Taste of the Week. From Malay Kitchen

Taste of the Week. 

From Malay Kitchen

A few weeks back, I bought a "kit" from the ladies behind the Malay Kitchen whose main outlet is in Kinsale and who also have one in Cork at the junction of South Main St and Liberty Street. That kit provides our Taste of the Week, and not just one taste!

The kit contains enough to feed four people twice. There are two types of curry paste in it: the delicious Thai Massaman and the rich, fragrant and mildly spicy Rendang. Add your choice of meat or tofu plus the supplied Coconut milk, and rice of course, and you're on your way to a very satisfying meal indeed, something that bit different. And with the Malay Kitchen kit, you're getting the real deal, original Malay & Southeast Asian flavours! The kit also includes a Sambal, a bright and spicy sauce. Use this sparingly as it is HOT!

Rendang

If you can't find the kit, be sure and visit their bases in Kinsale at Short Quay and in the city at 5 Paradise Place, South Main Street. More at Malay Kitchen.

Very Enjoyable Outing To Grainstore's Ballymaloe May Fair

 Very Enjoyable Outing To Grainstore's Ballymaloe May Fair

Very much enjoyed my few hours at the May Fair organised by the Grainstore at Ballymaloe at the weekend. The first person I met was none other than Colm McCan who is delighted that the Pop-up Wine Shop is to open every afternoon (2.00 - 5.00pm) for the year ahead. I got a sneak peek inside and that pour illustration above may bring back memories to a few of you of great days and evenings at the Ballymaloe Pop-up Wine Shop in Brown Thomas. Colm has wine from a selection of suppliers in Ballymaloe. Not just wine though: Ballymaloe Cider and their House Gin are also available here in bottle.

Quite a few stalls in the Grainstore itself, including jewelry, clothing and more. It was here that I bought some beautifully crafted soaps from Clarkes of Dublin.              

We were also on the lookout for Massaman curry paste at the Malay Kitchen Stall and we found the two ladies from the Malay Kitchen in the Big Shed. Had a lovely chat, plus a little tasting, and came away with a kit that included the Massaman.

On the way in, we had bought a superb sourdough from the Grumpy Bakers and on the way out we got a few of their very tempting pastries. All these were destined for the home table but the beautiful treat from Yum Gelato, especially the Mango, was consumed on a nearby table in the sun. Yum! 

In between, we had another delicious tasting, this of the Cully & Sully Risotto range, very impressive indeed. Couldn't wait when we got home and, for supper, enjoyed their Tempting Tomato and that will feature as Taste of the Week very soon!

Our "main course" was just around the corner, at one of the many outdoor stalls serving hot food. Gidi's menu featured a traditional Yemenite and Moroccan family recipe with the traditional Cork title of "The Whole Shebang." 

The finest Kinsale beef and lamb, spiced and barbequed, along with a salad of green leaves, tomatoes and basil dressed with mint, yogurt and zhoug, all packed into a pitta, with a hint of chilli. Delicious, quite a dish for a tenner, and went down well with a glass of juicy ale from the nearby Wicklow Wolf Brewery stand.

More drinks stalls in the area included Blackwater Distillery (Peter Mulryan told me they have settled well into their new distillery and are planning on doing tours fairly soon). Denis from Kinsale Mead was enjoying a deadly Charcoal mint stracciatella from Yum Gelato while Valentia Vermouth were quite busy at the time.

Denis, and the early afternoon sun, had put me in the humour for a gelato and we were heading that way when I spotted Beardy Dave at the Dingle Gin and Porterhouse stall. He had a quartet of cans on offer for a tenner and they too went into the bag. In fact there was no room in the bags but Dave had a Porterhouse tote on hand!

So, after that final call to Yum and the Grumpy Baker, we were on our way, looking forward to getting through all the food and drink in the bags.

Taste of the Week Malay Kitchen Spring Rolls

Taste of the Week

Malay Kitchen Spring Rolls

While on holidays in the Loire a few years back, I regularly bought Spring Rolls (wrapped in rice paper) from a Vietnamese stall in the twice weekly market in Chinon. They were large, delicious and amazing value. Never seen the likes of them here.

Malay Kitchen are new suppliers to Neighbourfood in the city and my attention was immediately on full alert when I spotted "Summer Rolls (Vietnamese-inspired)".

This is their description: Malay Kitchen Summer Rolls (Vietnamese-inspired)- a salad packed into an edible container. If you are not familiar with these little delicacies-then, you’ve got a treat! They’re just about the freshest thing we can imagine: a jumble of crunchy raw vegetables, soft, aromatic herbs, cool, squidgy rice noodle, all stuffed snugly into a featherlight rice wrapper.  Serve with homemade mild, sweet, sour and tangy dipping sauce-a hints of garlic, lime juice, sprinkle of crushed chillies and splash of sesame oil/seeds. This rolls are a refreshing and healthy change from usual fried variety, great as a cool summertime appetizer. The slightly bland, crunchy rolls are balanced with this punchy dipping sauce!"

A very fair description indeed and they are our current Taste of the Week. Malay Kitchen was founded in Cork in 2014 by Elle and Norza, with their first little restaurant in Kinsale and branching out in Cork City few months after.

"Food is a huge part in Malaysian culture and both of us have channelled this and our professional expertise as chefs into Malay Kitchen brand. Both of us are professional and qualified chefs, been working in Ireland since 2002 before venturing into business."

They have quite a range of products and you may see more on Neighbourfood.

Cork's Dessert Festival launches today!

press release

Where and What's on Offer

Electric Bar and Restaurant

Mad Hatters Afternoon G+T July 1st 2-4pm

Cake Club Sunday 2nd July 3-5pm Also featuring dessert specials all week

The Franciscan Well

Ice Cream and Beer Weekend July 1st and 2nd from 1pm

Nandos Academy St

Free Nata with every coffee ordered

Blue Haven Kinsale

Promoting Ice Cream Sundae Menu all week

Casanova Gelato

Launch of "The Giant" Sundae

Featuring parfait cups all week

Arthur Maynes

Beefeater & Tonic with an orange foam

paired with an orange scented Creme Catalana

Hassetts Bakery

Featuring all their homemade desserts

Fundraising cupcake event Fri June 30th 11-3pm

Cafe Velo

Pie with Italian Meringue

Cronins

Homemade ice cream made with Cronin's brown soda bread

and Russian Imperial Stout from the White Gypsy

LISHH Dessert bar all week featuring fresh homemade desserts

with a coffee for just €5

Malay Kitchen

Featuring fresh Malaysian sweet treats all week

Griffins Garden Centre

Featuring all Grannys Griffins Fabulous Homemade Desserts

Competition for afternoon tea for 2

Amicus

Featured Desserts: Amicus After 8

The Allotment Sundae: Butterscotch Bonanza

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Corks only entirely vegan cafe!

Dessert Demonstration Wed 28th 7-9pm €30

Sober Lane

Guest Dessert- Kinder Sundae

Guest Cocktails: 1. Nutty Russian- Absolut Vanilla, Frangelico, Kahlua and Milk

2.After Eight- Tia Maria, Creme de Menthe, Baileys and Milk

Holy Smoke

Featuring Desserts: Devil's Fruit and Holy Revenge

More desserts and events to be confirmed by: Midleton Park Hotel, The Oriel House Hotel, Myo Cafe, Box of FrogsThe Cornstore, Huckleberry Donuts, Oh My Donut, The Granary Foodstore.

The public will be voting all week on social media for :

Corks Best Dessert

Corks Best Treat and

Best Dessert Event

All other info will be posted on our social media daily!

For any more info email : dessert@festivalcork.com Or follow us on social media!