Greenway food producers in Mayo launch calendar of events
by Tom Gillespie
THE Gourmet Greenway events guide for 2023 was launched at the event.
These will take place at 17 events running from February to October, 2023, as follows:
Mulranny Park Hotel
The award-winning Nephin Restaurant at the Mulranny Park Hotel continues to showcase the very best of what Mayo food has to offer.
The dinner menu is a celebration of the Gourmet Greenway, with producers appearing daily on the ever changing menu.
Head chef Chamila Manawatta presents a blend of wonderful ingredients, offering an experience that is only matched by the wonderful vista of Clew Bay from the restaurant.
The Gourmet Greenway banquet is held in the hotel while at the hotel’s leisure centre on every Monday next July leisure manager Paul will conduct a journey along the shore of Mulranny beach where he will discover the food that is available on our doorstep.
Kelly’s Butcher’s and Kelly’s Kitchen, Newport
Established on Newport’s Main Street in the 1930s, Kelly’s remains a family business, currently run by brothers Sean and Seamus and Sean’s two sons, Kenneth and Cormac.
Foodies make a point of stopping at Kelly’s to purchase their award-winning black and white puddings and sausages that are regular winners in national and international competitions.
Contact (098) 41149 to book a session with Sean who will explain the ingredients that go into his award-winning black and white puddings. These will take place on July 4 and 11, 2023, at 11 a.m.
Keem Bay Fish Products
Gerry and Julie Hassett began smoking wild Irish salmon in 1985. When stocks of wild salmon were reduced and no longer sustainable, Gerry switched to smoking Clare Island Atlantic farmed salmon and established Keem Bay Fish Products in 1992. The salmon is 100 per cent organic and of excellent quality for smoking.
Foodies can find Gerry in his smoking house at Keel in Achill Island where he smokes salmon, mackerel and kippers in his own kiln and oak roasts salmon.
On Saturdays at 10 a.m. during July and August next visit Keel Hall Market to see how the smoking takes place.
Mescan Brewery Tours
Mescan Brewery is owned and run by former vets Bart Adons and Cillian Ó Móráin. It is named after St. Patrick’s personal brewer.
The beers are inspired by Bart’s native Belgium, ranging from their flagship blond beer to the rich and full-bodied Red Tripel.
On tours one of the brewers will show you around the brewery, telling their story of going from veterinary medicine to brewing Belgian-style beer, explaining the brewing process and guiding you through the style and flavour profiles of each of their seven beers.
During June, July and August next there will be guided tours of the brewery which may be pre-booked on their website www.mscanbrewery.com.
This Must Be The Place
This Must Be The Place is a bustling cafe in the heart of Westport, perched right behind the Clock Tower. Since opening in June 2018, owners Susan Timothy and Andrew McGinley have been working tirelessly alongside head chef Eoghan Kelly to dish up fresh and original dishes in a chilled but vibrant setting. At the core of their inventive menu is a host of local producers.
Join Andrew, Susan and their team in The Store Next Door on April 9 next for a day celebrating the Best of Mayo Food.
Rua and Cafe Rua
Having sourced the best of local ingredients for over 10 years in their original café on New Antrim Street, Castlebar, the McMahon family opened Rua in 2008.
The split-level building contains a cafe upstairs overlooking the indoor market downstairs selling delicious locally sourced ingredients.
Listed in the McKenna’s 100 best restaurants guide, the New Antrim street café is also a winner of Good Food Ireland’s ‘Café of the Year’ award.
Wild garlic weekends will be staged at Cafe Rua on March 30 and April 2 next.
Achill Island Sea Salt
The O’Malley family founded this family business in 2013, inspired by the long tradition of salt production on Achill Island and their passion for the ocean and its surroundings.
A combination of modern and traditional techniques allows for the creation of pure white flaky sea salt.
You can visit their factory from June to September next and discover how the sea salt is made.
The Grainne Uaile
The award-winning family pub named after the famous Pirate Queen, Grace O’Malley, The Grainne Uaile has been in the McManamon family for over 100 years, and is currently being run by Harry McManamon. Their aim is to provide simple, mouth- watering food, made from fresh, local produce.
You can savour the seafood at the Grainne Uaile on the bank holiday weekend of April 28 to 30 next.
An Port Mór
An Port Mór Restaurant, situated in the heart of Westport, is run by chef-proprietor Frankie Mallon.
An Port Mór’s philosophy is to use seasonal, local and artisan produce.
House specialities include pot roasted pigs cheeks with black pudding and apple and vanilla sauce and 21 day dry-aged sirloin with red onion marmalade gravy. However, the main emphasis is on local fresh seafood and shellfish, particularly lobster, crab, scallops and langoustines from Clew Bay.
From September 20 to 23 next it will be All About Kelly’s at An Port Mor when chef Frankie Mallon will be showcasing Sean Kelly’s produce.
Croagh Patrick Seafoods
For almost a quarter of a century the Gannon family has been supplying their award-winning produce - Clew Bay native oysters, mussels and clams throughout Ireland, the UK and continental Europe.
All of the produce is from the family’s mariculture sites in Newport. A daily harvesting from grade A oyster beds ensures freshness and a ‘shore to door’ delivery.
Guide tours will take place at the farm at Raslaher, Newport, from July next.
Marlene’s Chocolate Haven
Chocolate lovers will delight in Marlene’s Chocolate Haven in Westport. She serves up the best hot chocolate with the finest homemade cakes while you decide which of the handmade chocolates you’d like.
Marlene makes all the chocolates on the premises using only the finest Belgian chocolate.
World Chocolate Day will be celebrate at Marlene’s on July 7 next.
The Beehive Cafe
The Beehive Cafe is an Irish craft and coffee shop overlooking Keel Beach on Achill Island.
Patricia and her team offer a range of home cooked sweet and savoury dishes using local produce along with a fully licensed drinks selection. Browse the shelves for some Irish crafts and outdoor clothing.
There will be a Seafood Symphony Weekend at the restaurant from June 16 to 18 next.
Cornrue Bakery
The bakery in Westport specialises exclusively in sourdough bread, which won gold at Blas na hÉireann in 2019.
Sourdough bread is made using only yeasts that are present naturally on the flour. Sourdough bread would typically take 24 hours to make from start to finish. Their bread takes six days. During this time the bread is developing structure, taste and complexity.
You can meet the baker during May next every Saturday morning from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.
Krēm Gelateria & Café
The café delivers a gourmet flavour experience with a range of delicious gelato, savoury and sweet crepes and locally roasted Bean West Coffee.
It was founded by a multi award winning, fourth generation gelato and pastry chef, Graham Byrne, who makes all the gelato in store.
Krem takes full advantage of local Irish and Mayo ingredients like Achill Island Sea Salt and Mescan Beer and top quality milk.
You can celebrate World Gelato Day at the cafe on February 21, March 24 and October 1, next year.
Achill Island Distillery
Achill Island Distillery, the home of Irish American whiskey, is the first and only island distillery in Ireland.
Located at the heart of the Wild Atlantic Way off the west coast of Mayo, Achill Island’s unique microclimate provides the ideal conditions to ensure their whiskey is matured to perfection.
Founded by John McKay in 2015, it takes the very best of Irish heritage and combines this with American ambition to deliver high quality whiskeys.
March next will see the release of the first single malt whiskey ever produced in Ireland.