Food & Drink

GIY in Enniscorthy

GIY (Grow It Yourself) Wexford is holding community meetings and talks on growing in Enniscorthy, on the first Thursday of every month at the IFA Centre, Millpark Road, from 7.30-9.30pm. There's a different topic for each meeting with a Q&A session at the end. It's a chance to connect with other people in the growing community, share information and form a support and advice network. Expect to see folks from the Enniscorthy Community Allotments and Wexford Environmental Network there, and feel free to spread the word to anyone you feel would be interested, everyone is welcome. https://www.facebook.com/groups/209497090137006 n Knives & forks at the ready!

Get your knives and forks at the ready! Enniscorthy Library has just received a mouthwatering delivery of delicious cookery books. Bon appetit!!! n 'Nutrition and Healthy Options' part-time, Free course with BTEI at Bunclody FETC. Sign up now!

Lime Asian Street Food restaurant is situated in the old River Restaurant premises right in the centre of Enniscorthy, and is offering sit-down Lunch (up to 4pm) and Evening (up to closing time at 10pm) menus, as well as a substantial takeaway menu. The extensive size of the premises has allowed Mister Chen to completely separate the sit-down and takeaway areas. It is now taking bookings for Christmas. Tel: 053 923 6448, 089 216 8823. Keep up to date on Facebook at ‘Lime asian street food’ n

Enniscorthy Community Allotments wins Wexford’s top environment award

Enniscorthy Community Allotments (ECA) was thrilled to be announced the Winner of the “Best Overall Entry” at the Wexford County Council Environment Awards 2022 at a packed ceremony in the Ferrycarrig Hotel last month. The award is a major achievement, especially since ECA only opened the gates to members on April 11th this year and the judging took place not long afterwards in July and August. The winners were announced by Master of Ceremonies Alan McGuire and ECA was congratulated and presented with a plaque by Cathaoirleach of Wexford County Council George Lawlor. ECA also received a cash prize which will help support further improvements and developments at the site. Videoclips showcasing ECA and the various category winners are available to view on Wexford Co. Council’s YouTube channel. Never ones to rest on their laurels, Michael Devereux and the ECA committee arranged with WWETB earlier this year for nine ECA members to undertake two modules of the QQI Level 4 Horticulture award at Gonzaga House on Upper Wafer Street, Enniscorthy, studying under expert horticulturalist Mairead Dunne. Up to Christmas, this group is studying ‘growing vegetables’ and in the new year the second module is ‘growing fruits’. The nine will receive a certificate at the end of their two modules. More education initiatives are also being planned. Meanwhile, on the ground at the ECA complex at Gort Na Gréine, Enniscorthy, beside the Enniscorthy Sports Hub, a sophisticated new composting system has been introduced under master composter Betty Kehoe and her husband Lorcan, thanks to financial support from the Reimagining Enniscorthy group. Any school or community group interested in composting is welcome to contact ECA to visit and learn about the new facility. The ECA committee would like to thank everyone who supported them over the last year and look forward to building on the project and enabling more people from the town to get involved in the future. ECA is all about local people growing their own food in an organic and sustainable way. To find out more: www.enniscorthycommunityallotments.ie Email: enniscorthyallotments@gmail.com www.facebook.com/Enniscorthycommunityallotments n

Award winners, front row, Cllr Aidan Browne (Cathaoirleach of Enniscorthy Municipal District) with Enniscorthy Community Allotments committee members, and behind – local and national politicians and staff of Wexford Co. Council. Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6MKOngR-Qk

Afternoon tea by the sea

Time to indulge yourself with Afternoon Tea by the sea at Coast Rosslare Strand. The spectacular location makes for a truly unique experience. Celebrating something special? Why not treat yourself to a glass of prosecco or a dressed gin and tonic which can be added to your Afternoon Tea on request. Afternoon Tea is served daily between 11am and 6pm. €20 per person or €25 including Prosecco. Contact the hotel today at banquetingmanager@coastrosslarestrand.com or call 053 9132010. Gift vouchers available. n

GIY launch the ‘GROW At School’ Food Education programme

In mid-November, 132 schools across the country headed outside to plant the first crops from their garden kit as part of the GROW At School programme, an initiative bringing together food education and outdoor learning.

The 132 schools got started on their food-growing kits which included four raised beds with soil, 14 different vegetables to grow, a plan that works around the school year, and lesson plans adapted for all age groups. The first lesson focused on food systems aiming to teach kids from junior infants upwards about the journey their food goes on from the very beginning and is freely available on the GIY website.

Earlier this year, GIY launched a €3.2m fund to support GROW At School, with an ambition to see every primary school in Ireland granted a free garden, seeds and the resources required for learning how to grow food, reconnect with nature, and develop healthier, more sustainable food choices.

Founder of GIY Michael Kelly says, “We are delighted to officially begin GROW At School. This has long been an ambition for GIY and we are excited to be at this stage. Through this programme, we will enable 20,000 primary school children to learn about food growing this year. Getting their hands into the soil will be an invaluable learning experience.”

The best thing about GROW At School is that all the resources, from the learning guides to the practical tools, are delivered to each school for free and this is due to philanthropic funds raised by GIY.

Having run as a three-year pilot with 31 schools, the programme was a huge success. Teachers declared that they found the garden to be an excellent teaching tool across most subjects of the curriculum and that it also allowed them to get closer to the pupils and learn more about them in an informal setting. Children experienced better overall wellbeing and interest in eating more vegetables, outcomes that have been found in numerous other studies on the topic.

Michael says, “It is our goal to have at least 500 schools across the country participate during the 2023/24 school year – we already have 250 schools on this wait list (registration is open and ongoing at www.giy.ie). So, the interest is there, and we just need the financial support to back it.”

Pictured at St John of God National School in Waterford City are Nina Lalor age 6, Alhyzia Montenegro age 6, Millie O’Higgins age 6 and Evie Burchell age 6 as they received their GIY GROW At School pack which will enable them to learn about and to grow food at school this spring. Pic: Mary Browne. For further details on GIY and GROW At School see https://giy.ie/programmes/grow-at-school/ n

Your local Slimming World Consultants in Enniscorthy Providing you with a huge choice of sessions throughout the week:

Tuesdays @ 6.30pm The Salt n Pepper Pot, Community Workshop Call Tony on 087 1785384 Wednesdays @ 9.30am, 11.00am, 5.30pm and 7.00pm Enniscorthy Rugby Club Call Trish on 087 3607615 Saturdays @ 9.00am and 10.30am The Salt n Pepper Pot, Community Workshop Call Tony on 087 1785384

Slaney aDSlaney FOOD & DRInK Tried-Tested-Tasted by Caitriona

Caitriona Barron from Drinagh, Wexford, grew up on her dad’s farm with plentiful homegrown veg and their own meat so “we really knew the value of good food. My mother started a seafood business after meeting my stepfather fisherman, my brother now runs the seafood business so I’m well used to fresh food.”

“I worked with the family business before leaving to be a stay-at-home mother but soon got bored (lol!) and started taking pics of my food, sharing my recipes on social media. When people started showing interest, I realised this could be a job so I bought myself a camera and threw myself in the deep of it. I love it and I get to work with amazing companies. Seeing my pictures in magazines, in shops, and occasionally on TV is pretty amazing. “I’m a mother of two boys and, yes, juggling it all can be very tough. But I keep it going as it’s my passion now and it’s very rewarding.” https://www.facebook.com/triedtestedtasted and Caitriona_barron on insta n

Caitriona Barron

ROASTIES

These roasties are so good! Perfect for Christmas…

I cook my potatoes until tender in salted water with baking powder… drain, give a little shake.

Blend one stock cube into 1/4 cup olive oil. Heat olive oil and butter until butter melted. Add drained potatoes to butter, oil, add garlic and herbs (I use rosemary), the stock cube mix, salt, pepper and bake in a preheated oven at 200c. Bake until golden and crispy.

Serves 8.

Ingredients: 2kg potatoes 1 tbs salt 1 tbs baking powder to boil 75ml olive oil 50g butter Garlic cloves 1/4 cup herbs chopped 1 chicken stock cube 2 tbs oil to blend Sea salt Black pepper n

Pic: Caitriona Barron.

https://www.facebook.com/ triedtestedtasted