TRENDING on social media on Monday, #PigTownLimerick went the whole hog as it launched details of a new food series at a butchers table style supper at Limerick’s Milk Market.
This autumn, the Pigtown Food Series is taking over Limerick in an exciting celebration of Limerickโs Food Culture. Inspired by the history of Limerickโs famous bacon industry, the โPigtown Culture and Food Seriesโ is an exciting new programme of themed events happening in September and October 2017 in Limerick.
Developed by the Limerick Food Group and supported by Fรกilte Ireland, the series will focus on Limerickโs unique heritage as a way to showcase the great food available locally, building on their deep-rooted food heritage.
The series features events such as the Culture Night Pig Parade; โBeyond the Pig – veganism in a meat eaters worldโ panel discussion; โAncient Irish food – what did our ancestors grow, pick and catchโ lecture and discussion and Urban Foraging Walks by local author and ethnobotanist Theresa Storey; Valerie OโConnorโs โPig in the Cityโ food trail; Pigtown Tasting Menu produced by students of LITโs Food and Tourism Department; and โThe Apprentice – Pigtown Styleโ hosted by Garretts Butchers where Limerick Butcher Apprentices will compete against visiting international craft butcher apprentices to be crowned the Pigtown Champion.
Local historian and author Tom Toomey will give a lecture on the food history of the City: โPigtown Roots, Ranks and Cleeves factories โ their rise and downfallโ, followed by a panel discussion with Joe Hayes of the Limerick Pork Butchers Society.
The popular Saturday Morning demos in the Milk Market Kitchen will have a pig and harvest flavour in butchery skills and cooking, with everything from Limerick-style pulled pork, to โThe Pig from Nose to Tailโ, Preserving the Harvest, and Sausage making. The demonstrations are given by a host of Limerick producers, chefs and food writers.
Other events include historical talks and walks recounting the time when Limerickโs bacon factories fed Ireland and exported as far away as Russia; farm visits to OโBrien Artisan Cheese in Ballyhahill to hear tales of Jim OโBrienโs 20 years in the pig trade before becoming a cheesemaker; and โA Pigโs Taleโ ceramic exhibition hosted by Limerick Ceramic Artists, as well as UL Drama Societyโs performance of the acclaimed โPigtownโ by Limerick playwright Mike Finn.
Restaurants and hotels across Limerick will be embracing the theme featuring Pigtown specials and events including the Pig Celebration Gourmet Evening by Chef Tim Harris at No1 Pery Square, and โA Nose To Tail Tasting Dinnerโ at The Limerick Strand Hotel by Chef Tom Flavin. A Limerick Pigtown Neighbourhood Fest will take place in partnership with the โ95 Stop Tourโ charity drive encouraging street pig-nics throughout the county.
Some of the cities attractions are hot to trot too with The Frank McCourt Museum incorporating a Limerick Ham tasting and pin-the-tail-on-the-pig childrenโs game. Primary schools are being urged to get involved with the aim of getting Limerickโs children interested in food heritage and culture with posters, colour-in pig masks for the Pig Parade and craft ideas all to be available.
John Mulcahy, Fรกilte Irelandโs Head of Food Tourism commented: โI am delighted to welcome this great initiative for Limerick as the Pigtown Culture and Food Series is very much rooted in the cityโs food history and will (literally) add an authentic flavour to the visitor experience.ย Food and local authenticity are an essential part of the overall visitor experience to Ireland.ย Indeed, good local food can impact destination choice, so itโs important that when visitors arrive they receive a quality food experience that is representative of the area throughout their stay. With visitors to Ireland spending some โฌ2billion on food every year,ย it is our job in the tourism industry to ensure we put our best ingredients and flavours on the plate when it comes to giving visitors the experiences they want and Limerick will surely deliver this through this initiative.โ
The Pigtown Food Series takes place in September and October 2017 across Limerick. For further details visit www.pigtown.ie or search #PigtownLimerick or โPigtown Food Seriesโ on social media.