Clonakilty Chocolate. From Ghana to Clon.

Clonakilty Chocolate. 
From Ghana to Clon.

Allison (centre) in Ghana with farmers

Allison Roberts of Clonakilty Chocolate held a very enjoyable and informative chocolate and tapas evening in Molly’s Bar last week. She is treasurer of the town’s Fairtrade Group and has been active in that role too as Clonakilty recently highlighted its commitment to the Fairtrade idea. Read all about it here.   

Clonakilty Chocolate import their beans from Ghana and owner Allison, who has visited her suppliers there, started the evening by explaining where the chocolate beans come from and the importance of the fairtrade idea. She explained about the hard work in producing the crop, the cacao pods, the hand-harvesting. 

By going through the Fairtrade route, and Clonakilty town is the leader here, the profit-taking middleman is eliminated and the producers get a fair price for their hard-won produce. Read here to see how the interaction between Clonakilty and Ghana plays out.

The new bars

Once the chocolate beans are in Clon, Allison has some hard work to do herself and she took us through the technical aspects of producing chocolate and the different types. The hard work though is well worth it: Cacao is an amazing product…highest concentration of antioxidants in any food..gets our blood flowing better…make us feel happy……a life giving treat..it is a powerful aphrodisiac..a gift of love… food of the gods…”

Everybody in Molly's seemed happy enough and with women making up about 90 per cent of the audience, there must have been some surprised stay-at-home husbands in Clonakilty beds last Thursday night when the wives came back!

The evening began with a welcome Prosecco and some shards of 65% Chocolate with Puffed Brown Rice. Some we were into the Savoury Spread:

Bluebell Falls Goats Cheese with 75% chocolate, honey, garlic and thyme;

Roasted fennel Dip with ground Cacao nibs;

Aubergine Caponata with 100% chocolate;

Spicy Mixed Bean Mole with 100% grated chocolate;

Puy lentil Toasted Tomato Salad with Raspberry Chocolate vinagrette.

They had some suggested drinks and I was happy to go with the Mountain Man Hairy Goat beer. The Aubergine was perhaps my favourite from the list, though the goats cheese and Rosemary Tartlet were pretty close to the top as well.

 Goodies at the tasting and, bottom right,
a conche to grind beans "into Fairtrade silky velvet".
Top right is my favourite, the Aubergine caponata.

Then a break for music before heading into the Sweet Selection:

Dark Chocolate Beamish Cake with mascarpone icing;

Chilli espresso cake with 75% dark chocolate with coconut sugar;

Beetroot Chocolate Brownie with fennel seed glaze;

Orange truffle cake;

Black-eyed bean dark chocolate loaf;

Hazelnut rum raisin and Honey sage truffles.

I think we were all feeling happy at this stage!

Hard to get the Irish away from their milk chocolate but one of Allison’s new products could well do that. She also loves goats and her new chocolate with Coconut Sugar and Goats Milk went down a treat at Molly’s. It is really excellent and she herself is also very happy with it. 

So look out for that Milky Milk and also for other new products including Seriously  Minted, Decadent Dark, Chai Chilli, and Wild West Salty with a pinch of Irish Salt & Seaweed.

Allison, who works out of her own home (the back has been converted into a chocolate factory), had help on the evening from Kate of flavour.ie. who handed out her recipes for the Rosemary Tartlet and also the Beetroot and chocolate brownies. Home-cook Kate already runs supper clubs and you’ll see details and lots of recipes on her blog flavour.ie. Soon too she’ll be running Food Tours in and around Clonakilty for visitors.

From Chennai to Cork. The Superb Annam Supper Club

From Chennai to Cork

The Superb Annam Supper Club

Mango Tango!

Isn't great to eat out with a group of friends? But how about eating out with a group of strangers? No problem. Especially if the strangers share your love of food and soon they are not strangers at all.

There were nine of us "strangers" at the Annam Supper Club in Douglas the other evening and it turned out be a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience. The Indian food was cooked and served by Banu and Ruth who run the supper club and its associated Cookery School.

We introduced ourselves and the ice was soon broken — the gorgeous Mango Tango cocktail (mango with vodka and more!) was undoubtedly a help — and soon we were telling about food experiences, all the while nibbling from the bowls of Turmeric popcorn.

Starter

It is also a BYOB club, so we were soon indulging in our favourites tipples, mainly beers and wines. I had stopped at the Cotton Ball on the way and picked up a few bottles of their own Indian Summer and, though the Indian in the title had little to do with the country, the beer paired quite well with the various dishes.

Starter was a delicious delight. It was Vadai Thengai Chutney and that translates into Deep Fried lentil dumplings served with a coconut chutney. We slathered on the chutney, under advice from Banu, and used our fingers to speed the dispatch of the tasty dumplings.

On then to a very impressive main course indeed, quite a few elements here. The main part was Chicken Biryani with three supporting dishes in Yennai Kathirikkai, Salna and Vengalya pachadi. Many of you will have come across Biryani, basically rice cooked with spices and meat.

Biryani and friends!

There are many different kinds of Biryani and you may read about the main ones here. This particular version though is Banu’s signature dish.

The Yennai Kathirikkai is Aubergines in a spicy tangy sauce, Salna ( a traditional accompaniment to Biriyani; ours was a light curry sauce with some lamb pieces) and Vengalya pachadi (a cooling onion raita). The trick here is not to eat any element in isolation. Mix and match the textures, the flavours, the heat and the coolness. Superb!

The dessert was another delight, served in a small earthenware pot. It was named Badam Kheer, an almond saffron milk pudding. Loved every little bit of it. Then we slowly sipped the rest of drinks and finished the various conversations before saying goodbye to these friendly strangers!

The club is run by Banu and Ruth and the cooking veers "towards South Indian most of the time with inspiration from Chennai a good deal". Why? Because Banu is from Chennai and she can best cook and teach the food she knows best.

And Banu is not the only one with a high regard for her area.  Food in Chennai is very popular and rather unique. The city regularly features in top ten food lists by major publishers such as Lonely Planet, National Geographic and the BBC’s travel section. More details on the city and its food here.

Ruth and Ban are busy girls. Their next event, a mix of movies and food, is coming up this Friday at the Beggarman and you can see the details here . Their next Supper Club is on Friday April 17th. You’ll get all the details, plus info on cookery courses, on their Facebook page.

Farm Restaurant, Clonakilty. Well Worth A Visit.

Farm Restaurant, Clonakilty.

Well Worth A Visit.

Clonakilty’s Farm Restaurant has made a big impression in less than six months. Produce from the local seas and farms features strongly on the menu in the Ashe Street venue, right in the middle of the town. Comfortable seating and friendly service, along with top class cooking, makes for an excellent dining experience.

We were in last week and, with a chocolate tasting coming up immediately afterwards, decided to go for two courses of their early bird menu. While reading the menus, we got a cone full of pop-corn and a basket full of gorgeous breads (including a particularly delicious one with onions and Dubliner in the mix - what a tasty crust this had).

Delighted to see so many local names listed, including Clonakilty, Staunton’s, Dan Moloney, Caherbeg, Skeaghanore, Toons Bridge, along with craft beer by Dungarvan and cider from Stonewell.

The Clonakilty Black Pudding featured on my starter, served with Crispy Pancetta salad with celeriac, Pear and Apple Coleslaw. Delighted with that opener, excellent flavours and textures, and CL was more than pleased with her Crisp vegetable and chicken confit spring roll with Szechuan Dipping sauce, another tasty combination.

 It just got better after that. My mains was the Pan-roasted free-range chicken wrapped in Clonakilty Bacon and stuffed with Caherbeg Sausage meat. There was an explosion of flavours here, including a great sauce, and the sausage meat added a bit of herby spice.

The other mains was Skeaghanore confit duck leg with marmalade sauté potatoes and that had CL purring. Another empty plate. Oh, by the way, the included sides of creamy mashed potato and vegetables were also cooked to perfection and very much appreciated as well.

Must call back some day when we have no other eating commitments and get stuck into the A La Carte! 

Amuse Bouche

A-  A happy group of us drank our Patrick’s Pot in Fr Seamus Hennebry’s, the parish priest’s house. We had fresh cod’s head, salted marinated ling, smoked salmon, and fresh trout, with green cabbage and fragrant cheese with our meal. We had white wine, port, whiskey and punch in plenty….

B- We have ‘cobbledy’ for dinner today. It is not right to call it cál ceannann (white topped kale) for there is neither kale nor white cabbage in it, but white potatoes, fresh milk, good salted butter, salt as well, and pepper and onions warming it up. Myself, my children and my poor dear wife are gobbling it up - we have plenty of it, but not too much. 

 from The Diary of an Irish countryman 1827-1835 by Humphrey O’Sullivan. 

Cork International Airport Hotel. Enjoyable Meal At New Yorker

Cork International Airport Hotel

Enjoyable Meal At New Yorker 

Outside the mist-laden wind was blowing and the famous (notorious) Farmer’s Cross fog was making ghostly shapes in the car park lights. But inside at the New Yorker restaurant of the Cork International Airport Hotel, it was a different climate with warming fires and diners tucking in to some lovely food in a very comfortable room indeed. We revisited last Friday and absolutely enjoyed our dinner as we had on previous occasions.

We were soon seated - not too far from one of the fires - and studying the menu, quite an extensive one, based on local produce and geared for locals and travellers alike. We picked from the main menu though there is a very good set menu on offer as well.

They had three specials on the night and CL went with one of those, Smoked Salmon with avocado, for her starter, a superb choice as it turned out as this was a very successful pairing indeed.

And I too was off to flier with the Crispy Duck Spring Rolls, served with an Asian style salad with sweet chilli dipping sauce. This was a delightful combination, light with gorgeous contrasts of flavours and  textures. One to watch for in the future.

The starters had certainly brought the taste buds to attention and two excellent main courses maintained the standard. Moroccan Spiced Lamb Rump, served with Couscous, steamed broccoli, and a Lamb Jus was CL’s choice and soon she was singing its praises, delighted with all the parts.

Mine was the Pressed Slow Roasted Pork Belly and that came with Celeriac potato puree, rhubarb and ginger compote, glazed carrots and red wine jus. The pork had been pressed into a kind of roulade with a herby skim in between. Quite  serious eruptions of flavours here, excellent textures too. Perfect overall, another superb example from the repertoire of chef Hugh Bailey.

The mains had been accompanied by wine from their short list.  The Marques de Plata, Tempranillo/Syrah/ Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Valencia, nice and fruity, went well with the lamp while my Chianti Colli Senesi from Tuscany, aromatic and well balanced, did the job with the Pork Belly.

Service was friendly and excellent. There was a delay with our shared dessert - a Lemon Mousse Tart - but when we pointed it out (no complaint) it soon arrived to smiles all around and indeed we were pleasantly surprised to hear our server say there’d be no charge for it. Good PR for sure and much appreciated, as was the experience overall.

Your Weekend Whites. Trio with Brio!

Your Weekend Whites

Trio with Brio!

Georg Muller Stiftung, Edition PW Riesling trocken, Rheingau 2013, 13% €19.40 Karwig Wines

Colour is a very light gold and there are fruity aromas. On the palate you’ll find concentrated fresh fruit (nectarines, apricots), a slight tingly mouthfeel. Superb, this well balanced wine needs to be sipped and a sip will go a long way! Very Highly Recommended. 

This has the VDP eagle displayed on the neck, “a guarantee of pure wine pleasure”, not a bad start. The stiftung means a foundation and for many years the winery was a foundation for the benefit of the town of Eltville in the Hattenheim region. In 2003, it came back into private ownership. Peter Winter, a one-time boss and long-time friend of Joe Karwig, is the new owner and kept the existing name.

Hugel Gentil 2013, Alsace, 12.5%, €13.99 Bradley’s

This gorgeous wine, an “assemblage” of all the local grape varieties, is Hugel’s best seller, available throughout the world. The grapes are hand-picked and the blend is 15% Riesling, 19% Gewürztraminer, 2% Muscat, 24% Pinot Gris and 40% Sylvaner & Pinot Blanc. Closure by the way is also rather unusual as they us the DIAM method.

Not strong on colour, a light silver and traces of green, and there are attractive aromas (including fruit and floral elements). On the palate, is has a soft and supple feel, is full of flavour, dry and with a great finalé. The well balanced gem is “a delicious bargain” according to Hugh Johnson. Very Highly Recommended. 

Mas Peuch Picpoul de Pinet 2013 (Languedoc), 12.5%, €10.00 SuperValu

Light gold in colour, this aromatic wine, a refreshing mouthful, has white fruit and good acidity. Tart enough but no sign of the lip-stinging. Excellent as an aperitif and fine too with this evening’s sea-bream from Ballycotton Seafood in the English Market. 

Picpoul means lip-stinger in the local dialect and refers to the zestiness and almost salty tang. The grape is often blended to moderate the sting! I have come across some strongly acidic examples but there is nothing extreme in this one; it is moderate and is Highly Recommended.

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week

Hassett’s Coffee Mocha Mousse Cake

Hassett’s Bakery, already in Carrigaline, Crosshaven and Adelaide Street, have recently moved to the city centre and you’ll find them in the middle of the English Market, right across from the Chicken Inn.

Lots of good things in this little stall, including a big range of breads (sourdough, spelt, rye and more) and chocolate truffles and, of course, their famous pastries. Their small cakes are a huge temptation. Couldn’t resist this little Coffee Mocha Mousse number at the weekend and it is our Taste of the Week.

Top Posts for last 18 months.

Top Posts for last 18 months

Coqbull

Coqbull, with close to 5,000 hits, is the most popular post on this blog over the last 18 months. New restaurants always seem to draw attention and this is reflected in the list below. My own choices may be seen at No.13.

1 Cork's Coqbull On An Early Charge

2 Happy Gaggle of Wine Geese

3 Aroi. Asian Street Food in Cork City

4 Huguenot. New French Bistro

5 The Square Table - Great Addition to Blarney

6 The Sultan of Penrose Quay

7 Happy New Beer at Cotton Ball

8 Island of Asian Street Food at Phô

9 Electric. Easy to Book. Hard to leave.

10 The Chapel Steps Celebrates

11 Taste of the Week: Baklava

12 Dining in Style at Pier 26

13 Top Ten Dinners, Top Lunches

14 Top Wines 2014

Riedel A Winner At Ballymaloe. Can’t Beat A Proper Glass.

Riedel A Winner At Ballymaloe

Can’t Beat A Proper Glass.

We are in the Grainstore at Ballymaloe and sampling various wines in glasses made by Riedel, “the Rolls Royce of glassware”, according to our guide John Hinckley, UK based Business Manager with the company. He takes us on quite a drive!

Glassmakers since 1700, things looked grim for Walter Riedel and his family when he returned to Austria in 1955 after imprisonment in Russia. Their home and factories had been confiscated by the  Czechoslovakians.  But help was at hand. The Swarovski family, close friends of the Riedels, offered Walter and his son Claus Josef a new start in Kufstein, where they took over a glassworks and started producing mouth-blown products in 1956.

Later they started work on wine glasses and, in 1973, introduced the hand-made Sommelier range, the first varietal specific glassware. Other ranges have been added in the meantime - they even make one for Coca Cola and John had it with him in Ballymaloe. 

‘Look at the glasses,’ he said. They're so light, yet so well balanced they never rock." But the sceptics were wondering would one variety really do better in one glass than in another. The doubters soon had their answer in their own hands. It is a glass made especially for Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc. We had a classic New Zealand Sauvignon poured into this narrow glass with a tallish “chimney”. 

The Framingham 2014 was instantly recognisable, the freshness unreal and “its distinct fresh taste” helped massively by being in this glass, marked B on our card. Then we poured it into glass A, a big bowl of a thing, and that beautiful aroma had vanished, the fruit smells, so strong in B, were marked absent in A. B was built to emphasise the fruit.

But ugly duckling A  would soon have its day! “It may be the least elegant of our glasses but also possibly the most important glass in our repertoire." Soon it was loaded with a 1er Cru from Burgundy, Ladoix’s Les Grecians 2012.

John: “This is the finest example of its kind, the finest mouthfeel, unique, ripe grapes, a serious wine and needs to be treated accordingly. This is the perfect glass for it”. So we sniffed and sipped and were inclined to agree. Then we poured it into B and that made John’s point for him. You just wouldn't recognise it as the same wine! There was quite a rush to return it to A and soon the happy oohs and aahs were heard again.

Then it was the turn of glass C , specifically for Pinot Noir, the glass quite similar, but with a taller chimney than A. “This wine is not for watching TV,” said John, in between sniffs. “You need to concentrate on it with food.”  And glass C will help do just that, get the best from the wine. We poured it into A. Here the aromas were not great, the elegance had more or less vanished and there was an over emphasis on the acidity. So quickly back to C. 

Dinner at Ballymaloe, Beef Cheek on top!

I guess you could say John and Riedel were winning here and that trend continued with glass D and a gorgeous Chateau Milles Rozes (Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon) from the upper Medoc. A big wine, big flavours, rich, with tannins. John advised pouring just about 100 ml into the 800 ml glass, the better to appreciate the qualities of the wine. 

And then he brought out his decanters, well two of them. And we were now able to compare the wine poured from the bottle against the sample that had been decanted. In a straw poll, it was agreed that the decanted wine produced even better aromas and flavours.

So now, you have to go out and buy glasses and decanters! And it doesn't stop with still wine glasses. They also make glassware for sparkling wines and for many types of spirits but find it difficult to come up with one for spirits with mixers. And of course we all sampled the Coca Cola glass but not the Nespresso glasses. No, not a misprint. They make two glasses for the coffee.

You may read the whole story at Riedel and see the full range. Glasses are on sale locally at Ballymaloe and at Brown Thomas. And if you didn't make it to the Grainstore, there are a number of Riedel videos on You Tube.

Breakfast at Ballymaloe, with a very local buttery treat!

Amuse Bouche

The coffee machine hisses and sputters the final drops….

She opens the refrigerator door… She takes out the quart of skim and pours a splash into her mug. She grabs the plastic handle of the carafe and fills the mug with hot, viscous, bitter, bracing caffeination. She takes a small sip, then a larger one. She tops up the mug, and again wipes away tears.

from The Accident by Chris Pavone

IWFS Launch 2015 Programme at Jacques. Ardsallagh Cheese The Five Course Star

IWFS Launch 2015 Programme at Jacques

Ardsallagh Cheese The Five Course Star

Dessert, with Ardsallagh!

A totally unexpected gift from a travelling salesman started Jane Murphy’s long term love of goats and led to the beautiful Ardsallagh cheese that so many people know and love today.

Back in the late 70s, that insurance salesman in County Carlow wasn’t getting the best of receptions from Jane. During the conversation, he noticed, “couldn't help but notice”, that her children had ecxema and said that goals milk would be a help. Jane said thanks very much for the tip and sent him on his way.

An hour or so later, she sighed as he returned. This time with a gift. He lifted a goat out of the boot, presented her to Jane and carried on his way. She never saw that salesman again but the goat led to greater things, she recalled, as she introduced her current cheeses at the launch of the International Wine and Food Society Munster branch 2015 programme at Jacques restaurant in Cork on Wednesday evening.

With the help of a library book, Jane started rearing goats for their milk. Then she had too much milk and that led to cheese production. Then she had too much cheese and started giving it away. In the 90s they spotted a farm and a large goat herd for sale in East Cork and with the help of her “enthusiastic husband”, Ardsallagh was created.

This small family run business has grown steadily, and you can buy their products not only in local farmers markets, but also in national supermarket chains. Ardsallagh products can also be found on the menu of many well known restaurants across Ireland. The whole family contribute toward the smooth running of the farm and dairy. They use the ladle method, slowly and carefully, making a beautiful cheese that is easily digestible.

Oh, by the way, the eczema cleared up!

The Ardsallagh cheese was highlighted by Jacques with no less than five different plates of it presented, starting off with a Baby Gem Cup with Ardsallagh, apple, green onion, and Highball Orchard Syrup. Next up was a delightful Middle Eastern Beetroot, pureed with a little potato and yogurt and cumin and topped with Ardsallagh and Hazelnuts.

The dishes just got better. The guests were next impressed with Portobello Mushrooms stuffed with soft herbs, red onion, and Ardsallagh with Spicy Granola. No skimping by Jacques and soon we were tucking into the delicious Lamb Cutlet, tapenade, Salsa verde and Ardsallagh.

What would the innovative Jacques team come up with for dessert? Another delicious surprise: Medjool Date stuffed with Ardsallagh, Almonds and a full circle of Blood Orange. A beautiful sweet note to finish the evening.

It was a well attended encouraging launch for the local IWFS committee that consists of Colm McCann (chair), Eithne  Barry (vice chair), Beverley Mathews (secretary), Richard Scott (treasurer) and Billy Lyons (PRO). Next event is the Beer v Wine Smackdown at L’Atitude (Mar 19th), featuring Caroline Hennessy and Colm McCan.

Other events, dates to be confirmed, include A Day (and meal) at Lismore Castle, a visit to the Belvelly Smokehouse, a visit to the Leinster Branch, a summer road trip, a harvest visit to Longueville House, and an Italian Evening at the Farmgate Cafe. Don't forget to return your membership forms to Branch Secretary, Beverley Mathews, International Wine and Food Society, c/o L’Atitude 52, 1 Union Quay, Cork.

See also: IWFS 2015 Programme
Interested? Email iwfsmunster@gmail.com or complete this Contact form

Southern Spice Coming To A Food Near You. Rebel Chilli On The March

Southern Spice Coming To A Food Near You

Rebel Chilli On The March

Just enjoyed a great week on the food front. Just about everything I’ve had on the plate has been enhanced by a touch of Rebel Chilli. Started in 2009, Rebel Chilli was the brainchild of Ken Moore. Having lost his job during the "Great Recession", his passion for hot sauce spurred him to experiment with recipes at his local farmers market in Cork. 

To do is to dare is the motto of the Spurs football club and the Moores (Ken has been joined by younger brother Paul) did and dared and now Rebel Chilli is a household name in these parts. Speaking of dare, have your tried their Chillionaire, their hottest sauce? Mind how you pronounce it and also how you use it!

I’ve started at a milder level, with two samples, Red Sweet Chilli (left) and the Jalapeño and Raspberry jelly, and got on very well with both, even if I have a slight preference for the jelly. My first use of the jelly was with pork steak and I was delighted with the delicious and immediate enhancement and went on to use it with other meats.

The Jalapeno and Raspberry is certainly different and has a unique flavour thanks to the combination of the two main flavours. It has a sweetness which is balanced by the heat from the jalapeños. This pepper jelly is great with cooked meats like chicken, steak, burgers and lamb. It is wonderful with some cheese, especially melted brie! A bit of this in a sandwich is so good that you need to taste it to believe it.

The Red Sweet Chilli is also very versatile and was a success with most of my try-outs, including cheese. This has a medium heat with a lovely strong and fresh flavour from the lemongrass and ginger. It’s great over seafood, chicken, pastas and salads. It’s also great to add to sandwiches, wraps and to use as a marinade or a dip. Add a splash to a curry or stir fry for a burst of flavour. This sauce won Gold at Blas na hEireann last October so it’s quite popular.

I was speaking this week to the owner of one of the shops that sell Rebel Chilli products and was told that the Green Chilli is his favourite, especially with fish and chicken. You can check out all the products, with their new packaging, here.  The products are available from Bandon to Belfast, from Sligo to Dublin. Check out the full list of stockists .

It is not easy going for the Moores. Paul, for instance, is also in his final year at college. But he is looking ahead: “We are a growing food brand and are taking our first steps into the larger retailers like Supervalu at the moment which will allow us to grow even quicker. All the support we get from new and existing customers and people like yourself is very much needed and appreciated!”

Keep up to date with Rebel Chilli on their Facebook Page. 

.

Rebel Chilli, 

48 Halldene Grove,

Bishopstown

Cork, Ireland.

+ 353 (87) 2451925

hello@rebelchilli.com

Taste of the Week. Elderberry Syrup from Wild Irish Foragers

Taste of the Week

Elderberry Syrup from Wild Irish Foragers

Wild Irish Foragers are a farm based family business in Shinrone, Birr, Co Offaly, and frequently seen at food fairs and festivals; their products are also available in the English Market and the Village Greengrocer in Castlemartyr. They will have a stall at the big Shed for the 2015 Ballymaloe LitFest. There is a full list of stockists here.

I always enjoy products from the elderberry tree, even though I often get a headache if I handle the wood itself! So it was on the cards that I’d like this Elderberry Syrup. I sure did, particularly drizzled over the morning porridge. Very flavoursome and my Taste of the Week. The following paragraph is from their own Facebook page.

Elderberry Syrup (Silver Award Winner - Blas na hEireann 2013)

A powerful antioxidant, black elderberries have been used to traditionally combat illness since ancient times and have twice the natural antioxidant capacity of blueberries and almost twice that of cranberries. Rich in Vitamin C. Excellent for boosting the immune system & helps to lower cholesterol.A great preventative against flus etc For health benefits take one 5ml teaspoon per day (a months supply per bottle). Can be taken neat off the spoon or added as a topping to breakfast porridge/ natural yogurt etc or drizzle a teaspoon over a fruit salad.Can also be taken in warm water or added to a black or green tea to make a fruit tea

Also excellent mixed with still / sparkling water (dilute to taste) or as a mixer with white wine or spirits

Both Syrups are a great tonic for both children & adults alike

Check here for a  full list of the products from Wild Irish Foragers, including other syrups, Wild Shrubs (drinking vinegars), preserves, sauces and much more.