FENNS QUAY and LIBERTY WINES

FENN’S QUAY  

Enjoyed a superb wine dinner in Fenns Quay last evening, the Sicilian wines coming from Villa Tonino via Liberty Wines  

First wine up was an Inzolia 2009, bright and light and very cool, very appropriate on such a heavy evening and an agreeable accompaniment to the Bruschetta starter.

Next wine was a Grillo 2009. Didn't make friends with this instantly but by the end, thought it had a bit more to it than the Inzolia. In any event, it went down very well with a magnificent Mackerel pate with pickled vegetables.

And then came the principal plate, the Osso Bucco with spiced rustic potatoes, now almost a signature dish at Fenn’s Quay. Just magnificent. And we had three reds to choose from here.

Number One, the Nero D’Avola 2008, was the lighter, “a modern version of this classic southern Italian grape variety”. It was probably too light for the meat and indeed Victoria Curatolo, who was guiding us through the family wines, hinted that it could well be drunk on its own and even chilled down a  bit on a hot day.

I had no doubt that the second red, Baglio Curatolo Nero D’Avola 2007, was the one to go with the Osso Bucco. This was much stronger all round with plum being the dominant feature according to the notes. A really smashing wine to go with red meat.

The third red, the Baglio Curatolo Syrah 2007, was also deep in colour  with just a hint of the normal expected spice. Victoria was rating it highly, against both its New World and even French rivals. Not convinced about that but I do have a few bottles now (won the raffle) to try it further.

And I’ll also be trying the Marsala Superiore Riserva NV. This is made by fortifying the local grapes with white grape spirit in the traditional way and you end up with an ABV of 18%. This accounts for no less than half the production at Tonino and Victoria recommended it be eaten with aged cheese.

At home, they keep it in the fridge and always drink it chilled but “it is up to yourself”. The Sicilians also like to drink it with the “Queen’s Biscuits”. Victoria thoughtfully brought some with her and they proved quite a match, especially if dunked in the wine.

The meals are always terrific in Fenns Quay and we finished off with a superb dessert: an Almond tart, lemon cream and fresh strawberries. Well done to the Fenns Quay crew (excellent hosts), to Villla Tonino and Liberty Wines for bringing it all together.

Delias Kitchen Shop in Cork

DELIA’S KITCHEN

Delia’s Kitchen is a small cluttered kitchen shop but very central and very well stocked. Called there the other day, looking for a tea strainer (for my loose leaf tea from Little Buddha in McCurtain Street).

I had one look at the shelves and decided to ask rather than poke around. No bother. The helpful friendly assistant found not quite the strainer with handle but a globe type with chain than you hang over side of cup.

Could see it would do the job just as well, paid my €3.50 and left a happy customer. Lucky really that we've got two such shops in town, Delia’s and Brennans (in Oliver Plunkett Street).

3 Careys Lane Cork Co. Cork
(021)4271982

Check out my review of Delias Kitchen Shop - I am cork - on Qype

Brackens Cafe in Cork

BRACKENS CAFE


Found myself in Paul Street the other morning around coffee time and went in, through the half-door, to Bracken’s Cafe. Up to the counter where I was greeted with a smile and served efficiently but with time for some small talk.
The two rooms have a floor in black stone slabs. Rather unusual. The rest is relatively basic with some pictures on the walls and a large mirror also. Windows and doors were open and it was nice and comfortable on quite a warm morning.
Tables and chairs were solid and comfortable. The coffee was nothing more nothing less than regular and the scone was quite good and I enjoyed the little break. Cost €3.60. Passed Luigi Malone’s a few minutes later and saw that their coffee and scone costs €3.90.

Check out my review of Brackens Cafe - I am cork - on Qype

O'Mahony Family Butchers in English Market

O’MAHONY BUTCHERS

O’Mahony Butchers can be found at the Grand Parade end of the English Market. Had been alerted that they had good vale in bavette, the type of steak you might come across in French bistros.

The helpful courteous assistant cut five of them for me and they cost eight euro. The equivalent in fish would cost between €12 and €15. They went down very well that evening with four out of five giving them the thumbs up.

"It loves a good raw heat, where you cook it nice and fast, where the flames hit it," says Shannon Gregory, a butcher at Cafe Rouge in Berkeley, which sells Niman Ranch's flap meat in both its meat market and in the restaurant as a plate of bistro-style grilled steak with red wine shallot butter. "Make sure you cut across the grain. Otherwise it's like eating a lot of rubber bands."

Read more, including a good explanation of the bavette, at: http://bit.ly/6R4ayu 

Check out my review of O'Mahony Family Butchers - I am cork - on Qype

Molly Darcys Killarney

MOLLY DARCYS

Molly Darcys, on the Muckross Road, was the Black and White Pub of the year in the dim and distant past. Many tourists have been back and forth that road since then but the pub, attached to a hotel, is not doing at all badly, though you’d have thought the maintenance work, which put the outside benches out of commission, going on this week would have been done at the start of the season.
Killarney was very busy and there were quite a few in Mollys in mid-afternoon, some snacking, some drinking and some doing both. We were met by a smiling waiter on the way in and ordered coffees which were brought to our table. The coffee was better than average and top-ups were available.
We enjoyed our interlude there.

Check out my review of Molly Darcys Traditional Irish Pub & Rstrnt - I am cork - on Qype

Picture: Muckross House gardens

Aldi's in Cork

ALDI’S

Aldi’s and Lidl have changed shopping habits in Ireland over the last decade. Aldi’s are the nearest to me and are used in conjunction with Dunnes Stores.
The foreign discount supermarkets have often been accused of importing much of their food but a glance around the shelves in Aldi will tell that much has changed in that regard. The Irish symbol is very prominent indeed.
Bought some Irish Organic yoghurts there the other day but it is their sausages I’d like to highlight. I always thought that O’Flynn’s Gourmet Sausages were well priced at six for a fiver but you can get six Brannan Irish Jumbo Sausages, with garlic and herb, for just €1.99 in Aldi. The Aldi ones are somewhat smaller but this is good value.
They wouldn’t be good value of course if the quality wasn't there but my experience suggested that it is. Cooked them up and had them with the Country Baguette from Tom’s Bakery, one of my favourite breads. Have you tried them? What did you think?

Check out my review of Aldis - I am cork - on Qype

BRENNANS COOK SHOP

BRENNANS COOK SHOP

Want something for the kitchen? Then you head for Brennans Cook Shop in Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, the one stop shop for cooking utensils, baking tools and much more. They even have a Kids Summer Camp Cooking School.

Called there the other morning and met two smiling ladies. Stated my requirements and they moved off confidently to get it. But, believe it or not, they didn't have it. I was told it was on order and would be there in a few days.

I think they were more disappointed that I was. Still, I enjoyed my friendly visit. I have been there in the past and will be there in the future. They usually have what you want and provide their service with a smile and a chat.

THE WEEKEND CATCH

WEEKEND CATCH

Restaurant & Bar Scene in Cork

via Twitter & Facebook

No.5 Fenns Quay Restaurant Come join us this Monday night for a Sicilian wine dinner and be in with a chance of winning a case of wine. We have a four course dinner paired with six different wines. The price is €50 which includes the food and wine (Plenty of it!!). There will be a draw at the end of the night when one lucky attendee will win a 6 bottle mixed case of wine. We hope it will be a fun and relaxed evening.  Welcome to all. No 5 Fenns Quay

Nautilus restaurant will be open the evening of the Bank Holiday Sunday (2nd of August).
We will also have an early bird menu (6 to 6.45pm) from next week on.
And don't forget, we are now open on Tuesday nights.

Making jam: try juicy jams, cherries, beetroot and more http://allrecipes.co.uk/

All day, every Tuesday, in both Cafe Gusto’s, on Washington St. and Lapps Quay, we would love to be the venue for your tweetmeet, big or small. By way of encouragement, fill us in on your meet and we offer you TWO teas or coffees for the price of ONE. Free Wi-Fi available at Lapps Quay plus iPhone chargers are available for use in both cafes. We are currently trialling #TweetMeetTues, so any feedback would be gratefully received. http://twitter.com/cafegusto

Why do potatoes go green? The health implications... http://www.fsai.ie/faq/green_potatoes.html

See the Curious Wines interview with NZ wine-maker Andrew Greenhough: Curious: The Curious Wines Wine Blog » Blog Archive » The Andrew Greenhough interview (part one)

Pat_Whelan: Check out this article and recipe for Chicken Terrine from my blog. http://bit.ly/b2fD4S

McCarthy’s prize winning Boudin Noir (black pudding) is available at Nash 19 (taster plate and takeaway counter); also at On the Pigs Back in Douglas.

The Riverside Café, Skibbereen, has a Mystery Celebrity Chef Night fundraiser in aid of 2010 Food Festival on Tues 3 Aug. Details: www.riversideskibbereen.ie

Tom Doorley has been putting out strange tweets about YR sauce and Bobby Bars and other ancient stuff. He explains:   The reason for these strange tweets about food products is because I'm writing a book called Eating for Ireland (working title). 

The Bord Bia Quality Mark – read all about at http://www.bordbia.ie/aboutfood/quality/Pages/default.aspx

Blair’s Inn have put up their recipe for their Chocolate Gâteau. “It's one of our most popular desserts. What's more, it's gluten free!” http://bit.ly/b3oFFM

Know someone between 8 and 12 who loves cooking? RTE is running a kids cooking competition early next month. For more info, email pansonfire@rte.ie 
or simply call 01 208 3171 and ask for Ciara. 

Anglers Rest in Leemount (Cork)

ANGLERS REST
(Leemount Cross, Carrigrohane)

Arrived in the Anglers Rest the other day after a long walk from town. Told my welcoming host that I deserved a pint. “You walked out?” he asked. I told him the story. “That’s a good ten kilometres,” he said. He was probably right. Enjoyed my pint of Becks (€4.30) in the spacious sunny riverside beer-garden.

Enjoying myself so much, I rang for company and got a wife and dog together (and a spin home, of course!). Even the dog got a big welcome from the jolly proprietor who served up a dish of cool water.

Lunch was being served so we joined in, each going for the salmon. It was quite a plateful from the carvery: the salmon, the creamy mash and the vegetables (cabbage and carrot), were all cooked to perfection.

This was an excellent example of pub grub, nothing historic of course, but done to a good standard. Indeed, the visit left one with the feeling that we’d be back to enjoy more of this pub, its food, its drink and its riverbank location.

Bill by the way, for the main course, plus a pint and a half of Becks, came to €30.55. And unusually, that fifty five cent was knocked off the bill by our host!

Check out my review of Anglers Rest - I am cork - on Qype

O'Connor Butchers in Cork

O’CONNOR’S BUTCHERS (MAYFIELD)
Cormac O’Connor’s Butcher Shop has been providing a fine service for the people of Mayfield for quite a few years now. It is well situated, at the bottom of Silverheights and close to our Lady Crowned Credit Union. The shop is always clean and well lit and has its own parking. There is quite a selection of meats there and the service is invariably good.
O’Connor recently hit the foodie headlines when his Glazed Ham was chosen, with some Ballymaloe products, among others, to feed the hungry crews of the Clipper 09-10 race on Lapps Quay. They have now left these shores but O’Connor’s local customers will keep the flag flying!

Check out my review of O'Connor Butchers - I am cork - on Qype
Pic: St Joseph's Park, just across the road from O'Connor's

CORK MARKET'S TODAY.

LOW KEY DEBUT FOR LAPPS QUAY BAZAAR

MARKETS REPORT

Aside from a Mango and Apricot chutney from Aldi’s, today’s simple lunch came from the English Market. The man in On the Pig’s Back said the St Gall came from Tipperary and is often mistaken for a French cheese but we know this top class product is made by the Fermoy Natural Cheese Company. The cheese and the chutney combined tastily on chuncks of the Country Baguette by Kinsale’s Tom’s Bakery.

While I bought the bread from the Alternative Bread Company in the English Market, Tom’s were on duty at the Coal Quay Market in Emmett Place which had a good turnout and where, among the plants, the food and the knitwear, you could buy the dreaded vuvuzela.

Called down to the debut Lapp’s Quay Bazaar first today. Reached it about 11.30am and, at that stage, everything was low key, the handful of stalls, most selling jewellery, one books, attracting hardly a handful of customers.

The English Market was much busier. Got some mussels and hake from Ballycotton Seafood where they weren't all at happy with the recently announced increase in parking charges, saying that business around town was already poor enough.

A few yards later and I was in front of Iago’s and buying a pot of their Provencal style ratatouille. Cheese and bread were then added to the bag but I could see no sign of Redcurrant jelly anywhere and I ended up buying that (with ten per cent Cabernet Sauvignon added) in the Food Hall at Marks and Spencer’s.

Little Buddha in Cork

LITTLE BUDDHA 

(teas and coffees)

There are massive selections of teas and coffees from all around the world in the Little Buddha shop in McCurtain Street. The tea, by the way, is in leaf form, no tea bags in this friendly Czech run shop.
There are dozens of jars there and you smell each one individually before purchase. Just to put my foot in the water, I asked to see the Pu Erh. There were at least four of them. I liked the smell of the regular Shu the best, a four year old from the Menghai district in Yunnan province. Fifty grammes cost me €4.80.
My companion also made a purchase and the man behind the counter threw in some Rooibos (from South Africa) as a freebie.
This little shop is a welcome addition to the food scene here and indeed is attracting people from abroad. While we were window-shopping before we went in, a French couple arrived, Michelin green guidebook in hand, and went directly in and purchased a large amount.
www.littlebuddha.ie (will be operational soon for online sales)

Check out my review of Little Buddha - I am cork - on Qype

THE WEEKEND CATCH

WEEKEND CATCH 

fresh from the net

Restaurant & Bar Scene in Cork

Greenes Restaurant Cork Hi Everybody this Friday night July 16th we are offering a complementary glass of wine with your main course meal. Mention Facebook offer when you book. Enjoy.

Nash 19 Representing one of West Corks Finest Bakeries, Richard from Patisserie Regale, Dunmanway, will be Prince’s Street  today introducing some of their delicious cookies from 11 to 2, Friday 16th July. Beautiful hand made Lavender Shortbread, and "Ladies Kisses", baked and presented with care, almost too good to give away!

THE BOARDWALK: The fabulous Mr James Gornall will be playing all the best in contemporary pop and rock for your listening pleasure this Friday. Why not come along for a pre-dinner drink or two or wind down after that long week? And remember, The Boardwalk offers the very best in local and not so local talent for your listening pleasure every Friday. Keep checking our events invites.

Blairs Inn WIN! WIN! WIN! a FREE MEAL FOR TWO IN OUR AWARD WINNING RESTAURANT - just suggest to all your friends to become Fans of our page - when you're done, email me on blairsinn@gmail.com to say you've done so and the number you have suggested it to & that is it! You are in the draw.

Liberty Grill A quick note, we will be closed for our annual shut down on Tuesday 3rd, Wednesday 4th and Thursday the 5th of August. This so we can give the building some much needed TLC.

THE SILK PURSE/AN CRÚIBÍN Not familiar with the whacky videos from this source? Check them out at http://themeatcentre.com/wordpress/?cat=22

umnumnum_cork is a regular on twitter and she had this amusing tale up yesterday:

 “God-daughter lives on small farm got asked 2day if she has pigs. She said yes but they are in the freezer.”