It sounds like one of those jokes that unfortunately we Rhode Islanders tell on our state too often. Two guys are having lunch and over a bowl of clam chowder, one says, “Hey, did you hear, they held a contest to find the best chowder in Ireland and the winner got a trip to Rhode Island for a week!” The other says, “No kidding. What did the loser get?” “Two weeks!”
No kidding. They held a contest to see who makes the best clam chowder in Ireland and the prize really was not only a weeklong trip but a chance to compete in the Great Chowder Cook-Off in Newport.
Chef Paddy Collins, of Bunratty Manor Hotel in County Clare, won first place in the first-ever Irish Chowder Cook-off last year in Kinsale, Newport’s sister city and the acknowledged culinary capital of Ireland. One of his prizes was a trip to Newport to compete in the 2012 Great Chowder Cook-Off, which was held in early June.
This comes as a surprise only to those of us who don’t venture beyond the state’s borders. As has been written about over the years in this column, the Newport Chowder Cook-Off is highly regarded across the country and indeed around the world. Past winners from San Francisco, Florida and Bermuda proudly display their “Best Chowder” trophies from Newport at their restaurants.
Of course, success spawns imitation and it comes as no surprise that Kinsale would host an Irish national chowder competition. After all, chefs from Kinsale have been traveling to Newport and our local chefs have been journeying there to show off each other’s culinary highlights and engage in a bit of friendly competition for years.
Nearly 800 foodies from all over Ireland converged on Kinsale in late May for the National Chowder Cook-Off. Chefs, fishermen and commercial chowder producers were the participants and the public were the judges.
From the online account of the contest, it appears the chowders were all in the creamy category. The reporting of the festival read like an old newspaper story where the young heroes from the old sod received a rousing sendoff from their fellow villagers before boarding the steamship to America to seek their fortune.
“The 2011 National Chowder Champions, Bunratty Manor Hotel, returned to Kinsale for this year’s event, in preparation for their visit to the Newport, Rhode Island Great Chowder Cook-Off, where they will represent Ireland, following their win in Kinsale last year.”
Leaning closer to the mike, he confided, “There’s lots of real Irish creamery butter so it’s kinda rich and smoky. It’s got good flavor. I hope the people of Newport and farther afield enjoy it!” Chef Eric Steinhauer, of Fathoms at the Newport Marriott, hosted Collins and his crew from County Clare. He said on my radio show, “Instead of participating myself, I gave [Collins] my big kitchen and I sourced his ingredients – reaching out to a radius of 25 to 50 miles from my restaurant. I made sure to work with Aquidneck Fisheries and Newport Lobster for nice, fresh ingredients and to give them enough time to supply the amount we needed. You can’t just call up and say, ‘I need 140 pounds of smoked haddock by tomorrow,’ The boys from Bunratty did a really nice job with their recipe.”
Steinhauer was in a win-win situation. The festival would be over by Saturday night, just in time for his highest demand. Why not have his guest chef create a couple of weekend specials? Fathoms featured Collins’ chowder along with a unique side dish to accompany a steak special-authentic colcannon, the traditional Irish mash described by food writer Colman Andrews as “the most celebrated of Irish potato dishes” often made with butter, milk, kale and savory herbs.
The recipe, the charm, the kinship that Newport has with its sister city, and the rain were all working in harmony as Collins and Bunratty took third place in the seafood category at the 2012 Newport Chowder Cook-Off.
In a tweet from across the pond, the Kinsale Chamber of Commerce paid tribute to us Rhode Islanders in 140 characters: “Congrats to Noel and Paddy of Bunratty Manor Hotel – 3rd in this year’s Great “Chowda” cook-off!”
Even before the results were announced, Collins declared, “I’ll be back next year!” •
Bruce Newbury’s food and wine talk radio show is heard Saturdays and Sundays locally on WPRV-AM 790, on radio throughout New England and on the Stitcher mobile application. He can be reached at bruce@brucenewbury.com.
Seifert Systems Invests in Energy Efficiency to Strengthen Operations
For manufacturers, energy is more than just another operating expense. It plays a critical role…
Learn More
