Slow Food Clare has confirmed the eclectic programme for the 2022 Burren Slow Food Festival that takes place later this month from Friday May 20th to Sunday 22nd.
The festival will open on Friday evening with the already sold out seafood supper on Inis Oírr.
On Saturday 21st, the Pavilion in Lisdoonvarna will host the annual farmers’ market and showcase the 2022 theme which is dedicated to raising awareness about the concept of “GEOfood.” GEOfood is an international brand for food produced in UNESCO Global Geoparks (www.geofood.no).
Sara Gentilini, inventor of the GEOfood initiative and project manager at MAGMA UNESCO Global Geopark in Norway, will join Deirdre O’Shea, Head of Tourism Clare County Council and Birgitta Hedin-Curtin, Slow Food Clare and the Burren Smokehouse, by video link to officially launch the festival.
‘The underlying geology, climate and farming traditions are key ingredients in local food’, explained Carol Gleeson, Manager of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark. ‘GEOfood emphasises how people, place and food are interconnected. At the moment we have nine food producers that meet the GEOfood brand values and we are building on these to create a wide network of producers, local restaurants and retail outlets providing sustainably produced food from our unique Geopark.’
Free tastings and talks by local food promoters and by GEOfood producers from the designated GEOfood area and buffer zones will be facilitated by Ireland’s top food journalists John and Sally McKenna and food and wine writer Leslie Williams. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the connections between local food, geological heritage and the livelihoods of the people who live in the Geopark.
On Saturday evening the Burren Storehouse is the venue for the Burren Slow Food Banquet, a 6-course tasting menu with the flavours of GEOfood produced in the Burren, cooked by Co Clare chef Peter Jackson and his team. The menu will feature local Waygu, oysters, St. Tola goats’ cheese and Burren Smokehouse smoked salmon. Pre-booking is essential and tickets are available on Eventbrite.
The farmers’ market returns for the final day of the festival and will pay tribute to Ukraine with a showcase of Ukrainian food to look forward to that includes tastings and a cookery demonstration by chef Jess Murphy from Galway’s Kai and local chef Niamh Fox.
Festival organisers, Slow Food Clare, are collaborating with the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Global Geopark and the Burren Ecotourism Network to deliver the exciting line up which is sponsored by Calor Ireland and supported by Fáilte Ireland and BIM.
For more information about the schedule and to book tickets for the Burren Slow Food Banquet, please visit www.slowfoodclare.com