Taste of the Week. Maura’s Kitchen Jams

Taste of the Week

Maura’s Kitchen Jams

I should have known better, should have bought more than three pots of jam from Maura’s Kitchen during a recent visit to the Killavullen Farmers Market.

The three (for a tenner) were superb as were previous purchases here and that’s why I should have had known better.  Anyhow, we absolutely enjoyed the three, the Gooseberry, the Blackberry and the absolutely superb Wild Plum and Raspberry combination. The latter was our Taste of the Week, though I don’t think it lasted a week.

Killavullen Farmers Market reopens tomorrow (Feb 8th); see future dates here.

Maura’s Kitchen

Derryvillane

Glanworth

Co. Cork

Two Good Reasons to visit Killavullen Farmers Market

Two Good Reasons to visit Killavullen Farmers Market

Noreen

Lots of good things available at the Killavullen Farmers Market, excellent produce and lovely people among them, but I have two major tasty reasons (out of 102) to visit: Ciaran’s Sausage Roll and Noreen’s Mince Pies. Just as well I didn’t taste them until I got home; otherwise I’d have bought the lot, each the best in its class that I’ve ever come across.

That famous Sausage Roll!

Both Ciaran and Noreen are regular stall holders here, always doing their bit to promote the market and the idea of good local food and community. Last Saturday, Ciaran told me that it is their 17th year running. “We are proud to say we are one of the longest running farmers markets in the country!” Just two dates remain for 2019: December 14th (10.30 to 1.00pm) and the very special evening Christmas market December 21st (3.00pm to 7.00pm).

Ciaran, from Maura’s Kitchen, was displaying their great assortment of homemade hedgerow cordials, and seasonal jams, free range eggs and, of course, those delicious sausage rolls made from their own free range pigs.”

El Door's Dariusz Skulimowski, better known in the market as Dar or Darek

Noreen, Noz Ni Bhriain on Facebook, has quite a variety on her stall over the season. On Saturday, we were interested in something for lunch or dinner and so we bought a few slices of quiche (of which she had a terrific selection -we got spinach/mushroom and feta/squash) and a couple of slices of her very tempting Apple and Wild Fruit Tart. And she threw in a couple of those mince pies for free as as she did with other customers. What’s not to like?

Ciaran

Some artisan bread? No problem. El Door is there, with a joke and smile, and lots of breads, including sourdough. Loads of doughnuts, Danish pastries, not to mention Cornish Pasties.

Moved on then to the Chemical Free Vegetable Stall and filled a bag with leeks, kale and turnips. Again there was quite a selection here.

The products available are numerous, including local fresh organic vegetables and eggs, fruit and vegetables from small local producers, potatoes and preserves, award winning cheeses, apples and apple juice, bread and baking, flowers and plants, knits and crochet, jewellery and candles, natural soaps and organic essential oils, Irish made skin & body care products, environmentally friendly cleaning products, charity bookstall, fair trade products available at tea and coffee stall. Whats on offer varies with the seasons. As Ciaran says: “Feel free to come and browse. Our prices are competitive, our quality excellent and a warm welcome awaits you.”

Chemical free

The ‘Killavullen organic buyers group’ community stall have a great range of dried goods, preserves, herbs, spices, teas and coffees to name just a few! Available at very competitive rates they also stock environmentally friendly detergents, shampoos, conditioners etc and offer refills, when you bring your own container!

The community market was founded in 2002 following a conference on the theme of "Food we buy", in response to Darina Allen’s inspirational presentation. The market is set in the peaceful surroundings of the Nano Nagle Centre in the Blackwater valley.

Mince Pies

This market promotes the very important social side of life as well as being a commercial outlet for local producers. Having a cuppa in the cafe at the end of the polytunnel is a great chance to catch up and to make new friends. The Market encourages contributions from children who participate both in the stalls and by providing music.

That polytunnel, a godsend when the weather turns to rain, is set up alongside the car park of the Nano Nagle Centre in the Blackwater valley, just off the N72. Some lovely walks, one by the banks of the Blackwater itself, in the grounds. Just another reason to visit!

Anyone for quiche? Spinach/mushroom and Feta/squash

Killavullen Farmers Market
Nano Nagle Centre
Killavullen, Mallow
Co. Cork
Tel: 085 154 7544

Taste of the Week. Maura’s Kitchen Spicy Beetroot Chutney

Taste of the Week

Maura’s Kitchen Spicy Beetroot Chutney

Found my current Taste of the Week during a pleasant visit to Killavullen Farmers Market last Saturday week. Stopped at Maura’s Kitchen Stand and spotted her Spicy Beetroot Chutney. 

It is great with cheese, particularly cheddar. And Maura herself says it really livens up what could otherwise be a rather mundane meat sandwich.

It is packed with beetroot and other ingredients include onion, eating apples, zest and juice of orange, yellow mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar and ginger. Recommended, well worth a try.

Maura also has some terrific jams here and, as with the beetroot, is quite generous with the fruit. Watch out for her Wild Plum and Raspberry jar in particular. And watch out for this lovely market which will be on again next Saturday.

Maura’s Kitchen, 

Derryvillane,

Glanworth,

Co. Cork

Taste of the Week. Crab Apple Jelly

Taste of the Week

Crab Apple Jelly

As followers of my football blog know, I do occasionally wallow in nostalgia. Much like everybody else. So, when I spotted Crab Apple Jelly on sale at a recent Killavullen Farmers Market, it was a sure thing that I’d be going home with some of it.

It was that kind of week, a kind of return to the old times. I had to endure a low residual diet for a few days and it was like a blast from the past with Marietta biscuits, Fruitfield Little Chip marmalade, even cornflakes.

But back to the jam. It is produced by Maura’s Kitchen in Derryvillane, Glanworth. “It is a bit runny,” she said. And it was. But a short spell in the fridge more or less cured that. In any case it was hardly a problem as the jar contained a treasure, a delicious blas from the past, and our Taste of the Week.

Killavullen Farmers Market. Old Butter Roads Food Trail Highlighted

Killavullen Farmers Market

Old Butter Roads Food Trail Featured

Country kitchen. Norma's demo

A little mist, a little sun, lots of good local produce and a friendly face at every stall was the impression from Saturday’s visit to the Killavullen Farmers Market, a market held, by the way, mostly in a large growing tunnel! So, well capable of dealing with the rain if need be.

Aside from the usual contributors, the market took the opportunity last Saturday to highlight the newly formed Old Butter Roads Food Trails with a couple of related demos. Food Trails chairperson Maire Ní Mhurchu filled us in on the reasons behind the venture which has “brought together producers, eateries, visitor attractions and associations” from the general North Cork region covering Muskerry, Avondhu and Duhallow.

Stefan's delicious honey

 “We are doing it to support one another,” said Maire (who has her own local business Activity Days). Mary Sleeman, chairperson of the Killavullen Market, had a big welcome for us all and gave us a brief history of butter in the area saying Ireland, and Cork in particular, “is ideal for dairy”.

All the while, John was getting on with making butter and it turned out very well indeed, the audience delighted with the taste. “Do your own,” encouraged John. “There are lots of home separators available.”

Another demo followed, this by Norma, from the newly opened Praline, a Pastry Shop and Cafe in Mitchelstown. She picked up a few ingredients around the market for her Knickerbocker Glory. “Easy to make,” she said. Easy to eat also, as it vanished in no time!

Mary Sleeman welcomes all (top left). Maura and Ciaran (top right) and, below, John shows his newly made butter.

The market, held every second Saturday (check the calendar here), takes place in the grounds of the Nano Nagle Centre, just outside the village on the main Mallow-Fermoy road, about forty minutes from the city. You may also take a walk through part of the centre and down by the river.

But we’ve come mainly for the stalls and have bags to fill. First of all though, an ice-cream, hard to resist!

There is a great variety of produce here: plants, including herbs, organic produce, jams and chutneys, home-baking, bread (Arbutus), honey, tea, coffee, cookies and more. You may also get natural soaps and oils, healing therapies, secondhand books and so on; you may even throw your own clay pot. It changes seasonally, of course, and do watch out for special events.

Fruit skewers

 After that ice-cream, we had a chat and a tasting of her honey smoked salmon with Sue Parsons of Lyreen Smokehouse. Got some honey direct from the hive and had a few words with the interesting man selling it, healthy living supporter Dr Stefan Buzoianu.

No shortage of bites for lunch and, among other things, we got a couple of slices of quiche from Noreen O’Brien who was also selling organic veg. 

One of the tastiest bites was a sausage roll made with Derryvillane Free Range Pork. Here we were talking to Ciaran and his mother Maura who gave us a bit of background on the family business. Bought some of her free range eggs too and just couldn't resist, for old times sake, a pot of the Crab Apple Jelly from Maura’s Kitchen.

Lunch from Noreen

No shortage of choice here, no shortage of chat either, in this lovely friendly market set in the corner of a field. A sheltered corner, by the way!

Here is a list of the stallholders, including some of the newer ones at the bottom. But it does change from time to time, from season to season.

Peter Rafferty - Flowers, Vegetables & Floral Gifts

Simon Treacy – Apples

Nano Nagle Centre - - Organic Produce

Mossie Buckley – Chemical Free Vegetables

Little Acre Plants

Paddy Walsh Plants

Rosemary Callanan – Natural Soaps & Organic Essential Oils

A Brush with Nature – Buckwheat Salad, Gluten & GMO Free Honey, Pro Biotic Smoothes, Super foods & Vegetables

Maura’s Kitchens – Jelly’s, Jams, Chutney’s & Cordial  

Deirdre’s Home Baking 

Nora Creed Healing Therapies 

Killavullen Organic Buyers (KOB) 

Bring & Buy Charity Bookstall 

Ron Hulshof – Selection of Fresh Breads

Ciara’s Fair trade Tea, Coffee & Cookies

New stallholders include Johnathon Owens , raw milk and yoghurt from his own herd; Hegarty's cheddar; Breda's gluten free baking;  artisan ice cream by Liam Cotter.