Listowel Farmers Market & Slow Food Event

Sproated chickpea falafels for the market

vegetable terrine with tofu

Writers are hungry people. On Friday 1st.June Listowel town square was buzzing with excitement and brilliant sunshine. the Farmers Market stalls looked good, brimming with tasty home cooking, vegetarian delights, gorgeous fluffy cakes, local organic cheeses, veggies, herbs and meat. There was beautiful fresh fish and periwinkles - complete with pin authentic Spanish paella bubbling away in a huge flat pan, pancakes and delicious old fashioned meat pies.

The Listowel Ladies looked the part with creative attire,wearing layers of textured fabrics and pretty summer colours which caught the light and the celebratory occasion.

Lots of smiles and greetings and meetings; chatter and banter that would have made John B keanes heart sing, this festival that honoured him, and His town alive with the magic of the pen.

The participants coming from the workshops and talks were full of inspiration, and they wandered up to us looking for a tasty nibble to relax with on a warm bench in the sun. Food from the heart and food for the soul.

On  the following Sunday The Slow Food event caused a stir in The Listowel Arms Hotel.

A fantastic banquet was laid out with the creativity that only good cooks can achieve. The Local produce helped and there was a good community spirit as well as the pure joy of eating well presented, well cooked food - in an elegant setting - Slowly.

 Kate Carmody and I represented the artisan food producers, in the lovely breakfast room of the hotel watching the rain and the wild river rushing by. However when the sun popped out so did I and  with the help of a few customers I relocated outside - happy giving tasters, talking about the recipes in The Phoenix Cookbook "A Culinary Adventure , simply enjoying delicious slow food and the" infectious party atmosphere of the warm June afternoon at the 41st anniversary of Listowel Writers Week.

Kerry radio and live filming added greatly to the excitement and we can all look forward to the fun of The Listowel Food Fair in November with the prestigious Irish Cookbook of the year award and the tasty culinary events which Listowel people seem to coordinate so well.