Between college and work last week I visited the wonderful foodie town (our best perhaps???!) of Dingle.
But not just for any weekend, but for The Dingle Food Festival http://www.dinglefood.com/.
A weekend filled with food, folk and fun. Both tourists (moi included) and locals mix and mingle, talking food, beer, cider, wine, cheese, chocolate and crickets (I kid you not photo below), seaweed, bees, cakes, cows ....oh and fish. Lots of fish. A visit to Dingle wouldn't be complete without fish.
This is the second time I've had the pleasure to attend the festival and now any year without it would seem dull, empty and void of all the new friends and food that I discover.
Some of the highlights from 2013....
Dinner in the always sublime Out of the Blue restaurant, a feast of fish and fine wine, with some old friends, Dav the fabulous foodie nutritionist and some great new ones - darling Dee of Easy Food Magazine, Jette the sexy food stylist and the charming Colin from Mulligans Grocer. Great food and great company!
The opening party with bubbles and some awesome Irish dancing and having the craic with some of the countries most passionate foodies. I was in heaven!
Wandering around early on Saturday morning, market day no.1, chatting (and walking) with Mark Murphy, festival organiser extraordinaire, as he did his rounds making sure everyone is ok, stands have everything they need and the generator is working (which apparently included a lesson in mechanics!!). Helping artisan producers setup and finding out about their products and hear about all the hard work that has gone into this long journey to get here to display and hopefully sell the fruits of their labour (Lilliput Breads well done on Gold in the Blas na hEireann awards!!).
Taking the plunge and visiting the Cattle Mart....alone, in my brand spanking new converse and ray-bans!! Jasus, they didn't know what to make of me but after checking out their form (the cows that is!) I sat in on the auctions. Loved it and had the farmer beside me chuckling in no time asking him if he was buyin or sellin (in me best Dublin accent of course!!). He filled me in on the good ones (limousins no less) - going for approx. €1000 each, and your everyday calves going for about €600-700. I'm seriously in the wrong business as there was some money exchanging hands in the half hour I sat there.
To top it off I was asked to come back next year, as gaeilge, by a toothless farmer. Maybe I will (if you're willing to part with a few of those limousins) wink wink!!
Back on the food trail I sampled some great seafood & sangria, bacon & cabbage (with McCarthy's bar proprietor Tom, who decided to show me this kitchen claiming I'll be working there when his chef is away. Nice one...first job offer in Dingle, well second actually!!). Eating Dingle sea salt and caramel ice cream in Murphy's. Chatting to the knowledgeable staff in the beautifully pungent The Little Cheese Shop about my cheese career (watch this space!) and the enviable selection of Irish cheeses from cheese-makers, all of whom they appear to know personally. Soaking up the sunshine and atmosphere with some seriously cool drumbeats and finally taking in a demo with the very cool, inspiring, uber-intelligent and witty JP McMahon of Anair fame. I soaked up every word this guy had to say and have already regurgitated some of it onto my fellow class mates and teachers. He did some gamey tapa's, albeit nice big sizes for us all to sample - duck with sherry reduction, lamb with blanched pumpkin and baby fennel and venison with chorizo - all dressed with beautiful wild flowers and leaves for both visual affect and to complement the flavours of each dish. The song Hotel California came to mind when I went to photograph and taste them "They stab it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast...." total carnage until every last bite was gone!
I glowed with pride and joy as I explained to an American couple, probably visiting for the first time, how the food trail works, my recommendations and where to get the best trad session. I can say without fear that their memory of Dingle will stay with them forever - the weekend they stumbled upon a food nirvana!
The festival, whereas it's emphasis is on food and drink, is a lot more then that - it's meeting old friends and new faces, having the craic and hopefully seeing them at the same time, in the same place next year.
But next year I'll be involved!
(watchthisspace!)
'Out of the Blue' turbot with pearl onions and the lobster bisque with fiery garlic aioli
I could happily live in here!!
Gold winner in Blas na hEireann - Siobhan and Luis from Portlaoise YAH!
Even at 8.30am the smell was tempting....
The sun always shines in Dingle!
Long Black Limousine...
JP McMahon, Anair/Cava Bodega - a genius!
Duck breast with sherry reduction
Lamb with pumpkin, baby fennel and mushroom
Sangria time!
Out of the Blue - out of this world!
Raclette nom nom!!
Chocolate and crystal ginger crickets....jiminy!
The Wren Café....for some calmness (and homemade blueberry ice cream)
Proprietor of the Reel Dingle Fish & Chip shop finding out he won the voters choice award for 'Keeping it in Kerry' award for the festival. Of course he won - he's a Dub!!
See you in 2014!
Triona, a wonderful description of a wonderful w'end. Dingle will be proud of you!
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