Dingle

 Sean and I have been talking about what we’re going to do for the Food Festival in October. Last year, we took out all of our regular ice creams and did 16 shades of chocolate. We’re thinking this year we might go with 16 Mexican flavours. It is, after all, the home of both chocolate and vanilla, and there are all sorts of tasty treats such as cajeta. I’m thinking a tequila and lime sorbet, Aztec chocolate, and perhaps a guacamole ice cream served with tortilla chips. That’s just for starters… Any ideas welcome!

Technorati tags: fiesta, ice cream, food festival, Dingle

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It’s funny how easily we’re pleased on this side of the world. Although it’s raining again today, the last two days were beautiful, and for that brief time, all the sogginess of the summer was forgotten. I happened to be entertaining an Italian visitor and had a day off, so we headed out Slea Head for a drive.

The great thing about having visitors is that it gives the perfect excuse to be a tourist oneself and to look afresh at one’s surroundings.

I have to say, even with all the complaining I’ve done about this wet summer, to drive out past such astonishingly beautiful landscape on a nice warm day makes me feel nothing but lucky.

We did it all – beehive huts, famine cottage, cliff strolls, photo-taking, feeding the birds, gawking at goats and donkeys, and to see the beauty through the eyes of the Italian made it even more wonderful.

Now, rain or not, it’s back to scooping ice cream, but I feel much better for the jaunt!

Technorati tags: Slea Head, drive, Dingle, Kerry

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The schedule is starting to come together for the 2008 Dingle Peninsula Food and Wine Festival. It looks like it should be even more packed and interesting than last year.

Besides the cookery demonstrations in St. James’ Church, wine seminars, and taste trails (oysters and Guinness at John Benny’s, seared scallops at Strand House, etc), there will be a whiskey tasting and a coffee tutorial. There are even representatives from a Tasmanian wine company (with wine) flying in for the event!

I’m still not sure what we’ll do for it, but it will be hard to beat the 16 shades of chocolate we presented last year!

For those of you who want to come to the festival, it’s on the 3rd-5th October, and it would be really, really wise to book ahead both for meals and for lodgings, especially now that the National Irish Food Awards will be happening in Dingle at the same time…

Technorati tags: Dingle, food, festival, wine, feile, gourmet

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We're getting really spoiled here in West Kerry. Anyone lucky enough to be out on the water in Dingle harbour yesterday was treated to not only the usual cavortings of Fungie, but he was joined by a whole pod of frolicksome dolphins. Magic!

Technorati tags: Fungie, dolphin, Dingle, Kerry

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 Here’s a bit of breaking news:

I’m delighted to announce that a group of us have secured funding for the 1st Annual National Irish Food Awards (Blas na hÉireann), to be held in Dingle during the Food and Wine Festival. The awards will be open to Irish food producers (except sponsors like me) and will be a way of recognising the talents in this country. Entries will have to be commercially available.

I will post more as we get up the website and tighten up the dates and rules of entry…

Technorati tags: food, awards, Irish, Dingle

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An Grianan, the health food shop in Dingle, has renovated and added a few tables for lunch. It’s a welcome change from the usual fare, with a small but tasty selection of organic food and freshly squeezed juices.

Today, to escape the pelting rain, we went in for a vegetable curry and an omelette with asparagus salad. Everything was delicious.

An Grianan, if you don’t know it, is just off Green Street in the centre of town.

It’s worth a visit!

Technorati tags: Dingle, health food, shop, cafe, Kerry

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There has been a great crowd in town for Feile na Bealtaine, our delightful May festival in Dingle. As always, there has been such a packed and interesting array of arts and events. Sadly, with the book launch and a very busy shop, I’ve been unable to partake as much as usual. Still, even when working you can’t help avoid Feile – I snapped the above photos of the parade just outside our shop.

Technorati tags: Dingle, music, festival, bealtaine, feile

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