The Boyne Valley Food Series 2015

So I know I haven't blogged in a really loooog time so hopefully noone totally dismisses this post as spam! Life got a bit hectic and the blog took a bit of a backseat but I'm hoping to fix all that in the next while. My plans however may be scuppered for a little while though with the impending arrival of baby number 1. So please forgive me in advance!

What better way to start back afresh though than with the announcement of the return of the 3rd Boyne Valley Food Series which kicks off this weekend!  For the last two years this wonderful series of events has turned the summer season into one full of food trails, festivals, farmers markets and fun. Personally it has allowed me to discover a whole new side to the county that I call home and its neighbour, Louth. 

Boyne Valley Food Series - September Events

The Boyne Valley Food Series is nearing its end and while I am sad to see summer go the prospect of autumn fills me with joy. The countryside will look more beautiful than ever and autumn is such a wonderful time to celebrate what the land provides us with. The closing events of the Boyne Valley Food Series reflect this.

Boyne Valley Food Series - August Events

The Boyne Valley Food Series is a summer long series of events which aims to highlight Meath and Louth's rich selection of artisan producers, small food businesses and restaurants over five months from May till September. So far I have attended the Brú Brewery Tour, Sheridan's Food Festival, Taste of Meath, the Irish Maritime Festival and the Meath Food Safari. Sunday saw the boyfriend and I head to Girley Bog for a foraging session with Meath Eco Tours. It was pouring out of the heavens but it was a great informative morning and I can't wait to visit the bog again on a sunnier day!

A visit to the Irish Maritime Festival 2014

Last Sunday was one of those days where we didn’t know whether we wanted to stay at home and laze about or head out into the wild. In the end the sun made a break from the clouds and our decision was made for us. So off we popped to the Irish Maritime Festival in Drogheda for a few hours where there were tall ships and water sports on display.

Boyne Valley Food Series: June Events

The Boyne Valley Food Series aims to highlight Meath and Louth's rich selection of artisan producers, small food businesses and restaurants over five months from May till September. The food series kicked off in May with a great array of events. I attended both the Bru Brewery tour and the Sheridan's Food Festival and had a fantastic time at both. I learnt so much and got to meet the people behind all the small businesses and artisan products. 

The Boyne Valley Food Series kicks off this May Bank Holiday Weekend

The Boyne Valley Food Series is an innovative food adventure! Its aim is to highlight Meath and Louth's rich selection of artisan producers, small food businesses and restaurants during the summer and autumn months.  This will be done through a series of fantastic events that will take place from May right on up to September. 

The Boyne Valley Food Series kicks off this Friday in perfect time for the May bank holiday weekend. You could go on a blossom walk in Grove Orchard or get fancy with fish at the Seafood Festival in the Bective, Kells. On Monday the Electric Bike Foodie Tour is happening and it consists of a one day 25km tour by electric bike with stops at a wonderful selection of artisan producers.

Throughout the rest of the month there will be BBQ demonstrations, beer tastings, gourmet nights and a big Festival of Food. Some of the events are free, others are not, so check out the website here for more details. You can also find them on Facebook here.

Have a fabulous bank holiday weekend and let's welcome the summer in with style!

The Brown Hound Bakery

One of my new year's resolutions is to write more about the county that I now call home and its surrounding areas. I feel that since I have stopped getting lost and have explored it over the last year that I can finally talk about it! Meath isn't that far from Dublin, but as soon as you leave Finglas and hit the N2 motorway you are soon surrounded by rolling hills of green fields or in the spring the most beautiful vivid yellow of rapeseed. I was a bit apprehensive about moving so far away from the city where instead of being surrounded by easily accessible and much loved places to eat I had to search to find a nice restaurant, a lively pub or a good food market. While we live in the countryside it is easy to get to Navan, Ashbourne and Drogheda if you have a car and I was delighted to discover that there are loads of great places to eat in the area.

One of the very first places I visited when I moved here was the Brown Hound Bakery in Drogheda after reading a post by Donal Skehan. While it is based in Louth, it is only 20 minutes away from us so there have been many repeat visits and I even did a baking masterclass there too with dessert maker extraordinaire Robert Thompson. This was a fabulous class where I learned a lot and even made the sherry trifle from scratch for Christmas Day.

Sherry Trifle

Amazing Pavlova

Rustic Berry Tart

Between various visits and bringing boxes of goodies home to sample, we have tried nearly everything the Brown Hound Bakery has to offer. We usually go for the petite sizes as they are enough to give us a good helping of what we want without overdoing it. 

Take home goodies

From the Mr James Carrot Cake, a moist cake with creamy lemon zest and cream cheese frosting to the Brown Hound, a rich chocolate cake covered in chocolate and topped with meringue to the Rustic rhubarb and apple tarts and monkey bread it is hard to choose a favourite. Though if I was forced, I would have to say no matter how much I eat the Chocolate Paradise my love for it is never ending!! It is a rich & moist chocolate cake topped with a mountain of sweet caramel, coconut & pecan frosting and I even got a giant one for my 30th birthday. I was tempted not to share!

My 30th Birthday: A huge version of my favourite cake!

The Brown Hound also do really great sandwiches. They are made with scones or as the Americans call them, biscuits. I have seen a few people look a bit sceptical when they hear what they are made of but don't be, they are delicious. My favourite is the Crab, Crayfish and Prawn in a plain buttermilk scone while the boyfriend has a liking for the Chicken in the Parmesan and Chive scone, going as far as to describe it as the best chicken sandwich he has had in ages!

  

Crab, Crayfish and Prawn

So if you ever find yourself in Drogheda or are just passing through, take a detour and discover food that makes me very glad I now live in Meath! 

  

Brown Hound Bakery, 2 Bryanstown Centre, Drogheda, Co. Louth and you can find them on Facebook here.