The Burren Béilíní Concept

Burren Food Gem #1

Béi-lín-í (bale-een-ee): n; pl: snack or little meal of Irish origin, derived from Gaelic noun béile meaning ‘meal’.

A stone’s throw from Lisdoonvarna, you will find the charming food locale Kilshanny House. Proprietors Aidan & Mary are pioneering the innovative concept of Burren Béilíní. This concept borrows from the Spanish tapas cultural phenomenon and applies it to the Burren region. Like tapas, Burren Béilíní is a selection of snacks, canapés or finger food that are served at Kilshanny House. The exact composition of the Burren Béilíní is dictated by what is available locally and what is in season. Therefore Burren Béilíní taste different to potential Béilíní from any other part of the country as they are bringing the particular landscape and seascape of the Burren to the plate. Distinctive Burren ingredients include hazelnuts, Burren Beef, Burren Lamb, goat and kid meat, goat’s cheese, seaweed and sea vegetables, smoked fish, wild garlic and wild herbs, and Atlantic shellfish. Burren Béilíní are a tangible representation of the culture, farming and culinary history of our particular region, of our terroir, and serve to tell a story about the special area in which the diner finds himself/herself.