Norbert Neylon is cooking up a storm in The Oak Room, Cavan.
All the flavor and taste of Cavan is poured into a new charity cookbook. Published under the Created in Cavan banner, the Cavan Food Network hopes the post will be a recipe for success for its members.
Michelle Taite reports:
It will feature recipes from some of Breffni County’s top producers and chefs; while members of the public are also invited to contribute recipes that are native to this region or have a Cavan touch.
The project was the brainchild of Samantha Rogers, a member of the cookbook’s compilation committee: “Cavan is becoming quite a renowned foodie destination and we thought ‘what better way, not just to showcase Cavan’s products , but also for the people of Cavan as well as to bring home”.
Contributors to the book include the 48 members of the Created in Cavan Food Network who feature recipes using their own produce as ingredients, as well as some of their stories and photography.
Recipes vary greatly. “From Inis Escargot’s tempura snails to Herd Butchery’s Chimichurri recipe,” Samantha gives some examples (see recipe on the right).
She says people are invited to submit their favorite recipes. “It won’t just be about recipes from Food Network members. We also wanted to include the people of Cavan. We asked them if they could participate by sending in their recipes and any photos they could include in the book itself,” she said.
“We have family recipes and family stories, it just gives that sense of community. We want to include things that will keep traditions and family stories alive,” Samantha continued.
The idea for the book came about when members of the organization were brainstorming ideas to promote the food industry in Cavan.
“I mentioned to the group that I had been to the Isle of Man and they created a cookbook for charity. It was only around £5, it had 70 pages in it. It included recipes councilors and famous local personalities, all of whom chose their favorite local recipes and added them to the book.
“I brought it up as an idea and other people agreed. We pitched it to a board and it was approved for funding, that’s how it escalated.
It is hoped the cookbook will be available for purchase in late fall and Samantha thinks it will be the perfect gift for anyone living abroad who wants a taste of home. “If someone wanted to send the book to friends or family in Canada for example, it would be like a little taste of Cavan, and it will come out just in time for Christmas.”
The selling price has not yet been agreed, but the proceeds will be donated to a local charity. “Donations from the sale of each book will actually go to a local charity, the chosen charity is yet to be determined,” Samantha said.
If you are interested in contributing a recipe, story or photograph to the cookbook, contact Patricia on patriciasmith@cavancoco.ie or Samantha on s.rodgershawthornlodgebnb@gmail.com
