Sheridans Cheesemongers Food Festival

Do you have summer traditions? Do you visit a food fair which you know is there at a certain place in a certain summer month? What makes it a tradition? Does something become a tradition when you do it the second time (and you know there will be a third, fourth, fifth... time) or does it take years and years before you can say 'this is my tradition'? And if you skip one year, let's say, simply due to bad weather, have you given up your tradition?

This year I went to Sheridans Cheesemongers Food Festival the second time in my life and I do feel it is a tradition now. I sort of knew what to expect, what to buy, what to look forward to, and the family did so, too. 

So, for the second time, we drove all the way to Virginia Road Station in County Meath on a lovely, sunny and hot May Sunday and surely all our expectations were met! (except this year there was no cow poo on the field where visitors could park their cars...) Lots of samples to taste, delicious foods to enjoy, activities for the kids, new ideas to be implemented in the kitchen.

These little piggies were already at the market...

...while these little piggies had roast beef were being roasted...

When entering the festival area, we could not pass this stall but had to stop...

...for crepes, that is!!

Marshmallows and chocolate chips in a crepe...

... make your day!

          There has been a lot of debate whether or not selling raw milk should be banned in Ireland but at the moment it is legal.

Say CHEEEESE...

...and go for it: lots and lots of cheeese...

...blue cheese...

...and sheep milk cheese...

...to take home with some black crackers for the black metal husband.

Very Irish: Shamrock and Sour Cream cri(s)ps...

...to be taken home secretly enjoyed in the back seat of the car.

Smoked mackarel, kipper and tuna. "Let's have a second round of tasting now that there's a new lady behind the table..." I said the kids said...

Smoked kippers by Woodcock Smokery were delicious!!

Cherry ice cream by Llewellyn's Orchard :b

***

Ceviche of Cold Smoked Herring:

4 small cold smoked kipper fillets (about 100g each)

1 red onion

1 tomato

Cucumber or pickled dill cucumber

1 lemon

1 dl / ½ cup capers

Fresh dill and chives

Black pepper

1. Scald the tomato and peel it.

2. Chop the herring, onion, tomato (discard seeds) and cucumber into small cubes.

3. Squeeze the lemon.

4. Mix all the ingredients together and let set in the fridge at least half an hour before serving.

I made two slightly different batches as somebody in the family dislikes capers and somebody else cucumber...  In the first batch I added only tomato and pickled dill cucumber, in the second batch  cucumber, red onion, capers and herbs.

In addition to herring ceviche two ways, I served smoked mackarel with chives and cold smoked sea trout with sour cream and fresh dill: