Taste of the Week. Knockanore Cheddar with Garlic & Herbs

Taste of the Week

Knockanore Cheddar with Garlic & Herbs

Wheels of fresh cheese, waiting to be stored in the dairy. (Bus Bia Tour 2015)

Eamonn and Patricia Lonergan began making cheese on their farm in the lush rolling countryside of Knockanore (West Waterford) in 1987. The cows graze on quality grass, they’re milked and the Lonergan’s use traditional methods, right on the farm, to make a variety of delicious cheeses.

This one, bought at the shop attached to the Farmgate Restaurant in Midleton (East Cork), has garlic and herbs added. Additions to cheese don’t always click with me but this “blend” is absolutely perfect and our Taste of the Week.

The  cheese is made from raw unpasteurised milk and the rennet used is vegetarian.

Knockanore Farmhouse Cheese 

Ballyneety

Knockanore

Co. Waterford.

Delightful Lunch in the Garden Room at Midleton’s Farmgate Restaurant

Delightful Lunch in the Garden Room
 at Midleton’s Farmgate Restaurant

Midleton’s Farmgate Restaurant (and Country Store) is the elder sister of the Farmgate Café in Cork’s English Market. We enjoyed a delightful lunch in their Garden Room during a recent midweek visit.

Thought we’d have no trouble getting a table in midweek. And we didn’t really. But the main dining room was close to full. We were offered a table in the nearby Garden Room - they can roll the top open when the weather is warm - and soon we had lots of company as it rapidly filled up. Even at 2.00pm, or so, when we were leaving, the restaurant was still busy, even a small queue for places. 

A very popular spot and we could see why on our plates. There is an extensive lunch menu here, a lot of reading and, in addition, you’ll also be handed a page of specials. 

Here, the Smoked Salmon and Mussel Linguine in a lemon cream sauce served with garlic bread (14.50) caught my eye. It is only now, as I write this, that I realise both they and I forgot the garlic bread. The main dish was superb, packed with flavour and texture and quite filling, even without the bread.

CL went for the Goat’s Cheese, fresh beetroot, cherry tomatoes, hazelnuts and pomegranate salad, also €14.50, also a special. Honest, local (mostly!) ingredients featured here. Again tidily presented, freshness emphasised, quality and quality in abundance, and very much appreciated by a happy customer.

Indeed, both of us were very pleased with the visit. We had started by sharing a bowl of mussels, from the regular menu, and finished by making a few purchases in the shop where you may buy soups, pestos, coffee, cheese, breads, cakes to beat the band and a whole lot more. They also offer a Take-away lunch.

The Farmgate concept, tried and tested over decades, is based on regional food, supporting in particular local producers. “Cheeses are local; duck is free-range; lamb and beef are locally reared; fish is landed at Ballycotton Pier. These are handled simply, with a minimum of fuss and delivered with an honest simplicity. Our cooking style is a blend of traditional and modern Irish.”

And you’ll see that blend too in the dinner menu. No shortage of traditional choices, such as Roast Chicken (free-range), Roast rack of Lamb and Steaks. Quite a choice of fish dishes also. And lots of specials. A large list of starters also available that might include Pan seared scallops and crispy bacon salad, Clonakilty Black Pudding tart with Hollandaise sauce, and Deep-fried St Killian Camembert with mango and coriander salsa. 

No matter what room you are in, you’ll be well fed here, service is friendly and efficient all through, and you’ll be comfortable also. This town-centre venue is well worth a visit!

The Farmgate Restaurant and Country Store, 

Coolbawn,

Midleton, 

Co. Cork.

Tel: 4632771.

Email: restaurant@farmgate.ie

FEAST Launch. Amazing Week Coming Soon

FEAST Launch

Amazing Week Coming Soon

Cork County Mayor, Declan Hurley, was in the Malthouse of the Midleton Distillery last Tuesday to help launch FEAST, the East Cork Food and Drink Festival. The Mayor, well used to the Taste of West Cork Festival, encouraged those involved in FEAST to keep it local.

Kevin Aherne spoke on behalf of FEAST and he too stressed that provenance had to be a key factor in the festival. Not too much point in a local food festival unless the local food and drink is at the heart of it.

This is the first time that the former Midleton festival has been marketed as FEAST and the hope is to spread it even further in the East Cork area in the future. And to do that, even more sponsorship will be necessary. 

For now, the committee are grateful for the help coming from Irish Distillers, Cork County Council, Secad, Red FM, Taste Cork, Ireland’s Ancient East, Jim Crowley, Midleton Park Hotel, Market Green, Ballymaloe Relish, East Cork Journal, Pallas, Sage, Cully & Sully and Wiser Recycling.

The cooperative spirit behind the venture was well illustrated on the menu for the evening and we enjoyed a lovely four course meal in the Malthouse. The Farmgate produced the starter, a delicious combination of Ballycotton Seafood smoked salmon, crushed mint potato salad, caper and citrus dressing.

No shortage of wine as the evening progressed to the Ferrit and Lee main course: Beef feather blade marinated with Jameson, fondant potato, celeriac purée, roast onion, baby carrots and thyme jus. Perfect.

Conversation left and right at this stage, live music too, as dessert appeared, courtesy of Sage: Sixty four per cent Midleton chocolate delice, brittle, butterscotch. Say no more!

And on then to the Malthouse cheese board: Ballinrostig Gouda, Bo Rua Cheddar, and Ballymaloe Chutney. And we finished as we had started. With whiskey. On arrival, there was the perfect Jameson serve with ginger ale and lime. And the finalé was a glass of Black Barrel, one of my favourites from Jameson, so called because the barrels are well charred!

Thanks to Irish Distillers, John Wall, Frank Murphy, Village Greengrocer and Wilkies Chocolate, who also had an input in the meal.

Time for the taxis then and to look forward to the big week that begins on Monday, September 4th. You can see the daily highlights here http://www.corkbilly.com/2017/08/feast-in-east-midleton-festival-expands.html, lots of evening meals.

But the closing Saturday, beginning in Midleton at 11.00am is a big day and is indeed billed as the major event. The main street will be packed with stalls and, this year, you’ll have a long table to sit down, relax and eat some of the goodies on sale. No doubt there’ll be tasty bites too from the restaurant tent and the farmers market. And the children will have their own area with music shows, puppets and amusements.

And the FEAST demo marquee has a long list of demos including one with Justin Greene on Bertha’s Revenge Gin, a sourdough demo by top baker Patrick Ryan, a seafood masterclass by Ciaran Scully, an invite to her kitchen by Lilly Higgins and then a East v West cook-off between Kevin Aherne and Marin Shanahan (Fishy Fishy).

If you still have any energy left, then get yourself into the courtyard in Sage on Sunday for a #12 mile BBQ with music, fun and a “BBQ that Midleton has never seen before”.

September sunshine on the menu. (Sage photo)

Cork winners at Food Safety Professionals Awards

Focus on Food Allergens

 at Food Safety Professionals Conference

Midleton's Farmgate received their award from Tom Doorley.

 The dangers associated with food allergies and cross contamination of foods were the topic of discussion at the Food Safety Professionals Association (FSPA) conference held recently in Dublin.

“Food safety is of vital importance in the food manufacturing, retail, hospitality and catering sector if Ireland is to maintain its excellent reputation for food quality”, explained Lorraine Oman, Chair of the Food Safety Professionals Association (FSPA).

“Through the FSPA’s nationwide support network, we provide FETAC accredited training and expert advice on food safety and each year we acknowledge those in the industry who have been exemplary in their adoption of food safety policies”, Oman said.

The winners of this year’s prestigious Food Safety Professionals Awards were St. Patricks University Hospital (Dublin), Sodexo at Novartis (Cork), The Farm Gate Midleton (Cork), Colaiste Na Rinne (Co. Waterford) and Waterford Institute of Technology.  These organisations were recognized for their excellence in food safety across a number of criteria including structural and operational hygiene, food safety and protection, personal hygience and staff facilities as well as food safety management systems documentation.

Now in their second year, the awards encourage food businesses to reach for and maintain high standards of food safety.

“Recent outbreaks of E.Coli serve as an important reminder that food safety is not just a legal requirement but a moral obligation”, said Tom Doorley, who presented the FSPA Awards today. “As a nation of food producers, we must ensure that the excellent quality and flavor of our food is matched by equally impressive food safetystandards.  The work of the FSPA and their network of advisors and trainers in Ireland ensure that expertise and support is on hand to help our food businesses”.