I bought pork sausages and chicken to roast for a potluck-dinner-party-debrief for 10, the last…read morenight of the HearSay17 Festival, in Kilfanane, Ireland. We were a bunch of tired and starving international radio/audio makers and I wanted create a solid, comforting and satisfying main dish that held cross-cultural appeal. After an in-depth conversation with the proprietress, Deirdre, I bought my meat and several giant carrots and parsnips as well. I was happy to learn that all of the fresh foodstuff they carry are sourced from local farmers. I made something like a butterflied chicken and sausage tray bake with the meats layered upon a pile of chopped onions, carrots, parsnips, whole garlic, dried apples, liberally doused with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. My spice choices were a bit limited as I hadn't thought to bring any from Brooklyn, and was staying at the Ballyhoura Mountain Lodges (review to come) which while perfect, super comfortable, and packed with every single eco-certified modern convenience possible, didn't have a spice rack. Next time, I'll know what else to pack! Still, the product from Hennessy's was so fresh and gorgeous that I shouldn't have worried at all. The roast/tray bake earned top points from all who helped themselves to seconds and thirds. I also made a couple of frittatas with farm eggs given to me as a gift (!!! OMG !!!) local mushrooms, tinned Cerignola olives (from Malta!) and my housemate's handmade stale, crumbled, savory brown soda bread (WTF SO GOOD), with loads of chopped, crisped Irish bacon and teeny cubes of local seaweed cheddar; and a massive, four-heads-of-butter-leaf-lettuce-salad with a quick pickled onion and fried tomato, cider and olive oil dressing. Folks brought tins of pate (France); crunchy South East Asian rice cracker-based snacks (Vietnam and Malaysia); some tinned headcheese-in-aspic-with-leeks-and-celery (Wales); a cold prawn salad with apples and prosciutto (Australia); a savory green onion and stinky cheese custard (Brussels); and a couple of ice-cream-flake-cakes (purchased by an Italian at the local Amber gas station grocery store); plus candied persimmons (Iran) and dates (Saudi Arabia); and whiskey and maryjane (Los Angeles--LOLOLOLOL)--guys, it was interNATIONAL. We hung. We ate and drank a ton. We laughed our faces off. Maybe there was some dancing and a rap-off? And as the evening wore on and the wine and beer bottles piled up, I tossed the chicken carcasses into a pot with lots of cold water to make a quick and simple stock for congee in the morning with random leftovers for my cabin mates and those who crashed on our couches.. Can you say #favorite #HearSayFestival #attendee? :) I think you can!