Da Mirco’s Italian Meal Matches Weekend Sun!

Mirco’s Italian Meal Matches Weekend Sun!

With the sun high in the blue sky, a call to Osteria Da Mirco’s in Bridge Street (Cork) provided just the food to match the occasion. Mirco, like quite a few restaurants these Covid days, is keeping in touch with customers via his Click & Collect service.

Ever since I enjoyed Cannelloni on a backstreet near Rome's Piazza Navona, I’ve been a fan of that Italian dish and, once I spotted it on Mirco’s menu, there was no doubt about my pick.

Hot in the city. Saturday.

There was lots more to choose from, of course, including Lasagna Bolognese, Parmigiana di Melanzane, Pollo alla Diavola e Nduja, and Polpette al Sugo (Italian meatballs), all available in trays for two or four people. All well-priced also; for example, our Cannelloni was €15.00 for two.

He does a small selection of pizzas as well and there’s no shortage of sides and sauces, including his own Focaccia, his Insalata Caprese and more. Then there’s Patate Al Forno (Oven roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes) and Verdure al Forno (Oven roasted mediterranean Vegetables), each a fiver. We enjoyed the spuds there before, so that was our pick.

Artichoke

Desserts also on offer, including Tiramisu (which, you may like to know, contains alcohol!). And speaking of alcohol, just click the drinks tab and  you’ll see Italian wines and beers, and a couple of Irish drinks as well from 9 White Deer and Stonewell.

And that leaves the Shop tab. There’s quite a selection here of Italian specialities including coffee, cheese, deli meats, balsamic vinegars, olives and vegetables. Here, we found our Mediterranean Marinated Artichokes 200g tub (Small artichoke quarters. They are seasoned with olive oil, garlic and parsley. They can be served as delicious side dishes or used to garnish Da Mirco's homemade focaccia bread and savoury flans !) - another great fiver’s worth!

We used a few of those artichokes as a starter and used the rest of them in a couple of salads over the weekend. Different and delicious.

Chester Cake

The Cannelloni (Cannelloni Pasta filled with Ricotta Cheese, Spinach with Tomato sauce) was easily heated, didn’t take long, and it was absolutely superb. And with the sun still shining, I could have been right there in that Roman back street. Indeed, I think we had more sun here than in that narrow street where the tall buildings blocked out most of the sun.

I didn’t buy a wine from Mirco, simply because I had one  ready and waiting at home, a Barbara by fiercely independent Piedmont winemaker Water Massa, a light, easy-drinking and fruity Rosso (bought as part of a mixed 6-bottle box from Bradley’s). Its lovely acidity makes it a terrific table wine.

Satisfyingly full after that delicious meal, we waited a while for the dessert, also already in the house. Delighted to make the acquaintance again of the award-winning Chester Cake from McSweeney’s Foodstore, Burton Place, Gardinders Hill, Cork, washed down with an excellent Golden Bean Coffee (their Capim Branco,  Brasil). Ciao!

Da Mirco

4 Bridge Street
Cork
Ireland

 021 2419480

 infodamirco@gmail.com

Osteria Da Mirco. Tastily Bridges Cork And Italy

Osteria Da Mirco

Tastily Bridges Cork And Italy

There’s another Italian restaurant in Cork, Osteria Da Mirco in Bridge Street.

Some differences here though. Many of us know Mirco Fondrini from his 13 years at front of house in the English Market’s Farmgate Café. Some of you will know him also from Turner’s Cross as he likes the Cork City style of calcio.

And another thing. Mirco has stayed very much in touch with his home area of Valtellina in north-eastern Italy where he learned the trade (he is also a qualified sommelier). It is a great place to learn about food and wine and its influence is now clear to see and taste in Bridge Street.

An Osteria is a traditional Italian tavern that serves good wine and simple dishes and where you get a warm welcome. Genuine and genial, Da Mirco’s ticks all those boxes and more. Many Italian menus are long, most will have a big list of pizza options. That is not the case here. The menu is compact and there is no pizza. Short yes, but quality all the way.

Mirco’s love for Valtellina is particularly well illustrated in one of the starters, the Aperitivo Da Mirco. This platter consists of Tuna fishballs with aioli, pickled onions, tomatoes and basil, salami, three cheeses and “jam”, caramelised walnuts, and their own Focaccia. Not everything on the big sharing plate (15 euro for two) is from Valtellina but every little bit is full of flavour, the real thing.

Other starters (antipasti) include Bruschetta - with EVO and garlic; A Cheese board from Lombardy; and Tuna fishballs with aioli.

The wines too come from Italy, from all over the country. And include an excellent house wine, Madregale in both red and white, both simple and delicious and each at six euro a glass.

On now to the mains. While there is no pizza, there is pasta, their own. CL was tempted by a trio of Tagliatelle dishes, each available for two persons with a good reduction if you go that route. Her choice was the Tagliatelle al Ragú Bianco version (13.50). As the title suggests there is no tomato here! The vegetables have been cooked in the meat juices and she throughly enjoyed this moist and flavoursome plateful.

Hake was also on the menu. There is both a fish dish and meat dish of the day and they tell all about that at the table. Service is excellent here, friendly and efficient.

Mirco gave me a very encouraging description of their steak for the evening, but I picked the Roast Hake with red pepper coulis, served with oven roasted garlic and rosemary potatoes and a superb selection of Mediterranean vegetables (17.50). Superbly cooked and very appetising indeed. Another winner from the kitchen. Must go back for that steak sometime!

Like the rest of the menu, desserts are few but each is tempting. I was looking at the Cantucci i Vin Santo (Cantucci biscuits with the national dessert wine of Italy) but in the end we decided, being where we were, we couldn’t leave the Tiramisu (5.50) behind so we shared it and managed to finish this tumbler of deliciousness without a fight! A great finish and out then to Bridge Street and the Italian sun; not really but, after that well cooked, well priced meal, the Irish sun felt pretty good.

Osteria Da Mirco

4 Bridge Street, Cork

021 2419480

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/damircocork/ 

Pizza di Cork. And More. Olivo at Cork Airport Hotel

Pizza di Cork. And More.

Olivo at Cork Airport Hotel

A change is as good as a rest. They say. And it worked well for us at Olivo, the Italian restaurant in the Cork Airport Hotel. I was impressed with their contribution to the Cork Gourmet Trail late last year and, armed with a “two main course for the price of one” from that event, we headed out there the week before last. 

Before arriving, I had more or less settled on my mains: Pizza di Cork with tomato sauce, Clonakilty black pudding, crispy bacon, red onion and Ballymaloe relish (€16.00). And I wasn't at all disappointed. It was excellent, a perfect combination of tastes and flavours, amazing how well the black pudding and relish combined. The base was fine and the red onion also played a key sweetening role. Pizza di Cork was a star.

Hake

And across the table, the Nasello, oven baked fillet of hake with roasted courgettes, peperonata and basil pesto (18.00) also proved a winner, proving that you don't need a creamy sauce to get the best from fresh fish.

Olivo is a spacious comfortable casual restaurant for residents and walk-ins alike. There is a bar area, a couple of big screen TVs over the drinks selection (spotted a few bottles there from Torc Brewing in Killarney), a dining area, and an adjoining breakfast space, all sections nicely laid out and lit. The wine list by the way is already on your table - check out that bottle (back and front).

The menu, with a Specials insert, is laid out in typically Italian fashion. You have a good choice of Antipasti and Salads. Pizzas, of course, and also Contorni (sides) which range from a Fresh Garden salad to Hand Cut Fries. No shortage of Pasta dishes either - I was tempted by the Cannelloni. And then there’s meat and fish, including chicken dishes, hamburger, lamb shank and sirloin steak.

We started off with a couple of the Antipasti. CL’s Bruschetta al pomodoro was Tomato, garlic & basil, with rocket & parmesan (8.00). Quite a plateful but easy to eat and delicious. 

My pick was the Melanzane ripiene: stuffed aubergine with mozzarella and sun dried tomato pesto (7.00). Another delicious and surprisingly moist plateful, another substantial starter.

Service was friendly, casual but efficient. Nice spot if you’re in the area and looking for “a change”! And if you want a rest, well then you can stay overnight! Parking, by the way, is free for restaurant customers.

Olivo at Cork Airport Hotel

Cork Airport

Co. Cork

Eircode: T12 RPP9

Tel: +353 (0)21 4947500

Email: reservations@corkairporthotel.com

Rossini’s. Local and Italian Misto.

Rossini’s. Local and Italian Misto.

Piece of pizza!

When you dine in Rossini’s, you get a taste of Italy, as you'd expect, and a taste of Ireland as many of the fresh ingredients are bought in the nearby English Market.

Valpolicella

Rossini’s was established, in Princes Street, Cork, in 1994, by Antonio Toscano and their reputation for delicious authentic Italian cuisine quickly grew in the Cork area. I hadn't been there for quite a while until last week. It was a quiet night around town, the Tuesday after the Bank Holiday. So we had to settle for Italian music on the stereo - no live music, no dancing in the aisle. Still turned out to be a very enjoyable meal indeed.

No shortage of starters on the menu. We were finding it hard to choose and so settled on the Antipasta Misto. This turned out to be quite a plateful, a very tasty plateful indeed. There were some calamari fritte, some delicious Mozzarella with big slices of tomato, some bruschetta, cured meats too, breads, salad…. Good food and good value at €15.00.

They have their own pizza oven here, built by a champion! And I enjoyed my champ of a pizza, the Cacciatora: BBQ sauce on the base, pulled chicken and lots of peppers (15.00). Not too sure that Cacciatora was the best name for it but it sure was one of the best pizzas I've eaten.

No shortage of choice for the main courses, pizzas of course and pasta dishes too. They have quite a few steak options, chicken options, and fish options (including a risotto marinara). 

CL paid particular attention to the chicken and eventually picked the Pollo Saltimbocca (15.90) over the Pollo Parmigiana. She was very happy with the choice and enjoyed her chicken wrapped in ham and a tasty and interesting selection of veg that included roast potatoes, courgettes, red onions, red pepper and cauliflower.

The wines were Italian, of course, and we opted for a glass of Valpolicella (7.50) and an excellent Soave (7.25). No dessert on the night so our total, before tip, came to €60.65.

Rossini’s make it easy for you to try out their food without breaking the bank. They have about three set menus that start from €14.90 up. You’d have a choice of two or three starters and two or three mains. You could for instance have Calamari as starter and the Saltimbocca as mains and it wouldn't break the bank. Add a glass of house wine or dessert for 4.50.

Watch out too for their special nights (eg Valentine’s) and you might also like to try them via Deliveroo. And I see too that a tasty looking Pollo Cacciatora features on their well-priced lunch menu (Fridays, Saturdays only).

Rossini’s

33-34 Princes Street, Cork

021 - 4275818

Opening hours: 5.00 to 10.00pm Sunday to Thursday.

1.00 to 11.00pm Friday to Saturday.

Check their Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ristoranterossinis/ for updates.

Dunne & Crescenzi. The Friendly Italian

Dunne & Crescenzi

The Friendly Italian

Tagliatelle con pancetta Tuscana

We were in the mood for Italian, food that is, in Dublin one night last week. We had Dunne & Crescenzi on our short list and a recommendation from Joanne (@dudara on Twitter), a Cork “exile” in Dublin for the past nine years or so, sent us off to South Frederick Street and a lovely meal.

Quite a big crowd in, though the two rooms weren't full and that gave us the chance to have  a look at the Italian wine (over 200 types, I think), stored in shelves on all the walls. We settled on a Valpolicella Classico Biologico La Corte Del Pozzo (8.00) and a Rosso di Montepulciano Fossolupaio DOC (8.50), both smooth, both perfect.

Just as well we weren't ordering a bottle - we could have been there all night, such was the extent of the list. As it was it took a quite a while to read through the menu, pages and pages of great choice. We had been nibbling at earlier venues so a small starter was in order and we found just the thing under the Stuzzichini heading.

The word means snacks (approximately) but still the plates were large enough, reasonably priced at six euro each. They were also very appetising. One was Porzione di salumi misti (Portion of Emilia Romagna charcuterie) and the other Porzione di Speck di Trento (Portion of smoked prosciutto). Big tasty snacks!

The "snacks" and Vinsanto

They had a couple of specials on the board and the translation was done with a friendly gusto - service overall was excellent.

I picked one from the board: Tagliatelle con pancetta Tuscana, olive taggiasche, carciofi e pecorino (15.50), that is, if I remember rightly, Tagliatelle with Tuscan bacon, olives, artichokes and pecorino. I loved it, every little bit, loved the colours, the textures, the flavours, not least the olives that added a salty contrast.  

CL went for the Salsiccia senese e fagioli borlotti, Slow cooked fragrant Tuscan fresh sausage, tomato and borlotti bean casserole (13.50). It was a cool enough night and this was a warming dish, that beautiful sausage and a small mountain of beans.

As I mentioned, we had been "grazing" elsewhere earlier, so reluctantly left the Tiramisu and the other desserts alone. Instead we settled for a delicious glass of Vinsanto Tuscany. This well balanced sweet wine was dispatched slowly, sip by sip, postponing all the sweet while our exit into the cool night. The hotel though wasn't too far away.

If you're looking for an Italian around Grafton Street or the Stephen’s Green area, then Dunne and Crescenzi is Very Highly Recommended.

A Taste of Tuscany. Warm, soft, and beautiful.

A Taste of Tuscany

Warm, soft, and beautiful.

Tuscany: warm, soft, beautiful.

Tuscan wines feature in the current Italian wine sale at SuperValu (on until April 29th). I copied the warm, soft and beautiful from one of the bottles and it refers to the region but could well apply to the wines below. The Il Capolavoro is another gem and the Prosecco is well worth checking out.

Villa Pani Rosso 2013 (Tuscany IGT), 13%, €9.00

If you want a simple very gluggable wine at under a tenner, take a punt on this fresh and fruity red from the warm and beautiful Italian area of Tuscany. Made from the area’s best known grape Sangiovese (familiar to many of you through Chianti), this medium bodied red, new to SuperValu, is an excellent drop and recommended.

Sammicheli Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2011 (DOCG), 13%, €15.00

This is another Tuscan red, similar in style to Chianti and made mostly from Sangiovese. It is more aromatic than the Pani. On the palate, it is smooth, fruity and dry, more intense than the Pani and with a longer finish. Full bodied with fine tannins, this is highly recommended. Perhaps get the Pani for the party, and a bottle or two of this for yourself!

Il Capolavoro Appassimento Rosso 2014, 14%, €10.00

This palate pleasing beauty is new to SuperValu but could be turning up there for years to come. It is produced from grapes that have been partially dried (appassimento) and the result is a rich red colour and, more importantly, a greater concentration of fruit flavours. And that concentration means a very pleasant easy drinking wine with a little spice both on nose and palate. Add in a silky mouthfeel and you've got a winner. Very Highly Recommended..

Lunetta Prosecco Brut (DOC), 11%, €15.00

If ever you've been lucky enough to visit Venice and unlucky enough to see the way the gondoliers handle the Prosecco they dish out to tourist groups, then your respect for the famous Italian sparkling wine took a nosedive. At least, that was the case with me. And the respect didn't improve when I tasted some of the feeble stuff served up at some receptions.

But that respect is on the rise again, thanks to this Lunetta. The blurb promises peach and apple on the nose and it is delivered. No shortage of small bubbles either. And it also delivers on the palate and through to a decent finish as well. This is a pretty good example, is well priced and Highly Recommended.

Italian Wines Take Turn to Star at SuperValu

Italian Wines Take Turn to Star at SuperValu

SuperValu’s Italian Wine Sale kicks off this Thursday (16th April) and the team there have gone for the reds in a big way, with Amarone (€20.00) and Montepulciano’ d’Abruzzo (15.00) featuring. Whites are scarce but if you have a celebration at hand, even if you haven't, then the Lunetta Prosecco (15.00) fits the bill. There are quite a few wines new to SuperValu and some excellent ones also at the lower end of the price spectrum, including the enjoyable Ricossa Barbera D’Asti.

I notice there are two “old” friends on offer as well: the Sopra Sasso Amarone and Sartori Valpolicella. Both are very highly recommend. Check previous reviews here . Another star is the Ricossa Barola (below).

Ricossa Barbera D’Asti (DOC) 2013, 13.5%, €9.00

Barbera is the most heavily planted grape in Piedmont; the wines are soft and fruity though the style can vary widely. Red fruit flavours (cherries, raspberries, currants) abound here but with a refreshing tingle of acidity. It is medium bodied with a soft texture and a decent finish. Easy drinking and highly recommended.

Barone Montalto Nero D’Avola (Sicilia IGT), appassimento, 14%, €10.00

Some of the words on Italian labels can be a bit strange to many of us. Nero D’Avola is Sicily’s native grape but the term appassimento is mainly associated with winemaking in the north of Italy, think Amarone. In the north, the harvested grapes are spread out to dry, in a process that can last from October to January. The longer the drying, the more the concentration. It is an ancient practice.

However the concentration in the case of this bottle (according to the producer's website), is achieved by allowing the grapes to partially wither on the vines. The later winemaking includes 4 months aging in French oak barrels.

Colour is a lightish red. The wine itself (new to SuperValu) is medium bodied with fruit flavours and hints of spice, an apparent sweetness too and a lingering finish, that “sweetness” coming from the concentration due to the drying of the fruit. Recommended.

Ricossa Barolo (DOCG) 2010, 14%, €15.00

Red is the colour again, though a rather lighter one. Fairly intense aromas of dark fruit. It is full bodied and elegant, with hints of spice, noticeably dry. Terrific balance overall though and with a long velvety finish. “Classy from beginning to end” and Very Highly Recommended.Probably one of the best buys at the moment.

The Barolo is made from the Nebbiolo grape and has spent at least two years in wooden barrels.

Quality and Value at Toscana

Quality and Value at Toscana

Warm colours outside and a warm welcome inside. That was the experience at Toscana in Dublin’s Dame Street last week. And it didn’t flatter to deceive as I enjoyed a really good lunch at this city centre Italian restaurant, established over a decade ago.

Had a good look at their lunch offer of two courses for ten euro. You could pick from four starters and seven main courses. But since we were on a break and had time to spare we picked from the A La Carte which went way beyond the normal pasta and pizza lists.

Pollo

 I settled on their Pollo alla Toscana: Chicken Supreme with Spinach, Three Cheeses, wrapped in Parma Ham and served with a white wine and mustard cream (€16.95). I was given a choice of sides and went for their salad. Must say I thoroughly enjoyed this light and tasty dish and that salad.

Most of their fresh produce (vegetables and salads) comes from their own farm (in Wicklow) and not too many restaurants can say that. CL ordered the Duck Salad (€16.75) which consisted of warm fresh duck, rocket and mixed leaves, sun ripened cherry tomatoes, sweet balsamic and parmesan shavings. Another substantial plateful and a really satisfying one.

They have many menus here so it is well worth checking out the website before you go. And there is no shortage of choice on the wine front either, the vast majority of it from Italy. If you are going by the glass, you have four choices in red and four in white, but, if you are going by the bottle, you could be a while making up your mind as the wines come from all parts, from the north to the south and not forgetting the islands!

Duck Salad

The place is neat and tidy and the wall decor consists of large black and white photos of Italian characters going about their daily lives, not the film stars you sometimes see in Italian restaurants. The place can cater for couples or larger groups and I would like to go back there by night as I reckon you’d have a great atmosphere, especially on Sunday when a singer entertains.

Service is friendly and efficient and the prices are reasonable for the excellent quality delivered to your table. Definably worth a try.

Dame Street - Opposite Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
Hours
Mon - Thu: 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Fri - Sat: 12:00 pm - 12:00 am
Sun: 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Phone (01) 670 9785
Email damestreet@toscanarestaurant.ie

The Italian at the Mardyke

The Italian at the Mardyke

Rico’s  is Riccardo Vallebella’s latest Italian venture in Cork and I called in last week to sample his “familiar mix of fresh fast real food at good prices.”

After a warm welcome at the reception desk, we studied the menu and picked our starters: Bresaola (Beef Carpaccio and rocket salad) and Caprese (Mozzarella and Tomato salad), each at €6.50. Both were very well presented and really enjoyable.

Moved on then to the main courses where you are more or less confined to either pasta or pizza, though with  a good choice of each, all around the €12.50 mark, give or take a euro or so.

 Here I choose the Rustica Pizza with tomato, mozzarella, rolled Italian Bacon and blue cheese. Very impressive on the plate and quite tasty with the blue cheese providing quite a kick in spots and the bacon giving a different texture here and there. Finished it off with pleasure.

The other mains came from the pasta list and was the Parmigiana (oven baked aubergine with mozzarella, tomato sauce, parmesan and basil). Again this was well presented and really tasty, something like a lasagne with aubergine instead of meat. 

Both the mains were washed down with a decent house wine, €11.50 for a 50cl carafe of Barbera which had inviting aromas and was pleasant and easy drinking. They have Moretti beer in bottle, Perroni on tap and also a “guest” Italian artisan beer.

Sambuca

Now time for dessert, all around a fiver. There is a rather short list, augmented by two specials. One of the specials was Tiramisu and it was rather special, sweet stuff indeed. I went for one of the regulars: Affogato (Gelato ice cream drained into coffee and sambuca). Enjoyed this even if it had more of a coffee kick, less Sambuca.

Made up for that though by finishing off with a Sambuca Black (5.00). Had been thinking of a Grappa but I like the aniseed taste here and it came with Cantuccio biscuits.

If you enjoy pizza and pasta, then this is the place for you.

Sheares Street, Cork

(021) 427 3000

info@mardyke.com

Open from 5.00pm Tuesday to Sunday.

Rico’s new Italian restaurant in Cork City Centre

Rico’s new Italian restaurant opens in Cork City Centre

This weekend Rico Valleballa launched his new Italian Restaurant ‘Rico’s’ in The Mardyke Entertainment Complex, Sheares Street, Cork! People queued for over an hour before doors opened at 5.30pm last Sunday when Rico himself welcomed the guests and showcased his new Italian menu.

Guests were very impressed with the new eatery, the delicious food and friendly atmosphere: “Outstanding food at great prices” ...“The Italian’s really know good food”...“A great place for all the family”.

Rico’s menu shows he takes great pride in carrying on the tradition of recipes handed down from his grandmother to his Mother and to the Vallebella Peccerillo family. The family love a celebration and any occasion is the cause for a long meal and a noisy gathering over favourite plates like gnocchetti sardi, ditali piselli or calamari e patate.

Riccardo began trading at Farmers Markets with signature dishes Parmigano and ‘arranchini’ filled rice balls, and within a few years had opened The Castle Bar and Trattoria at Blackrock Castle and Baile Bella, a pizzeria at Blackrock Village.

Riccardo Vallebella’s new Italian venture in Cork is Rico’s at the Mardyke Entertainment Complex and assures you’ll find a familiar mix of fresh fast real food at good prices. Family favourite pasta and pizza dishes will feature along with daily specials from Mama’s recipe book. Start with antipasta and finish with ammazza caffé (to kill the coffee) and eat like the Italians!

Adjoining Rico’s is the new Mardyke Ping Pong bar, the first of its kind in Ireland. So you can enjoy delicious Italian food followed by a few drinks and some Ping Pong – Now there’s a night with a difference!

English brought Riccardo Vallebella to Ireland from Rome in 1996 but the Irish kept him here once the young Italian broke free of Dublin’s Little Italy.

It took coming to Cork for the Jazz in 1999 for Rico to learn the English language and the ways of the Irish and it was to a backdrop of a lively Cork scene that this took place. Rico started working in Cork’s social hot spots at the time including the Bodega, Rumplestiltskins and the Yumi Yuki Club at Triskel. His ease with the customer and skill behind a service counter soon brought him to management attention but it was his love for the kitchen that raised the bar.

Rico and his late brother Maurizio (who followed his trail from Rome to Cork) had grown up with a natural affinity to food and cooking that was second nature.

The family home was the hub for the Vallebella Peccerillo clan and Amalia their mother the centre of this clatter her four sons enjoyed. Rico’s father Antonello comes from Porto Torres, Sardinia, and Amalia from Casserta, Naples, and the Roman kitchen became the expression of these food cultures. Sunday lunch for thirty plus is a regular occurrence there and the travelling sons brought this knowledge of food and function to Cork where it was widely welcomed.

It made sense then that this familiarity with food would translate into business and Riccardo and Maurizio opened Buon Appetitto followed by Casanova at Triskel Arts Centre in 2001.

The style was ‘agriturismo’ where a short set menu described the season’s dishes and staples like bruschetta and antipasta plates allowed the seasonal toppings like aubergine, artichoke or baby roma tomatoes to feature on the toasted pane casareccio bread or board.

The main courses of ‘Primi’ (usually a pasta, polenta or rice dish) and ‘Secundi’ (featuring the daily special of meat, fish or vegetable) followed this tradition of allowing the harvest food to take centre stage.

Italian Start to Saturday Food Trail

Saturday Food Trail in Cork

Princes Street

Tasty

An old favourite

A new favourite from Tom's Bakery

Venison lunch

Started off last Saturday’s Food Trail in the city with a visit to a church, of all places. The Unitarian Church in Prince’s Street, Cork’s oldest church, was playing host to the Irlanda Italiana Cultural Association.

The association is composed of Italian friends who enjoy living here and are willing to share their culture. There has already been a series of events and Saturday’s was mainly about food and wine.

Restaurants such as Ballincollig’s Bacco and Douglas Cafe Moroni’s were represented. Moroni's were selling some gorgeous sauces. There were tasters of salamis and you could buy slices of tarts and much more.

There too you could buy Fabio Cavallini’s Traditional Balsamic Vinegars of Modena. Some were very old and very expensive and he also had a walnut liquor. You could even book a Italian chef to come to your home and serve up an authentic Italian meal!

Not surprisingly, the Boot (based on Forge Hill) had a big display and I couldn’t resist buying a pack of their Amaretto biscuits, also some salami. Some tempting wines were also on display, including Montepulciano and also Vermentino di Sardegna. Will have to call out to Forge Hill to see more of their 850 products.

Next food stop was the Coal Quay Market and a call to Tom’s Bakery stall. Usually go for the Country Baguette but this time picked a quarter of his huge Country Loaf and enjoyed it in a big way over the weekend.

There was also a little market in Paul Street in front of KT Max and here I grabbed a bite of lunch, this in the shape of a hot dog (€4.00), one with a Venison sausage from the Crough Farm stall.