Hi °C | Lo °C CHEF Derry Clarke and wife Sallyanne threw open the doors of their Michelin-starred restaurant to celebrate Irish food.
The couple, who lost their 16-year-old son Andrew over Christmas, posed for pictures and busied themselves at the annual event in Dublin attended by the country's leading foodies.
They did not give any interviews but Sallyanne has previously spoken of the importance of returning to work at l'Ecrivain after the tragic death of Andrew.
Initial reports suggested the teenager had been crushed while working on a car, but it later emerged he had taken his own life.
Michelin-starred chef Clarke created a special menu for guests, featuring produce from the winners.
The Irish Food Writers' Guild praised artisan food producers who have striven to make sure their products meet the highest standards.
The horse-meat scandal has shown that trust is one of the most important ingredients food producers can bring to their food, the gathering was told.
From Connemara Hill Lamb to buffalo mozzarella from Cork, it singled out producers which represented the best of Irish food production.
But the guild warned that proper labelling and transparency was urgently needed to ensure that consumers can trust what they're eating.
"If we can't have full faith in what is on the label, the reputation of the food sector in Ireland could be seriously jeopardised," said Myles McWeeney from the guild.
Six companies were presented with IFWG awards yesterday. Farmer Martin Kinneavy was one of the Connemara Hill Lamb producers whose black-faced lambs were singled out as a top-quality product. The lambs were introduced in the 18th Century, and Connemara producers secured European 'Protected Geographical Indication' status in 2007, giving them a coveted marketing tool.
Toby Simmonds of Toons Bridge Dairy in Macroom, Co Cork, also received an award for its buffalo mozzarella.
Rod and Julie Calder-Potts from Highbank Orchards in Co Kilkenny also won for Orchard Syrup made from their own organic apples.
The Irish Seed Savers Association won an award for its work preserving the seeds of traditional food crops that have been selected for their suitability for the Irish climate.
And Sheridans cheesemakers and Cookies of Character in Dunmanway, Co Cork, won an award for their cracker range developed to complement cheese rather than overpower it.
Irish Independent
