taste of the festival meal experience
You're one of the lucky ones! This incredible taste experience sold out within a few days of the launch. We really want you to enjoy and are so happy to experience Waterford Food here with you as a commnity.
Lots of resources here including how to video, music playlist, wine recommendations and detailed instructions for serving your meal!
Be sure to take some pics and get in touch on social media to make this the most interactive experience possible! #FestivalSpirit
taste festival wines

Michael Sheehan from the Wine Buff in Dungarvan has chosen two Spanish wines from the same grower to compliment your meal.
To compliment both the Salmon Pate and the Crab Creme Brulee Michael has selected:
Domino de la Abadesa Verdejo Rueda, Spain View more on Wine Buff...
And for the Fillet of Beef:
Domino de la Abadesa Crianza Ribera del Duero, Spain View more on Wine Buff...
And for those that would enjoy a Dessert Wine:
Tokaj Classic Aszú 3 Puttonyos 2008 Tokaj, Hungary View more on Wine Buff...
festival spirit music

Festival Spirit - A playlist by paulflynnchef
Some locally inspired music all connected to Waterford, for the ultimate accompaniment to your Taste Waterford Meal!
APERITIF
Festival Spirit bespoke cocktail (12)
Blackwater No. 5 Gin, Strawberries, Clashganny organic farm pressed apple juice & cider vinegar, knockmealdown honey, bitters
John Coleman & John Egan, Blackwater Distillery & The Old Bank Dungarvan
BREAD & BUTTER
Dungarvan Blackwater Stout bread (1. 12)
Eunice Power, Eunice Power Catering & And Chips, Dungarvan
Award winning lightly salted butter (7)
Billy & Mary Sharpe, Irish Gourmet Butter
AMUSE BOUCHE
Salmon paté, seaweed brioche (1. 3. 4. 7. 10)
Roisin Horsom, Crews Restaurant, Dungarvan
STARTER
Copper Coast potted crab with pickled cucumber (2. 3. 7)
Paul Flynn, The Tannery Restaurant, Dungarvan
MAIN
John Macgraths Lismore fillet of beef, Billy Fuller’s pressed potato with wild garlic,
Declan Hurley’s Ardmore carrots, sauce of sea truffle (2. 7. 9. 14)
A marriage of the finest cultivated Ingredients from Ardmore and Lismore brought together with wild and seasonal elements
Ian Doyle, Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore
DESSERT
Chocolate mousse with garden grown berry compote, chocolate soil, macaroon (1. 3. 7. 8)
Judit McNally, Ormonds Café, Dungarvan
CHEESE
3 varieties of Eamonn’s award winning mature cheddar (7) Eamonn Lonergan, Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese
Fig & Apple Chutney (12) – Greg Harris, 360 Cookhouse
Crackers (1. 7.) - Seaweed & rapeseed oil, Knockalara ewes cheese & poppyseed, Thyme & seasalt flahavans oat cake - Susan Denn, Interlude
PETIT FOURS
Homemade teacake: chocolate biscuit base, fresh mallow centre, callebaut milk chocolate (1. 3. 6. 7. 8)
Jaffa cake: sponge base, blood orange curd, bitter dark chocolate (1. 3. 7)
Truffle: White chocolate and pistachio, freeze dried raspberry and coconut (1. 6. 7. 8)
Mini Lemon Tart: ginger infused shortcrust pastry, zesty lemon, blackberry compote (1. 3. 6. 7)
Carol & Anne Marie Prendergast, The 2 Sisters, Dungarvan
taste of the festival meal kit instructions
We hope you thoroughly enjoy this very special meal, a collaboration between as many as was possible to include of the incredible producers and restaurants that West, and greater, Waterford boasts.
The thought, passion, creativity and work that has gone into each element by the experts involved cannot be overstated.
We invite you to take a moment to enjoy our short presentation video, link above, which demonstrates how some of the chefs and mixologist recommend serving their particular dishes and the cocktail.
You’ll also find here a Playlist curated by our resident director of music – Paul Flynn - featuring an eclectic line up of tunes, all with detailed links (some stronger than others) to our beautiful County Waterford!
Michael of The Wine Buff Dungarvan, generously recommended some fabulous wines to pair with this meal; posted on our social media during the week these can now be seen under the Meal Kit video above.
Please also read down for some easy to follow instructions.
- Please keep all items, apart from the bread and petit fours, refrigerated until you are ready to serve.
This meal has been prepared to be eaten on Friday the 23rd April, it can still absolutely be enjoyed on Saturday the 24th April but no later than that
- The beautiful Lavender hand tie was created by Brigid Ballot Flowers, Dungarvan, as a table
garnish to enhance your dining experience
- Judit’s Dessert and Eamonn’s mature cheddars are best served at room temperature so take them
out of the fridge before you begin your meal
- Ian’s Main course elements should be taken out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking and
will take approx. 20 minutes to cook, you can decide if you would like to put it in to cook before you sit down to start your meal. Your oven will need to be preheated to 180 degrees Celsius (fan oven). Full Main course preparation notes further down
- To enjoy your Festival Spirit cocktail simply shake over ice and pour – John has included notes on the
card included in your Blackwater Box
- For the Amuse Bouche Róisín recommends the mini brioche be served at room temperature, or
lightly warmed, with a generous spread of the salmon pate (leave the pate in the fridge until about 5 mins before using)
- Leave the Paul’s potted crab in the fridge until about 5-10mins before you plan to eat it then simply
pop the lid off the jar, generously spread on some of Eunice’s bread and top with the cucumber pickle-enjoy!
- Once you have finished your main the cheese and dessert courses will be at the perfect temperature
to enjoy in whatever order you prefer – full dessert assembly notes are included within its individual pack
- And don’t forget to finish off your meal with the incredible petit fours dreamed up by The 2 Sisters
Main course preparation notes
Elements
Box 1. Bouquet Garni & Fillet of beef
Box 2. Ardmore carrots & Wild garlic potato
Container 3. Beef jus & Sea truffle butter
Container 4. Smoked bayleaf salt*
Container 5. Pickled onions & wild garlic flowers in hogweed vinegar
Container 6. Carrot chips
*just a pinch of this salt is needed for this dish, you should have some leftover for future use
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees
Take everything out of fridge 20 mins before you start cooking
Line one large tray with greaseproof paper, your meat, carrots and potato will all be heated on this
Place the Bouquet Garni onto the tray on one side of the tray
Place the meat on top of the bouquet garni
Open potatoes onto the tray beside the beef
Open carrots onto the tray beside the potatoes
Place all in the pre heated oven for 16 minutes for medium rare, 20 minutes for medium well
If you prefer your meat very well done, then put meat in on its own for 15 mins and then the carrots and potatoes for a further 15 or so minutes.
Every oven is a little different so do keep an eye during heating.
When heated, remove the tray from the oven and leave to rest. Pop your plates into the oven to heat.
When the tray is finished heating, empty the sauce into a small pot and let it briefly reach a boil.
To Plate
Remove plates from oven when warmed
Place the potatoes on the plate
Then place carrots on beside the potatoes
Scatter the pickled onions and wild garlic flowers over these elements
Once the sauce is boiling, toss in the sea truffle butter and whisk until butter is melted
Carve the beef into two portions and sprinkle with bayleaf salt to taste. Just a pinch or two, the rest of the salt is a gift for you to use later
Top with meat portion
Heavily drizzle over the sauce from the pan
Sprinkle the carrot chips on top
Serve and enjoy!