Features

Small food revolution

Global warming and depleting fossil fuels are proving to have a positive impact on local food production says Gerry Galvin.

Food has always been part of the traditional Summer Show, as an ancillary by way of stalls selling burgers, ice cream and chips; more a service to feed the crowd on the day rather than an essential pillar of the event. Attending the marvellous Farmfest in Athenry recently it was clear that the emphasis has shifted. Granted, the stalls to feed the hungry were as obvious as ever but the proliferation of artisan growers, cheesemakers and the new entrepreneurs of baking and preserving was welcome evidence of state-funded Agriculture's appreciation of the inherent value of small, often home-based enterprises. For all we know this burgeoning of small-scale industry may be the re-making of Irish farming in embryo. Climate change will alter farming in ways not yet understood but most predictions point to the growing importance of the local as opposed to the grandiose marketplace of Global Economics. There will always be international trade but it is increasingly likely that the wisdom of growing, making and buying locally will become clearer as fossil fuel decrease inexorably restricts travel and transport.

Sinead Courtney of Athenry Organics sells some of her produce at Farmfest, Athenry.

My feeling is that it is still early days; a lot has yet to happen to promote and strengthen the business side of small food enterprise; problems of scale, distribution and financial planning hamper development. But there is an air abroad now, not just political lip-service, that food farming is as concerned with small business as with vast holdings and large production. Farmfest was a reassuring confirmation of that trend. It proved too, if proof were needed, that the logistical necessities of such a mighty event are more efficiently organised and operated in the country, challenging the lazy assumption that Dublin has to be the centre of everything.

Exciting ingredients

The cookery demonstrations by Bord Bia and Euro-Toques (The European Community of Cooks) were well attended throughout the day. As a Euro-Toques chef I participated with fellow members, Michael O' Meara of Oscars Restaurant, Galway and Feargal O' Donnell from Wineport Lodge, Glasson, near Athlone. In that capacity I trawled the food stalls searching for interesting ingredients and was particularly excited by the wealth of impressively professional preserve producers. Hot Pepper Relish from Helen Gee in Abbeyleix and Chilly Jelly by Crossogue Preserves, Thurles, added spice and an extra dimension to the Tomato Salsa I demonstrated as an accompaniment to Summer Fritters.

From Janet's Country Fayre I took away a jar of Beetroot Blush, the loveliest sweet/sour treatment of beetroot, quite different and superior to the harsher old-style pickled beetroot that I have always shied away from. Added to the beet, the combination of apples, onions, sugar and orange juice neutralise, to an extent, the acidity of vinegar.

Arctic Charr

Among the exhibitors were Bill Carty and Mari Johnston cooking samples of Arctic Charr from their farm at Cloonacool at the foot of the Ox mountains in Co. Sligo. Arctic Charr is classified as an endangered species in the wild but seems to take well to careful farming. At Cloonacool the fish are fed with natural spring water; there are no chemicals or colourings of any kind; the process ticks all the boxes of sustainability and eco-friendliness. The queue to sample the cooked fish was so long that all I was able to do was observe from a distance. From what I could see, Arctic Charr has some of the attributes of salmon from a cooking perspective: similar texture, shape and therefore amenable to recipes normally associated with salmon. I'm sure we will be seeing a lot more Arctic Charr in shops and restaurants. The Cloonacool website illustrates several ways of cooking the fish: lovely recipes like Oriental Thai Charr, Charr pan-fried with almonds and lemon, Charr baked in a foil parcel, the French en papillote style that ensures all the perfumes and cooking juices are captured as if in a miniature oven.

In addition to those good recipes here's another I think particularly suitable for this fish:

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