Community feast in Rosemount to remember forgotten recipes

A new project facilitated by Sophie Van Maltzan, a German-born artist living in Moyvore, will culminate with a community feast in Rosemount this weekend.

Tomorrow (Friday) from 6pm, the Rosemount GAA Community Centre will offer dishes cooked following historic local beef recipes.

Sophie will collect local and almost forgotten historic beef recipes and chef Claire Dunning will then cook the recipes with the community. The aim is to use as many edible parts of the heifer as possible to avoid food waste. The heifer is brought up locally on native grasses and herbs and will be butchered locally, cutting out national and international distributors and supermarkets. At the end of the project the recipes will be published on a project specific website accessible to all. Sophie has also run some workshops with the local primary school students, exploring the value of rich biodiversity and habitats in their local area.

Sophie explained the reasoning behind the project, saying that there are plans to reduce the number of cattle and beef in Ireland because of climate damage. “It would make a lot more sense to use the entire animal as opposed to just eating what effectively has been dictated to us by the supermarkets.”

“My projects are research based and my real interest is the environment and the human relationship to the environment.”

“My idea is if we can get more money out of the carcass of the slaughtered animal and, therefore, give more money to the farmer, then, the farmer wouldn't have to force their land so hard.”

Sophie conducted a workshop for pupils from Rosemount NS at a farm in Halston, Moyvore on Tuesday, September 26, along with the owner and botanist Kieran Guinness. She commented: “We looked at and discussed the value of hedgerows, native tree species, what land looks like when you don't fertilise, spray or reseed, the advantages and disadvantages.

“The children loved it and keenly walked and picnicked for three hours.” The Rosemount NS pupils will also decorate the community centre and help cook the food ahead of the community feast.

Principal of Rosemount NS Karena Kavanagh commented: “The children are thoroughly enjoying the project so far and the fieldtrip to Halston farm was a massive hit. The welcome they received by both Sophie and Kieran was phenomenal. They relished the opportunity to walk the farm and see how organic and sustainable farming works.

“The fact that the children are aware of how important it is to know where your food comes from and that supporting local benefits everyone in the area has been fantastic and is hopefully something that they will continue to be aware of as they get older.”

Sophie is looking forward to the upcoming feast and hopes that people will have more of an interest in the foods they formerly ate as a result.

The project will connect local industries, creative practitioners and the community. Together they will cook a broad variety of meals using a local herb and grass-fed cow and they will also make use of the cow’s fifth part: its blood, hide, hooves.

This project was financed through a Creative Ireland fund received by artist Sophie through the Westmeath County Council Arts Office.

To learn more about the project visit www.thelandthatfeedsus.eu or @the_land_that_feeds_us on Instagram.