Aromas give the game away!

Aromas give the game away!

Del Duque Amontillado, Jerez (aged 30 years), 21.5%, €22.99 Bradley’s, North Main Street.

The minute she walked in the room, I lost all chance of keeping the precious 37.5cl bottle of Del Duque Amontillado for myself.

“What is that aroma?”, she asked, enthusiastically. “Toastie? Caramel? So sharp. So clear. Where is is coming from?” I just had to offer her a glass. Knowing full well it wouldn't stop at that.

Now that this Gonzalez Byass bottle was out in the open - had been under a small coffee table - I could really appreciate its brilliant amber colour, even enjoy those marvellous aromas, fruit and floral notes there too and hints of cinnamon.

Little sips will do you, I advised. And took that advice myself. Thirty years on - the wine, that is, not us - the palate is dry and lively, aromas everywhere in those intense and complex flavours, such concentration and, of course, that marvellous finish. Don't go chilling this by the way - serve it at room temperature, with some mature Hegarty’s cheddar perhaps.

A Glass of Croft for the Cook!

Croft Triple Crown Ruby Port, c.€17.50 O’Donovan’s

Needed a glass of Port for a favourite liver recipe the other evening. But the cupboard was bare! A quick dash (maybe not that quick, I did have the dog in tow) to the local O'Donovan's Off Licence uncovered this one (and in fairness, quite a few more).

This full bodied very approachable ruby is quite fruity with a decent bit of spice.Three years in seasoned oak hasn't done it any harm at all. It did its sweet job with the liver and the glass for the cook, recommended by the O'Donovan's manager, went down very well indeed.

Ruby ports are also ideal with the cheese-board and this could hold its own with Crozier or Cashel Blue. Or maybe just have it on its own.

The company of Taylor, Fladgate and Yeatman is one of the most significant of all Port producers. They own a number of Port houses, including Taylor’s, Fonseca and Croft. Ruby port is the cheapest and most extensively produced type of port. It does not generally improve with age.

Taste of the Week. Ballybrado’s Superior Spelt Muesli

Taste of the Week

Ballybrado’s Superior Spelt Muesli

Superior Spelt Muesli from Tipperary’s Ballybrado Farm is our Taste of the Week, a terrific balance of tastes and flavours and organic to boot. Look at the ingredients: Raisins, Spelt flakes, Green raisins, Raspberries, puffed spelt, almonds, sunflower seeds, golden linseeds, oat flakes, spelt crunchy, roasted hazelnuts, all enough to get your day off to a cracking start.  

I got my pack at Roughty Foods in the English Market. Ballybrado, in County Tipperary, do a range of products including cereals, flours, baking mixes and breads.

Not Your Usual Food Conference. A 1st for Ireland

Darina Allen opens food conference, a 1st for Ireland

Weston A. Price Foundation International

 Food Conference for Limerick 

Darina Allen

February 7th and 8th 2015 at Thomond Park in Limerick will see the first Food Conference of its kind take place on our island. Named the Wise Traditions Ireland Conference the focus is on Food, Farming and the Healing Arts and will no doubt appeal to foodies and non foodies alike.

The Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism based on the solid research of nutrition pioneer Dr Weston Price.  It supports a number of movements that contribute to this objective including accurate nutrition instruction, organic and biodynamic farming, pasture-feeding of livestock, community-supported farms, honest and informative labeling, prepared parenting and nurturing therapies. 

Founded in 1999 by Sally Fallon Morell, the Foundation has grown and expanded in its membership and activities exponentially.  In an era when populations are struggling with ill health, both physical and mental, digestive problems, allergies etc it is timely that this event comes to Ireland and gives an opportunity for us to see how it is possible to regain health and reverse many chronic health conditions using the wisdom of our ancestors. 

For an eye opening and mind-expanding two-day event that will challenge all your beliefs about nutrition, don’t miss this one of a kind conference where you get to hear expert speakers, meet nutritionists, parents and people who care about their and their family’s health, and eat some delicious food too!

Key speakers: Darina Allen - Ballymaloe Cookery School and Champion of local food.

Sally Fallon Morell - USA, author of Nourishing Traditions, the cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition and the diet dictocrats. 

Dr. Natasha Campbell McBride MD PHD, She is well known for developing a concept of GAPS (Gut And Psychology Syndrome), which she described in her book  Gut and Psychology Syndrome   - Natural Treatment for Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Depression and Schizophrenia, 

Joe Fitzmaurice - Award winning bakery and bread school Riotrye, Cloughjordan Eco Village 

David Wetzel - founder of Green Pastures (fermented Cod Liver Oil) 

Elizabeth Ryan - Founder of Raw Milk Ireland Campaign 

Tickets for the event cost €70 for one day and €117 for the full two-day event and a delicious lunch based on WAPF and GAPS principles created from locally sourced produce is included in the price.

Further information and tickets available on www.wapfmunster.com or wapfconferenceireland@gmail.com 

a press release

Amarone and Ripasso. Not Quite Brothers. But Related.

Amarone and Ripasso

Not Quite Brothers. But Related.

Amarone is a rich Italian dry red wine, from the Valpolicella zone centred around Verona in the Veneto region. It is much sought after and made from partially dried grapes.  Grapes are allowed to dry, traditionally on straw mats but much Amarone is nowadays produced in special drying chambers. The practice is known as appassimento.

Ripasso is a less expensive red wine, made by fermenting young wine with the unpressed but drained skins and lees left over from making Amarone and this process can give given the Ripasso a “super-charge”. This is known as ripasso (re-passed).

With so much “interference” going on in the winery, there are bound to be different styles across the area. If you’d like to try and compare the two examples below, you’ll find them in SuperValu, both with the Specially Sourced stamp.

Supra Sasson Amarone della Valpolicella 2009 (Italy), 15%, €25.00 SuperValu.

I’ve seen this described as “half-resembling Port” but I think that may be going a bit too far. Still, it is an excellent easy drinking wine and Very Highly Recommended. Colour is an intense red, close to purple. Aromas too are rather intense, mainly of red fruit. On the palate, it flows across impressively, a full bodied warming wine with no shortage of fruit, concentrated and very pleasant indeed and with little hint of that 15% abv.

Sartori Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore 2012 (Italy), 13.5%, €12.00 (reduced from 19.99) SuperValu.

The Ripasso is not as darkly coloured but its aromas are also very inviting indeed. Another warming wine on the palate with excellent flavours and spices, a very well structured wine with a much lower abv. Might be a “baby” Amarone but quite a big rich one and also Very Highly Recommended.

French Focus
The focus in SuperValu turns to French wines from the 12th of next month when they display a handpicked selection of "stellar wines". The list covers many areas of the country, from the Loire to Bordeaux, and already I have earmarked a Chablis Premier Cru (€20) and a Vacqueyras Domaine St Roch (12) as two to sample.


And not just from the big name areas. There are interesting wines too from St Chinian, Corbieres and Minervois. And, if you're in the mood to try a new variety, they have a hand-harvested Carignan (10.00) and a young Mourvedre (9.00) and also a Bourboulenc (10.00). Looking forward to trying some of those!

Crawford Gallery Café. Bright Palette in City Centre.

Crawford Gallery Café

Bright Palette in City Centre

Cured Bream

A touch of Spring about the scene in the Crawford Gallery Café when I called there last Thursday. Light streaming through the high windows, daffodils on the tables, smiles on the welcoming faces. And a tempting menu to study.

The January menu is outstanding actually, regular favourites such as Steak and Chips but also quite a few different items such as the Roast Marrow Bone.

Turnip and Bacon

CL picked the Turnip and Bacon Soup (5.50) as her starter. Not everyday you see that combination but the local produce was excellent and, well cooked, proved a lovely warm starter on a cold day.

Mine was the Cured Sea Bream with Pomegranate Juice and Cumin (7.00), the inspiration for this from a little further east than the turnip and bacon! Looked like a work of art (had to squeeze that in, since the cafe is on the heart of the Gallery). Tasted rather well too, terrific flavors and textures, the rich fish enhanced by the juice and taking a wee lift from the cumin. Delightful. Very highly recommended. And do watch out for other dishes of this style here in the future.

Salmon

The Salmon dish had attracted CL from the minute she saw it on the list: Salmon in a tomato, roast red pepper, herby broth, with garlic sauce and sourdough crouton (14.95). And she was delighted with it, loved the combination and thrilled with the light broth. No cream here to fill you up and so you go on to clean the plate.

Much the same could be said for me, except that mine was served on a timber platter. I love my aubergine, perhaps my favourite of the non-traditional vegetables, and I’ve had some great dishes with it featuring.

A right royal toastie!

And this, even though it was just a humble “toastie”, was another excellent one. Aubergine, roasted red pepper, Gruyere toasted sourdough, with sundried tomato pesto, cucumber pickle and a little salad (10.95). Toastie or not, I dined like a king, for this was a royal standard sandwich. Just goes to show when the ingredients are good and matched by the kitchen, the customer is a winner.

And the customer is certainly a winner here. And quite a few know it, as the room was packed last Thursday!

Comeragh Mountain Lamb Cook-Off

Déise versus The Rebels. The Comeragh Mountain Lamb Cook-Off Event postponed until September !!!

Comeragh Mountain Lamb are to host invited representatives of Cork's restaurants in an evening of superb food, fine Irish craft beers and excellent traditional Irish music, in the latest episode of the fierce yet friendly rivalry between neighbouring Munster counties, Waterford and Cork, with two of Ireland’s top chefs, Michael Quinn and Graham Neville, clashing in a cook-off featuring exquisite Comeragh Mountain Lamb, from West Waterford. Battle of the Brewers sees Dungarvan Brewing Company up against Eight Degrees Brewing Company, from Mitchelstown. Musicians  from West Waterford will take up instruments in a traditional music  duel with Leeside’s finest while you sip fine Irish craft beer and nibble on Comeragh Mountain Lamb canapés created by the two star chefs. Representing the Déise is multi-award winning Michael Quinn, formerly head chef at Waterford Castle.  Donning the Cork jersey will be Graham Neville, Restaurant 41, Dublin, currently Food & Wine Magazine Irish Chef of the Year. When: Thursday, 5th February, 6.30pm. Where:  Cork’s Boardwalk Bar and Grill,  on the Lapp’s Quay waterfront  in the heart of Cork city. Hosted by: Irish Examiner food-writer, Joe McNamee.  Press release

Amuse Bouche

Then I found the log I’d been looking for, and sat, and slowly ate the chicken. It was like chewing leather. The ..sinew wouldn't break down, and its toughness made it almost indigestible, my chewing turning the meat into a rubber ball. Queasy over a meal he called a “mess of bouillabaisse”, Henry James said that it was “a formidable dish, demanding French digestion”. Maybe I needed that. I was defeated by the food… and I mocked myself with a pompous phrase I'd heard a foodie use on a TV show: “I regret to say this dish is not fully achieved.” But it was something in my stomach, and that was a victory in this hungry province.

from The Last Train to Zona Verde by Paul Theroux.

Looking Good for Early Birds

Looking Good for Early Birds

Jacob's on the Mall do a 3 course Early Bird for €20.00

Time was, and, in some places it still is, that you got chicken, salmon, and just maybe a mundane vegetarian option on the nation's Early Bird menus. I've been looking at a few, only a few mind you, and things have certainly got better. Just one or two choices from each restaurant appears below. To see the full list, click on the restaurant name. 

Understandably, the number of choices may be limited but that doesn't mean that quality should be cut. No point in restaurants letting standards down. Better to have fewer choices at a high standard. After all, Early Bird or not, the kitchen's reputation is at stake.

Early Birds come in various guises, sometimes called Prix Fixe or Pre-Theatre. In some cases, they're available all night, especially earlier in the week. So do check the details online before you go and find a budget, a place, a time and, above all, a menu that will suit your palate.

Fish and chips on Early Bird at Jacobs on the Mall

Isaac's
Mild madras Lamb curry with basmati rice & side dishes
Duck confit with chive champ & caramelised onions

Star Anise 
Duck Confit, Sweet potato wedges, butterbean puree and thyme jus
Home-Made Gnocchi, Roasted Med. veg, sundried tomato pesto, rocket and pine-nuts

Fenn's Quay
O’Mahony’s Collar of Bacon with Cabbage, Spiced Walnuts & Parsnip Purée
O’Mahony’s Feather Blade of Beef with Ballyhoura Mountain Mushroom Duxelle with Celeriac Puree & Vegetable Crisps

Amicus

Quite a number of main course choices here including this tempting
Slow Cooked Pork Belly, Apple & Port Jus, Vegetables & Chive Mash

Cafe Serendipity
Beef or Chicken Rogan Josh – with Basmati Rice and Naan Bread
Smoked Chicken Risotto – House Smoked Chicken, walnuts, spinach, sundried tomato, Asparagus, Parmasen crisp

Club Brasserie

Confit of duck, with creamy flageolet beans, rustic potatoes, green beans and a red wine sauce. Red Thai Chicken Curry, with Coconut milk, spices, coriander, red peppers and cream with basmati rise and poppadum crisps. Electric Chicken, Chorizo & Bean Stew, sourdough bread Oven Baked Hake, colcannon, bok choi, lemon & caper cream sauce

Jacques
Free Range Pork Chop, Mustard and Parmesan Crust, Red Cabbage and Granny Smith
Vegetable Moussaka, Aubergines, Knockalara Cheese, Lentils and Roast Red Onion

La Dolce Vita
Big choice of pasta and pizza dishes

Market Lane
Slow cooked West Cork ham hock with leek and potato gratin, curly kale, and Dijon and parsley sauce
Baked aubergine with spiced beans, lentils, roast tomatoes, fennel, saffron yoghurt, pine nuts and roast sweet potatoes

Oysters
Smoked Cod – Saffron Risotto, Asparagus, Carrot, Grape, Mandrain Dressing
Beef Cheeks - Potato Gnocchi, Beligham Blue Cheese, Black Pudding, Pickled Elderberries

Dessert at Jacobs

Lunch Deals
(just a few)

Cafe Gusto
Cornstore
Aroi
Fenn's Quay
L'Atitude 51

If you have an Early Bird or Lunch Deal, you can let me know via the Comment Facility below or email cork dot billy at gmail dot com

Taste of the Week. Glenisk Greek Style Yogurts

Taste of the Week

Glenisk’s Greek Style Yogurts

Have been enjoying my breakfasts these mornings, mixing a little granola with the gorgeous Greek Style Yoghurts from Glenisk, the Taste of the Week. These creamy tubfuls come in a range of mouth watering flavours and contain beneficial probiotic cultures to promote healthy digestion. And, even better, they are natural organic yogurts. Flavours include Strawberry, Blueberry, Rhubarb, Apple, Gooseberry, and the limited edition Raspberry and Lemon Curd.  Lots of choice then and, if you are stuck for time, they even do tubs of Natural Yoghurt with the granola included. No excuse! Favourites here were the Blueberry and Strawberry but I'm sure you’ll have your own!

Meeting the Wicklow Wolf Pack. Classy Ales and Porter

Meeting the Wicklow Wolf Pack

Classy Ales and Porter

The Wicklow Wolf is a new brewery based in the county where Ireland’s last wolf reputedly roamed, in ever decreasing circles chasing his tail. Now they're chasing his ale.

Wicklow Wolf American Amber Ale, 4.8%, Bradley’s, North Main St., Cork

The colour tells you this is an Amber ale. The label tells you it is made with water, malted barley, hops, yeast, and love! Your palate tells you it is very good: sweet caramel and tropical fruit tones, balanced by a tang of citrus hops. Mellow magic, made the Wicklow way.

Wicklow Wolf India Pale Ale, 6.3%, Bradley’s, North Main St., Cork

The wolf goes wild here, punching above his weight with a “powerful blend of Cascade and Simcoe hops, grapefruit, citrus, pine and passionfruit.” Above the normal ABV too but the overall result is a knockout win for the lovers of the hop.

Wicklow Wolf Black Perle Porter, 4.8%, Bradley’s, North Main St., Cork

This is the Wolf’s dark side, his Porter, richer than many stouts and just as tasty, full of “dark caramel, chocolate, coffee and toasted malt”. The Wolf has his way with the classic English porter here, melding the German Perle hop into the richness and yielding an intense complexity, character enough “to satisfy any dark beer drinker”. Glad to confirm the brewer’s claims! Now, let’s see him make a stout!

* The brewery also do two other beers, a Brown Cream Ale and a Fresh Hopped Blonde Ale. Keep up to date at their Facebook page.

Amuse Bouche

The next morning, we sat across from each other at a table in Bickford’s, addled by physical proximity, bleary-eyed from lack of sleep, gulping orange juice and coffee and downing eggs and bacon and toast. Sex had made us ravenous. Black smudges underlined his eyes; secret glee was smeared on his mouth like jam. I wanted to lick it off.

from The Unwitting by Ellen Feldman

Well Worth Opening A Bocksbeutel or Two!

Well Worth Opening A Bocksbeutel or Two!

Racy Riesling. Sexy Silvaner.

First thing you notice with these two whites is the shape of the bottle; it looks a lot like a leather pouch or a cowboy’s water canteen. It is known locally in Franken as a bocksbeutel and is used in this German wine region (also known as Franconia in English) to hold their best wines. And quality is more seriously indicated by the VDP in the neck of the bottle. Würzburg is the area’s capital.

The Burgerspital is a charitable trust, founded in 1316,  and “every bottle that its wine estate sells helps promote the trust”, now taking care of some 750 senior citizens. Not too sure about the present but in 1598 the daily allowance was 1.22 litres! Now, I wonder would any of our craft breweries like to start something similar!

Burgerspital Würzburg, Silvaner trocken 2011, Franken (Germany), 13%, €17.70, Karwig Wines

Silvaner (sometime spelt Sylvaner) is grown primarily in Germany and is a component of Liebfraumilch. Don't worry, they handle it rather differently in Franken. This one has subtle but very pleasant aromas. Colour is a very pale gold and you’ll see more than a few stationary bubbles.

On the palate, it is round and spicy, smooth and well balanced with a fine acidity and this delicious wine also finishes well. Quite liked it and Very Highly Recommended. The makers suggest matching it with fish and white meat.

Burgerspital Würzburg, Riesling trocken 2011, Franken (Germany), 12%, €18.10, Karwig Wines

Racy is not a word I've seen associated with Riesling very often but racy and fruity are the two key words in the winery's shop description of this wine. There is nothing delicate here, indeed it is rather muscular for a Riesling, full bodied, with attractive fruit flavours, complex and long on the finish. Impressive.

It is well made for sure and a worthy occupant of the bocksbeutel, the legally protected distinctive bottle, “allegedly shaped like a ram’s testicles”, also a "goat's scrotum", both according to the Finest Wines of Germany (2012, Aurum Press). Maybe that’s where the racy came from. The bottle's neck, like the Silvaner, is stamped VDP. Very Highly Recommended.

Colour is pale gold with hints of green. Aromas are subtle, some floral and citrus traces (no petrol!) evident. They recommend pairing it with light dishes, salads and pasta. We matched it with monkfish (with tomatoes, crème fraîche  and Vermouth) and noodles and it worked out very well indeed.

Staying at MacNean House. At ease from start to finish.

Staying at MacNean House.

At ease from start to finish.

We got a lovely soft-voiced gentle welcome on arrival at MacNean House, the base of Neven Maguire, Ireland's best known chef. We were at ease immediately and that feeling continued right through our pre-Christmas stay.

The house, along with the restaurant and adjoining cooking school, is situated in the small border town of Blacklion, County Cavan, just across the road from the Garda station and the tourist office.

Blacklion is also just across the bridge from its Fermanagh neighbour Belcoo. There was snow on the hills as we walked between the two small towns, crossing the border on the way. Lights were coming on in Belcoo, welcoming visitors from the republic with an 80 pence for one euro offer.

Granola with honey

It was fairly cold so we didn't stay out and about for too long and were soon back in our comfortable well equipped room preparing for that evening's dinner, a fabulous meal indeed. But breakfast is also quite an event and it is also served in the main dining room.

There is a very impressive display on the serve-yourself table and then you can also choose from the two page menu. There is a tempting selection of juices. Not just any old juices. The apple juice, for instance, comes from Con Traas in Tipperary, his Karmine apples featured.

A big choice of granola and muesli and breads of course plus fruit salads and a selection of McGeough’s cold meats along with cheeses. I started with juice and a Honey Granola.

Ireland's most famous porridge!

Then our order was taken at the table, for starter and mains! My starter was, had to be really, the famous MacNean Porridge with honey, cream and a wee drop of Irish Mist! That meant I missed out on the Poached Apricots and also the Warm Prunes.

On then to a magnificent mains menu that included MacNean Traditional breakfast and the MacNean Special breakfast, fairly similar to one another but with the the Special containing a few extras including boxty.  Lots of choices too with the Scrambled Eggs, including plaice, smoked salmon and kippers. And they also had House-made Waffles.

Eggs Benedict

My pick though was the Eggs Benedict, served on a gorgeous toasted brioche, spinach, light butter sauce, with honey glazed ham (could also have had the eggs with smoked salmon). Hadn't finished dinner that long before but still managed to clean the plate. Eggs were perfectly executed and went well with the flavours and texture of the ham. That really set me up for the day at the cooking school!

Later, as part of our Cookery Course, we got a tour of the kitchen. A big pot of mulled wine was bubbling away and we also got a look at a very impressive, very large, stock pot. It was quiet enough about the two o'clock mark but would be much busier when the evening came and some fourteen chefs crowded in. Still, it all looks very well organised and that shows in the high standard of food that emerges. Chef Neven has some team there!

See also: Neven's Cookery School
Dinner from Neven's kitchen.

A big stock pot is shown on the right hand pic. In the other photo, the pastry chefs are hard at it,
while pots of mulled wine bubble on the left.