008,to bring increased attention to the high quality of Irish foods, to overseas markets but especially to the Irish public. The judges look for extra special products that are made using top quality Irish ingredients, by passionate and talented producers.

The Supreme Champion 2012 at this years events was Una's Pies Chicken Leek and Cheese Pie. Una's Pies was founded by Una Martin from Ballincollig, Co. Cork. Una makes a range of savoury pies in a pastry crust and has been a rising start in the south-west selling her pies at farmers markets, fairs & food festivals. She won the Best Artisan Producer Award at the 2011 Blas na hEireann event.

Una Martin, of Una's Pies, with her Award Winning products

Una won Gold for her Chicken, Leek and Cheese Pie - Silver for Roast Veg, Ardsallagh Goats Cheese and Gubbeen Chorizo Pie and Bronze for her Thai Green Chicken Curry Pie in the 2012 Blas na hEireann Irish Foods Awards as well as Best in Farmers Market. 

Una's Pies are available at Mahon Point Farmers Market this Thursdays, Douglas Farmers Market and Midleton Farmers Market on Saturdays.

Other Special Awards were presented to:

Best Artisan Producer

Big Red Kitchen

Best New Product

Ballymooney Foods Rack of Wild Venison

Best Export Achievement

Hannans Meats

Best Emerging Kerry Producer

Sasta Sausages

AIB Business Diversification Award

Carrygerry House

Most Innovative Product

Gallaghers Bakery Plain Soda Bread

Rogha na Gaeltacht

Breizon Teo - Atlantis Seafood Surf N Turf-Smoked Scallops and Black Pudding

The Full list of Blas na hEireann Award Winners can be seen on their website HERE

Zack