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FOOD FESTIVALS AUTUMN 2011

FOOD FESTIVALS AUTUMN 2011

Monday 22 August 2011

We are winding down in August from what one might euphemistically have referred to as High Summer ever so gently into Autumn. People are getting kids organised for school and college but, for the culinary community and many towns around the country, this is the time when restaurants, artisan producers and dedicated foodies band together to really live up to and celebrate in abundance the Season of Mellow fruitfulness. Haybarns are full, jams and preserves are in the larder, with people returning to the skills their parents had before them. Unfortunately all my gooseberries and raspberries were ‘boxed’ this summer and I hope it doesn’t happen to my apple trees……is it a sign of the times one wonders ….or was it the builders working in the area who fixed their beady eyes on them….. Anyway, there will be no goosegob jam for Lucinda this Autumn.

On Wednesday next, the 24th August, the merry band that comprise the Tipperary Food producers are having their Long Table Dinner in the historic grounds of Rockwell College at Cashel where the 30 members promise a ‘gourmet’s dream’ to the 300 people sitting down to sample their products over an evening of genuine camaraderie that binds those who enjoy the grub and the grape. The Tipperary Food Producers, founded by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers in Clonmel, have been very successful in marketing all of their gorgeous fare together as one group. Pat Whelan says that “for every €10 spent with local producers and businesses €34 goes back to the local economy. For every €10 spent with large retail multiples only €16 goes back to the local economy.” So all of these events and festivals are a great way of not only enjoying yourself but doing something worthwhile for the local economies – what goes around comes around. I have tasted most of the fare produced by these good folk – and I can tell you it is good – so I guess you can look forward to Nora Egan’s brilliant Inch House black pudding, meat from Pat Whelan and Crowe’s Farm. Great cheeses from Cooleeny and Cashel Blue Cheeses, breads and confectionary from Hickey’s Bakery, The Cookie Jar and much much more. Tickets are €75 and its not such a long way to Tipperary….so get down there…. www.tipperaryfoodproducers.com

Right next day on the 25th August, the inaugural Dublin Bay Taste & Music Festival kicks off in the People’s Park in Dun Laoghaire for three days running from 12.00 noon to 10 pm daily. You will be eating to the beat as you stroll through a boulevard of chefs from local restaurants such as Rasam and Cavistons in Glasthule, Seapoint in Monkstown, Fitzpatricks Castle in Killiney, The Guinea Pig in Dalkey, and the China Sichuan in Sandyford, who will “cook up a storm of culinary delights” to tantalise your taste buds whilst you enjoy a full schedule of fabulous large stage live entertainment including performances from Flash Harry, Bagatelle, Niamh Kavanagh and The Illegals, and Otis and the Elevators. Budding chefs will also be able to pick up tips in the onsite demonstration theatre where chefs Martin Shanahan, Kevin Dundon and Derry Clarke will be rattling the pots and pans. Daytime Admission Noon to 4 pm is €8 with the 4pm to 10 pm session being €12. After that Food Tokens are 10 for €10. Book or check out participating restaurants on www.dublintasteandmusicfest.com

Just as we will have recovered from Dun Laoghaire it will be off to Westport for their inaugural Westport Food Festival from the 2nd- 4th September. The event kicks off on Friday night at 7 pm with a Celebrity Cookery Demo and ‘Come Dine with Me’ style dinner at The Wyatt Hotel at The Octagon. 15 of Westport’s chefs, including Eoin McDonnell of The Wyatt, Seamus Commons of Knockranny House Hotel, and Jose Barroso of Sol Rio will provide the cookery demo followed by the 3 course dinner which includes a glass of wine at €35. The Festival Committee in Westport is very conscious of keeping events affordable. There will be a live feed video screen from the kitchen to the diningroom, a Q & A session, and jazz band ‘Ain’t Misbehavin’ will provide the musical interest. Westport’s Mall will be converted into a tented Food Village, which will see hotels, restaurants, and food producers hosting individual marquees where festivalgoers can exchange ‘covey shillings’ for food. At the Food Village tickets are €10 for samplings, with Family Tickets (2 adults 2 kids) €20. There are lots of events for all of the family including a Boy Scout Cook Out, Pick your fruit and a chocolate making demo, mushroom foraging, and an Irish Distillers free Irish Coffee Unit. www.westportfoodfestival.ie

Waterford Harvest Festival takes place from the 3rd to the 11th September with a brilliant programme that includes Slow Food Tours to artisan producers, a Slow Food France workshop and tasting session in the Theatre Royal, a Big Street Barbeque Gig, a Girls Night Out at Sabai Restaurant, a Fishy Friday cookery demo by Martin Shanahan, Amazing Grazing Street Market. Waterford Institute of Technology is running Artisan Workshops but if you fancy learning to make your own pates, terrines and sausages book early – places are limited. Oh yes, if you are footloose and fancy free, give the Singles Restaurant Trail a lash! 12 single men and 12 single women will dine in groups of 8, moving to three different restaurants for each course, followed by live music after dessert! Lets hope its all sweetness and light and not the battle of the sexes! www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie

The 10th – 18th September sees the good folk of Skibbereen hosting A Taste of West Cork Food Festival. Its a whole week here of fun including an Island Hopping event with starters and dinner on Heir and Sherkin Islands on the MV Mystic Water before returning to Casey’s of Baltimore for dessert and music. A Celtic Cook-off will see chefs from different parts of Britain and Ireland cook off against each other in a time and tasting competition. ‘Fire and Ice’ will be a surprise night of fun in “Le Voyage” restaurant – no details until you arrive - whilst Harry Marquart, winner of Head Chef on TV3 will judge a Schools Cookery Competition. This is just a sampling to whet your appetite. www.atasteofwestcork.com

Midleton, Co. Cork, is a great town with a great food ethos, lots of great restaurants including Farmgate, Finin’s, Sage, O’Donovan’s and many more. On the 10th September, the main street becomes one great walkway of food stalls and tents, alive and buzzing with artisan producers and restaurants doing food galore including the Garryvoe Hotel who last year did great cones with fish and chips, Sage Restaurant in Midleton, Green Barn Café Bistro Killeagh, O’Flynn’s Gourmet Sausage Company, La Trattoria, Jack Cuthbert’s handmade bread, Glanmire Ices, Green Saffron Spices, Clonakilty Black Pudding, and much more. www.midletonfoodfestival.ie

This year the Galway Oyster & Seafood Festival, which started out in 1954 in the former Great Southern Hotel with only 34 festival goers in attendance, is returning to its original base, which is now known as Hotel Meyrick. From the 23rd – 25th September, the city will be awash with oysters, seafood afficiandos, and craic. It kicks off on the Friday 23rd with a Seafood Dinearound at 6 pm in a number of prominent restaurants including Aniar and Matz at the G. Tickets are €70 and include a 3-course seafood themed dinner, 2 glasses of wine and entry to the National Oyster Opening Championship in the Festival Marquee. On Saturday there is an Oyster Festival Parade and the Oyster Tasting and the World Oyster Opening Championship which promises to be a great afternoon of fun. Tickets are €80 and selling fast for this event. That night there is the Oyster Festival Gala Ball at the Hotel Meyrick with tickets at €110. www.galwayoysterfest.com

The Dingle Food and Wine Festival and Blas na hEireann Awards kick off on the 30th September running over the 1st and 2nd October when the whole town becomes a veritable culinary trail as people move from venue to venue using vouchers to buy their food. The Festival will include a series of cookery demonstrations, special menus in restaurants featuring local produce, a great food market and a cheese and wine exposition. Their culinary food trails twin retail shops and galleries with artisan producers, which highlights not just the food on offer but the interesting crafts and goods you can buy in Dingle. It might be an oyster tasting in a gallery, scallops and cider in a pub, an Ozzie barbeque at the surf shop, and lots more interesting combos. www.dinglefood.com

And so to Kinsale – the original Gourmet Food Festival which hosts its 35th Festival this year from the 7th – 9th October. The event always launches in style with a Champagne Reception on the Friday evening at 6.30 pm which this year is sponsored by Bollinger. Saturday is always great fun with the Mad Hatters Taste of Kinsale kicking off at 11.30 a.m. when Alice, the Mad Hatter, March Hare and Fieldmouse lead a tour of four venues where the 12 members of Kinsale’s Good Food Circle present wonderful dishes from their kitchens for tastings. Tickets for this event are €90 but it is a great day. Sunday sees a pretty spectacular Fruits de Mer lunch and an afternoon of fun. Tickets for this event are €75. www.kinsalerestaurants.com

Savour Kilkenny Food Festival has settled in very well and has its 5th such Festival over the October Bank Holiday weekend from October 28th – 31st. The majestic walls of Kilkenny Castle form a spectacular backdrop for this event where they will be using the Parade Plaza for a tented food village with stalls where you can taste and buy the very best of food from Kilkenny food producrs, restaurants, hotels, cafes and chefs. It will kick off on the Friday 28th with a Food Camp with food bloggers, food lovers, chefs, producers, and representatives from the food industry in Ireland and abroad gathering to discuss various issues affecting the industry. The central theme of the Food Camp will be ‘Defining Irish Food’. With lots of cookery demonstrations and tastings it is always a lovely weekend in the city of my ancestors! Naturally a great spot! www.savourkilkenny.com

Now, isn’t Autumn just great! You can diet in November!

www.lucindaosullivan.com

FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT ON AUGUST 21, 2011.