Slow Food Bantry

Hi Folks,

I wonder if you could pass on the word? We have recently started an allotment scheme at Bantry House in the walled garden, and inspired by that, we are having a workshop with Madeleine McKeever of Brown Envelope Seeds at 2 pm in the Walled Garden on Saturday 10th May, and then John Evans, who produces Fertilive, will give a gardening demo in the Walled Garden at 3 pm, the same day.

We do hope to see as many gardening (budding and veteran) enthusiasts there as possible.

Regards

Cathy McCarter

Bantry House

The committee of Slowfood Bantry bay would like to thank everyone who contributed to making the launch of our Convivium a resounding success. The event was sold out - Organico Cafe was filled to capacity with people eager to hear what Myrtle Allen and Giana Fergusson had so say on the future of Irish food and their respective experiences during years of promoting Irish food both in Ireland and abroad.

The presentations were thought-provoking and inspiring. Many retailers and restaurant owners would identify with Myrtle when, in response to Giana’s thanks for her support when the Fergussons first began cheese production many years ago, Myrtle said ‘It’s for her own sake the cat purrs’. We are beginning to recognise that supporting each other, using products made/grown locally in our Cafe’s, Restaurants and homes, is the only way to engender a healthy Irish food community. Myrtle, of course, regcognised this home truth years ago.

The other speaker was Martha Cashman whose ceramic artwork is currently hanging on the walls of Organico Cafe. Martha comes from a long line of market gardeners and food producers and expresses her sense of connection with artisan food production in her choice of subject matter. Her ornamental ceramic spoons are delicate, beautiful and intensley personal.

No Slow Food launch would be complete without an amazing display of hand-made food, and the Organico Bakers and Kitchen Team surpassed themselves with the mini-cupcakes (apple and cinnamon, lemon drizzle);, mini cookies (lemon shortbread dipped in white chocolate, and then a soft chocolate and coffee…mmm…); mini scones filled with Glenilen clotted cream, and thin sandwiches filled with relishes and a range of local products including Durrus Cheese, Gubbeen Cheese, Gubbeen Salami, and a delicious new Kery Organic Cheddar made by Kate Carmody. Thanks for the donations everybody - your hard work is very much appreciated.
Watch this space for upcoming events hosted by Slowfood Bantry Bay including a not-to-be-missed afternoon in Bantry House (probably in August - theme to be decided). We will also be holding meetings in the Bantry area for any and all members interested in getting involved in events.

For reviews please click here.

Lets hope we can make the Organico Tea Party an annual event!

For how to join us click here.

If you are interested in becoming a member of Slowfood Bantry Bay please call in to either Organico Cafe or O’Connors Seafood Restaurant and pick up a form. Membership fees range from €50-65 per year (concessions for students). The benefits of membership include reduced entry to Slowfood events, being on the email list for events so you hear about them first, a magasine once a year that gives you a wealth of information on Slowfood worldwide and a chance to meet other people interested in food and food-related issues at regualr meetings.

If calling in to either of these places is inconvenient, please call Organico Cafe in the mornings or evenings on 027/55905 and we will post you a form.

We are delighted to announce that Myrtle Allen is coming to help us launch Slow Food Bantry.

Myrtle, the founder of Ballymaloe House Hotel and Restaurant, was recently an Honary Doctorate of Laws from UCC and a Lifetime Business Achievement Award at an event organised by Business Cork magasine. In order to remind us all of what an honor this is, I have done a little research into her recent achievements. The following quote seems very appropriate to me. It is taken from the address given by Professor Peter Woodman, the Dean of Arts in UCC during the conferring of her Doctorate in 2007:

”Thanks to Myrtle Allen and others, we are at last beginning to appreciate that what is grown and reared in Ireland in a comparatively uncontaminated environment is a priceless part of our heritage (as much as the castle and house at Ballymaloe) and she has helped us realise that we change this resource at our peril. In fact, with the encouragement of people of vision such as Myrtle Allen, reliance on quality organic produce may be the way forward for many Irish small farmers who face today’s unprecedented changes in agriculture.”

Myrtle will speak and take questions on Sunday the 20th of April in Organico Cafe, Bantry, on the subject of Slowfood and Irish food and her lifetime’s work in these areas. The Committee of Slow Food Bantry Bay is delighted to be hosting this event. For information on tickets and times, please click here.

Hannah Dare

The Bantry Bay Convivium is proposing a launch on the 20th of April 2008 in Organico Cafe, Bantry. The theme will be a Spring Tea Party, and confirmed speakers so far are local Slow Food activist Giana Fergusson and Artist Martha Cashman from Cork. For those new to Slow Food there will be information and membership forms available; Giana will also be talking about the Terra Madre planned for Waterford this Autumn. Martha will share stories about her work, which has a strong family & food focus.

The menu will be finalised closer to the time but will focus on the delights created by Organico’s artisan bakers Sue and Sean Cooper (who are thrilled at the prospect of trying new and tasty cakes, cookies, scones and other tasty treats!). Organico food is always healthy AND tasty so there will be savoury as well as sweet foods on offer - but since the Dare family come from Devon, the home of clotted cream, Glenilen clotted cream will feature prominantly!

More will be posted on this as our plans develop. Watch this space!

Posted by Hannah Dare

The Bantry Bay Convivium Committee consists of:

Letty Baker (Convivium Leader),

Eileen O’Shea (Secretary)

Anne O’Brien (Accounts)

Hannah Dare & Cathy McCarter- bloggers

Val Manning (Ex Officio)

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what ‘Slow Food’ means, and what ‘Slow Food’ as an organisation actually does, so this article is an attempt at starting to answer some of the questions people might have. Slow Food is an organisation that began in Italy at the end of the 1980’s. The Manifesto was written by a man called Folco Portinari, and was signed by delegates from 15 countries on November 9, 1989, in Paris. Slow food has grown to become an organisation with over 80,000 members who are involved in over 850 convivia - (local chapters) - worldwide.

On the Slow Food website they say:

”Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work.”

I have taken a few lines I think are useful from The Slow Food Manifesto as well:

”Let us rediscover the flavors and savors of regional cooking and banish the degrading effects of Fast Food.
In the name of productivity, Fast Life has changed our way of being and threatens our environment and our landscapes. So Slow Food is now the only truly progressive answer.

That is what real culture is all about: developing taste rather than demeaning it. And what better way to set about this than an international exchange of experiences, knowledge, projects?

Slow Food guarantees a better future.

Slow Food is an idea that needs plenty of qualified supporters who can help turn this (slow) motion into an international movement, with the little snail as its symbol.”

The Bantry Bay Convivium is the latest addition to Slow Food Ireland, and as we grow we will explore further what Slow Food means in Ireland and specifically, what it means in Bantry.

Hannah Dare

A Bantry Community Allotment Scheme has been set up by the West Cork Community Partnership (WCCP) at Bantry House. An acre of land has been set aside in the Walled Garden for this venture and anyone from the area wishing to join, can contact Joe Cronin, the Development Officer for WCCP on 027-52266, for more information.

We are seriously hoping that our local Bantry Schools will take the opportunity to sign up to this allotment project, the more the merrier ( and healthier!!).

The inaugural opening, blessing and turning of the soil took place on Saturday, 1st March and despite the brutal weather, there was a good turnout by the local community. There were vintage tractors on display, including a Massey Harris Pony owned by Gordon Jennings and a Ford from the 1940’s owned by Gerry Kerrigan. Gerard Collins, the under-40’s Horse Ploughing Champion, and Gordon Jennings the Vintage Single Furrow Champion gave the rain-soaked crowd impressive displays of ploughing techniques.

The owners of Bantry House, Egerton & Brigitte Shelswell-White, welcomed everyone and wished the allotment venture the best of luck.

Speeches by Lady Mayor, Mary Hegarty and WCCP Chairman, Pat Murphy were short and sweet. Subjects touched on were: the good health benefits, awareness of nature and the environment, community and neighbourly spirit, inclusion of newcomers to the area and the history of allotments in Bantry - the last one in Baykean halted in the 60’s…

The proceedings were blessed by the local clergy, including David Ross of the Christian Fellowship, Fathers Pyburn and O’Mahoney and the Lay Dean Mary Draper of the Church of Ireland. And afterwards, everyone piled indoors for a strong cup of Fair Trade and a slice of homebaked goodies….

Cathy Carter 

The Bantry Bay Convivium was born on the 19th of Febuary 2008. The first meeting was held in the West Lodge Hotel, and was attended by Giana Fergusson of Gubbeen Cheese who gave us all a passionate account of what Slow Food stands for and what different kinds of activities we might explore as a Slow Food group. West Cork has a fantastic active Slow Food membership and we all hope that the Bantry Bay Convivium will be as vibrant as the rest of the West Cork.

We formed a committee (Convivium in slow-speak) and as such we are ‘open for business’. We are currently looking for new local Bantry members to join the Bantry Bay Convivium, as well as people to come to local Slow events!

Information on these events as they are planned will be posted to this blog; please feel free to comment and email us with suggestions and feedback. As the membership grows so will the events list. Events are open to members and non-members.

The bloggers of the group are myself (Hannah Dare from Organico in Bantry) and Cathy Carter from Bantry House.

This blog is a work in progress so please bear with us as we build it!

For information on Slowfood Ireland please click here.

Hannah Dare