Anticipation is building for the fifth annual Burren Food Fayre which takes place this October in Lisdoonvarna.
Part of the Burren Winterage Festival, the food event celebrates the farming heritage of the region. Organised by the Burren Ecotourism Network and supported by The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark this year’s Burren Food Fayre features a comprehensive programme of food demonstrations and workshops, hosted by food writers, producers, and restaurants from North Clare and further afield.
It begins at 1pm on Saturday October 29th with artisan food workshops and food demonstrations in the Spa Wells Hall and Café in Lisdoonvarna. The public are invited to come along and learn a new skill, or even an old one, with demonstrations on smoking fish at home, making paneer in three easy steps, making the best of your Burren Beef and Lamb, kombucha, combining vinegar and foods for wellbeing. There will also be a Burren Food Trail Cafe, a Burren Beílíní Buffet and Beílíní making demonstrations to indulge the taste buds.
Sunday’s activities take place in The Pavilion in Lisdoonvarna where Enda McEvoy, Michelin Star Chef of the year of Loam Restaurant in Galway will officially open the Fayre. Feature Ocookery demonstrations are also on the menu and the Burren Culinaire competition where the areas “Up and Coming” Chefs compete against one another in educational cookery demonstrations to the lift the title in this year’s contest.
Oonagh O’Dwyer of Wild Kitchen will lead a foraging walk in the surrounds of Lisdoonvarna beginning at 11am on the Sunday. The full Fayre will open its doors at 12pm with the official opening, walks, food stall displays and tastings to cater for the estimated 1500 people expected to pass through The Pavilion on the day. The cookery demonstrations start at 1pm with Chef Matthew Luca making fresh pasta and fillings, including pulled pork from Burren Free Range Pork.
The Fayre is also inviting budding home chefs to create a dish comprising local and home-grown ingredients from around the region for the Burren Masterchef and junior Masterchef Cookery Competitions. The competition features two categories for adults and secondary school students and entries will be assessed on the day by a panel of judges.
Chris O’Neill, Organiser, Burren Food Fayre described the Fayre as “a celebration of food produce and cooking techniques throughout the Burren.”
“This festival invites members of the public to really ‘taste’ the Burren where local food producers and restaurants have established a reputation for providing quality, locally produced and sourced food,” stated Ms. O’Neill.
The Fayre concludes at 5.00pm on Sunday with the announcements of the winners of the Burren Masterchef and Burren Culinaire competitions taking place from 4pm along with the publically voted ‘Taste of the Fayre’ and the ‘Most Attractive Stall’ awards.