Food Fight! Blas na hÉireann & the Irish Artisan Community

Have you ever wondered how much blood sausage a person can eat in one sitting? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Artie Clifford and Fallon Moore are the founders of Blas na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards. Blas, which means ‘taste’ in Irish, was born in Dingle in 2007, and has organized an annual celebration of the best in Irish food and drink every year since. With some help from University College Cork, they’ve developed a blind tasting process that’s become the international standard in food competitions. The work of Blas na hÉireann goes well beyond an annual judging competition. They’re champions of local food networks; a networking organization for producers, and a source of invaluable feedback for food startups. They also run a mentorship and educational training program for small businesses.On this week’s episode, we speak with Artie and Fallon about how the food landscape is changing in Ireland; new trends in Irish food & drink; the rebirth of boxty and the renewed interest in traditional foods; and find out whether their judges ever get sick of eating blood sausage.Dyed Green is a project of Bog & Thunder, whose mission is to highlight the best of Irish food and culture, through food tours, events, and media. Find out more at www.bogandthunder.com.Dyed Green is Powered by Simplecast. Get full access to Sunwise at katemccabe.substack.com/subscribe