Tanora Spritz opens a flood
of food memories at The Bookshelf.
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| Fish Fingers |
Friday fish back then because the church, in its
wisdom, did not allow meat on that day. And so we were introduced to bones, lots of them in the likes of herring and whiting, and you really felt you were doing penance! And fish got a bad rep, one that lingered for a long time. |
| Pork |
The Bookshelf menu though was nothing about penance, everything about a pleasurable dining experience. And, for that opening drink, they went to some trouble to get their hands on Tanora and, adding Prosecco and Aperol, made a very refreshing, and tasty, Spritz indeed.
The brand’s heritage is rooted in Cork having been initially introduced to the city by J.D. Daly in the 1930s and, nowadays by Coca Cola, the tangerine-based drink continues to be a much-loved refresher across the Munster region.
After the drink, we started in earnest with the Posh Fish Fingers and chips. A very appetising piece of Crusted Cod Fillet, with caper duchess potato, pea puree, and tartar sauce. No bones here!
The Sunday Roast was next on the list and the superb standard was continued with Free-range Rosscarbery pork tenderloin, Macroom buffalo cheddar stuffing, wild mushrooms jus, and pomme purée. Tender and tasty and a pleasure to dispatch. Along with the recommended wine, the Ciello Rosso Nero D’Avola. All the Bookshelf wines are organic or biodynamic.
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| Veg |
Vegetables were always an important part of dinner when we were growing up, usually served with the main dish itself. But the Bookshelf did it their way with a delightful combination titled Granny’s Vegetable Patch. This separate course came in a North Cork butter shortcrust tart, onion and thyme and raspberry sauce, roasted root vegetables, tempura samphire (Granny must have had lived by the sea!). A big thumbs up for that and also for the recommended wine from Austria, Judith Beck’s fruity Blaufrankisch.
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| Dessert |
Ready now for the dessert, the Rice Pudding. I remember tucking into the 1960s rice pudding, the rice more or less disguised by the generous spoonfuls of blackcurrant jam that I added! Bookshelf’s was a posher one: Vanilla rice pudding, poached pear, vanilla ice cream and an After Eight crumble. Quite a substantial finalé to a very enjoyable evening and, by the way, that After Eight Crumble (taking the place of my jam!) was nicely judged and complemented rather than overshadowed the pudding.
You can find the Bookshelf in the Elysian and also on the South Mall and also in Tralee. More details (including Brunch and Lunch menus) here.
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