Food

Food File: Slow food heaven at Burren festival

Cavan chef promotes gluten-free cooking as Taste of Dublin prepares for its homecoming

Getting in the mood for the 2016 Slow Food Festival with a little trip out on the Atlantic (from left): Liam O’ Brien - manager The Doolin Ferry Co, Birgitta Hedin-Curtin - chairperson Slow Food Clare, John Curtin and Kieran O’ Halloran - Kieran’s Kitchen at The Roadside Tavern. Photograph: Yvonne Vaughan Photography.

Marie Claire Digby
Fri May 6 2016 - 07:30

Burren events

The Burren is the place to be this month, when almost 100 Irish chefs get on their bikes and embark on a 300km, three-day charity cycle beginning and ending at the Burren Storehouse in Lisdoonvarna (May 23rd-25th), and locally grown and foraged food takes centre stage at the Burren Slow Food Week Festival (May 27th-29th).

The festival features a cheese tasting with Irish Times journalist and author Catherine Cleary, and there will be opportunities to learn about the benefits of growing your own food, buy produce from the Ballyvaughan farmers' market, and enjoy a picnic on board the Doolin ferry under the Cliffs of Moher.

A gluten-free sponge cake from My Gluten-Free Kitchen, by chef Gearóid Lynch.

Gluten-free cooking

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Chef Gearóid Lynch, who runs The Olde Post Inn in Cloverhill, Cavan, with his wife Tara, was diagnosed with coeliac disease three years ago.

His first cookbook has just been published, and “the recipes just so happen not to include gluten”, he says.

The recipes are adaptations of everyday dishes, from breakfast to dinner, with afternoon tea, children’s favourites and sides, stocks and sauces covered too.

Baking can be the hardest discipline in which to achieve great results without gluten, but Lynch has devised recipes for breads, cakes and pastries that have as good a texture and taste as those made with gluten.

Much depends on the flour used, and Lynch recommends using Doves Farm and Odlums gluten-free flours, both widely available.

My Gluten-Free Kitchen, by Gearóid Lynch, is published by Gill Books, €24.99. Coeliac Awareness Week in Ireland begins on Monday.

Taste of Dublin

Taste of Dublin returns to Iveagh Gardens in Dublin city centre on June 16th-19th, with a Homecoming theme this year.

Chefs taking part include Patrick Powell, Robin Gill, Anna Haugh and Simon Lamont, as well as Stuart O'Keeffe and Cathal Armstrong from the US.

The Electrolux Taste Theatre will host demos by visiting chefs, as well as Irish professionals including Ross Lewis, Kevin Dundon, Sunil Ghai, Rachel Allen and Neven Maguire.

Opening hours have been extended to 10.30pm, Thursday to Saturday.

tasteofdublin.ie

Catherine ClearyGearoid LynchKevin DundonNeven MaguirePatrick PowellSimon LamontSunil GhaiAnna HaughCathal ArmstrongRobin GillRoss LewisStuart O Keeffe