The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
More treats and less traffic on streets for Food Festival
THE Dingle Food Festival isn’t all about eating and drinking, there is a lot to be learnt at the festival as well... from making your own chopping boards to tips on bee keeping. Workshops and development of skills around food harvesting and preparation are an important part of this popular festival which celebrates its 10th year, this coming weekend.
The town is going to be very busy so there is an amount of traffic management involved. Strand Street, Grey’s lane and Bridge Street (from Holden’s to Avondale) will be closed from 5pm, on Friday, September, 30 to 6pm on Sunday October, 2. Green Street will be closed to traffic from 11am to 6pm on Saturday October, 1 and from 1pm to 6pm on Sunday, October 2. There will also be no parking in Green Street during these times.
Meanwhile, it is a good idea to plan your route around the Taste Trail on Saturday and Sunday because the busier outlets often sell out early in the day.
In a fitting event for this time of year the Learn to Ferment workshop with Val O’Connor shows how to transform simple vegetables into fermented products that can last for the winter apart from the probiotic content added by the fermentation process.
Over the past number of years there has been a lot discussion about the nutritional value of foraged food. Fiona Falconer of ‘Wild About’ in County Wexford will present a workshop on how to get the most from nettles, including nettle beer. This much maligned weed is noted as being a great source of nutrients.
The pop-up ‘Drinks Academy’ in Dick Mack’s will temporarily turn part of the pub into a place of learning, where the classes will include, getting to know Albariño wines, creating the perfect cheese board with matching Bordeaux wines and instruction in gin and whiskey tasting.
The judging of the Great Bake-off will take place at 11.30am in Dick Mack’s yard with competitors deliver their cakes which must somehow relate to this year’s theme of ‘Number 10’. For the first time this year this competition is open to girls as previously it was a competition to test the baking skills of men and boys.
The Farmer’s Forum on Friday night brings Steve Allin to Dingle to discuss the possibilities provided by hemp growing on the peninsula. And with the EU beginning to seek proof of the quality ofIrish meat, Laura Boyle will provide expert advice and her findings in the area.
The exhibition of prints by Meitheal Eitseála and the joint exhibition of paintings by Aine Ní Chiobhain and Dervla O’ Flaherty, in An Lab will be open for one day from 11am-5pm on Saturday.
The festival office, located on Main Street is open for business from Friday morning. Further infromation is available at dinglefood.com or the festival’s facebook page.