FRENCH TREATS AT FENN'S QUAY

The old terrace of Fenn's Quay - restaurant on right.

FENN’S QUAY

Fenn’s Quay joined in the current French Food Fest by adding some Gallic items to their menus. And head chef Kate Lawlor did it with a class and expertise that would be hard to beat. Called there between stops on the Culture trail on Friday night and each course was a highlight.

Had quite a few Duck confits in the Dordogne this summer but the version served up by Fenn’s Quay was excellent, beating anything that came our way in Sarlat. High quality meat perfectly cooked and so well matched with red cabbage and a red wine sauce and served with a sweet potato mash, it was superb.

Dessert, Tarte aux Pruneaux, was also a winner. Served with cream, it was so well baked, so tasty and moist. Something that any top French patisserie would be delighted to produce.

Actually skipped the French opener, a chicken liver pate, in favour of the Warm Chicken Salad. Sounds ordinary enough, doesn’t it? But I can tell you that this delightful mix was far from ordinary. A brilliant start to yet another top class meal in Fenn’s Quay.

Summary:

Laurenz V Friendly Gruner Veltliner 2008 €5.95 per glass

El Coto Crianza Rioja 2006 €7.50 per glass

3 course supper menu €27.50

FOOD TRAIL - FAB FOUR

CORK FOOD TRAIL 

Today, visited four lovely friendly shops in Cork Nash 19 , Brennan's Cookshop ,  Maher's Coffee  and Little Buddha .

Great standard of service and courtesy, not to mention the smiles, in all four. And, perhaps because of that type of service, each had plenty of customers.

Brennan’s Cook Shop in Oliver Plunket Street has all the utensils and bits and pieces (not ingredients, mind you, though they do have some flavourings and colourings) you need for your baking and cooking and if you can't do either, they have a course for you.

Up to Maher’s then, also on Oliver Plunket Street, for some coffee. They have a huge selection, loads of types of tea too and I noticed the price of their accessories is very keen. After a bit of advice, I bought myself some Sumatran for my cafetiere.

Princes Street was next and the visit was to Nash 19 to stock up from the shop. Some terrific food here including readymade meals from which I bought the lamb Tagine and couscous. Also stocked up with some gorgeous Glenilen yogurts and the magnificent Sparkling Apple Juice from Tipperary’s Apple Farm. 

Having sampled Jack McCarthy’s Gold Medal black-pudding in midweek, I said I’ve give his Duhallow Heather Lamb sausage a go. Sampled one just there at lunch and it was outstanding. Worth another gold.

McCurtain Street was next on the list and here I paid a visit to the coffee and tea shop of Little Buddha that is a treasure trove. Was looking for a particular type of Rooibos but it was out of stock. But there were still five to choose from, so I wasn't disappointed.

They also do scented candles, essentials oils, caddies, flavoured coffee, and all kinds of tea and coffee accessories. If you can't get to McCurtain Street, do have a look at their website. You can order on online and soon the range will be even greater. Worth a look. But if you can get to the shop, do so, as it is hard to better smelling the various types of teas yourself.

THE WEEKEND CATCH

A bumper Weekend Catch, fresh from the Net.

THE WEEKEND CATCH

Restaurant & Bar Scene in Cork

via Twitter & Facebook

It may well be Culture Night but you still got to eat!

No.5 Fenns Quay Restaurant Fenns Quay this weekend will be partaking in the French Food Festival with French dishes appering on our specials on Friday and Saturday evening ! Cork city this weekend will sure be a hive of actiivity between Ocktober Fest Beag the french Food festival and the Eat Cork Food Festival !!

Nash 19 Back in stock this week Inch House Gluten Free Blackpudding. Last day of the three for two in the freezer. Open till 6pm today. Inch House Country House Hotel & Restaurant Thurles www.inchhouse.ie

Greenes Restaurant Cork Evening Echo is advertising a Fantastic Offer this Saturday which will be valid from Monday Sept 27th-29th inc. Free Starter or Dessert with your Main Course - must be from a la carte menu. Don't forget to collect your voucher in Saturday's Evening Echo.

The Ambassador Restaurant Keep the Summer Sizzling......order any sizzling dish as a taster from €9.50 as a side or with a main course. Fun & Delicious. Sizzling Chow Mein....Sizzling Ginger & Spring Onion....Sizzling Garlic or even Black Pepper....mmmmm. For a limited period only starting today.

CuriousWines Lar Veale tries out The Squid's Fisthttp://bit.ly/bz1RDr @smallsips

http://bit.ly/aaf31r 1st Cork French Food & Wine Festival, organised by On The Pigs Back, is on in Douglas, from Sept 22nd to 25th. Yum!

Dingle Food & Wine Festival 2010: Oct 1st - 3rd www.dinglenews.com The fourth annual Dingle Food & Wine Festival will take place on the 1st-3rd of October, 2010, in and around Dingle

EATcork Today's city producer is Roly's Fudge on Prince's Street. Their Crumbly fudge prepared daily in Prince's St - Just down from the English Market! Look out for them at farmers markets around the city

Food Safety Authority of Ireland Latest food allergen alert: Sulphites were not declared on the label of certain batches of dried apricots. If you are allergic or intolerant to sulphur dioxide or sulphites, you should check out the full details: http://bit.ly/aaoVD5

Wagamama Ireland it's tasty tuesday sushi night in wagamama cork only (sorry dublin we'll try and get it up there soon!) starts at 6pm...please come early to avoid dissappointment x

Bealcheese Outlets which currently stock Beal Mild... Update in the coming week!! http://fb.me/HHjRepmG
SAVEURMAG This month's cover star: Elegant Pork Chops with a sweet, tomatoey sauce: http://bit.ly/9N7VS2

digestcomau Dig Marketing by smallsipsThe Langton's Classification of Australian Wines V is out now! Click here for the list: http://bit.ly/9Thgfc

donalskehan  Blackberry Crumb Slices will be up on the blog and in the Cork News this morning! :)

Kinsale Gourmet Fest next month: http://corkfood.blogspot.com/2010/09/press-release-from-kinsale-gourmet.html

McCthyConsultng DavidMcCarthy 

 by localmarkets RT @localmarkets: Eat Cork is happening this week, for a full listing of what's happening and where see http://tinyurl.com/32qvrv6

We search the net, via Twitter and Facebook, each Thursday evening and early Friday morning, for the latest from the Cork restaurant and bar scene. If you don't have either of the above, reach us at cork.billy@gmail.com. Deadline 9.00am Friday.

WINE ALLIANCE TASTING

Press release from the Kinsale Gourmet Festival

BOLLINGER ANNOUNCE SPONSORSHIP

OF

34^th KINSALE GOURMET FESTIVAL

The "Kinsale Gourmet Festival" is held in October of each year and is a celebration of all the fine things that Kinsale has to offer, this year Bollinger Champagne are the Headline Sponsor to support the event and make it the best yet.

‘We are delighted to get involved in the Kinsale Gourmet Festival which has such a prestige within Ireland’ comments Vianey Fabre of Bollinger ‘ I for one am looking forward to coming to such a beautiful part of the Country and tasting what they have to offer.’

 Visitors can expect to experience a Cookery demonstration with Kinsale & RTE's Martin Shanahan of "Martin's Mad About Fish" fame accompanied by a wine reception sponsored by Pallas Foods.  The Official Opening at the White Lady Hotel including a Bollinger Champagne reception with canapés from the Good Food Circle, hosted by members of The Kinsale Good Food Circle as well as Dining out at the GFC restaurant of their choice as part of the package. Participating Restaurants  include Restaurant d' Antibes @ The White House, The Blue Haven,The Captains Table @ Actons Hotel, Crackpots, Jim Edwards, Max's Wine Bar, Man Friday, Pier One @ The Trident Hotel, Toddies, White Lady, Fishy Fishy.

 On Saturday guests can Join Alice, the Mad Hatter, March Hare and the Fieldmouse for the Highlight of the Festival - an escorted tour of the 11 Members of Kinsale's Good Food Circle who will present spectacular dishes from their kitchens bearing testimony to the culinary skills of the chefs of Kinsale accompanied by wines from festival sponsors, Gleeson's, Gilbey's, Karwig's & Nash's.  Non wine drinkers can avail of beer compliments of Heineken Ireland or water from Tipperary Water.

Sunday anticipates a superb afternoon of fun & frolics with MC Derek Davis at the renowned Fruits de Mer in Actons Hotel, where guests can enjoy a mouth watering four course lunch to include lobster, crab, prawns etc, accompanied by delicious wines sponsored by Torres Mas Rabell and fresh roasted coffees compliments of Bewleys.  Patrons can then dance the evening away to music by the Aristocrats.

 For more information, quotes, to arrange an interview or for further images please contact:

Jacques Malone MPRII
BOLLINGER IRELAND
T:+353 (0) 858 167 345

Maria O'Mahony
KINSALE GOOD FOOD CIRCLE
T:+353 (0) 21 4773571

Or see the website:

http://www.kinsalerestaurants.com/autumn.php

THE CHEF FACTOR

Just heard from Sully of Cully and Sully...

"We are running a competition called Chef Factor - http://www.cheffactor.ie that wants people to submit a dish they made. Upload a photo of you with your dish and the words “Cully & Sully” somewhere in your
picture. You can submit ANY dish you want, big or small, starter or main, sandwich or steak!"

"The top prize is a place on the 12 week Ballymaloe Cookery Course worth €12,000 plus accommodation, knives and everything you'll need to be Ireland's next great culinary success. We hope you'll enter this too.  The top prize is redeemable in January 2011/2012."

"We're finding that people think they need to be fantastic cooks in order to enter but we're happy to take

any submission where someone has prepared a dish, be it some amazing french dish or beans on toast. We're hoping after the course the winner can become that superstar chef they want to be."

Check it out here

COOLMORE FOODS

TASTY COOLMORE CAKE

Found a Spelt and Yogurt Fruit Cake, made by Coolmore Foods from Bandon, on sale in Dunne’s recently for €1.99.

Very tasty cake thanks in part to the nutty flavour of the spelt. A serving suggestion, which should work out, is: delicious served warm from the microwave with cream, ice cream and fresh fruits.

Coolmore are a family owned business operating out of the Lauragh Industrial Estate in the town and more details may be found at www.coolmorefoods.ie.

JACK MCCARTHY'S BLACK GOLD

Celebrations in Kanturk this evening as local butcher Jack McCarthy was honoured by La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goûte Boudin.  


KANTURK EN FETE

JACK MCCARTHY'S GOLD   

Kanturk was en fete last evening as La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goûte Boudin arrived in the Duhallow town to present Jack McCarthy with a Gold Medal for the quality of his famous Black Pudding.

Main Street, where McCarthy’s Butcher Shop, established in 1892, stands was jammed with locals and visitors, all keen to congratulate Jack and son Timmy on the success. Jack was in top form, detailing the artistic and sporting prowess of Duhallow, slipping with ease from English to Irish and vice versa and throwing in the odd French focal as well before rounding it all off with a song.

The French group had marched up Strand Street, led by a bunch of pipers, and were cheered into Main Street where the informal ceremony took place with short speeches by Jack and representatives of Good Food Ireland and La Confrérie (with Isabelle Sheridan of On the Pigs Back acting as translator).

Quite a few stalls had set up in the packed street, including On the Pigs Back, the Secret Garden and Sheridan’s Cheesemakers. Great to meet supporters of Irish food such as Caroline of Bibliocook and the girls from Nash 19.

And that Boudin Noir? Well McCarthy’s were giving it away last night and it is fantastic, really really good and well worth the Gold Medal. They have also come up with a black pudding bread and that too was very tasty.

And to crown it all, the Gold Medal butchers had roasted a wild boar. I had a few chunks of that. Different class. After all that, badly needed a drink and here the kind folks of Kanturk Dairies were on hand with cool milk and fruit juices. Well done to Jack and to all in Kanturk last night.

Click on image to enlarge.   See below for full details

Bitesize in Midleton

BITESIZE


Took the opportunity recently to sample the sweet cakes of Midleton’s Bitesize and quiet nice they were too.

But this local company, which uses only the best local produce, is much more than a cake maker and is into catering in a big way, both for private and corporate events. Canapés, cold meats, salads, sandwiches, casserole dishes, quiches and all those sweet bites are available along with a kids menu.
You may collect at the Knockgriffin kitchens or they’ll deliver to your party.
www.bitesize.ie
021 4634100
Unit 6, Community Enterprise Centre, Knockgriffin, Midleton

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

BARRY’S NURSERIES

BARRY’S NURSERIES in Killeagh 

Come grow with us! That’s was the invitation from Barry’s Nurseries at the recent Midleton Food Market. It is their new education venture. “Modules are held throughout the year at our own model organic fruit and veg garden...on a range of gardening topics.” Everything from No Dig gardening (I might like that), fruit and b vegetables to Bee Keeping is covered.

Aside from this unusual help, Barry’s have the complete range of plants and materials needed for the modern garden: bedding plants, herbs, seeds, tree stakes, windbreaks and much much more. And if the display on their Midleton stall is anything to go by then the place is well worth visit.

www.barrysgardencenter.ie

086 8141133

Inch, Killeagh, Co. Cork

Check out my review of Barry's Nurseries - I am cork - on Qype

ROJO MOJO ON THE DOUBLE

Paul Sharkey, winner of recent wine
competition - see bottom

SPANISH REDS

A couple of new-to-Ireland Spanish Reds have just hit the market, thanks to Wine Alliance and it is worth watching out for the Shiraz and Tempranillo in the distinctive Mojo Rojo labels of  Lozano’s Cellars in La Mancha, Spain’s biggest wine region.

The 2009 Shiraz, with an ABV of 13.5%, is a deep red colour, currant and spice on the nose, berries also on the palate and moderately spicy (close to the Rhone Syrah, unsurprisingly). It is well balanced, full bodied, easy to drink with good length on the finish and good value at €8.99.

While I was finishing off this bottle, I happened to be reading Dining with Al Qaeda by Hugh Pope and Shiraz, a city in Iran, featured, mainly because of a very famous 14^th century poet called Hafez who, like many of his fellow citizens at the time, was into his wine.

On a 2001 visit by Pope, a billboard type sign on the Shiraz ring road, highlighted a couple of lines:

“You’re late, O drunken-headed lover.

I won't let your skirt slip easily from my embrace”

BLACK PUDDING KINGS

Left to right: Martin Shanrahan, Isabel Sheridan, Tim McCarthy and Avril Allshire

La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goûte Boudin - one of the world’s greatest authorities on black pudding – are in Ireland this week. Over three days from today (September 20),  thirty  Knights of the fraternity will visit McCarthy’s of Kanturk, Caherbeg Free Range Pork Rosscarbery and Mayo’s Seán Kelly to award gold, silver and bronze medals.  Street festivities are planned and this promises to be a great  three day celebration of all that is exciting and special about Irish black pudding and telling that story to an international market.

European Pudding Champions

Three Irish Butchers to be Knighted

TOP NOTCH NAUTILUS

NAUTILUS 

There is a French Food Fest coming up next weekend but I stole a march by making second trip of the summer to Nautilus in Ballycotton last evening and once again hit the jackpot at this little French run restaurant by the harbour.