Food and wine writer Aoife Carrigy will be presenting a Discover the Origin free educational masterclass in Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in Dublin next Monday 20 May, 7–8.30pm, Alexander Hotel, Dublin 2.

The target audience is food professionals in general, with a particular focus on delicatessen staff – but chefs, restaurateurs, café owners, writers, bloggers, culinary students etc are all welcome. The masterclasses will include a comparative tasting of various aged Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, along with serving and wine pairing suggestions.

See below for further information on the background of the campaign.

To register for these free events, please email Aoife on , with the subject line ‘DTO Masterclass’, and indicate how many places you wish to reserve. Please include a daytime contact telephone number. Please note that spaces are limited.

***Discover the Origin invite you to taste the provenance of Parma ham & Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese***

Discover the Origin returns in 2013 with a series of masterclasses offering the delicatessen trade the chance to taste and learn more about these two historic European food products, both of which enjoy PDO status.

The masterclasses will include a comparative tasting of various aged Parma ham and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, along with serving and wine pairing suggestions, and will arm deli staff with the information needed to help sell these unique and fully traceable products. The event is also an opportunity for some informal industry networking, with all food professionals welcome.

Discover the Origin is financed with aid from the European Union, Italy, France and Portugal to promote five key European products: Bourgogne Wines, Parma Ham, Douro Wines, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese and Port.

The campaign aims to enhance knowledge of the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) scheme among consumers, distributors and food professionals across the UK and Ireland; to educate on the benefits of provenance indicator schemes and the relevant checks, controls and traceability systems that are put in place to ensure ongoing quality; and to differentiate the products and raise their profiles.

The masterclasses will be presented by food and wine writer Aoife Carrigy in Dublin city centre at the following dates

Dublin: Monday 20th May, 7pm–8.30pm, Alexander Hotel, Dublin 2
Dublin: Monday 9th September, 7pm–8.30pm, Alexander Hotel, Dublin 2

To register for these free events, please email Aoife on , with the subject line ‘DTO Masterclass’, and indicate how many places you wish to reserve. Please include a daytime contact telephone number. Please note that spaces are limited.

To find out more about Discover the Origin, log onto www.discovertheorigin.co.uk or follow the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.com/DiscoverOrigin.

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Evan Doyle, chairman of the TASTE Council, has been in contact to invite Irish Food Bloggers Association members to this year’s TASTE Council Food Summer School, entitled The Future is Food: A Day of Debate and inspiration.

The event will take place on Friday, 3 May, at Ballymaloe House Hotel in East Cork and features an incredible line up of contributors, including food writers Alice Waters (update: her appearance has been cancelled due to the fire at Chez Panisse), Stephanie Alexander and Camilla Plum and investigative journalist Joanna Blythman. This is an opportunity to listen, learn and contribute to what is being discussed on the day. More details, including information on booking and payment, are included below.

THE FOOD SUMMER SCHOOL
MAY 3RD 2013 (Limited spaces available)
BALLYMALOE HOUSE HOTEL, SHANAGARRY, CO. CORK

THE FUTURE IS FOOD/A DAY OF DEBATE AND INSPIRATION

THE TASTE COUNCIL, HOSTS THE THIRD NATIONAL FOOD SYMPOSIUM CONCERNING THE CURRENT AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTION OF THE ARTISAN AND THE SPECIALTY FOOD PRODUCER TO THE IRISH ECONOMY.

This years Summer School is fully dedicated to examining education regarding our Irish Foods at second level and university level. For these, are our next generation of food producers and food consumers not just for The IFBA, but also for Brand Ireland.

The Council wishes that participation should be as broad as possible and understands the desire that particular IFBA Members would like to be involved with the debates. The TASTE Council has put together an impressive Panel in order to assist with this examination (see PDF Link below).

The Council places huge value on the input from the Summer School Delegates, none more so, than Members of The Irish Food Bloggers Association, given this years Symposium on Food Education.

Alice Waters, Chez Panisse Restaurant California, International Vice President of Slow Food, The Chez Panisse Foundation, The US Edible School Yard Programme, author and International food educator is just one Presenter that feels it is important to assist The TASTE Council of Ireland with this initiative

THE FOOD SUMMER SCHOOL, MAY 3RD 2013

FEATURING – ALICE WATERS, STEPHANIE ALEXANDER AND MANY MORE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PRESENTERS

Because as we all know…the next generation is our future and the future is food.

Click here to view the Panel, Presenters and Chair

Thanking you,
The TASTE Council of Ireland,
Evan Doyle,
Kevin Sheridan,
Darina Allen,
Hugo Arnold,
James Burke,
Birgitta Hedin-Curtin,
Sarah Furno,
Ed Hick,
Michael Kelly,
Domini Kemp,
Alan Kingston,
Ross Lewis,
Cáit Noone,
Raymond O’Rourke,
Peter Ward,
Caroline Byrne,
Siobhan Ni Ghairbhith,
Fiona Lavery,
Robert Ditty,
Peter Young

The TASTE Council of Ireland is concerned with the Artisan and the promotion of artisan foods through SMEs. All members give their time voluntarily to this remit and The Summer School presents an annual opportunity to discuss and debate on the floor, current agendas.

The TASTE Council is delighted to announce that it has secured a Daily Delegate Rate of €45 plus VAT. Through its support, The Council can also offer a special dinner of key-themed artisan products in Ballymaloe for an additional €35 plus VAT, including wine and refreshments.

The Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine is coinciding with The Summer School and The Council has also secured a Delegate discount of 15% on activities.

Further details please contact Linda Cullen at linda.

For registration and Daily Delegate Rate only, click here

For registration and Daily Delegate Rate incl. dinner, click here

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Elaine Walsh, creator of the popular Cookbook Club, has branched out into three language supper clubs – Spanish, Italian and French – held at Odessa in Dublin. Elaine feels that the best approach to a country’s culture is through its food, so learning the language goes hand in hand with learning the food of each region.

Elaine would like to invite food bloggers to attend any of the language supper clubs free of charge. Just contact Elaine directly at and send her a link to your blog – and of course you need to be up for lots of chats! And if you already know one of the languages – even just a little – then so much the better.

The clubs are booking up fast, so please let Elaine know by Friday, 1 February if you’d like to attend. Vegetarian and gluten-free dinner options are also available.

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Are you passionate about cooking great food? Do you have a friend or partner who shares your enthusiasm for entertaining and cooking up a storm in the kitchen?

Boundless Productions, the production company behind The Apprentice, are on the hunt for the best amateur cooking couples from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales for a new Sky One series. If selected, each amateur cooking team will be asked to showcase their cooking and entertaining skills in front of some of the country’s top professional chefs. They are looking for REAL homemade food, cooked by REAL people with REAL passion.

Whether you’re siblings, work colleagues, life-long friends or romantically involved, they’re looking for couples who share a history and the ability to serve up some exceptional food.

If you think you and your cooking partner have what it takes to represent your region in the UK and Ireland’s ultimate cooking test, they’d love to hear from you.

CONTACT: 

Fiona on 0207 861 8202 or Fiona.

Jake on 0207 861 8215 or jake.

Joe on 0207 861 8248 or joe.

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The following is a guest post from Caítríona Redmond of the Wholesome Ireland blog.

Who would have thought that being a food blogger could be so complicated?

Whenever a group of bloggers meet up, one of the most hotly debated topics is ethics. The majority of Irish food bloggers are amateurs, with a scattering of those who have received journalism training. This makes for some interesting discussions, particularly as journalists are very aware of the ethics that govern their day jobs.

For Irish food blogs, up until now there has been little requirement for regulation of personal blogs. Starting in January, there will be a slight change to the digital remit of the ASAI, which (as we understand it) will now take into account direct and indirect advertising on blogs and other social media (these include but are not limited to Twitter and Facebook).

So rather than confusing you with the jargon that is the latest release from the ASAI (you can read it here), Caítríona has put together a simple Q&A table below and what we should be doing under the new regulations.

The table above tries to cover the circumstances under which you would endorse a product on your blog, but how do you handle that on Facebook and Twitter?

The short answer is that we’re not sure yet. Obviously, if a company pays you to endorse them on Twitter or Facebook, then you should include the word “sponsored” in your status update. When it comes to 140 characters, though, it’s going to be extremely hard to disclose everything all at once. Should you include the word “sponsored” where you’re promoting a sponsored blog post? Your opinions are always welcome!

For the majority of Irish food bloggers, this isn’t going to make the slightest bit of difference. On reading through a selection of the many (!) blogs on the roll in the past number of weeks, most are already meeting these requirements. For those who don’t comply, there may be sanctions but these are not immediately clear from reading the information on the ASAI website.

However, is it now time that we adopt a voluntary code of conduct? We’re not a community of liggers or people who are interested in what they can get for free. We are a vibrant group of people who are passionate about food, particularly Irish food. Is it not a good idea that we should be recognised as such? We have a very important message to get out there, nationally and internationally, and having a code of conduct would improve our credibility, would it not?

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Are you partial to a wee nip of whiskey? Then you might be interested in a trip to the newly revamped Tullamore Dew Visitors Centre on Tuesday, 20 November. There are spaces for 5 food bloggers, with a provisional itinerary as follows.

10:15: Minicoach departs from the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin

12:00: Tour and tasting at Tullamore Dew Visitors Centre

1:15: Lunch in Bridge House Hotel, Tullamore

2:30: Depart for Dublin city centre

4:00: Arrive in Dublin

If you would like to attend, contact Emma at and be sure to mention the name of your food blog. Book soon, as places are limited.

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The Farmhouse Cheese & Craft Beer Weekend is back! Join in the celebrations taking place 25th – 29th October, with nearly 30 planned events taking place nationwide. Supported by Bord Bia, the events, ranging from cheese and beer tastings and pairings to talks and demonstrations, will take place in breweries, restaurants, gastropubs, off-licences, farms and farmers’ markets around the country.

The Farmhouse Cheese and Craft Beer Weekend is in an effort to prove that craft beer (not just wine!) is an excellent accompaniment to cheese. Through the events, Bord Bia aims to raise awareness of the breadth of Irish farmhouse cheeses and craft beers amongst consumers. According to Eimear O’Donnell, Consumer Dairy Sector Manager, Bord Bia, “This celebratory weekend gives consumers a unique opportunity to get to know these acclaimed speciality categories and their local suppliers. There is a wonderful range of farmhouse cheese and craft beer being produced in Ireland and we now have an occasion to celebrate and enjoy some of our best produce.”

Both artisan crafts are not just about the flavour but also the people, personalities, places and stories behind them. At present in Ireland, there are approximately 50 farmhouse cheese makers producing over 140 varieties of cheese and 15 craft brewers making upwards of 60 different beers, stouts and ales as well as special and seasonal brews. Eleven of the craft brewers have been new startup businesses in the past four years and the industry expects several new entrants in the coming years.

Cathryn Hargan, Bord Bia’s Alcoholic Beverages Sector Manager commented on the rising popularity of the craft beer sector. “Craft beer and cider are flourishing in Ireland at present and consumer demand has never been higher. Growth is due to the increased localised availability. The industry is very positive about the future and believes that Ireland will follow the US and UK markets in terms of craft beer trends, where there has been huge growth and interest in the sector.”

For full details of events taking place during the Farmhouse Cheese and Craft Beer Weekend and for a range of pairing suggestions, visit www.bordbia.ie/cheeseandbeerweekend.

And now for the best bit! For a chance to win a hamper of Irish farmhouse cheese and craft beer, just leave a comment with the answer to this question:

What is to accompany cheese over the October bank holiday weekend?
A.       Milk
B.       Craft beer

You must be over 18 to enter. Note that the hamper can only be shipped to an Irish address. One entry per person please – multiple entries will be disqualified. One winner will be randomly chosen and notified by email. The competition will close at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 24 October at 6:00 p.m. UPDATE: The lucky winner is Ethna! Good luck, and be sure to check out www.bordbia.ie/cheeseandbeerweekend!

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WHAT:
Over 70 Dublin city centre restaurants, cafés and bars will celebrate the world of cuisine we have in our city centre by offering fantastic value meals, added extras and great entertainment for Dine in Dublin week (Monday 22nd until Sunday 28th October).

WHO:
To kick off the celebration, food bloggers are invited to lunch on Friday, the 19th of October at 2.30 pm in Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street, Dublin 2. Fallon & Byrne will be sharing their delicious Dine in Dublin menu as well as an introduction to their tempting winter cocktail menu.

WHEN: 
2.30 pm Friday, 19 October
Fallon & Byrne
11-17 Exchequer Street, Dublin 2
Please RSVP in advance and be sure to mention the name of your food blog.

CONTACT:   
Laura Mannion, laura.
Luke McDonnell, luke.
Drury 01 260 5000

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