Olivia O'SullivanAll hail the mighty chip! We’re celebrating this most humble of foodstuffs with an elegant Culinary Carnival Chip Banquet – and you’re all invited!
The opulent surroundings of a 1920’s Spiegeltent is hosting Limerick’s Culture & Chips food carnival over the June Bank Holiday weekend, and the festival kicks off with an elaborate banquet event on Thursday May 28th.
‘Culture & Chips’ is a food carnival with a difference, taking place in Arthur’s Quay Park in the city centre, in an authentic specially transported 1920’s Spiegeltent. Last year’s line-up featured music, food, comedy, children’s theatre and percussion, and lively discussion, and this year’s crop will see that and more, culminating in the return of the World Chip Championships to find the best-tasting chip on the planet.
The delectable Culinary Carnival Chip Banquet is a certain highlight with Chef Paul Williams of Canteen (who has worked in the kitchen of Heston Blumenthal – famed for his triple-cooked chips) using locally sourced produce from the region with matching wines, and craft beers from Treaty City Brewing and White Gypsy Brewery.
Starting with sweet potato soup, Gruyere cheese and walnuts, the next course offers St Tola goat’s cheese, Crowe’s Farm bacon dust, wild flowers, micro herbs and pea. A palette cleanser to follow will be courtesy of Limerick’s Wellnice healthy juice ice pops, before moving on to lamb cannon wellington, micro cress, beetroot, lamb shoulder confit, tomato salsa, and chips, but of course. Summer gelato from Gusto d’Italia will finish the feast off perfectly. Tickets (€70 inclusive of food and drinks) are already selling fast for this treat for the senses, get yours soon at cultureandchips.com
Other food events to tickle the taste buds over the carnival weekend include the Homecut Foodie event on Friday, a free event all day which will see cookery demos by leading local chefs including Limerick Strand Hotel’s Executive Chef Tom Flavin (previous RAI winner of Limerick’s Best Chef), panel chatter on all things food, and presentations from local suppliers.
Also free entry, this on Saturday afternoon, is the World Chip Championships, being held for the second time ever, anywhere, as Limerick searches for a chef or cook worthy to take the title from last year’s inaugural winner, Lema Murphy, with her entry inspired by the Irish TV cult classic entitled ‘Sunday night treat before Glenroe’, a dish featuring triple-cooked chips with baked bean and bacon sauce with deep fried egg yoke.
If you would like to put your best chip recipe to the test, and possibly take home that French-fried title, contact hello@cultureandchips.com for all the details.
Free family fun in the form of Spiegelkidz Rhythm, Music Generation, and a Circus Skills Workshop means there is something on offer for all the family. Adding to the flavour of the Spiegeltent over the June Bank Holiday weekend, tasty vendors will once again surround the camp with offerings of chips (and more chips) to ice-cream, BBQ, rotisserie chicken, coffees and delicious crepes, dinky doughnuts, healthy juice pops and more.
Lots of reasons to be in Limerick City this June Bank Holiday weekend from May 28th to June 2nd (note: salt, vinegar and ketchup will be provided. Oh and chips. Lots of chips.)
Mention ‘Culture & Chips’ when booking your hotel for special offers. See full details at cultureandchips.com and connect via facebook.com/cultureandchips and @cultureandchips on twitter.