The festival will celebrate the apple and the many ways it is enjoyed, with the revival of traditional pure-juice cider as a central theme. This inaugural event will also see Irish Seed Savers bringing their annual Apple Day to South Tipperary to make the festival a true Seed-to-Cider affair.
The event will be family friendly and there will be lots of activities for old and young. On Saturday the emphasis is on food and drink and on Sunday the apple itself is very much at the core of the festival!
The event will be family friendly and there will be lots of activities for old and young. On Saturday the emphasis is on food and drink and on Sunday the apple itself is very much at the core of the festival!
Throughout the weekend there will be opportunities to try Irish craft ciders, watch apple-pressing and cider-making demonstrations, to learn about Irish apple varieties and the history of apple-growing and cider-making. Apple growers and producers of apple-based foods will be showcasing their products and there will be opportunities to enjoy great local food with a distinct apple flavour.
Day-time events will take place at the Traas family Apple Farm in Moorstown, Cahir, and include Cider Making, Food Matching, Barbeques, Tastings and other Demonstrations. There will be a festival dinner in Cahir House Hotel where the organisers have challenged a local chef to create an exciting apple-flavoured tasting menu. Sheridan’s Cheesemongers will be on hand to match Irish ciders with Irish cheeses.
The tradition of local cider-making endured in Ireland until the middle of the 20th century, and now a new wave of small-scale Irish pure cider-makers are making their presence felt.
Paul Deegan, from Slow Food, said - “As an organisation we have always been concerned with the preservation of local food heritage. Apples and cider are an integral part of the South Tipperary landscape. We feel the time has come to celebrate the local cider-making tradition and promote the Irish apple-growing industry, and where better to start than in Tipperary.”
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| Follow the Cider Trail around Cahir Town |
In recent years there have been a number of innovations from Irish apple growers, such as apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, apple brandy and apple syrup. These producers are the vanguard of a fledgling industry that has significant potential for growth, is totally sustainable and is a perfect fit for the “Green Food Island”.
Craft cider and other apple-based products offer growers an economically viable use for apples with the potential for export and to contribute to the economy of the region.
Con Traas of the Apple Farm said: “As a country we import 90% of our apples and this is such a pity, especially since we can grow such great tasting apples. If we grew even half of these fruit here it could provide 300 jobs, and there is no reason why Tipperary should not be the place to do it!”
For more details see: http://www.slowfoodireland.com/ciderfest
Zack