Described by Darina Allen as “the patriarch of the artisan cured meat industry in Ireland” and joint recipient (together with Bill Hogan and Sean Ferry’s thermophilic West Cork Natural Cheeses) of the inaugural Euro-Toques Food Awards in 2003, Frank Krawczyk is an inspirational figure on the Irish artisan food scene.
Having started with family recipes from Poland, in the late1990s, his constant experimentation gradually resulted in the unique range of products that food lovers are keen to seek out today.
Frank sells his award winning home-produced charcuterie at markets, and he shares his hard-learned knowledge at ‘Pig Out’ demonstration classes. He gives regular demonstrations at Ballyvolane House, Co Cork, for example, where he teaches basic home butchery, how to make some of his famous products - brawn in the East European style, country pate, bacon, kassler, speck, salamis, smoked ham - and he teaches students how to make their own, simple home smokers.
Frank makes simpler products too, such as the all-meat sausages that you may see him cooking at markets, and also a range of chutneys and pickles to accompany his meat creations.
For details of suppliers, and dates and locations of ‘Pig Out’ demonstration classes, contact Frank directly.