SAVOURING THE SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS
AN award-winning Millstreet butchers has invited the public to get a taste for why two of their mouth-watering meat dishes have been nominated for yet more accolades.
Having won the coveted Irish Food Writers Guild awards for the All-Ireland Champion Traditional Sausage in 2009 and the National Champion Spiced Beef title the following year, O’Leary’s Family Butchers is once again going for gold.
Their Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb and Mushera Venison Burgers have both been short-listed for the 2016 Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards, the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island of Ireland.
The Millstreet Butchers is no stranger to success in the prestigious competition having won a gold medal in 2014 with their Easy Carved Gourmet chicken and silver medal in the same year with their Homemade Spiced Beef.
Now in its ninth year, the awards have become the yardstick by which the Irish produce is judged, with more than 2,500 products entering this year’s competition across more than 100 food and drink categories.
Established in 1929, O’Leary’s is run by brothers James and Jerry, who took over the running of their family business from their father Jimmy. The duo inherited his culinary flair and pride themselves on building O’Leary’s well-deserved reputation for crafting unique handmade artisan produce.
The public will be given an opportunity to experience for themselves just why the two dishes have been nominated for this year’s awards at a tasting session taking place in O’Leary’s from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday afternoon.
Jerry O’Leary said he is looking forward to showcasing the dishes to locals and hopes that the business will taste even more success this year.
“The Blas na hÉireann awards offer small producers like us a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate our expertise and our passion for food,” said Jerry.
“We are honoured to be short-listed and very excited at the prospect of bringing another gold medal back to Millstreet,” he added. The winners of the 2016 Blas na hÉireann awards will be unveiled at a bash in Dingle on Saturday, October 1.