The Armagh Bramley Apple Festival at the Shambles Market Yard in Armagh City on Saturday 6th September is gearing up to be something incredibly special, as it’s the very first time that all three of Northern Ireland’s PGI accredited products will come together to celebrate their celebrity status in the world of food!
So, what exactly do Armagh Bramley Apples, Comber Early Potatoes and Lough Neagh Eels have in common that sets them apart from apples, spuds or eels from anywhere else? Well, they’re all from Norn Iron, of course! But they have all also been given recognition on a global stage as being extra special through the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status awarded them by the European Union.
What this means, basically, is that, because of the geographical environment in which they are produced, they all exhibit unique and exceptional qualities and characteristics, which distinguish them from all their competitors. It’s a status recognised and appreciated as far away as Japan, yet largely ignored and taken for granted here where these superb foods call home.
But all that’s set to change at the Armagh Bramley Apple Festival! At this free to attend event, running from10am until 6pm, visitors can discover exactly why our three PGI products are so superior direct from people who produce them. We’re even challenging some local chefs to demonstrate exciting and innovative recipes that combine Armagh Bramley Apples, Comber Early Potatoes and Lough Neagh Eels – you can watch those dishes being made (and maybe even get a taste) at the Flogas demonstration kitchens on the day.
And there’s more, of course, much, much more to see, sample and enjoy on the day at the Armagh Bramley Apple Festival! If you fancy a tipple, there’s Cider Maker’s Row, featuring local producers of Armagh Bramley Apple ciders and juices, plus cocktails and mocktails from Viva Bar & Bistro’s mixologist.
If you fancy a bite of lunch, ‘artisan street food’ is the ‘in thing’ and at the Armagh Bramley Apple Festival you can savour some of the best. If you’d rather cook for yourself at home, bring a bag and pay a visit to the artisan stallholders – you won’t find the kind of wonderful foodie delights they have to offer in your average shop!
And while you’re indulging all that grown up stuff, the kids can be enjoying their own entertainment by taking part in one of four simulating and interactive Armagh Bramley Apple educational presentations during the day from the good folks at the Navan Centre.
But you too could get directly involved in this celebration of Armagh’s most iconic food product by putting on your pinny, rolling out some pastry and entering the Neill’s Flour Best Armagh Bramley Apple Tart Competition! Open to anyone who is not a professional cook, all you need to do to enter is bring along your tart on the day (entries close at 4pm), hand it over to the appointed steward and sit back and wait for the judging at 4.30pm! It’s all for fun really, but there is a prize for the winner – a lovely hamper of Armagh Bramley Apple goodies and a bag or two of Neill’s Flour. Now, is that not worth turning the oven on for?
The Armagh Bramley Apple Festival is part of Armagh City & District Council’s Armagh Bramley Development Programme, which is funded through the Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 (NIRDP) and administered through Southern Organisation for Action in Rural Areas (SOAR), the Festival is set to showcase Armagh Bramley Apples in their rightful place at the heart of the County’s historic tradition of culinary apple production and as an iconic Northern Irish food product that we should all take more pride in and celebrate for its unique characteristics.