Superb Dining in “Garden Restaurant” at Liss Ard Estate

Superb Dining in “Garden Restaurant”

 at Liss Ard Estate

John Dory

Garden Restaurant at Liss Ard Estate is quite a splendid venue and the food served up by Alex Petit and his team in the bright and high ceilinged L-shaped dining room is top notch. Because of Covid restrictions it is not at full capacity these days but there is still quite a buzz.

Mackerel

We hadn’t been here for a few years and then the meals were based on local produce. And glad to realise, as we read the menu, that the new owners and the new chef have continued on that trail, with top West Cork producers such as Gubbeen, Skeaghanore and Woodcock featured, along with quite a bit of produce from their own walled garden.

Beef starter

Good to see some local beers on the drinks menu even if the only craft beer on draught was the Lagunitas IPA but then the new owners are American, I’m told. I went on to enjoy a bottle of the West Cork Brewery's “The Rapids” Rye IPA and also the Inchydoney Blonde Belgian Style Wit by Clonakilty Brewery.

We had a choice of five starters or Small Plates as they’re called here. The Wild Atlantic Mackerel (with gooseberry jam, pickled radishes, seaweed and Walled Garden potato salad, and dill oil) was eye-catching and palate pleasing. And the West Cork Beef (12 hours braised beef croquette, smoked aubergine yogurt, charred Walled Garden courgette, chimichurri dressing) was another excellent opener. Other starters on the night were Skeaghanore Duck, West Coast Scallops and the vegetarian Walled Garden Offerings.

Pork Belly

They say: “All dishes are inspired by the seasons, harvested from the garden, coupled with the best of local meat, fish & game to bring you the most authentic West Cork flavours. Garden’s ethos combines; supporting small producers, locally sourced ingredients & farm to fork lifestyle.”

And that’s the way it turned out over the enjoyable evening. Five main courses were reduced to four from early in the evening as the Bantry Bay Lamb had sold out. My pick was the Free Range Rosscarbery Pork Belly (Thai spices, roasted turnips, peanut rayu, and fresh apple salsa) a flavoursome and slightly spicy combination and enhanced by a shared side dish of really excellent potatoes.

CL meanwhile was delighted with her Wild Atlantic John Dory. The quality of the fish was certainly respected here by the kitchen and, cooked over charcoal, with Walled Garden beets, dukkha crumb, saffron aioli and on Woodcock smoked mackerel and tomato purée, it proved to be a gem of a dish. West Cork Fillet of Beef and the vegetarian Walled Garden Carrots were other mains available.

There was a hiccup with the service but the faux pas was quickly acknowledged and corrected and indeed, free desserts and coffee were offered. Just room for one dessert though and that was  their own strawberries (white chocolate parfait, caramelised pecan nuts, edible flowers, lemongrass and lime leaf syrup). Smooth and sweet and all’s well that ends well. Other desserts on offer were Dark Chocolate Crèmeux, Walled Garden Rhubarb, Café Gourmand, and West Cork Cheeseboard.

Woodland shortcut back to rooms,
lit up after dinner

After that, we resisted a call to the splendid and comfortable bar and headed off on our 8-minute spotlit walk through the woods to our room at the Lake Lodge. As the name suggests it is at the edge of the lake and has great views over it. It includes six of the estate’s “ 25 oversized guest rooms”. Our room was not one of them; we knew that as it is named “Cozy”. 

Quite a lot of money is being spent at Liss Ard and I’m sure some will find its way to the lodge. If you can’t do without your mobile, this lodge is not for you; the signal is bad, sometimes non existent and the Wi-Fi is not great either, certainly not in Cozy!

The main building, where the restaurant and bar is situated, is quite impressive and here the Wi-fi is fine. You have 163 acres of pristine nature and manicured gardens to explore, a 40 acre private lake to paddle on and it is also home to James Turrell’s renowned Irish Sky Garden.

Breakfast in The Garden

We visited the Sky Garden after breakfast which was taken in the Garden Restaurant. Again, Covid regulations were adhered to, which wasn’t the case in a 5-star hotel in Kerry last summer. There was no buffet but a good mix of cereals and juice and breads was brought to the table on a sharing board and there was a decent choice of cooked dishes to order from.

Weather wasn't the best this June,
so I've pulled out this pic of the lake from Spring 2013 visit.

We were both inclined to go for the pancakes but they were off. Still, I absolutely enjoyed my second choice of Eggs Benedict, perfectly cooked and presented. CL, who picked the Real Beans on Toast (slowly cooked beans in a rich tomato sauce, avocado & tomato salsa, poached West Cork egg, herb oil) was also very well pleased indeed. Other dishes listed included Creamy Porridge, Gubbeen Continental Plate, Union Hall Smoked Kippers and the Full Irish (of course!).

We had visited the Sky Garden eight years back but it still managed to surprise us. After that stroll, we packed the cases, settled up and headed a little deeper into the misty west on the search for Ron D’s Food Truck in Ballydehob!

Swing seat at The Lodge overlooks the lake.

Also on this trip:

Ron D's Food Truck Ballydehob

Visiting the home of Clonakilty Black Pudding

Ron D's Food Truck Brings The Muffuletta From New Orleans To Ballydehob!

 Ron D's Food Truck Brings The Muffuletta

 From New Orleans To Ballydehob!

The Muffuletta

The Muffuletta has landed! It is on the menu of Ron D’s Food Truck every Wednesday in Ballydehob.

Simon and Liz are the American couple behind this wagon of wonderful sandwiches. Liz fills us in on the Muffuletta: “We first had this amazing Sandwich in New Orleans @centralgrocerynola where it was first made by a Sicilian immigrant in the 1900's. If you haven't guessed it, Simon & I love Sandwiches & this one is damn close to being at the top of the list!”

“The bread is our homemade Sesame Sourdough, not traditional, but this is our take on the original. Next are layers of salty cured meats Capicolla & @gubbeen Salami followed by the softer Mortadella. Lots of Provolone cheese & the amazing Giardiniera (also not traditional). It's a delicious pickled vegetable Italian relish that we make. Traditionally it would be just olives but Giardiniera gives the sandwich a real zing. Hope you guys love this classic New Orleans Sandwich as much as we do!!”

We do. It is just an amazing and harmonious concertina of tasty layers, the different types of meat, the relish, the zing of the Giardiniera, the superb bread, the quality, the quantity, a classic that rocks from first bite to last.

And speaking of classics. They do a mean Reuben too: Salt Beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian Dressing (not the mass-produced one!). Another amazing sandwich to make those taste buds stand up on full alert. Because of the drizzle, we had to eat our two, the Muffuletta and the Reuben, in the car. There weren't too many full sentences spoken for quite a while, just lots of oohs and aaahs!

The grilled sandwiches come on their own sourdough and other choices last Wednesday were a Veggie Reuben, The Grilled Cheese and The Vegan Dream. 

It isn’t just big flavour-filled sandwiches though. You can get doughnuts here, if you’re fast. And you need to be faster still to get their potato versions. 

“Donuts for me bring me back to my childhood. Where I'm from in New England or Cape Cod, Massachusetts to be specific, hole in the wall, mom 'n pop donut shops still exist. Mostly all are family owned and are packed full of delicious homemade donuts and usually bad coffee.”

 “The donuts are big and they have funny names like Honey Dip, Cruellers, Old Fashioned, Bear Claws, the list goes on. My first Potato Donut was in Portland, Maine, and it was fluffy, so fluffy, more so then a traditional yeast raised donut and so good. I thought they would be perfect for the truck especially since we are in Ireland the land of potatoes.” 

Looking for something sweet to bring home? How about a Hand Pie? “In America the pie is enjoyed throughout the year, each season showcasing a different delicious pie, my favourite being Rhubarb! So I decided to make a smaller version of my classic pie for the truck. These hand pies are filled with a local rhubarb compote and Irish apples.  These are a perfect treat for after your sandwich or better yet bring it home, warm it up, and enjoy it with your cup of tea! And if you’re feeling fancy, put a scoop of ice cream on top for an amazing dessert!”

Simon and Liz have been in the West Cork area for quite a while now but it all started before when they were in San Francisco. “We were absolutely blown away with all the amazing bread there, especially from @tartinebakery. We were hooked on REAL bread and never looked back. So our focus now is baking sourdough for y'all and turning those loaves into delicious grilled sandwiches. Which we'll be selling from our trailer, Ron D's, in the Ballydehob Community Hall Car Park, Wednesday's from 12:30-3. I will be baking up some sweet treats as well and diving in to my American roots for inspiration.”

So you may be asking who is Ron D. Well the truck is named after Liz’s father, quite a foodie! 

Ron D’s Food Truck  

Parked outside the Community Centre in Ballydehob. Coming from Skibbereen, take the first left after you go over the bridge. Wednesdays from 12:30-3.00pm.

Also on this trip:

Visiting the home of Clonakilty Blackpudding

Garden Restaurant at Lee Ard Estate

ANDREW MOORE APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER CONRAD DUBLIN

ANDREW MOORE APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER CONRAD DUBLIN

A seasoned hotelier with a hospitality career spanning more than 20 years, Moore brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his new role. Andrew is a graduate of GMIT, Galway with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Hotel & Catering Management.

 

After completing his college training, Andrew began his hotel career at Conrad Dublin. Over the years Andrew has climbed the managerial ladder with Hilton, a multi award-winning hotelier working with some of the most recognised names in the industry in key destinations such as London, Belfast before venturing further afield working at the prestigious Hilton Beijing and the brands flagship Conrad Seoul, as Hotel Manager.

 

Steve Cassidy, managing director UK and Ireland for Hilton, said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming Andrew back to Ireland as General Manager of the iconic Conrad Dublin. He brings rich experience from across the globe and most recently at our fabulous Conrad Seoul. With his drive and passion for hospitality we are excited about the future of the hotel and the amazing team under his leadership.”

 

Born in the USA, Moore grew up in the industry having spent most of his childhood in hotels across the states and Middle East prior to returning to his Foxford, Co. Mayo roots. Andrew is a second-generation Hotelier, so hospitality runs through his veins.

 

Andrew is delighted to be back at Conrad Dublin and has always had a grá for both the property and its location.  With significant investment plans Andrew is eager to make his mark at the hotel, enhancing the luxury experience for guests, supporting the talented hotel team and ensuring the hotel offers a uniquely luxurious Dublin city destination.

 

“Our new owners have committed to a multimillion reinvestment programme and Conrad Dublin is set to undergo a major transformation and expansion, and I cannot wait to oversee this project.  It’s great to be back in Dublin and I’m very excited for our future plans and developments.” said Andrew Moore

 

With any new job, Andrew’s work life is hectic, but he manages to balance it albeit with a toddler to entertain.   A cycling enthusiast, Andrew managed to cycle the length of Korea before departing (a mere 630 KM in three days!), and when things settle down workwise, he’d like to find some spare time to indulge his passion for travel.

press release

 

BALLYMALOE FOODS AGREES DEAL WITH CANADIAN DISTRIBUTOR

 BALLYMALOE FOODS AGREES DEAL WITH CANADIAN DISTRIBUTOR

Ballymaloe's Yasmin and Maxine

Ballymaloe Foods has secured its first major distribution partner in Canada. It means that customers in Canada will soon be able to purchase products such as Ballymaloe Original Relish in stores for the first time. 

The new partnership is with CBF Imports and will see seven products from the Cork-based company on the shelves of small chains and independent food stores across Canada.

Ballymaloe Foods' entry into the Canadian market comes a year after their arrival in Australia with a listing in Coles Supermarket. Its products are now stocked in more than 10 countries worldwide including Germany, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates.

Ireland’s links with Canada date back centuries with fishermen from Cork travelling to Newfoundland in the 1500s. Now millions of Canadians are of Irish descent and tens of thousands of residents are Irish-born.

Maxine Hyde, the General Manager of Ballymaloe Foods says with Canada being a hub for Irish expats it is the perfect next market to bring their products to:

Maxine said: “Increasingly we get messages from people asking if our products are available in Canada and with this partnership, we are excited that we can finally tell people yes. Many Irish people have travelled far and wide with a jar of Ballymaloe Original Relish in their suitcases and without this love for our brand, expanding into export markets wouldn’t be possible, so thank you to all our customers.”

Last year Ballymaloe Foods announced that Ballymaloe Relish would be available to purchase in 120 Coles stores across Australia. Coles is a national full-service supermarket retailer operating more than 800 supermarkets across Australia. Coles has over 100,000 employees and along with Woolworths, accounts for more than 80 percent of the Australian supermarket business.

press release

Cheers on Beer, Wine and Spirits. With The White Hag, Stillgarden, Wines of the World, St Mel's, O'Briens Wine, and The Corkscrew

 Cheers on Beer, Wine and Spirits. #210611. 

With The White Hag, Stillgarden, Wines of the World, St Mel's, O'Briens Wine, and The Corkscrew

Welcome to Boxtravaganza! For the second year running, we’re going semi cyber for our annual birthday beer festival live on Saturday August 7th. 

 

How’s this going to happen?

We’re getting freshly packaged beer sent to us from across the globe, by some of the world’s most interesting brewers. We’ll assemble 24 of these individual beers in one box, and send it out to 500 lucky participants, along with some other goodies, in time for a live stream virtual beer festival on Sat 7th August. We’ll have live tastings, interviews, music, comedy and a tonne of continuity and tech issues!

All the details here.

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INTRODUCING BERRISSIMO  An Irish Blackberry Spritz Aperitif - The Perfect Summer Serve! Stillgarden Berrissimo is an Irish Spritz Aperitif that has been macerated with a vibrant mix of locally sourced and foraged Irish Blackberries, Gentian, Orris, Hibiscus, Rhubarb Root, Bitter Orange, Coriander Seed & Wormwood. Berrissimo is our O'MARO's sister product – an Irish take on the classic Italian Spritz. Enjoy socially as a "Stillgarden Spritz" with prosecco, soda water, and an orange slice.  Now available online and from the Distillery Shop. Pop by to try a Stillgarden Spritz!

SHOP NOW

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Wines of the World

Would you like wine selected by experts delivered to you every month?
 

 

The perfect subscription for you - The Wine Lover!

Our 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

• Details here

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St Mel's New Beer Alert

June’s new beer really is something special. This beer is hopped and dry hopped with the rare Neomexicanus variety Zappa alongside two Neomexicanus hybrid varieties, Sabro and Talus. These hops combine and give the beer a piney bitterness and powerful tropical and citrus aroma. 

The story of this beer began back in 2015 when we read an article about a native American variety of hop called Neomexicanus, these were hand grown by monks in New Mexico, and the hop varieties used back then were called Latir and Amalia. We were far to excited about this and chanced our arm in asking the monks to deliver us some hops. To our surprise they agreed to do so. We were the first brewery outside of the USA to use the hops and we brewed an amber ale with them.

6 Years later we have revisited a variation of the beer and it's available to order now. A really incredible beer be sure to check it out!

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THE BEST NEW WINES TO TRY THIS MONTH

By Lorcan O'Brien | Wine Content Specialist

The O'Briens Wine Buying Team generally spend the first half of the year deciding on the new wines that will be added to our extensive range. So, as we approach the halfway point of the year, many of the wines that made the cut are beginning to appear in our stores and online. This week I introduce four great new wines to hit our shelves.

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The Corkscrew

The Eternal Soul Of Champagne

June has got off to a really positive start, we've had the long weekend, some glorious sunshine, restrictions have been lifted and life is finally returning to normal. Just as we thought things couldn't get much better, we secured a small allocation of one of Champagne's most sought after cuveés; Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises. This is an exceptional,  extremely rare wine, a Champagne enthusiasts dream come true and the icing on the cake so to speak, is that we have two different vintages available. 

More details here

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Visiting The Home of Clonakilty Black Pudding.

Visiting The Home of Clonakilty Black Pudding

The late Edward Twomey, a leader

When you visit the Clonakilty Black Pudding Visitor Centre in the town, not alone will you see and hear the history of the famous product made right here but you’ll also get to taste it! So you get an hour’s entertainment and a mini-lunch! Well worth the tenner admission (though we two seniors paid just €7.50 each).

And of course, you get a friendly welcome. The tour is self-guiding but you are aided by an audio device that fills you at each stage. Much the same info is covered on a number of illustrated panels. You’ll also get a “chat” with the grocer and the butcher (they’ll have their eyes on you) both of whom have a good sense of humour. 

Nostalgia: the delivery bike, bus stop, petrol pump

Colette Twomey

And you get to know some of the key characters in the story, that began in the 1880s. It was then that the recipe originated in the town of Clonakilty; it hasn’t changed in that time. Since the Twomey family took responsibility for the secret recipe in the 1980’s, the popularity of the Blackpudding has continued to grow in Ireland and now around the world. Over the years they have extended the product range to include sausages, rashers and most recently Veggie Pudding!

The first Clonakilty black pudding maker was Johanna O’Brien, a farmer’s wife, from nearby Sam’s Cross who wanted to subsidise the household income making black pudding for Harrington’s butcher shop - to this day you’ll note “Original Harrington’s Recipe” on the label. When Johanna died, the recipe, which included Johanna’s secret spice mix, was faithfully handed down to Philip’s family and for over a century, the black pudding was made by Dan Harrington, Con O’Callaghan, Paddy Allman.

In 1969, the butcher shop was sold as a going concern to Patrick McSweeny. In 1976 the butcher shop which included the black pudding recipe was bought by his nephew Edward Twomey.

Edward wasn’t that keen on the product but realised his customers were and eventually he became hugely enthusiastic. Edward’s personality and belief in the product helped propel Clonakilty Blackpudding to get the recognition it deserved. 

Michael Clifford, was one of Ireland’s most famous chefs, holder of a Michelin star, was an early and influential supporter of the Clonakilty product. And it is acknowledged here that his signature dish of black pudding elevated the humble breakfast staple to being acclaimed as an excellent starter. (Lots of recipes on their site here).

Covid reminder

It wasn’t long before Clonakilty Blackpudding was being mentioned in the press and media. And eventually that led to Edward appearing on the Late Late Show (you can view that excerpt during the tour).

Edward and his wife Colette were very much in demand at food shows and exhibitions all over Ireland the UK and an export market began to grow. In 2005 Edward Twomey died. Colette now led the company forward and still does.

And that included building a brand new production facility that was opened in Clonakilty in October 2017. The new production facility also includes administration offices, new product development facilities and distribution along with this new visitor centre that reflects the company’s pride in the town. The story of the building of the local church and that of the local GAA club are also highlighted here. 

The butcher

There are quite a lot of artefacts from the history of the company and the town to be seen on the tour and you may also view part of the production through special windows to the factory floor. 

And, at the end, there’s that treat. Some freshly cooked black and white pudding, also that new and tasty veggie pudding, some sausages and a big cup of tea or coffee. There is also a lovely little café here but that can’t be used at the moment (June 2021) because of Covid restrictions. Hopefully, that restriction won’t last to long more and you’ll get even better value from your visit.

The newly opened visitor centre is another indoor attraction in the progressive town, great on a misty day (as was the case with us). Other indoor places (that I know of) are the Michael Collins House and the Clonakilty Distillery. Part of the Model Railway Village is indoors too.

Also on this trip:

Ron D's Food Truck Ballydehob

Superb Dining at Garden Restaurant in Liss Ard Estate

Come on down!

Open Monday – Sunday

10am-4pm (last entry 3.30pm) 

Booking is essential 

Contact:

Phone: +353 (23) 8834835

Email: visit@clonakiltyblackpudding.ie

Adults: €10

Seniors & Students: €7.50

Children (5-18): €5

Under 5: Free

Family ticket: 2 adults, up to 3 children (under 18) – €25