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Mike ‘Masterchef’ O’Halloran has been sampling the delights of north Kerry hospitality while covering the county hurling championship for TraleeToday.ie over the past month. So whose buns have impressed him…
Mike O’Halloran had to wash his own cup after him in Lixnaw…the horror, the horror!
SINCE the games in this year’s Garvey’s SuperValu Kerry Senior hurling championship were moved to the five North Kerry clubs of Kilmoyley, Abbeydorney, Causeway, Ballyduff and Lixnaw during the revamping of Austin Stacks, I have reported on the welcome patrons have received.
The organisation and welcome from each club was top class, from stewarding to pitch preparation nothing was left to chance.
There is a tradition in the country to put on a spread for visitors and this is being kept alive and well in North Kerry by the catering personnel of each club.
Continued below…
I have been running an eye over all the fare on offer since the first game and on occasion posting photos of the fare and the caterers from each club on twitter.
These posts have generated quite a lot of banter between the clubs and might I say there is quite an element of competition between them.
The Kilmoyley ladies worked hard to impress the visitors. Mike loved their Mikados.
So now, with all the clubs having completed round one of The Great Kerry Hurling Cake-Off, we have a better idea of who the outright winners might be in the various categories, come the end of the season.
The welcome extended to the neighbours knows no bounds and there is pictorial evidence of Kilmoyley folk partaking of tea in Causeway, but the competitive edge is maintained by the comparing of photos of the fare presented by each club.
Abbeydorney opened the scoring with quite an impressive spread of buttered curny cake (currant cake) and delicious sandwiches.
Then it was over to Kilmoyley where their spread of goodies contained both Mikado and Kimberly biscuits as well as sandwiches and cake – I love Mikados.
There was some selection of goodies in Causeway.
Causeway had the biggest selection of goodies (or so they claim) they claimed their apple pie was home made.
It must have been nice as I saw Daniel Collins’ parents enjoying two slices each (see photo).
Daniel Collins’ parents enjoyed the apple pie in Causeway.
On Monday night last I went home to “the home of hurling” and the fare there was absolutely scrumptious in Ballyduff. Their ham salad sandwiches were a piece of art, as in the interest of research, I had to sample them.
Ballyduff ladies put on a great spread and their ham sandwiches were “a piece of art”.
I was in Lixnaw on Tuesday evening and the lads there told me they were up all night baking tarts and the like. Their presentation was impressive but marks will be deducted because I had to wash my own cup and they presented rhubarb pie and I hate rhubarb.
Cup washing aside, Mike’s culinary experience in Lixnaw was outstanding.
The Great Kerry Hurling Cake Off 2015 Champions competition will run until the final, so it’s still all to play for.
• The judges decision is final and canvassing will disqualify (kinda…maybe…well, might disqualify)
