A delightful déviation to the cider and poiré of Normandy

A delightful déviation to the cider and poiré of Normandy.

Thanks to a family gift! Some of the family were on holiday in Normandy a month or two ago and came back with cider and poiré bought from two local farmers, a very enjoyable gift indeed! 

Ferme du Bénété Cidre Fermier Demi-sec 5.5%, 750ml 

This farmhouse cider from Normandy has a deep orange colour, a murky one. It has a natural effervescence so be careful when removing the cork (treat it like a champagne and you or anyone close by won’t get a black eye).

It is fresh and amazingly delicious, round and fruity and bubbly and semi-dry.  Yann Borey, selling this at a local market, had nothing but praise for Irish cider but not too many producers here make anything like this beauty.

This  “is our raw farm cider.…”. “This powerful cider, derived from the assembly of 4 of our apple varieties (Bisquet, Clos Renaux, Douce Coet, Marie Ménard), will perfectly accompany your meals. To be served fresh.”

He produces it in Russy, Normandy, at the the Bénété Farm, a farm dedicated to the manufacture of cider products. They are in conversion to organic farming with the end of conversion scheduled for next year.

Pacory “Le Doyen” Poiré Domfront (AOP) 4 ABV%, 750ml 

Outstanding!

A lighter gold colour, fountains of bubbles rising through the clear liquid. Bread-y and fruity in the aromas, some funky notes too. Light bodied and effervescent, round and ample and refreshing, this Perry is a very good one.

They say: “..beverage is 4% alcohol and goes down easily for an everyday treat or mixing in cocktails.  The sweetness is balanced with acidity.  Enjoy!” By the way, poiré has been called the Champagne of Normandy, because of its bubbles and pretty golden colour. The producers say it is the perfect accompaniment to every course from aperitif through to dessert. 

A farmhouse in Normandy

"The Doyen comes from the last manual picking under our century-old white plant pear trees. Harvested and selected fruits can be compared to late harvest, mature pears. The Doyen produced in the tradition of the Gromaux terroir, is a rich pear, charming and complex, inherited from the savoir-faire of our ancestors."

Pear cider (known in France as poiré) has been produced in Normandy for the local markets for hundreds of years.  In the 11th century, pear trees were already planted in Normandy when cider-making apples arrived from Spain, apparently from the Basque country.  Then, in the 1990s, a handful of producers decided to work together to promote poiré and to protect the local landscape.  The Domfront area is home to orchards that are unique in Europe, with more than 100,000 pear trees, close to 100 varieties, and an average annual production of 25,000 tonnes of pears that will go to produce pear cider.  

An AOC was formed in 2002 that protects the quality of the product. AOP/AOC means that production is in accordance with specified criteria and so is a guarantee of both origin and quality. They only use specified varieties of poiré pears, among them the “Plant de Blanc” that gives Poiré Domfront AOP its particular character and the fruit is collected at maturity after falling from the tree rather than being picked.

Links to explore:

Domfront AOP: https://poire-domfront.fr/en/

Cider route: https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/the-cider-route/

Tronquay Poiré Bouché Fermier Michel Renee, 4% ABV

Michel Renee is based at Tronquay in Normandy, close to Bayeux and its famous tapestry, also close to the D-Day laying beaches. Here he makes everything from plain juice to Calvados from his apples and, from pears, produces this Poiré. The cellar is located in the heart of the Calvados de Normandie appellation area and his parents have always grown apple trees here. 

This cider pours a light straw with a big white head that doesn’t last kissing time.  It is a bit on the hazy side but not so much that you don’t see the fountains of small bubbles crowd towards the top. Aromas are of the orchard. And the palate is a thing of beauty, a gorgeous burst of flavour from the fruit warmed by the summer sun, the finish quite dry and refreshing. 

Tronquay “Terre Mer” Cidre Bouché Fermier Cuvée Portaise  Michel Renee, 4% ABV

This farmhouse cider from Normandy has a mid gold orange colour. It is clear so you can see the many bubbles rising. Again the flavour is full and typical, the finish refreshing and dry. Another fine example of the craft in these parts.

Tronquay Cidre Bouché Fermier Brut Michel Renee, 4.5% ABV

Lovely gold colour in this one and streams of bubbles rising up. Aromas probably more apple-y than the previous one, the Terre Mer. No shortage of flavour here either but this is classed as brut and the fact that it is very dry tones down the flavour a bit. But, on a hot day, after a bout of physical work or play, this is the one you’ll reach for.

Cidre Bouché ("cider with a cork") is made entirely from apple juice. A maceration before pressing removes bitter tannins. A still cider is placed in a Champagne-style bottle and a second fermentation is initiated to add natural sparkle. Other styles may add carbon dioxide to create the fizz. - from Wine Searcher. All my six bottles came with a champagne style cork but not all were marked Bouché.

A Quart of Ale± #60. On the craft journey. A session of Cider with Cockagee, Viking and Bordelet.

A Quart of Ale± #60

On the craft journey with a session of Cider

Cockagee Cider Piorraí Irish Sparkling Perry 6.00%, 375ml bottle, Pop-Up Wine Shop at The Grainstore

Perhaps the most striking aspect on seeing this Irish sparkling Perry as it is poured into the glass is the myriad of bubbles streaming upwards through the light gold colour.  The aromas are certainly reticent, a barely detectable floral note. The palate is rather special though, a classic dry Perry, refreshing and crisp, and packed with flavour but not over-packed. Just spot-on as it the case with all of Mark Jenkinson’s ciders that I’ve tasted over the past few years. If you see Cockagee or The Cider Mill or Jenkinson on the label, don’t hesitate to use that credit card.

While there was a gap of a few days between tasting this and the Bordelet Poiré, I’m inclined to give the nod to County Meath. But I’d have no problem with a rematch.

The Piorraí is made from hand-picked Irish grown French Perry pear varieties ‘Plant de blanc’ and ‘Poire de cloche’. These varieties are among the most highly sought after in Brittany and Normandy for making Fine Perry, or Poiré, as it is known in France. 

These apples, like many cider apples, are far from the prettiest and you wouldn’t want to eat them but ciderists like Mark patiently work their magic and turn the ugly pears into elegant perries that stand out in the crowd. 

Enjoy chilled on its own or with strong cheeses, charcuterie, white meats and shellfish dishes.

They say: Cockagee – Our somewhat unusual name is a revival of the once famous Irish Cider Cockagee first mentioned in 1664. Originating from the Irish language ‘Cac a gheidh’ which translates as ‘goose turds’ and refers to the yellow/green colour of the fruit from the Cockagee apple tree. In the same way that ‘Duck Egg Blue’ is a colour descriptive, ‘Goose Turd Green’ was once a common colour, although I doubt you’d find it on a Farrow & Ball paint swatch nowadays. 

Distributors Le Caveau: “Mark is growing 120+ varieties of apple across his 12 acre orchard located near the town of Slane. Apples are grown without the use of chemicals and are hand-picked.”

Viking Hop It Craft Cider 5.5%, 500ml bottle, Pop-Up Wine Shop at The Grainstore.

Hop It is aptly named as Viking use a trio of hops - Cascade, Amarillo and Citra - in this cider. They may not be the first to do so; I think Stonewell (who’ve been using El Dorado in the superb Tawny cider that they started producing in 2014) may have that honour.

Viking say: Hop It is a blend of Katy (dessert apple) and Vicky (new bittersweet early cider apple) apples. The blend needs the fruitiness of Katy and the bitterness of Vicky to create harmony with Cascade, Amarillo, and Citra hops, thus lending tropical flavours to this cider. Suitable for Coeliac and Vegan Friendly. Hop It is ideal for people who like the taste of Hop beer but cannot tolerate gluten.

Hugely respected cider-maker, Davy Uprichard of Tempted, has a very different view of Katy. On an internet forum early this year, organised by BeoirFest, his thoughts were clear: “ Katy is an abomination - I don’t use it all”. Different strokes for different folks!

Colour is quite a light gold and there’s no shortage of bubbles in the slightly hazy glass. The first impression is of tartness, crab apple style. It boasts a good dry finish as well. But is terrifically refreshing and I can see it doing very well indeed with the recommended pairings of BBQ food, smoked fish, Asian delights, pizza, Irish farmhouse cheeses - the list goes on and on. “Hop It must be a foodie’s dream! Apart from enjoying with food, pour Hop It cider slowly into a tall glass and savour the delights of a craft cider with the treat of a hop taste. Enjoy.” 

While the hops play a role in the balance, you’ll also notice, though not very obviously, traces in the flavours and, a little more prominently, in the aromas.

Established by entrepreneur David Dennison in Waterford, Viking Irish Drinks is sold online and in a wide range of independent off-licences and supermarkets, bars, and restaurants. Since May 2021, Viking Irish Drinks is part of SuperValu’s prestigious Food Academy Programme.

Cider Makers Tip: Viking Irish Drinks at Dennison’s Farm was set up as a company in 2017, with cider production commencing in 2019. At the heart of the company is three unique craft cider styles, based on old farm recipes, including Medium Dry Orchard Cuvée, the immensely popular Harvest Blush and Ireland’s first Hop flavoured cider, Hop-IT.

Viking Harvest Blush Craft Cider 5.5%, 500ml bottle, Pop-Up Wine Shop at The Grainstore.

The Harvest Blush gives a clearer mid-gold colour in the glass than does the Hop It. Plenty of bubbles here also. And Katy too! It is one of two varieties, the other being James Grieve (also a dessert apple), used to make it.

Both are usually in harvested in August. Harvest Blush is fermented slowly on its natural yeasts for up to six months, and then “we add our soft fruit juice to create a light blush and adding fruitiness of the berries, yet importantly retaining the style of the cider. Our bottling condition allows us to create a light natural sparkling cider, which is a good alternative to a sparkling wine.”

So is it sweet? Not overly so. Might be fairer to say it is much less bitter than the Hop It and no doubt a good match for fresh strawberries, raspberries and fruit pavlova. Viking also recommend seafood / shellfish, also good with pork loin and roast chicken. “Versatile, this cider will compliment most food from starters to dessert!

The Blush is softer, easy-drinking. Hop It is known as a hard cider in the US; harder-going perhaps but worth the effort.

They say: We recommend Harvest Blush to be served chilled at 6-8 c, and it can be served as an aperitif, like a good Prosecco but lower in alcohol, which is an excellent choice for receptions / weddings and parties. Can be bottled in Champagne style bottles for events (pre-ordered only).

And they also have a Viking Irish cocktail!

Pour 3 parts Harvest Blush cider to 1 part Viking Irish Blackcurrant Liqueur over ice. Add a slice of orange and stir gently. Serve with party straws. Enjoy.

Viking Irish Drinks derives from orchards in the Barony of Gaultier, East Waterford, near the estuary of the three sisters - the Barrow, Nore and Suir rivers - where the Vikings sailed and conquered cities, towns and villages.

Eric Bordelet Poiré, Normandy, 5.00%, 33cl bottle, Pop-Up Wine Shop at The Grainstore

This Poiré, as the name indicates, is a pear cider and is one of the best ciders, apple or pear, that you are likely to come across. Colour is a pale gold and then follow aromas and flavours of the orchards. It is on the dry side, a delicious thirst quencher and, with its clean acidity, importers Le Caveau indicate that it is a “great food pairing for scallops, savoury crepes and all manner of salads, delicate fruit based desserts or even cheese. Versatile, refreshing and delicious!”. No arguing with that.

It is biodynamic and made in the traditional manner from old orchards that have never been sprayed. In the 1980s, Eric was a well known sommelier at Paris’s Michelin 3-star Arpège restaurant but his native Normandy and its famous ciders were tempting him back. He thought he could add to their reputation by applying his wine knowledge and so he came to take over his family’s Chateau de Hauteville and extended the orchards. Now he is on the short-list of the world’s great cider makers. Check him out!

Th label tells us this sparkling thirst-quenching fruity flavoured is produced from the  “living and stony soil of the Coteaux de Massif Armoricain”, the production “concerned with your sensory pleasures and your health”. Reckon I’ll drink to that. Wait, I already did. And will again.

Around the World without a Duck! The Edible Atlas by Mina Holland

Around the World without a Duck!

The Edible Atlas by Mina Holland

Mina Holland doesn’t like duck! The author of the Edible Atlas worked her way through 39 of the world's main cuisines, including two regions of China, without cooking duck once! I had been checking the index for another reason but no sign of duck at all.

I did find out why though when we came to cook her A-not-quite-Cassoulet, from the Lyon area (Rhone-Alpes). This is so called because the normal duck is missing. “Expensive+greasy+cute=duck just isn't my favourite meat to cook with.”

I bought this book about a year ago and hadn't seen it since. A bit unusual, as we usually like to use the books we buy. But this was first up on a shelf and then got hidden by an increasing bunch of cook books.

But, duck or no, we are making up for lost time and so substituted pork for the duck. That was combined with all the other cassoulet regulars - cannellini beans, bacon lardons, lots of garlic, bay leave too - in the fantastic flavoursome stew. The author loves this kind of dish: “This is the food I remember over Michelin-starred meals. It is usually delicious, very often gruesome and always real.”

She recommended washing it down with a bottle of local Syrah or Syrah/Grenache blend.

but I’m following a different wine river currently. I picked mine from Rioja, where the Ebro runs through, and the El Coto de Imaz Reserva (Karwig Wines) was chosen and did the matching job superbly.

Mina, editor of Guardian Cook, covers four regions in France in the book. The others are Provence, Loire Valley and Normandy. And it was in Normandy that we found our dessert: Apple Tart Normande, a dish “in which fruit, pastry and frangipane get jiggy”. Hard to resist that.

And the different parts do jel so well together, the fruit, the shortcrust pastry and the frangipane with the almonds and a shot of Longueville House Apple Brandy (well, we had that instead of the Calvados). A whole tart is a bit much for two but it lasts well in the fridge.

So, after that year lost on the shelf, the Edible Atlas is off to a great start in this house. “Fascinating, telling some fantastic stories about a broad range of cuisines … The food cries to be cooked,” said Yotam Ottolenghi.

We are looking forward to “visiting” Europe (no less than five regions in Italy alone), The Middle East for sugar and spice and all things nice, Asia (from India to Japan), Africa and the Melting Pots of the Americas (Louisiana among them, of course). Could be quite an delicious journey, even without the duck!

Jack McCarthy Butchers. An Afternoon in Kanturk.

Jack McCarthy Butchers. An Afternoon in Kanturk.

Jack. A true Normand (poor pun).

Afternoon in Kanturk

From Button Accordion to Boudin Noir;

Olympic Medals to Normandy Ór;

From Duhallow field to Fade Street Social;

All kinds of balls, not least the oval.

The RIC and the royal Queen’s Pudding;

Animals reared on pastures green and lush.

Wheeling and dealing, fair to fair,

Paring prices, bobs here, pence there.

In the North Cork town, two rivers meet,

Allow and Dallow. The butcher tweets.

From the shop on Main Street's door

Tim broadcasts on Radio Four;

Loma, Coppa and Pastrami,

Outdoing the Italians at Salami.

Five generations in the ancient store.

Heritage, music, meats galore.

Kanturk, past, present and future,

with Jack McCarthy,master butcher.

The magic cooking bag!

Since 1892, McCarthy Butchers have been trading in Kanturk. And they won't be stopping anytime soon. The enthusiasm is as strong as ever and so too is the spirit of innovation.

When I called there last Friday afternoon, Jack told me enthusiastically about a new cooking bag they had introduced while, in the back, son Timmy was hard at work making a Biroldo.

Different strokes for different folks!
More like a terrine.

The bag, made of high density plastic, is proving very popular. “It keeps the flavours and you can boil or roast or…. People who have used it keep returning,” said Jack. Well, we tried it out that very night. We bought one from Jack filled with strips of steak and vegetables and a red wine sauce. Cooked at a very low temperature it was perfect and gorgeous. No wonder the customers keep coming back for more.

Smoked pudding. Loved it!

Soon we got a taste of their Sliabh Luachra, an air dried beef for which they were named Nationality Speciality Champions. You may remember that Kate O’Toole featured it as a starter (served with fresh figs and Desmond cheese) in The Restaurant on RTE.

We moved slowly, lingering on the sample bites,  through their other cured meats: the coppa (traditional Italian cold cured, and smoked here), loma (dry cured, made from pork tenderloin), North Cork lard (great for cooking shrimps!), and then we came to a real treasure: the non smoked Pastrami. Special peppers have been used here but the whole thing is something special. This Pastrami is at a different level for sure.

Biroldo base

Irish charcuterie has arrived! Obviously, there are quite a few other people working in this area and many are coming up with some terrific results, partly because they are working on great produce. But do give yourself a treat soon and try this magnificent Pastrami!

Jack’s son Timmy has been learning the tricks of the trade in courses in Italy and that is where he got the idea for the Biroldo he was working on. The main ingredients are the meat from the cooked pig's head, shredded of course, blood, spices and herbs. The mix is then poured into an appendix (not kidding!) and slowly cooked again. Looking forward to a sample soon. Should be very very tasty!

Timmy filling an appendix.

Jack McCarthy have won quite a few honours in recent years and really grabbed the attention back in 2010 when he was awarded a gold medal by the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Goute Boudin and indeed the Black pudding overseers from Normandy made Jack a Chevalier. McCarthy’s most recent success on that front came earlier this year when their Pig’s Head Black Pudding with Rum and Raisin won gold, for International Creativity, in Normandy.

That contest was featured by BBC 4 Food and you may listen to a podcast here.

Now that is where I came in. Innovation, Creativity. This a proud Duhallow family. They use the local Castle and Ceann Turc (the Irish version of Kanturk, meaning head of the boar; how appropriate!) on their packaging.

Always looking ahead. But never forgetting the past either. Jack showed me some of their precious ledgers from the early days. Some entries going right back to 1891. The one photographed is from 1900 and you can see they had a thriving trade going on then in skins, hides and pelts. Every bit of the animal was used and it is much the same now.

Next time I visit we might concentrate more on the main meats but then again you never know what this pair have in the pipeline and they could well have some tasty new variation to show us in the near future. Watch this space.

The brilliant Pastrami

Oh, and don't forget to check out their website. Here you’ll find a great selection of beef, free range pork, lamb and chicken and more. If you have a special occasion coming up, then why not check out their Spit Roast Service. And, if you are a young butcher anxious to learn, well they even have a course for you called Practical Pig in a Day Course.

Jack (left) and note the McCarthy
castle in the background.