MIXED BAG AT LIDL

A COUPLE OF LIDL WHITES

Vermentino di Sardegna DOC 2010, 12%, €6.95 at Lidl.

Colour is a pale honey with an aromatic nose. There is an immediate high impact dry tingle on the palate but lively fruit there also, all leading to a rounded wine with a decent finish. Very good value indeed.

Vermentino, the grape, is grown all over the island of Sardinia. It is the same as the grape known as Rolle and grown widely in Provence where it is made into some lovely wines (eg Chateau Miraval). For more info on Vermentino in Sardinia click here. 

Frascati Superiore Secco 2010, 12.5%, €5.95 at Lidl.

I wasn't as happy with the Frascati. Colour is very pale and it does have an aromatic nose. On the palate, citrus dominates and the refreshing hello fades under its domination. Just too much acidity.

Made with the traditional grapes of Trebbiani and Malvasia, Frascati is the wine of Rome and its tourists (picture). Perhaps there are better examples and you can find out more about the wines of Rome and Lazio (the area around it) here. 

THE SPINNING WHEEL AT GRIFFIN'S

GRIFFIN’S GARDEN CENTRE

Picture this. The sun shining on a terrasse. Dinners enjoying themselves at the tables. It overlooks the water. Here comes a motor boat with a water-skier going zigzag behind it.

You are not on the Med. Not dreaming. You are at lunch in the Spinning Wheel, the lovely restaurant attached to the stunning Griffin’s Garden Centre in Dripsey. I was there yesterday.

Click to enlarge

When we arrived at the centre to see the newly installed display gardens, designed by Margaret Griffin, we were greeted with some free nibbles. Loved my piece of tart with Ardsallagh Cheese.

First mission though was to take in those new gardens. They are just fantastic, something for everyone here. Most are set to a fairly small scale, some smaller than others, and so will suit the majority of people. The ideas though will suit everyone interested in livening up their space. I loved the use of colour (eg the bright red lamp, the pink wall, the white flowered corner and also the artefacts such as mirrors).

Well worth a visit for the display gardens alone. And particularly so this coming Friday when Dermot O’Neill will be along to officially open them, starting at 11.00am. It is just over twenty minutes from the western side of town.

Click to enlarge

I’m a regular (if infrequent) visitor here and usually call to the onsite Spinning Wheel restaurant which is right on the bank of the River Lee. This place is light and airy, loads of glass and lots of colour too, right down to the serving trays. It is open all day with lunch served from 12.30pm.

You can have light bites, tea and scones for examples, toasted sandwiches or something more substantial. Never shy at the table, I went for the award winning Jack McCarthy Black pudding, wrapped in bacon and served with a mix of summer berries and, of course, a side plate, this of carrots and haricots verts. A lovely meal in a lovely place for ten euro.

You may also but food items to take away here, such as cakes and scones and various preserves, including jams and relishes.

We got down to some serious business after lunch and grabbed a trolley, bought some plants, got some advice (the staff here are very friendly and helpful) and headed back to the car. But not before a look at the indoor shop, so well stocked you’d need a fair bit of time to browse through.

All in all, quite a visit on a sunny day. But don't worry too much about the weather. Quite a bit of the centre is under cover and you always have the shop and Spinning Wheel. If you can't make it on Friday, put it on your list of things to do.

THE MENU TO BEAT CHOLESTEROL. 3 recipes

FULL DINNER MENU

including Posh Fish 'n chips (right)

Watercress and Potato Soup

 

 

Number of Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

Cooking Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches

The Cholesterol Challenge

Flora pro.activ has teamed up with Supervalu and The Mooney Show on RTE Radio 1 to carry out the Cholesterol Challenge

Free cholesterol testing coming to a town near you!

Are you concerned about high cholesterol?  Do you know your number?  This
year the Flora pro.activ Cholesterol Challenge is travelling around the
country offering free cholesterol checks and expert advice on diet and
lifestyle.

The Flora pro.activ nurses will be visiting

CLIMB & DINE (and more) in MITCHELSTOWN

Chef Kevin Dundon will be at the food festival.

It's all happening in Mitchelstown at the moment   

Like to climb to the top of the Galtees. This is your big chance, all for charity and a barbecue at the end of it. Details here. 

If you're still hungry or if you can't climb the mountain, then visit the Mitchelstown Food Festival on August 28th. Looks like a great line-up. Details here.


And still more grub. Mary O'Callaghan of O'Callaghans Deli has organised a charity night in her restaurant for Somalia. All the info here.



Just been told that this latter event has been booked out. Well done to Mary and her customers!

THE MANY APPLES OF BARRYSCOURT

Click to enlarge

THE ORCHARD OF BARRYSCOURT

Did you know that the Office of Public Works have an orchard at Barryscourt Castle, near Carrigtwohill. It is laid out to a plan typical of those in use in the 16th century. There are records of orchards there since the 13th century.

Now is a good time to visit and see the fruits of so many varieties: including Beauty of Bath, Eight Square, White Russet, Irish Peach, Summer John, Northern Green, Worcester Permaine and many more.

There are also plantings of pears and quinces here. There is a notice board with details of the plants found in and around the castle, including medicinal plants such as mullein and woundwort and herbs such as parsley, “found in a variety probably surviving from the Middle Ages”. Also present is butterbur, which was used to wrap butter for market.

In the bawn of the castle, there is an herb garden and also a knot (box hedge) garden. There is no entry fee to visit the garden (or the castle itself).

Click to enlarge

To read my new post on BARRYSCOURT CASTLE please click here.

CORNSTORE CRACKER

THE CORNSTORE

The Cornstore is one well tuned outfit, slick and efficient. The excellent service comes with a chat and smile. And the food isn’t half bad either.

What a choice. Early Bird, July/August Fish Specials and an A La Carte selection about as big as a page of the Evening Echo with main dishes ranging from €14.35 to €32.95.

This is what I picked this weekend:
Cornstore Chicken Wings with Crozier blue cheese (€8.50);
Charred and carved duck breast with beetroot confit, sautéed spinach, mash potatoes and red wine jus (€21.65);
Wine: Bodegas Muriel Tempranillo Rioja Spain (5.95 gl, 16.95 50cl and 23.95 75cl).

Those chicken wings are hot babies (there is a whole flock of them in the dish) and you need and appreciate the dip to cool things down. A glass of water also helps. If there are two of you and you both like wings, then you can get a dish to share for €13.50.

With the wings out of the way and the hands cleaned, there was just a short wait for the main course, again a substantial dish. Really liked it, especially the combination of the medium cooked duck (they tell you in advance that that’s the way they do it!) and the spinach. The beetroot was a little on the sweet side (I found it fine) and provided another interesting taste combination with the meat.

There are huge choices of wine, up to 18 available by the glass, quite a few by carafe (50cl). The Tempranillo was spicy and fruity.

It was an excellent meal, Very enjoyable. And the Cornstore seem to be getting it right as the place was very very busy.

THE VERMONSTER IS COMING!

THE VERMONSTER IS COMING!

You’d better watch out. The Vermonster is coming. But don’t worry, this is one mega ice cream hit by Ben & Jerry.

And the better news is that you can beat the pack to the first taste. We’ve got four vouchers, each for a 500ml tub of this dreamy US flavour, to give away to Irish fans.

THE VERMONSTER is a delicious concoction of maple syrup ice cream with caramel swirls and pecan chunks. Mmmmm. To make The Vermonster that little bit sweeter, Ben & Jerry’s will be bringing it to Ireland as 100% Fairtrade, meaning all ingredients in the ice cream from cow to cone will be Fairtrade.  

It’ll be on shelves in 2012. We can hardly wait to dig our spoons in!

To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is email,  with subject Yes Please, to corkbilly@ymail.com before midnight next Thursday (18^th). Winners will be drawn at random and vouchers will be sent to Republic of Ireland addresses only. 

Market Morning.

MARKET MORNING

The Olive Stall at English Market

Markets galore this morning. Where to go? Midleton, Douglas, the Food Fair in Castlemartyr? In the end, settled for the return of the market to the Coal Quay and then a trip to the English Market.

The Coal Quay, which should have been back in action last November, finally had reason to celebrate today. Quite a few stalls back in the renovated street, many selling clothes, plants, and so on and a decent section of food stalls (including Tom’s Bakery – love their country baguette) at the river end.

No meat or fish there so that meant a visit to the English Market. So, following a Charlie Chaplin figure who was getting lots of looks, we made our way to the Grand Parade entrance and made calls to stalls such as Tom Durcan, Bubble Brothers, On the Pig’s Back and Iago as the bag filled up with lamb’s liver, Rosscarbery Recipe Cured Rashers, Manchego cheese and more.

Enjoyed a fine meal in the Cornstore last night but today it was their neighbours The Bodega who were open and ready to serve teas and coffees and more to the customers and stall holders of the newly returned market.

I made my way to their vacated temporary base at Emmett Place, a base they seemed quite at home in for the best part of two years. Called into the Crawford Cafe for a cup of coffee and scone, both top class. Price though was €5.15 while it was just €3.90 across the road at Luigi Malone’s. Make you wonder.

Coal Quay Market - back to base (Click to enlarge)

Top outdoor street food vendors announced at Dublin Street Food Awards 2011

 [yellow tail] People’s Choice Award goes to

The Paella Guys

11 August 2011

The Paella Guys have been announced as the winner of the [yellow tail] People’s Choice Award at the Dublin Street Food Awards 2011, which was held at an exclusive [yellow tail] summer wine party at Pygmalion this evening.

Cesare Benvenuto from Pio Cesare comes to town

The Restaurant @ Donnybrook Fair is delighted to welcome Cesare Benvenuto from Pio Cesare on Wednesday 28^th September at 7.45pm to host an Italian wine dinner.  Cesare will introduce a selection of traditional Piemontese wines which have been produced by his family for five generations in their ancient cellars, located in the town of Alba.  The evening is priced at €60 per person or €100 per couple.

These wines will be

KINSALE'S WINE MUSEUM

KINSALE’S WINE MUSEUM

At Desmond Castle

St Patrick sipping!

In the church of St Patrice in Rouen (France), there is a 16^th century stained glass window* showing the Irish patron saint having a glass of wine at Tara in 433 while the High King looks on anxiously. Maybe it’s the King’s glass?

On the 17^th of October, 1710, Jonathan Swift wrote to Stella from London: “I dined today with your Mr Sterne ...and drank Irish wine”.

In 1780, John Windham recalled visiting Cork city: “There are no hackney coaches but there are plenty of chairs or sedans. ...These vehicles are extremely convenient for the followers of Bacchus who has a great number of votaries in this city.”

These anecdotes show that there has been a long association between wine and the Irish so it is no surprise that the Irish went abroad some of them became involved in the trade. The most recent example I came across is the late Michael Lynch in Argentina’s Mendoza.

Loads of similar info is in the Wine Museum in Kinsale’s Desmond Castle. Maybe not the efforts of Michael Lynch, but virtually every other Irish connection, certainly before 2000 when the museum was set up, is very well covered indeed and great credit here goes to Ted Murphy, the Corkman who put it all together.

Many of you will know of the Cork family Hennessey who ended up in Bordeaux, the very same family whose name still appears on Ireland’s most popular cognac (brandy). But did you know that we were also involved in the sherry trade? Terry, for example.

The French connection is strong (and getting stronger in places like Provence and the Languedoc) but the Irish were also involved in wine in America, Cronins and Foleys in California for example.

And not just North America. Some of you may be familiar with the popular Chilean wine: St Rita 120. In the early 19^th century, freedom fighter General Barnardo Higgins (father from Sligo) and 120 of his men (including General John McKenna, another Irishman) took refuge in the St Rita cellars during the battle of Rancagua. The wine is named in their honour.

Many many connections and loads of interesting facts and also some memorabilia. I could go on and on but, in fairness to Mr Murphy, I think anyone interested in wine should take a trip down to Kinsale and take your time as you wander through the two rooms that make up this museum. Highly recommended and the admission at three euro wouldn’t buy you a glass of wine in any of the town's restaurants.

The three euro will also get you into the castle which was originally built about 1500 as the Kinsale Customs House, one of its tasks being to collect a tax based on the tonnage and quality of the wine. In 1497, the English king granted the local Earl of Desmond the right to take one cask from every shipment for himself!

Occupied by the Spanish during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601, the most famous event in the castle’s history came in 1747 when 54 prisoners died in a fire. Most of them were French seamen and the castle later became known as the French prison.

·          There is a reproduction (photo above) of the window in the museum, donated by the Irish John and Eithne Lagan of the Xanadu Winery (Margaret River, Aus.). By the way, I love their Next of Kin wines (available via Bubble Brothers).

FOTA ISLAND RESORT: RECIPE + VIDEO

CLASS ACT
Watch Fota Island Resort's Executive Pastry Chef, Rachid Zaouia, prepare delicious White Bread Bagutini and Herbe de Province Bread Rolls ow.ly/5ZFNG