Do you ever win competitions? For years we didn’t win a thing, not a single raffle, draw or lottery but a couple of years ago that all changed. Little prizes started to arrive in the post box…
A bottle of Bailey’s, a book on Irish Slang, a couple of CD’s and a cook book, a beautiful Greengate Jug, a DVD player, a bottle of champagne and in 2011 Electric Picnic tickets!
A couple of weeks ago I entered a competition over on the Irish Food Bloggers website to win a Wild Food book and was absolutely thrilled to receive an email letting me know I was one of the winners! I’ve been meaning to buy a foraging book for some time now but hadn’t got around to it.
The winning book was a new one from O’Brien press by Biddy White Lennon and Evan Doyle called Wild Food. I like that it’s handbag sized and divided into seasonal chapters. For instance this month I could be looking out for Wild Nettle, Dilisk, Carrageen, Wild Garlic, Wild Sea Beet and Wild Rock Samphire and if I find them (each chapter includes tips on where to look and how to pick the plants) there are some delicious looking recipes from sweet, savory to boozy (how about a wee dram of wild rowan berry schnapps for instance?
I used to think there was no point entering competitions but as a result of our little wins have completely changed my mind. On this occasion there were 142 responses all hoping to win one of five books being given away. Sometimes there might only be twenty or thirty other entrants. We still rarely buy lotto tickets but really, you just never know…
Have you won any interesting, beautiful, expensive or strange gifts in the past?
6 Comments
Like you I’ve started entering, and even winnin,g some comps in the past 2 yrs. Best one was a 2 night & food package at Lisloughrey Lodge in Mayo. We had one of our best dinners out ever in their restaurant Wildes. ♥
Oh Wow, what a lovely prize Susan! Will have to start entering travel competitions next!
Congratulations.. that was a nice prize to win.. YES i entered a gardening competition last year 1012 and won first prize of E300 shopping voucher from GIY Ireland .. i was really overwhelmed.. and delighted.. iv made good use of the prize.
Thanks Seamus, yes I really was delighted – it made my day. What a fantastic prize you won too though! You can buy a lot with €300, well done!
And when you find some wild garlic here is a lovely recipe from @irishfoodguide Oven Baked Creamy Wild Garlic & Cheese Potatoes http://www.irishfoodguide.ie/2013/03/oven-baked-creamy-wild-garlic-cheese.html .Wendy
I have some wild garlic ready to plant out Wendy but the ground’s too frozen! Have been told of a good location though and that recipe sounds delicious (and could turn into one of my absolute favourite ways of eating potatoes!)