Master Chef Ireland 2012

THE SEARCH IS ON TO FIND IRELAND’S NEXT MASTERCHEF!

Are you passionate about food and love to cook? Do you constantly impress your friends and family with your culinary skills? Are you an amateur cook with amazing talent? If so, you might have what it takes to impress our judges, Nick Munier and Dylan McGrath and become Ireland’s MasterChef Champion!

Don’t miss out, APPLY NOW!

Application deadline is 28^th May 2012.

For more information and to download your application form go to:

www.rte.ie/masterchef

Food and Drink Spotting. Tony Singh, Ballymaloe...

Food and Drink Spotting

Like a Farm Walk in Ballymloe? See below.

Tony Singh to Represent Scotland in 2012 Celtic Cook Off in West Cork

Edinburgh born Tony Singh has established himself as a leading force on the Scottish restaurant scene as co-founder of Oloroso, the highly acclaimed bar and restaurant in the heart of Scotland’s dynamic capital city.

For over 20 years, Tony has pushed the boundaries of culinary innovation, combining his Sikh upbringing with his love of Scottish produce.  He first dabbled with cooking on a Youth Training Scheme at Scottish & Newcastle, which led him to Telford College in Edinburgh and the completion of an OND in Hotel Management.  His distinctive style soon developed and made him hot property in restaurant circles, leading to positions with The Royal Yacht Britannia, The Balmoral Hotel, Greywalls, Royal Scotsman Train, and Gravetye Manor.

The Cook Off takes place next September. Event details here.

 Take a Farm Walk at the Ballymaloe Cookery School this summer. Maybe take a course. All the info in their SummerNewsletter.

@BiaSasta is planning a pig feast @biasasta is planning a Pig Feast (on May 25^th, not June).  All the details and more here.

Drinks

Save the 30th of May in your diary! There is an evening of New Zealand wine-tasting in Annie's Gastropub. “We will have a vineyard representative from Forrest Estate Wines, along with Conor O' Brien from James Nicholson Wines with us on the night to discuss the wines on offer. Keep an eye out on our Facebook page & Twitter for further details! Or call us on 021-4398384”.

Kate Lawlor of Fenns Quay ‏ @FennsQuay tells me that on the 31st of May, in association with @ggunnigan of Liberty Wines, they will be hosting a food & wine night to launch their new wine list.

Before all that there is an Australian Wine Tasting in L’Atitude 51 on May 23^rd. Keep an eye on the Facebook page,  though I don’t see up there at the moment.

Shorts

Cooking with Avonmore: barbecue treats, competitions, recipes and more  http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=ce473bdf3da9ce653bd8fd7c6&id=1a1e7a1b62&e=7696a2956d

Cheese map of UK & Ireland: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markeaston/2009/10/map_of_the_week_cheese.html. Thanks to @TasteaMemory

Pork Slap Pale Ale:   http://www.foodspotting.com/reviews/1724864

Chocolate-cupcakes-with-flaming strawberries:

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2QWcqg/:1kv!!4.jG:8ItUlZZi/www.sprinklebakes.com/2011/01/chocolate-cupcakes-with-flaming.html/

Last night's Food Oscar winners

Garreth Byrne & Brid Hannon

Ross & Jessica Lewis

Last night's Food Oscars

Chapter One has scooped the Best Restaurant Award and Garrett Byrne, Head Chef at Campagne Restaurant in Kilkenny, has been crowned Best Chef in Ireland at the Santa Rita Irish Restaurant Awards 2012 which took place last night in the Burlington Hotel (Monday 14^th May 2012).

Almost 700 industry peers attended Ireland’s leading Restaurant Awards where regional and

All-Ireland winners were announced in the following categories:

• Chapter One (Dublin) Best Restaurant 2012 Sponsored by Santa Rita
• Garrett Byrne for Campagne (Kilkenny) Best Chef 2012 Sponsored by Tipperary Water
• The Long Room @ Doonbeg (Clare) Best Hotel Restaurant 2012 Sponsored By Pallas Foods
• The Chop House (Dublin) Best Gastro Pub 2012 Sponsored by Faustino
• O’Connells (Dublin) Best Casual Dining 2012 Sponsored By Joseph Drouhin
• Harveys Point Hotel (Donegal) Best Customer Service 2012 Sponsored by Miele
• West @ The Twelve Hotel (Galway) Best Wine Experience 2012 Sponsored by Thomas Barton
• Ely Gastro Pub (Dublin) Best Kids Size Me Menu 2012 Sponsored by Heinz
• Comeragh Mountain Lamb (Waterford) Local Food Hero 2012 Sponsored by Life Magazine

 Read the full report and honours list

Dillon’s Abú

Dillon’s Abú

Timoleague, long famous for its impressive if ruined abbey, is fast becoming well known now for Dillon’s, the brilliant restaurant with the welcome touch provided so genuinely by Julie and Chef John Finn, the engaging owners.

Parked by the abbey last Saturday and worked up an appetite by walking over towards Courtmacsherry. The appetite reached 100% before we got to Courtmac so we turned back and headed for Dillon’s, just in time to see a parade of veteran cars go by. By the time we left, we were full, the appetite needle comfortably in the resting position.

Began the meal with a chat and then we were presented with some tasty brown bread and a magnificent Wild Garlic hummus, made in-house of course. Just cleaned out the bowl. It was so gorgeous.

While waiting for the soup, Julie brought out a tasting sample of the West Cork Seafood Chowder with Coconut and Coriander. She was obviously proud of this (not to mention hubby John’s part in it) and rightly so. Just brilliant. If you get the chance, go for it.

Was then half-wondering had I made a mistake by ordering the Creamy Asparagus and Leek Soup with Wild Garlic Pesto and that Brown Bread (€4.95). Not a bit of it. Looked good and the taste was top notch.

And now for the main courses. CL chose the West Cork duck, Piccalilli Red Onion Marmalade and Hummus Wrap with local salad and roast potatoes (12.95). Great ingredients and a terrific combination. Really fantastic roast potatoes.

And I had the same potatoes on my dish: Roast Fillet of Hake with Shaved Fennel and Beetroot slaw, Salsa Verde and Wild Garlic Pesto (15.95). Again this produced a pretty photograph. The camera wasn't lying as Dillon’s once again outshone themselves. Everything was perfect and that unusual slaw went down a crunchy treat. Happy out!

But not finished yet! Dessert. Would we? Of course. But we did share the delicious pear, almond and blackberry tart (5.50). A couple of coffees and more chat and soon two happy customers walked out into the West Cork sun with a jar of that Wild Garlic Hummus and a loaf of the brown bread, both to be demolished at supper time! Couldn’t wait.

Great stuff in Timoleague, an essential stop on the Bandon Food Trail

Walking the Dog. aka The Beer Session

Walking the Dog: The Beer Session

Dungarvan Brewery Helvick Gold (4.9abv) and

Dungarvan Brewery Copper Coast (4.3 abv)

The Helvick Gold is a blonde ale but far from bland. It has a fruity aroma and a good balance of flavour and acidity.

I had been impressed with the Copper Coast at a recent meal in Fenn’s Quay and was happy to find myself still impressed at this home tasting. It is smooth and fruity and its definite caramel character is balanced by the use of crystal malt.

This is just about my favourite of the two Dungarvan bottles and a worthy and serious contender in this international “competition”.

Heineken’s Newcastle Browne Ale (4.7 abv)

This is the only one of these four to come in a 550ml bottle; all the others are the standard 500. Apparently the trick here is to serve it in a smaller glass to enable frequent top-ups to maintain the frothy head. It is a bitter and has a lovely smooth flavour.

The label has some of the Geordie wit even if the beer is now brewed in Yorkshire. I always thought “going to see a man about a dog” or "taking the dog for a walk" (especially if you had no dog) meant have a piddle in the bushes but in Newcastle it means going to the pub for a couple of these beauties.

Fuller’s London Pride Premium Ale (4.7 abv)

Fuller’s make a range and this is their most famous with its distinctive rounded flavour, possibly the best ale I’ve ever tasted, flavoursome, smooth and balanced. So that came in at number one in this round with the Copper Coast and the Newcastle sharing second spot.

This little contest came about when I spotted a deal in the local branch of O’Donovan’s, the four bottles (some others also available) bundled for eleven euro. Reckon that dog could do with another walk!

Canty's Celebrate 120 years

Ger Buttimer, Canty's proprietor, gets into the swing

The Famous Canty’s Celebrate

The famous Canty’s Public House on Pembroke Street is celebrating its 120th birthday with a series of events this month, highlighted by 80s Fancy Dress Reunions on May 18th, 19th, 25th and 26th. Another highlight comes on May 23rd when the History of Cork Boxing is celebrated. Stay in touch with the music and the craic all this month by following their Facebook Page.

I spent a very pleasant evening there last Thursday (photos here) when an exhibition of artefacts from the house’s history, including an ancient beer bottling machine (pictured), was launched. Well worth a look any day. Why not pop in for a lunch or a drink and take a look at the old cash registers and the exhibition of old photos and you’ll be sure of a warm welcome from owner Ger Buttimer and his staff.

The Buttimers took over the pub from the Cantys in 1978 and, structurally, very little has changed. The Cantys, regular visitors in any case, were there in force on Thursday to add their unique contributions after local historian and author Michael Lenihan had spoken.

Michael has done tremendous work in researching the history of the pub and the street and Ger Buttimer has also been caught in the quest. Michael, whose recent books include one titled Pure Cork, became an unwitting victim, having made a slip of the tongue and mentioning the similar name of another Cork pub. “Go away you langer” was the quick pure Cork response from a member of the audience!

But it was all in good humour and we all settled down to enjoy the history, the music, the drink and the food (supplied by neighbours Jacques).

Don’t know when all the music will stop for this birthday party but the history began in 1892 when the Canty name went over the door for the 1st time and started 120 years of tradition. Michael Lenihan: “This was indeed a historic year as this was the year that De Paper, the Evening Echo, first hit the streets of Cork.”

“The Cork Post Office Directory for 1842 lists Thomas Byrne as a vintner at No. 6 Pembroke Street and so there is documented evidence that a public house existed there since 1842 and most certainly before then.”

Proprietor Ger Buttimer: “We’d like to thank all of the customers, friends, suppliers and staff of Canty’s Bar as we look back on the last 120 years of the business. It is the characters, the dreamers, the storytellers and musicians who have made our pub a place of warmth and friendship. My father Barry bought this pub in 1978 and I have fond memories of coming here as a child.”

With Ger even now more enthusiastic than before, I think we can safely say that the warmth and friendship of Canty’s will continue for some time to come!

Read more

Schull Courtyard Revival

Courtyard Re-opens in Schull


The door is opening on a new lease of life for The Courtyard in Schull. After a long period of inactivity, the refurbished, renewed and revitalised Courtyard will launch officially on Saturday, 2 June. However, you don't have to wait that long to visit. Read more here.

‘Butch’ Buttery to Represent Isle of Man in 2012 Celtic Cook Off in West Cork

The Celtic Cook Off in West Cork continues to build on the success of the inaugural event in September 2011 by attracting top chefs from the Celtic regions to take part in what is becoming one of the landmark culinary events of the year. The latest chef confirned for the 2012 event is Butch Buttery who will represent the Isle of Man. Read more here

Iberian Quality

 Iberian Quality

Came across two well priced beauties from the Iberian Peninsula recently, a Godello from Portugal and a Syrah from Spain. Did you know that Iberian probably came from the Ebro River and that the old Greeks referred to it as Hiberia. Maybe we’re all related. In any case, they are sending us some pretty good vinho these days.

Adega de Pegoes, Peninsula de Setubal, Syrah 2010, 14%, €13.99, stockists nationwide 

 This ruby red coloured wine has a nose of black fruit, mainly plum. In the mouth, it is quite fruity (plum, blackberry), pleasantly smooth and moderately spicy, rounded and well balanced and finishes long and dry. Has had 12 months in small oak barrels and the overall result is an excellent wine, a typical representation of the popular grape (known generally as Shiraz in the New World).

Excellent value and goes well with meat dishes, cheese and strong flavoured fish dishes. Highly Recommended

Pazo de Monterrey, Godello 2009, 14%, €14.99 Curious Wines.

Always nice to step outside of the white comfort zone of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, especially when one meets a gem like this Godello. Also known as Verdello it is a minority grape, even in Northern Spain. This one comes from an area of Galicia called Monterrie, which shares its southern border with Portugal. Which begs the question. Is there a Portuguese Godello?

Honey is the colour here and there are hints of apricot in the aroma. It has a creamy mouthfeel, engagingly fruity and fresh. The flavours are quite intense and refreshing with a good long dry finish. Highly recommended.

Food and Drink Spotting: Flynn’s Magical Kitchen

Flynn's Pate and Red Onion Relish; salad on the way.
Bread by Arbutus.

Ballintubber Farm's
Sprouting Broccoli 

Flynn’s Magical Kitchen

Iain Flynn runs a modest stall at Mahon Point Farmer’s Market and you’ll also find him in Douglas on Saturdays and in Kinsale on Wednesdays. Don’t pass by. He has one of the outstanding ranges of food available. Everything from soups to quiches, from jams to readymade meals.

I regularly go for the soups. They change according to the season. Favourites include the Roast Butternut and Sweet Potato and also the Spiced Carrot.

The meals from Flynn’s Kitchen are something else. You just have to treat yourself to the Spinach & Ricotta Cannelloni! If you want something handy for lunch, he has Quiche Lorraine and also an Aged Parmesan & Organic Leek Quiche to try.

And then there are the delicious jams. Most of the regular fruits are covered and the favourite here at the moment is Mixed Berry Jam, with Cracked Black Pepper and Kirsch.

And last but not least are the preserves, such as Sweet Tomato Chutney, Mint Jelly, and Cumberland Sauce. Iain is always on the development trail and I think he has hit the jackpot with his latest preserve: the Red Onion Relish. Tried it recently and it is superb.

Martin Conroy of Woodside is a regular at all the Farmer’s Markets and most of the time, you’ll find him right up close to Flynn’s Kitchen. Martin and wife Noreen have had their own reasons to celebrate this week with the announcement that they won a Silver Medal for their Black Pudding from "Confrerie Des Chevaliers du Goute Boudin ". It looks as if the pudding is right up to the standard of their other free range bacon and pork products. Well done to them both.

I know Martin loves the Purple Sprouting Broccoli sold by Ballintubber Farm at the markets. So do I, just class. It may be coming towards the end of its season but let’s hope Ballintubber has it for another few weeks.

Coffee
Have been enjoying some really good coffee this month and one of them came from the Mahon Point Farmers Market, from the Golden Bean stall: the Canta Galo, Brazil Natural Process, Varietal: Rubi 100i. The other came from my regular supplier, the Robert Roberts club, and is the Dominican Barahona AA, a perfect all rounder, one you can drink all day.

Drinks
On the 16th of May, as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations for Star Anise, Sami Ghosn of the famous Lebanese winery Massaya will host a wine dinner. See the tantalising menu here.

On the following evening, the 17th, Ballymaloe will host the Riesling Revolution. More details here.

Most companies find it difficult to come up with a top notch stout but Dungarvan Brewery has managed to give us two five star drinks. Tasted the two together recently. The Blackrock Stout is fabulous, perhaps the Guinness of the two.

I had already been acquainted with the Coffee and Oatmeal one and won’t be dropping that acquaintance. Just love it since having it forced down my throat by one of the “bad” Blair Boys! This is perhaps the Murphy’s. Try them out for yourselves, if not at Blair’s, then Bradley’s on the North Main Street.

Shorts
Bump up your berry intake. That’s the advice from the Irish times via @foodforlivingie http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/health/2012/0508/1224315729641.html

Lime and Black Pepper Fries? http://punchfork.com/recipe/Black-Pepper-and-Lime-Fries-Framed-Cooks

A pulled pork sandwich http://www.foodspotting.com/reviews/1705490

Electric Go The Whole Hog

Electric Go The Whole Hog

You just got to hand it to Electric. When the South Mall restaurant joins in a project, they give it everything. They did it again last Saturday at the Food Market in Beamish's, as part of the Murphy’s Big Little Nights Out.

Quite a few food samples here from the various stalls but Electric chef Kevin was dishing out gorgeous slices of freshly cut Iberico (top left pic), the top ham of Spain, perhaps of the world. And then Kevin took to the stage and delivered a delightful demonstration of how best to cook the humble pig’s trotter, perhaps better known as the crubeen.

Kevin confessed to loving “getting the best out of the cheaper cuts” and I’m sure he convinced a few more to try it his way on Saturday. “You can feed six people easily for as little as a tenner” he said of the crubeens. And on cooking in general, had this sound advice, particularly with regard to vegetables, herbs and other flavourings: “Cooking is personal. Cook what suits you. Don’t just follow the recipe.”

And Electric's contribution didn’t stop there. The recipes sheets were handed out by Ernest and you had many chances of picking up their scratch cards which yielded prizes of drinks and bar food and even a full dinner at the buzzing South Mall restaurant.

It seemed a bit ironic to me to see the Murphy’s flowing in the haunt of its old rivals. In fairness to the brewers, the price of a pint was a reasonable four euro and, even better, you could get a half one (top right) for just two euro. Any chances that the local bars would follow that example?

Must say I really enjoyed my Murph’s, especially when I coupled it with a delicious pie from the Slice of Pie stand. Some great names there to go with the great pies: The Old Drunken Cow (bottom left) and the Price Paddy among them.

Lots of food available but you can’t eat it all. A pity, as I’d have liked to have had a cut off the T. J. Crowe bap. Other stalls doing brisk business were Wok ‘n Roll, O’Flynn’s Gourmet Sausages, The Crêpe Man, Uncle Pete’s Pizzeria, De Roiste’s Pudding, and the Grumpy Baker.

Happy going in and even happier going out when we presented with a couple of vouchers for pints of Murphy’s at any bar in Cork. Always room for a Murphy’s!

Classy Continental

Click on image to enlarge

Classy Continental

Hadn’t been to Maylor Street’s Continental Restaurant with a long while but it was sure good to be back. Friday night was a bad one, with the rain bucketing down, but Continental had a fine crowd in, quite a few of them savvy tourists, including a couple from Italy and a foursome from Australia. Amazing how they pick out the better places.

Continental, celebrating five years here now, has always been excellent and the standards are still very high. Service and food were top class and we had a very enjoyable meal, starting off with the breads and delicious beetroot chutney and hummus.

My €11.95 starter was Fillet beef Carpaccio with balsamic dressing served with white bread. There was a good scattering of mixed olives also and a topping of parmesan. Beautiful dish, a delicious blend of sweetness and acidity and all ingredients were first rate. A real treat.

CL picked the Lamb kidneys with caramelised shallots. Rory O’Connell had praised these kidneys (and other unfashionable lamb parts at his recent demonstration in CIT) and he’d have been glad to see the excellent dish at the Continental, topped with a well dressed salad and straw potatoes.

My mains was the West Cork duck with red cabbage, rosemary potato and honey gravy
(23.95). This was quite a substantial plateful with both breast (cooked to the requested medium) and also “the confit of leg”. It was gorgeous, they really do duck very well here and the red cabbage was neither too sweet nor too sour, just perfect.

The other main course was also a joy: Fresh halibut with sweet pepper butter sauce,
served with vegetable and potato (€23.90). Everything was cooked perfectly and the sauce was divine.

Just about managed dessert. I think they are all priced at €6.50. We were looking for something light(ish!) and were delighted with the glass full of fresh strawberries served on a bed of crushed meringue, creamy custard and balsamic reduction. Just the job.

Both wines were from the Michael Torrino colleccion (Argentina). The white was Sauvignon Blanc (2010) while the red was a Malbec (2010) and each cost a fiver a glass.

The Continental is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For menus and details, click here.

Amuse Bouche - careful with that lettuce!

"Gregory the Great always used to recommend making the sign of the cross over a lettuce in case you swallowed a demon that happened to be perched on it leaves.”

From The Holy Mountain by William Dalrymple.

Two for the weekend from Karwig's

Two to try from Karwig Wines

Overstone, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2011, 12% abv, €11.75 Karwig Wines

Made a mistake with this one. Took it from my cool place. It was cooler than I assumed and I served the wine at too cold a temperature. So I had to wait for a short while and then I was rewarded with a really good drink, which is what you expect from a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.

In the mouth, you get a great mix of flavours, the usual tropical fruits and gooseberries of the area. It is well balanced and has a zingy finish. It is good value too when compared with some of its local rivals. It is best with seafood and Asian Cuisine or indeed as an aperitif. Recommended.

Well worth noting that “slightly chilled” advice!! Most of the vineyard is planted on old alluvial gravels, hence the name. More details here.

Vier Jahreszeiten, 2010 Dürkheimer Feuerberg Gewürztraminer Spätlese Trocken, Pfalz Germany, 13.5%, €14.95 Karwig Wines

Must say I really enjoyed this one with its light gold colour and its delightful aromatic bouquet. It is full of fruit and juicy yet with a dry kick in the finish. Recommended.

I also like the home page of the award winning Four Seasons vineyard, particularly this little verse by Shakespeare:

"Drink wine, and you will sleep well.
Sleep, and you will not sin.
Avoid sin, and you will be saved.
Ergo, drink wine and be saved."

The Pfalz, or Palatinate region of Germany, is home to Germany's oldest wine road. Die Pfalz is the warmest and driest of German wine regions. 45 white and 22 red grape varieties are found in the Palatinate, but Riesling and Müller-Thurgau dominate the white wines; Dornfelder, Portugieser, and Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir)t he red wines. Karwig also have an example of the Pinot Noir from this vineyard.