Tuesday, September 07, 2010
THE famous blaa is on the menu during a 10-day festival celebrating the best of local produce from the south-east.
The 2010 Waterford Harvest Festival, which opens in the city on Friday and runs until September 19, will include food markets, craft villages, free outdoor gigs and street parties, barbecues, tasting workshops, and restaurant trails.
Cookery demonstrations by celebrity chefs including Darina Allen, and an historic feast at Waterford Castle are also on the menu along with lots of free and fun activities for all the family.
But Waterford’s famous blaa – a speciality doughy, white bread roll often wrapped around bacon or ham – will be served up alongside trotters on Déise Day, which takes place on Saturday, September 18.
It will be just one of the highlights of the festival which is designed to re-ignite our natural passion and relationship with food.
Festival chairman Paul McDaid said it will be the perfect opportunity to celebrate the wonderful produce available in the region.
"Waterford city is the ideal location for this festival, with free events taking place on the magnificent South Quay, on John Robert’s Square and in the People’s Park, showcasing Waterford city at its best," he said.
The Mayor’s Picnic and Play in the Park and the Big Street Party take place this Saturday.
They will be followed on Sunday by the Amazing Grazing event – one of the biggest outdoor markets in the country – when South Quay will be lined with food and craft stalls, a Kidszone featuring the Imaginosity marquee, a funfair, live music, and cookery demonstrations.
The following weekend, South Quay will host the Soil to Sea experience – a full day of demonstrations of food production and culinary heritage, with threshing, sheaf throwing, steam engines and vintage tractors.
Slow Food Ireland has also organised Food for Thought events including taste workshops, lectures, food tours and an artisan food competition.
The festival is supported by Waterford City Council and event partners include the Irish Examiner, Bord Bia, Slow Food Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, WIT, SuperValu, Dawn Meats and WLRFM.
lFull details on festival events are available on www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie.
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