The shortlist for the NI Year of Food and
Drink Awards has been announced. The judging panel, made up of highly respected
food writers, critics and hospitality experts, were overwhelmed with the level
of entries for the inaugural year of the awards, celebrating the achievements
of the Year of Food and Drink in 2016. –
Deputy Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough
Council, William McNeilly, who attended a number of the workshops said “We are
delighted that our ‘Wild About Food’ initiative has been shortlisted for the
Best Food Story Award.”
“Wild About Food was a collaboration between
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council & Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough
Council, funded by Heritage Lottery Fund, aiming to celebrate the fantastic
local produce available to us in the area. This project was our contribution to
the Northern Ireland's Year of Food and Drink 2016 and we incorporated the Year
of Food and Drink monthly themes.”
“Throughout the Wild About Food programme
participants were educated, able to learn new food preparation skills, learn
about local ingredients and learn about foraging. For example, participants
foraged for wild garlic and made a wild garlic pesto at Ecos Nature Park and enjoyed
learning the traditional skill of sea angling and ‘cooking their catch’ at our
Cook Your Catch workshop at Blackhead Path, Whitehead. Other workshops included
a Love Veg BBQ at Eden Allotment Gardens, Carrickfergus, bread baking, ice
cream making, and a celebration of the apple harvest at Diamond Jubilee Wood,
Whitehead.”
“The programme was also intended to act as a reminder of the ecosystem processes
which continues to provide us with food, air and water reminding us of the
importance of the natural world around us.
With today’s reliance on supermarkets, and the assumption that any food
can be purchased at any time of the year, this programme aimed to remind people of importance of local
produce and how to make the most of ingredients which have not incurred
thousands of air miles and the associated carbon foot print. “
Charles
Campion, Georgina Campbell, Joris Minne and Professor Una-McMahon Beattie met
at Hillsborough Castle on Mon 16 January to deliberate the entries. The
shortlist and winners will be announced at the awards evening on Thursday 02
February at the Culloden Estate & Spa.