Food and Drink Spotting: Flynn’s Magical Kitchen

Flynn's Pate and Red Onion Relish; salad on the way.
Bread by Arbutus.

Ballintubber Farm's
Sprouting Broccoli 

Flynn’s Magical Kitchen

Iain Flynn runs a modest stall at Mahon Point Farmer’s Market and you’ll also find him in Douglas on Saturdays and in Kinsale on Wednesdays. Don’t pass by. He has one of the outstanding ranges of food available. Everything from soups to quiches, from jams to readymade meals.

I regularly go for the soups. They change according to the season. Favourites include the Roast Butternut and Sweet Potato and also the Spiced Carrot.

The meals from Flynn’s Kitchen are something else. You just have to treat yourself to the Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni! If you want something handy for lunch, he has Quiche Lorraine and also an Aged Parmesan & Organic Leek Quiche to try.

And then there are the delicious jams. Most of the regular fruits are covered and the favourite here at the moment is Mixed Berry Jam, with Cracked Black Pepper and Kirsch.

And last but not least are the preserves, such as Sweet Tomato Chutney, Mint Jelly, and Cumberland Sauce. Iain is always on the development trail and I think he has hit the jackpot with his latest preserve: the Red Onion Relish. Tried it recently and it is superb.

Martin Conroy of Woodside is a regular at all the Farmer’s Markets and most of the time, you’ll find him right up close to Flynn’s Kitchen. Martin and wife Noreen have had their own reasons to celebrate this week with the announcement that they won a Silver Medal for their Black Pudding from "Confrerie Des Chevaliers du Goute Boudin ". It looks as if the pudding is right up to the standard of their other free range bacon and pork products. Well done to them both.

I know Martin loves the Purple Sprouting Broccoli sold by Ballintubber Farm at the markets. So do I, just class. It may be coming towards the end of its season but let’s hope Ballintubber has it for another few weeks.

Coffee
Have been enjoying some really good coffee this month and one of them came from the Mahon Point Farmers Market, from the Golden Bean stall: the Canta Galo, Brazil Natural Process, Varietal: Rubi 100i. The other came from my regular supplier, the Robert Roberts club, and is the Dominican Barahona AA, a perfect all rounder, one you can drink all day.

Drinks
On the 16th of May, as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations for Star Anise, Sami Ghosn of the famous Lebanese winery Massaya will host a wine dinner. See the tantalising menu here.

On the following evening, the 17th, Ballymaloe will host the Riesling Revolution. More details here.

Most companies find it difficult to come up with a top notch stout but Dungarvan Brewery has managed to give us two five star drinks. Tasted the two together recently. The Blackrock Stout is fabulous, perhaps the Guinness of the two.

I had already been acquainted with the Coffee and Oatmeal one and won’t be dropping that acquaintance. Just love it since having it forced down my throat by one of the “bad” Blair Boys! This is perhaps the Murphy’s. Try them out for yourselves, if not at Blair’s, then Bradley’s on the North Main Street.

Shorts
Bump up your berry intake. That’s the advice from the Irish times via @foodforlivingie http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2012/0508/1224315729641.html

Lime and Black Pepper Fries? http://punchfork.com/recipe/Black-Pepper-and-Lime-Fries-Framed-Cooks

A pulled pork sandwich http://www.foodspotting.com/reviews/1705490