WIN a Flight Home to Ireland for The Gathering 2013 AND 2 Tickets to the GAA All Ireland Championships in September 2013

The Irish Food Guide in conjunction with A Taste of Donegal Food Festival invite you to Enter a Fantastic Competition to bring a loved one Home to Ireland for the Gathering Ireland 2013!

This year's A TASTE OF DONEGAL Food Festival takes place
in Donegal Town from 23 - 25 August 2013 

We all know someone who we would love to bring home to Ireland for the Gathering Ireland 2013. You can Enter our Competition to Win a Return Flight to Ireland (Entry fee applies) for a family member or friend from anywhere in the World, plus €500 towards any Gathering Ireland event at a venue of your choice after the draw date.

Extra Prize Added February 2012

The Lucky winner will now also receive 

2 Tickets to the GAA All Ireland Championships 

in September 2013. These tickets are like ‘Gold’ 

so enter our competition now for a great chance to win.

Entry is only €10 and you can enter as often as you like to be in with a chance to bring that special someone home. Imagine the delight of your Mum, Dad, Brother, Sister, Niece , Nephew, Grandchildren, Boyfriend, Girlfriend etc if you won them a ticket home to your local Gathering event!

Or why not come home to Ireland yourself for the Gathering Ireland 2013!

ONLY 1,000 TICKETS WILL BE ISSUED 

offering you a great chance to win this fabulous prize!

Closing date for Entry is 28 February 2013 and The Winner will be notified by 7 March 2013.

To Enter:

Simply click the Enter Button below and you will be taken to Paypal to complete a Secure Payment for your entry. COMPETITION ENTRY FEE IS €10. Credit Cards are also acceptable via Paypal.
By Clicking "Enter" you agree to all the Competition Rules.

If you are unable to use Paypal you may contact Donegal Community Chamber for alternative ways to pay the entry fee. The Chamber telephone number is +353 74 97 23760 and email address is development@donegaltown.ie.

Competition Rules, Terms & Conditions.

-The competition is organised and managed by Donegal Town Community Chamber of Commerce, Donegal Town.
-Entrants must be 18 or over.
-The prize can be used for any family member or friend who hold a valid passport at the time of travel.
-There will be no cash alternative to the travel ticket prize.
-A maximum of 1,000 tickets will be sold.
-There is no limit on the number of entries subject to the Competition maximum (2,000).
-Entries can be made from any part of the world.
-The Draw will be held at Donegal Community Chamber Offices on 6th March 2013 by Donegal Community Chamber Officials and a Local Dignitary.
-The Gathering Event can be in any of the 32 counties of Ireland including Northern Ireland.
-The closing date for entries is 28th February 2013.
-The judges decision is final.
-No refunds of entry fees will be allowed.
-Flight tickets for winner will be e-ticket only and will be Return Flights. Flights are subject to availability on preferred dates.
-Charges for flight or name changes after issue of the ticket will not be met by the Organisers.
-The prize must be claimed and used in 2013.
-Directors and employees of Donegal Town Community Chamber are not eligible to enter.
- The Irish Food Guide has no active or legal role in the management of the Draw.

Further Enquiries can be made to Donegal Town Community Chamber Ltd, Lurganboy, Donegal Town, Co Donegal, Ireland. Tel: 00353 74 97 23760 or email: development@donegaltown.ie

For more details of this year's A Taste of Donegal Food Festival see www.atasteofdonegal.com

Best of Luck!

Zack

The Best Irish Food Finds of 2012

2012 was a great year for Irish Food! People all over the country have been taking what was originally a hobby or pastime and have been creating new small food businesses with some wonderful results. These new food producers are evident at the many farmers markets, country markets and food festivals all over Ireland, north and south of the border.

Existing small food companies, with assistance from their County Enterprise Boards, have been expanding their business, employing people and gaining more recognition for their products at a growing number of Irish Food Awards ceremonies.


Restaurants are changing their attitude and are getting away from the one-stop-shop attitude of commercial purchasing. They have been getting hands-on with local growers and producers, often making a financial input to the development of a local new food business. This is generating a pride within the restaurateurs as they finally become aware of the fact that they too are a vital part in the chain of events that can help to grow and nurture new local food businesses.

Chefs all over the Ireland are driving this new food awakening by insisting that the food they now serve from their kitchen reflects the local produce of their own region as much as possible. This is helping to create a more honest food culture among Irish people, as the market-stall produce again becomes a part of our weekly shopping.

Established and well-travelled Irish food champions such as Darina Allen, John & Sally McKenna, Georgina Campbell, Peter Ward, Good Food Ireland, The Sheridan family, and others, have been enormously important in creating today's awareness about the passionate producers in our midst. A new generation of Irish chef's, restaurateurs, food writers and the ever-growing Irish food blogging community have learned much from these original food gurus. Their continued dedication to promoting Irish food is, in turn, encouraging a new generation of food producers to get back to basics.

Bordbia, the Irish Food Board, has been instrumental in helping Irish food producers get their product to market and especially to the export market. Irish Food has undergone a phenomenal growth in exports over the last year and our reputation abroad, for our quality food, is second to none. This is something we all should be proud off, especially in the current financial climate.

This can be a great time to start a food business. If you have passion and belief in what you are doing and in the produce you are making,  as the old saying goes: "People will taste the effort you put into it!"


My Twitter request for great "food finds of 2012" went out on the 28th December 2012 with 3 further retweets over the following few days:

I didn't give the request a push on Facebook this year as I believe I've got enough varied replies from across the Irish Food network via Twitter. From all the replies I have put together a fairly well balanced representation of some of the wonderful foods that people have discovered, for the first time, during 2012. Some of the foods are from producers who are already established or growing brand names. Some others are just getting started on their way. 

Do please note that these are not my choices. They have been sent in by Irish Food lovers around the country who have discovered a new flavour or food and loved it. 

Congrats to all who are included in the list. Again this year, one name came up more often in your replies than any other. We'll save that one till last! 

So here with full contact details, in alphabetical order and as voted by Irish Twitter Foodies, are...

The Best Irish Food Finds of 2012

Food Product       Producer               Contact Details

Annascaul Black Pudding		Annascaul Black Pudding Co., Annascaul, Co Kerry,		@annascaul_bp http://www.annascaulblackpudding.com/ Tel: 066 9157127 - Thomas Ashe
Arun Bakery Artisan Bread		Arun Bakery, SPADE Centre, Nth King Street, Dublin 7		@ArunBakery https://www.facebook.com/pages/Arun-Bakery/126244674149453 bakeryarun@gmail.com 086 244 3193 - Vlad Rainis
Atlantic Spirulina  Sea-Veg seasoning		Quality Sea Veg. Co., Burtonport, Co. Donegal		@ http://qualityseaveg.ie +353 (0)74 – 9542159 - Manus McGonagle
Bellingham Blue Cheese		Glydefarm Produce, Mansfieldstown, Castlebellingham, Co Louth		@BellinghamBlue Tel: 042 937 2343 - 087 277 8538 www.bellingham.ie – Peter Thomas
Boyne Valley Blue Cheese		Boyne Valley Blue, Mullagha Farm, Slane, Co Meath		@Boynevalleyblue http://www.boynevalleyblue.ie Michael Finnegan
Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil		Broighter Gold, Limavady BT49 9DY, Northern Ireland		@BroighterGold http://www.broightergold.co.uk Tel: 07912076607 Email: leona@broightergold.com
Burkes Farm Ice Cream		Burkes Farm, Tara, Navan, County Meath		@ http://www.burkesfarmicecream.com 046-9025232 or 087-9532656 Bernie and John Burke
Carraig na Breac Smoked Duck		Carraig na Breac Smokehouse, Drumshanbo Co Leitrim		@CarraigNaBreac 087 240 4289 - Peter and Niamh Curry https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Carraig-na-Breac-Smokehouse/121005457975763
Cathy’s Spelt Bread Mixes		Cathy’s Spelt for Health, Riverside Business Centre, Tinahely, Co.Wicklow		@CathysSpelt http://www.cathysspeltforhealth.ie Tel: 00353 (0) 402 28912  - Cathy Whitty
Cloughjordan Wood-fired Bread		Cloughjordan Wood-fired Bakery, Cloughjordan Eco-Village, Co. Tipperary		@Cloughwoodfired  http://www.cloughjordanwoodfiredbakery.com/ Tel: 085-182 2777 Joe Fitzmaurice
Corleggy Cheese		Corleggy Cheese, Belturbet, Co Cavan		@CorleggyCheese https://www.facebook.com/corleggy Tel: 049 9522930 Silke Cropp
Curraghchase Free-Range Pork		Rigneys Farm, Curraghchase, Kilcornan, Co.Limerick		@RigneysFarm http://www.rigneysfarm.com/ Joe and Caroline Rigney
DeBrun Crab Claws		DeBrun Iasc Teo., Ballinaboula,  Dingle, Co. Kerry		@ Ted and Hannah Mae Browne Tel: 066 9151933
Donegal Rapeseed Oil		Donegal Rapeseed Oil Co., Raphoe, Co Donegal		@DonegalRapeseed http://www.donegalrapeseedoilco.com/ 00353 (0)74 9145386 – Thomas Hughes
Highbank Orchard Syrup		Highbank Organic Orchard Farmley, Cuffesgrange Co Kilkenny		@highbankorchard http://www.highbankorchards.com Tel: +353 56 7729918 - Rod Calder-Potts
Imokilly Regato Cheese		Dairygold Food Ingredients Ltd., Mogeely, Co Cork		@ http://www.dairygoldfoodingredients.com/The-Imokilly-Cheese-Company Tel: 021 –4667220
Irish Waygu Beef		James Whelan & Sons Butchers, Clonmel Co. Tipperary & Avoca Foodmarket, Monkstown Co Dublin		@Pat_Whelan http://www.jameswhelanbutchers.com/ Clonmel: 052 6182477 Dublin: 01 6638924 Pat Whelan
Kilree Cheese		Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese Co., Stoneyford, Co Kilkenny		@Knockdrinna http://www.knockdrinna.com/ Tel: +353 (0)56 7728446 - Helen Finnegan
Lannléire Honey		Lannléire Honey, Trean, Dunleer, Co. Louth		@ http://orielfoodgroup.ie/lannleire-honey/ Eoghan MacGiolla Coda - Tel: 041 6861884
Lavistown Cheese		Knockdrinna Farnhouse Cheese Co., Stoneyford, Co Kilkenny		@Knockdrinna  http://www.knockdrinna.com Tel: +353 (0)56 7728446 – Helen Finnegan
Longueville House Cider		Longueville House, Mallow, Co. Cork, Ireland		@Longuevillecork http://longuevillehouse.ie/ Tel: +353 (0)22 47156  - William O’Callaghan
Moran’s Basil Pesto		Moran’s Homestore, Ballinagh,Co.Cavan		@moranshomestore http://moranshomestore.com/ Phone: 049-4367556  Kieron & Claire Moran
Old Farm Free-Range Pork		Oldfarm, Redwood, Lorrha, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary		@Oldefarm http://www.oldfarm.ie Tel: 086 8100 125 – Margaret & Alfie O'Farrell
Rhubarb & Elderflower Jam		Inishowen Home Baking, Drumaville, Malin, Co Donegal		@ https://www.facebook.com/inishowen.homebaking  -  Tel: 086 0840633 - Janine Strong
Sheep’s Milk Ice Cream		Suzanna at Zwartbles Ireland		@ZwartblesIE  http://www.zwartblesireland.com
Slow Food Co Artisan Bread		Slow Food Co., Newtowncunningham, Co Donegal		@scarpedillo http://www.slowfoodco.com Kemal Scarpello - +353(0)749156777
St Tola Goats Cheese Ash Log		St Tola Cheese, Inagh, Co Clare		@StTolaCheese http://www.st-tola.ie Tel: +353 (0)65 68 36633 - Siobhan Ní Ghairbhith
Tastefully Yours Beetroot & Orange Chutney		Tastefully Yours - Dunhill, Co Waterford		@ArtisanChutney https://www.facebook.com/Tastefully Norbert Thul and Audrea Hassett - (051) 396 590
The Whole Hoggs Free Range Pork		The Whole Hoggs, Slane, Co Meath		@TheWholeHoggs https://www.facebook.com/pages/thewholehoggscom/ 153597867997016 Peter & Susan Whelan - Tel: 086 2708809
Toons Bridge Buffalo Mozzarella		Toons Bridge Dairy. Old Creamery, Macroom, Cork		@toonsbridge Tel: 026 41471 - Jenny-Rose Clarke
Wicklow Gold Nettle & Chive Cheese		Wicklow Gold Farmhouse Cheese, Curranstown, Arklow, Co Wicklow		@ http://www.wicklowfarmhousecheeseltd.ie Tel: 0402 91713 - John and Bernie Hempenstall

And the most mentioned "#BestIrishFood " of 2012 is...

Trout Caviar from Ger & Mags Kirwan

Trout Caviar from Ger & Mags Kirwan

Launched at the start of March 2012, Goatsbridge Trout Caviar has taken the Irish food scene by storm. Caviar is processed, salted fish roe or eggs and is regarded as a luxury food delicacy and ancient gourmet treat. There are several types with the best-known form of caviar coming from a fish called a 'Sturgeon'. But trout caviar has grown in global popularity in recent years.

“Trout caviar is good enough to eat off the spoon. It has large, golden-orange beads and a subtle flavour with a nice ‘pop’ when you bite into it," says Mags Kirwan of Goatsbridge "and have been very heartened by the response from the restaurant and food sector here so far.”

Trout Caviar by Ger & Mags Kirwan from Goatsbridge Trout Farm, Kilkenny

For more details on Goatsbridge Trout Caviar see http://goatsbridgetrout.ie/

Goatsbridge Trout Farm, Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Tel: +353 (0)86 818 8340 

You can follow them @goatsbridge on Twitter

Thanks to everyone who sent in their special food finds of the year. 

Happy New Year to all.

Zack
www.IrishFoodGuide.ie

New Collection of Festive Recipes launched by Ireland's only Community Chef!

The Christmas period can be a very stressful time for a family and sometimes the pressure of preparing a "perfect" Christmas Dinner can be too much for some Mums and Dads.

Community Chef Brian McDermott, from Donegal, has teamed up with the Craft Butchers of Ireland and produced a new "Collection of Festive Recipes" which will help to take the take the pressure off the home-cook and leave more time for festive fun! This is a new simple guide to a perfect Christmas Dinner!

A Collection of Festive Recipes by Community Chef Brian McDermott 

Brian McDermott is Ireland's first dedicated Community Chef and is passionate about food, reducing salt, tackling obesity, growing his own and supporting local produce. His innovative and relaxed style of cooking is featured at food festivals from Donegal to Cork, where he shares the stage with his good friend and mentor Neven Maguire.

The "Collection of Festive Recipes" booklet is being launched Wednesday 12th December and can be picked up, for free, in Craft Butchers shops all over Ireland.

Chef Brian takes you through all aspects of the perfect Christmas Dinner giving tips from a wonderful simple Soup, a Smashing Stuffing & mixed Roasted Potatoes and Vegetables. His fresh Cranberry Sauce recipe will make a wonderful change from the usual and his easy-to-make Baked Alaska will be a family favourite for years to come.

Brian's Tasty Christmas Turkey

The "Collection of Festive Recipes" booklet gives comprehensive instructions on how to prepare and cook your Christmas Turkey and Festive Glazed Ham with ease and includes extra cooking tips for all the dishes! You can pick up a free copy of the booklet in your local Craft Butchers or Download the eBook version at http://communitychef.ie/ebook/index.html

Check out Brian's website at www.communitychef.ie

Brian McDermott, from Moville, Co Donegal, is Ireland’s first dedicated Community Chef and author of a successful cookery book “Reunite with Food”. He has a weekly radio slot on BBC Radio Foyle. Brian encourages communities across Ireland to eat healthy on a budget while improving their nutrition and well-being.

Brian runs a Cookery School in Moville, Co Donegal and is also the founder of "Cookery School Live" Ireland's Only Mobile Cookery Demonstration Theatre. This purpose-built demonstration unit is available for Food Festivals, Schools, Fundraisers, Pop Up, Cookery School, Product Launches, Cookery Competitions, Ready-Steady-Cooks.


September 2012 saw the introduction of “The Certified Craft Butcher of Ireland” accreditation. This is an independently audited standard of the Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland, thereby guaranteeing the highest standards in food, customer service and product knowledge.

Throughout the cities, towns and villages of Ireland, the local Craft Butcher continues to serve the local community as he has done for many generations passed. Behind the counter of your local butcher shop are the many familiar faces you have come to know and trust, with their many years of knowledge and skill in their craft.


See http://www.communitychef.ie for further information on Community Chef Brian McDermott

See http://www.craftbutchers.ie/a for further information on Craft Butcher Certification

An eBook version of the Collection of Festive Recipes is available to download at http://communitychef.ie/ebook/index.html

Zack

Christmas Cooking Demonstration for St Vincent de Paul

Are you looking for some festive tips and creative ideas for preparing your Christmas dinner?

Award winning Donegal chefs Gary O’Hanlon Viewmount House & Donegal Food Strategy Ambassador with Healthy Eating guru Brian McDermott CommunityChef.ie are hosting a Cookery Demonstration in the Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, Co Donegal on 11th December at 7.30pm.

Donegal Chefs Gary O'Hanlon and Brian McDermott

This fundraising event in aid of St Vincent de Paul North West is being organised by the Donegal County Enterprise Board as an initiative under the recently launched Donegal Food Strategy.

The two friends will serve up some exciting new ideas to help you prepare to cook your turkey dinner with a modern twist! First Brian will prepare a delicious starter and a show you how to get that traditional ham just perfect, followed by Gary showing some funky alternatives with vegetables and stuffing that are guaranteed to whet your appetite. 

Brian will then prepare a simple yet very tasty dessert and Gary will finish up by creating an appetising dish for the days after Christmas using up all that leftover turkey! Local produce will be used where possible and Recipe Cards will be available for you to take away, so that you can recreate the dishes at home. It promises to be a great evening's food, chat and craic!

Admission is only €10 and this includes a tasting of Christmas Fare. Proceeds of the evening will go to the St.Vincent de Paul North West Region. 

Tickets are available from:

Donegal County Enterprise Board Offices 

Tel: +353 (0) 74 9160735 or email: info@donegalenterprise.ie

and from 

The Mount Errigal Hotel 

Tel: + 353 (0) 74 91 22700 or email: info@mounterrigal.com

Zack

LIVE Traditional Irish Music Webcast - 7th December

Some of Ireland's top Traditional musicians:  TG4 Musician of the Year, Brian Rooney, Lifetime Achievement Award winner Danny Meehan and one of the most distinctive voices in modern traditional Irish music, singer Rosie Stewart - will all appear during the next live webcast on LiveTrad.com on Friday next, December 7th 2012.
The webcast will stream free-to-air from 10pm GMT and the Live Music Session is likely to continue well into the night! CLICK HERE FOR YOUR TIME CONVERSION Live Traditional Irish Music Webcast!

Friday December 7th at 10 pm GMT

The venue is The Fiddlestone Bar, an intimate pub in the heart of Belleek, Co. Fermanagh and the occasion centre around the 6^th Annual John Joe Gordon Festival which takes place over the same weekend.

Ahead of the webcast, LiveTrad.com have got CD Prizes, Concert Tickets and even a chance to attend a Fiddle Master Class! Check out their Competition page HERE.

Other musicians set to appear in the webcast include Jim Connelly (button accordion), Gary Fitzpatrick (flute), Kathleen Meehan (banjo), Seán McManus (singer), Emma Fitzpatrick (bodhrán), Liam McManus (flute and dance), and Emmet O’Halloran (button accordion) who will act as host for the evening. The session will give people far and wide a taste of the Christmas season as it swings into gear. The decorations are being put up as we speak, so for many of the fans of traditional Irish Music all over the world, this is a great chance for you to get up close and personal with a fireside music session without having to leave the comfort of your own home!

TG4 Musician of the Year, Brian Rooney

TG4 Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Danny Meehan	So, whether you’re wrapping up at work in the United States, getting up for breakfast in Australia or anywhere else in-between, make sure you join in for this special Christmas Irish  Music Webcast on LiveTrad.com.
	The Date: Friday December 7th The Time: 10 m GMT The Place: www.LiveTrad.com

To WIN those CD Prizes, Concert Tickets and even a chance to attend a Fiddle Master Class! Check out the LiveTrad.com Competition page HERE.

You can send your Christmas messages to your friends, at home or abroad, in to the show Live on the message board, during the webcast and they'll read as many out on air as they can!

Zack