This week a team of French food experts from Commanderie des Fins Goustiers du Duché d’Alencon based in Normandy are travelling to Ireland to knight 5 people for their services to the sausage and pudding industry.
The group are dedicated to the recognising and promoting the highest meat products in Europe, and will this week recognise Ireland’s very own as top sausage producers in Europe. Those Irish producers to be celebrated include: Diarmuid McGettigan of McGettigan’s of Donegal, craft butcher Des Doyle from Greystones and well known Irish Chef Neven Maguire, of MacNean’s Bistro in Cavan who will be knighted for his support of local produce.
Also to be knighted this week for their dedication to promoting artisan producers is John Hickey and Dave Lang from the Association of Craft Butchers in Ireland.
The committee travelling from France, are also in charge of the European Championships for sausages and puddings, and in November 2011 awarded the best sausage in Europe to the McGettigan brothers for their hickory and maple pork sausage. At that time it was Ernan who was knighted and this weekend, brother Diarmuid will be knighted.
It is hoped that the recent accolades accumulated by the McGettigan brothers that include Grand Prix of Excellence for their pork curry, banana and mango sausages, and a Grand Prix of Honour for their traditional pork sausages will encourage them to start distributing their fine quality produce outside of Ireland.
And it’s not just Irish sausages that are top of the table, the Irish pudding has also be winning awards, accolades and recognition; with McCarthy’s of Kanturj winning a gold medal from La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goûte Boudin (the Brotherhood of the Knights of the Black Pudding) for its pudding and Rosscarbery Recipes and Kelly’s of Newport who have also been honoured by the same brotherhood for their black puddings.
Congratulations to all the winners who provide truly scrumptious Irish sausage and Irish Pudding that we all enjoy devouring as part of our full Irish breakfast, as well as in our traditional Irish lunches and dinners!