Taste of the Week.
Hederman's Whole Smoked Mackerel.
Salad days are here. To stay? Well, we did get a few beauties last weekend and should get quite a few more in the months ahead.
When the sun shines, you want to be out, at a picnic by the beach or at a table in the garden. You don't want to be stuck
Frank Hederman. Master Fish Smoker.
Mr Hederman smokes fish, which is a little like saying Steinway makes pianos. (New York Times).
Frank Hederman is a master at smoking fish, and his expertise is highly regarded, at home and abroad. His process is unique, developed over 40 years of experimentation. When he started, there were no apprenticeships available and established smokers were unwilling to share their secrets. So, he started experimenting with his way of doing things. Although he had a few close calls, he eventually succeeded.
 |
| Beechwood chips |
 |
| Highlights on every corner from the Apple Mint (bottom right) to the Pickled Mushroom (top left) |
Princes Street, and its many and varied restaurants and cafes, was quick to adopt outdoor dining and rapidly became the country’s poster child for the Covid enforced change to the undependable Irish exterior.
We had our first visit there on Culture Night and it turned into an evening of delectation under the shelters of Nash 19 and owner Claire Nash. Just the day before, Nash was awarded by the Georgina Campbell Awards as the person to represent being “the very best of community”, acknowledging Claire’s part in leading the Princes Street charge and in changing her dynamic daytime enterprise to an equally energetic day and night star.
 |
| Heirloom Tomatoes and Purple Basil |
It was a double change for Nash, from daytime to night time and from indoors to outdoors. And immediately, they saw and began to work on the possibility of innovation that the double move allows. And it isn’t that Nash 19 just tagged along with the existing evening menus. No, if you know Claire, you know they jumped straight to the front and the menu is right on trend with a slew of small plates and no sectional guidance that you should follow the old three course pattern. Hop in to the menu, forget tradition, go free style and enjoy yourself.
But if you do like the comfort of a big feed, and we all do from time to time, some of us more than others, then Nash 19 have you covered well on that front also.
 |
| Crispy Chicken Confit of Leg |
Claire is rightly proud of the menu and delighted too with the mini-menu she had drawn up for the Culture Night event going on simultaneously in her Stern Gallery (in the backroom of the restaurant). That included the new vermouth by two sisters from Valentia Island and that was our first drop of the evening.
Nash 19 have quite a wine selection now, some fifty bottles, mostly organic, some natural, all low intervention and quite a few by the glass. There’s sparkling wine, rosé, red and white of course, and sweet to finish. We thought we’d have white and enjoyed a glass of Izadi Larrosa Blanc (a Garnacha blanca from Rioja) and one of Von Winning Weissburgunder (Pinot blanc from the Pfalz in Germany). Glass prices vary from €6.50 to 11.50 in white, roughly similar in red.
 |
| Smokers Plate via Hederman |
We were soon down to the food. CL’s first dish was the Seared Scallops with Annascaul Black Pudding and apple mint. Superlatives all around here, even that apple mint was outstanding and, in any case, CL is a big fan of the Kerry blackpudding.
 |
| Plum dessert |
Round one may have been a knockout but we were ready for round two, along with what remained of our colourful and flavourful side of the gorgeous Heirloom Tomato and Purple Basil Salad.
 |
| Nash have employed new tasters for this menu. Illustration from the menu |
And we did our delicious duty again. Mine was the Garryhinch Wild Mushroom Ragu on Sourdough Toast with a generous coating of Parmesan. And it came with a steak knife. Superb texture, moist temptation, hardly time to share a morsel or two as I fought back the urge to rush but instead took an unwavering steady stroll to satisfy my senses with its warmth and savour. All for 12 euro!
CL bit into her Crispy Chicken Confit of Leg with Korean Dressing and Charred Corn (also 12 euro) and her casual tongue was immediately stung into alertness by the Korean spice. But, once she got the various elements together, the spice became a key though not dominant facilitator of amazing flavour, and she was as happy as any diner on the busy street.
It wasn’t the only busy street on Friday as quite a few folks were out and about taking in the many events of Culture Night. We began heading back to our hill. We crossed the river and headed for Harley’s Street and its little market and found the place rammed, the crowd there enjoying the bites and exotic music.
Great craic evident too at St Luke’s Cross with Henchy's and the wine bar the main venues. Lovely to see Culture Night back on the streets and hopefully the English Markets will be back at the heart of it next year.
 |
| Lemon Meringue |
As is the case with Nash by Day, the Nash by Night Menu provides lots of variety, not just throughout the menu itself but also via its daily changes.
 |
| Valentia vermouth & strollers |
Our culture night menu started with a bunch of “small plates” of which no less than five were fish; we picked two and the others, just to give you a hint of what may be coming your way if you call in (and you should), are Irish Prawns with Sea Samphire, Wild Irish Tuna Sashimi, and a “Taste” of Monkfish Tempura. We had two of the non-fish small plates and the others was Ham Hock Terrine and Free Range Chicken Liver Paté.
After that, you are moving into more serious platefuls including Rib Eye of Beef, Pan Seared Hake, their familiar and always superb Producers Plate Tapas Style; also a local Charcuterie Board plus there’s a Heirloom Tomato Pasta Penne with Toonsbridge Feta and an Irish Cheese Board with Fig Confit. Descriptions have been abbreviated in these two paragraphs.
And there are sides of course. Our Heirloom Tomato and Purple Basil Salad was a super treat and others on offer were Fries (smoked butter, sea salt), Waterfall Green Leaf and Herb Salad, Mediterranean Olives or Salted Valentia Nuts, along with Bread, Seaweed Butter and Olive Oil (all at 4.50 aside from the tomatoes at 6.00).
 |
| Homeward bound |
The perfect subscription for you - The Wine Lover!
from Cork based Wines Of The World
Their wine experts select 6 delicious wines from around the world and send to your door each month.
Includes:
A mix of 6 different wines each month
Free Delivery Nationwide
Tasting Notes for each wine
BILLY LYONS
corkbilly.com (from Irish Times 18th Nov 2013)
Dublin gets the column inches, but Cork has a renowned food scene, and there is good value to be found, says Lyons, who has blogged about food in Cork since he retired six years ago. He had a few local favourites (in 2013).
 |
| Cicchetti at Gusto Nov '13 |
“At Cafe Gusto, Washington Street, six Cicchetti (Italian tapas), two main courses (from a large choice) and two glasses of good wine costs €30 for two, Thursday to Saturday. At the House Cafe in the Opera House, typical fare includes Ballyhoura wild mushrooms with free range egg in a delicious omelette for €8.50. Small-plate menus are increasingly popular. Jacques, in the city, and the Greenroom at Sage in Midleton are also worth a call.”
More on the Gusto Cicchetti here
 |
| Vine leaves from Kilworth! |
Priory Coffee Arrive In The Victorian Quarter
The brand new Priory Coffee Co. on MacCurtain Street, Cork City, opened on Monday! "We can't wait to welcome you! You can come in or use our handy Priory Hatch for Coffee & food on the go! "
Priory are already well established in North Main St Cork (next to Gate Cinema), in Youghal (Main St), Mallow (106 Main St), Fermoy (Brian Boru Sq), and Riverstick.
***********
CORK HOTEL STAFF JOIN LORD MAYOR IN CYCLING TO DUBLIN AND BACK IN AID OF COPE FOUNDATION
 |
| Lord Mayor, Cllr. Colm Kelleher with Aaron Mansworth and Sandra Murphy of the Trigon Hotels clocking up the kilometres. |
Trigon Hotels cycled the distance from Cork to Dublin and back during a six-hour spinathon in Cork City Centre last Friday. The event raised over €1,000 for Cope Foundation.
Hotel team members took to static bikes on Harley Street which were kindly given by UCC’s Mardyke Arena. They travelled 576km and burned a combined total of more than 14,000 calories.
A team of 40 people were involved in the event including cyclists and bucket collectors. The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Colm Kelleher was among the supporters to cheer on the participants.
Lord Mayor, Cllr. Colm Kelleher said “It is wonderful to see this collaboration with Trigon Hotels and Cope Foundation and Ability@work. Inclusivity is imperative in the workplace and it is great to see Trigon Hotels foster such a close relationship with the Cope Foundation. It has been challenging for charities to have fundraising events since the pandemic began due to not being able to organise and host their usual events and so it is really important to support charities and companies when they do organise events.”
Play nice studio
Play Nice are a creative studio based in Dublin that designs, builds and styles eye-catching immersive spaces for people and products. Our aim is to create playful digital or physical worlds of colour for people to engage in and enjoy. That can range from providing creativity for photoshoots, temporary pop-ups or permanent work in public or commercial spaces.
Currabinny
William Murray & James Kavanagh gave birth to Currabinny after a discussion on how they could turn their unwavering obsession (food) into a career. William studied & grew his love of food at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Co. Cork - which is headed up Darina Allen & Rory O’Connell. In Ballymaloe, William nurtured his love of dishes that are unashamedly created with lots of real butter, Maldon Salt & seasonal, fresh vegetables. James comes from the other side of the food world; marketing. Having worked for two of his favourite Irish brands; Kerrygold & Barry’s Tea, he has learned what goes into making a beautiful product. Witnessing the passion & quality that goes into making a Barry’s teabag, and how the perfect grass has to exist in order for Kerrygold Butter to be as delicious as it is, has strongly influenced his food ethos.
All the info on this and many other events here
 |
| Cobh is becoming as well known for its displays of flowers as for it well perched cathedral. |
 |
| Water's Edge Hotel, The Quays Bar & Restaurant and the Sirius Art Gallery all in this block |
 |
| The Crescent has splendid views over the town centre and the harbour. |
 |
| Looking well: the Commodore Hotel |
 |
| Welcome to Cobh |
 |
| Seasalt, a lovely café battling in the Covid19 aftermath |
 |
| Not a vegan café, I'm told |
 |
| Time to chat at Cuppacity |
 |
| Like Harbour Browns, you'll find Leonardo on the West Beach |
 |
| Does what it says on the tin. |
 |
| Lights guide you into this shop called Turkish Delights |
 |
| Looking down from cathedral |
 |
| Handiwork |
 |
| Café in heritage centre |
 |
| Say it with flowers |
 |
| Café on Rushbrooke side of town |
 |
| Hederman's famous smokehouse is near Belvelly bridge |
 |
| A bite on the way in or on the way out at Bramley Lodge |
