Blas, Fingal’s Food Heritage project was officially launched by Mayor of Fingal Cllr Adrian Henchy at the Tasting the Past Heritage Week event in the Servant’s Quarters of Newbridge House, Donabate on Sunday August 20, 2023.
The recent discovery of a Cobbe Family recipe book dating back to the Georgian era, which was on display at the event, served as the inspiration to explore the culinary past of Newbridge House and more widely the Fingal region.
In Fingal we have strong tradition of horticultural, farming and fishing. Our food heritage encompasses everything from grandparent’s recipes, cooking and utensils, traditional ways of farming and fishing, to folklore, the famine, and fieldnames.
BLAS, Fingal’s Food Heritage project will explore, record and share traditions, attitudes, beliefs, and practices that surround how we produce and consume food and introduce different food traditions to new audiences.
As part of the project, we’re gathering food memories, photos, and recipes from the community to share on a digital map celebrating food heritage as part of our social history.
Christine Baker Fingal Heritage Officer commented: “It could be the cake your nana baked or that you still remember the smell of, or the taste of the liver and onions your mother made you eat so you’d be full of iron. Picking fruit in summer or baking potatoes in winter.
We all have food memories good (and bad) that tell us about our culture and traditions in Fingal and beyond. We’re trying to capture those memories and celebrate our food heritage as part of our social history.”
At the launch Food Memory Cards were available where these memories could be shared and the form is available to download on the Fingal.ie website https://www.fingal.ie/blas-fingals-food-heritage Please fill out the Fingal Food Memories Form and return to fingalfoodheritage@gmail.com