Some events seem destined to acquire legendary status, and I reckon the first Bord Bia Symposium on Speciality Foods, held in Kinsale last weekend is going to be one such. The atmosphere was positively fizzing with electricity, right from the kick-off on Thursday evening, through the day of speeches and meetings and the visit of the President, Mrs McAleese, on the Friday, until Saturday morning's final brunch. Those of us who have been to these sort of events before, and who recall them as being frequently tedious and often downright useless, practically had to pinch ourselves to realise that the dynamism of the weekend was real, and that the response of the buyers and journalists from overseas to the Irish speciality foods on display was really so clamorous and heartfelt.
Bord Bia's recognition of the fact that it is the speciality section of the Irish food market which is currently providing the dynamic was, of course, a welcome pat on the back for the small producers. But I think what really cemented the success of the weekend was the presence of the producers themselves, for no one is better able to convince anyone of the world-class standard of their work than these gifted artisans. Many of them will be familiar to readers of these pages and to the shoppers at our stores and markets - Ed Hick's charcuterie; John Downey's spiced beef; Irish Gold venison; Frank Hederman's smoked salmon; Cooleeney Camembert; Durrus farmhouse cheese; and Skelligs Chocolates were but a handful of those exhibiting. To see these people, all so proud of their work and so hungry to demonstrate to others its creativity and deliciousness, engaging in what became a celebration of their virtues and strengths was truly a milestone in terms of Ireland's food culture.
If I had to point to one single factor which perhaps explained why the symposium worked so well, I would suggest that the key element is the fact that the foods from the speciality producers are made without compromise.
Allied to that was the realisation that there are food-sellers and storekeepers from all around the globe who share the producers' passion, whether they are specialist shops in London, Portlaoise, or Sydney. The commitment to quality of the artisans is matched by brilliant folk such as John Shepherd of Partridge's, in London, or Ari Weinzweig, of the legendary Zingerman's, in Ann Arbour, Michigan, who were two of the speakers. The mix was intoxicating, and Bord Bia's organisation was brilliant.