Taste of the Week. Treat from The Chocolate Shop

Taste of the Week

Treat from The Chocolate Shop

The Chocolate Shop in Cork’s English Market is a treasure trove, packed with good things. And good people there too in Rose and Niall who’ll help you get exactly what you’re looking for.

I was on the lookout for a Taste of the Week. In truth, I could have had closed my eyes, put out a hand and anything I touched would have fitted the bill. But I asked them to fill a little box with some delicious pieces, some by Wilkies Chocolate from Midleton and the others by Skelligs Chocolate from County Kerry. I had my Taste of the Week, on the double!

They opened in 2000. They know their stuff - were very impressive at a recent Chocolate/Whiskey matching event in the River Lee Hotel.  They are independent of any single manufacturer or franchise and therefore free to source only the best quality chocolate from the best artisan chocolatiers throughout the world.

You’ll also find related items, such as Nougat. And they also sell Hadji Bey’s Turkish Delight, a long standing favourite in these parts. Check them out and find your your own taste of the week!

The Chocolate Shop

English Market

Cork

021-4254448

Email : info@chocolate.ie

Longueville Cider And Apple Brandy At Electric

Longueville House Cider 

And Apple Brandy At Electric

Sangria, Cider, Apple Brandy

The dishes at Sunday evening’s supper in Electric South Mall had unusual pairings: the ciders and apple brandy from Longueville House, presented by Rupert Atkinson who surprised many with his declaration against ice in your cider!

“No ice! It waters down the flavours and kills the carbon. Enjoy this like a wine, in a wine glass.” So we sipped this naturally cloudy cider and we did enjoy it very much indeed with our starter: Butternut Squash Salad (with Roast Red Peppers, Crumbled Feta, and Spiced Peanuts).

There was a big welcome from Rupert as we arrived and he soon had us seated with a tall glass of Cider Sangria in our hands. Outside, summer hadn't quite broken through as forecast but inside we enjoyed this very refreshing drink.

As the mains were being served, the Longueville House man introduced us to their Cider Mór, aptly named as the ABV here is 8%. He explained that a little apple brandy has been added to this limited edition. Again no ice but you may serve it straight from the fridge. It should do well with the fish and chips and it did.

Harvest time at Longueville

Many of you will know that the Electric version of Fish and chips is an excellent example; the fish is not smothered in batter. Oh yes, they do use a batter and Sunday's was featherly light and the delicious fish was immediately apparent, not hard to find in a large pocket. The full description: Cider & Dill Battered Hake, Leek and Pea Purée, Chips and Tartare Sauce.

We would finish with a flourish. Hegarty’s Cheddar was paired with the Longueville House Apple Brandy. “This is made in Whitechurch and is one of Ireland's best cheeses”, said Rupert; it was served with apple, relish and crostini.

Like all the ciders, the brandy comes from apples grown in the orchards of Longueville. We enjoyed the 2009 vintage and it was quite a while in the making. Its story started with the 2006 apple crop. Three years later, the cider is doubled distilled and then the brandy spends a minimum of four years in French red wine casks.

“No mixer needed,” Rupert emphasised. “It is very smooth, no burning and good for digestion, best after a good meal. If it feels a little cool, just warm it in the palm of the hand.” So lots of good advice, good food and good drink all added up to a very enjoyable evening at Electric.

Click here to read all about my visit to Longueville House and its orchards last autumn.

Munster Wine & Dine On Tour. Cashel Blue & Ballinwillin House

May Day. May Day!

After a fantastic tour and tasting at The Golden Bean Coffee Roastery with Marc Kingston last month, we are delighted to announce the details of our summer day-trip to Cashel Blue and Ballinwillin House on Friday May 27^th. This promises to be another super day of great food and wine.

Tour and Tasting of Cashel Blue in Beechmount Co. Tipperary. 

When Louis & Jane Grubb set out to make Cashel Blue in the early 1980’s, their ambition was to create a farmhouse cheese that “truly represents the outstanding quality of Tipperary grass-fed milk.” Today, 31 years later, Cashel Blue is world famous and is still made by hand on the same 200 acre farm in Beechmount, Co. Tipperary, We are delighted that Sarah Furno, 2^ndgeneration of the Grubb Family, will give us a tour of the cheese-producing facility and a tasting of this much-loved cheese http://www.cashelblue.com

Dinner at Ballinwillin House in Mitchelstown Co.Cork. with hosts Patrick and Miriam Mulcahy. Ballinwillin House is an oasis for lovers of artisan food and wine. The house is set on 80 acres in the heart of the Golden Vale and here they raise deer, as well as rare-breed pigs and geese. They also own a vineyard in Hungary and have built at Ballinwillin a wonderful wine cellar where they host wine tastings of their own Chateau Mulcahy wines. On arrival, we will take a tour of the farm to see the deer (Ballinwillin is one of the prime producers of venison in the country), pigs, geese and the many other animals on the estate. After the tour we will retreat to the wine barn for a tasting of Chateau Mulcahy wines, produced on the Mulcahy Estate in Hungary, and which have received rave reviews. The tasting will be followed by a 4-course meal specially prepared for us by Miriam Mulcahy. We are delighted to have the opportunity to visit this hidden gem that sits right on our doorstep. 

Other surprise tasting stops may be included along the way, subject to timing. 

Last year’s trip was the highlight of the social calendar which included dinner in the Tannery in Dungarvan with stop-offs at Fermoy Natural Cheese Company, Barron’s Bakery in Cappoquin, Dungarvan Brewing Company and a gin tasting with Peter Mulryan of Blackwater Gin. This year’s trip promises to be another really memorable day out! 

Depart Cork City Hall at 12.00pm (Midday) by coach.

Return to Cork City Hall – approximately 9.30pm

Dress: casual (suitable footwear advised for the farm visit)

Price: €75pp for members includes bus, dinner, tastings & tours. Places are limited and will be on a first come first serve basis and limited to members for the first round. Spaces for non-members may be announced later and cost will be €85. 

Send an email to mwdcircle@gmail.com if you’d like to attend. RSVP by Friday May 20th. 

Cheques can be made payable to MWDC.

We hope you can join us on what promises to be a fantastic day out!

Sky’s The Limit At Sage

Sky’s The Limit At Sage

Rhubarb, buckwheat and buttermilk

Sage in Midleton is the home of the 12 Mile Menu, brought to your table by chef Kevin Aherne and his band of local suppliers (whose photos you may see on the restaurant walls).

I remember many years ago a senior cleric from West Cork admitting to jealousy as he drove through the rich fields of East Cork, full of thriving crops and “contented cattle”. And it is bang in the middle of those fields and farms that Kevin established his 12 mile menu.

Potato bread

“He was the first chef to come out to our farm to see how we were treating the animals,” one of the original suppliers told me a few years ago. He was impressed and so too was Kevin as that supplier is still on the short list.

Kevin's attention to detail saw him build up his supplier base. And he pushed them onwards and upwards from time to time. But he soon found that the pushing wasn't all one way. The suppliers too had their pride and keen to see how the chef was handling their precious produce.

Delicious Squid

Momentum built. Ideas in fermentation. In Marination. In cooking. And over the past few years, the menu, a tweet here, a refinement there, has taken off. And has local been a limiting factor? No, not at all. On the contrary. It has concentrated the minds of the farmers, the fishermen, the foragers and the chef of course! In the fields, on the ocean, at the shore and in the kitchen. Now, the sky’s the limit. Twelve miles high. Maybe that’s what Kevin had in mind from day one!

One of my treats growing up in East Cork came when everyone else was finishing dinner, during the time of the new potatoes. Then I’d take whatever two or three were left, mix in butter, a sprinkle of salt and a cup of whole milk. Poppy paradise! That was how I started the Swinging 60s!

Beets & Rhubarb

In Sage on Friday last, I was treated to the 12 Mile variation. The bread, and delicious bread it was, was Fermented potato and cultured Jersey milk bread served with Organic rape seed and fennel oil. The amuse bouche was a little delight: Apple jam, goat cheese, Sage biscuit, with beetroot dust.

The momentum of the 12 mile menu saw the kitchen at full stretch and so they pulled back a little, simplified things a bit. The pace is better now and gives the chefs a chance to get out and meet the customers and so it was Kevin himself who served us our starters, both magnificent.

Sirloin

The description for mine was deceptively simple: Squid, sea spaghetti, parsley. Never had squid like this before. It came two ways, one cooked slowly in that milk, the other crisply done. Each had a different shade but each a delight on its own but put some of each in your mouth and the delight was more than doubled. And the sea spaghetti. Well that came from foraging down on Inch beach, just a few miles away. Meanwhile, CL was singing the praises of her beets and rhubarb. The  beetroot  was done in three variations, including raw, and the rhubarb’s texture was almost like that of a toffee.

CL is an experienced Hake eater at this stage but her mains was rather special: Hake, Oyster Mushroom, Spinach and sea vegetable. Quantity and quality were spot on, the fish was just perfect with exceptional company including celeriac puree, those Ballyhoura mushrooms and the sea veg (again from Inch). Here there are no big heavy sauces. The fish is the main event in this case and is given its chance to shine.

Hake

Must admit my choice of mains was influenced more by the dripping chips than the Sirloin; also on the plate were bone marrow and wild onion. I wasn't disappointed on any count. Everything came together so well, enjoyed the meat, the chips, and the accompanying flavours of the marrow and the wild onion. A perfect combination. We also had a side dish of mashed potato. As with the first course, clean plates went back.

And the trend would continue with dessert - you order dessert here at the start. I picked: chocolate, honey, salt. Sounds a bare description but the staff do fill you in on all the details. The chocolate, by local bean to bar maker Shana Wilkie, came in three variations, her 75%, 50% and a spoon or two of crumbled, and a dash of honey. Great stuff! What a pleasure to dispatch.

Choc-oh-la-la

CL was tasting rhubarb for the second time: Rhubarb, buckwheat and buttermilk. A high class crumble really with a buttermilk ice-cream to crown it.  And another lovely finish.

By the way, we picked from the Early Evening Menu, a very reasonable thirty euro for three courses of immaculate quality (there was a 3 euro supplement for the sirloin). Next time, we’ll go for the A La Carte!

The counter

There is a great choice of drinks here, including an excellent wine list and indeed quite a selection of craft beers. I was on the beer. I’m told the American Amber by the Wicklow Brewing Company is very popular here and I could taste why! The wine was amazing, full of flavour and vivacity, a lovely Biohof Pratsch (2014) organic Gruner Veltliner. And speaking of drink… you must have a close look at the front of the bar. It is made with staves from casks of the local Midleton Distillery. That 12 mile philosophy!

And just to say too that the place, celebrating its 8th birthday, is lovely and becoming more so with an outdoor improvement due to finish next weekend. Will be great venue for the summer. And great staff outfront too, led by Kevin's wife Reidin. It just all seems to come together in a calm and friendly way - you can tell from the happy buzz!

Sage

The Courtyard

8 Main Street

Midleton

Co. Cork

00353 21 4639682

info@sagerestaurant.ie 

http://www.sagerestaurant.ie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SAGE-Restaurant-63970514966/timeline 

Twitter: @Sagemidleton 
51°54'56.9"N 8°10'25.8"W

Opening Hours:

Tue-Thu:	12:00 pm - 3:00 pm 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Fri-Sat:	12:00 pm - 3:00 pm 5:30 pm - 9:30 pm
Sun:	12:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Amuse Bouche

Édouard Manet boarded the new direct train from Paris to Madrid one summer’s evening in 1865. The uncomfortable journey took a day and a half. He stayed in the Grand Hotel de Paris, supposedly noted for its French cooking, though Manet found the food so inedible he sent every dish back….  ..the overwhelming reason for this hazardous pilgrimage, taken during an outbreak of cholera and without a single Spanish word, was to set eyes on the art of Velázquez.

From The Vanishing Man (in pursuit of Velázquez) by Laura Cumming (2016)

Mulcahy’s Kenmare. Superb Food On Main Street

Mulcahy’s Kenmare

Superb Food In New Main Street Venue

Halibut

Sit yourself down on one of those high-backed leather chairs and study the menu. You could be in a capital city but just outside is Main Street, Kenmare, Co. Kerry and you are in the new ultra comfortable Mulcahy’s Restaurant.

You've admired the new curved bar on the way on, maybe you’ve stopped for an aperitif. But now it is time to make your choices. And don't forget the specials. As you choose, some gorgeous breads are delivered to the table, along with a Green Olive Tapenade, good butter too of course.

Sausage of lobster and prawn

And before you get to the starters, there is an amuse bouche. This evening, we get a goats cheese and beetroot creation, a few little spoonfuls of deliciousness. I put that little spoon to more good use too, finishing off the tapenade that wouldn't fit on the bread!

For a starter this evening, from the specials board,  I could have picked the Braised Beef, white onion, puréed mushrooms, and bone marrow. I know one customer who did and his tweet was ecstatic! I picked a good one too: a Boudin of Lobster and Prawn. Quite a “sausage”, with a delicious sauce! Our other starter, also from the specials, was Scampi with Marie Rose sauce.

Pork Belly

The main courses were something else. Halibut is a gorgeous fish but here it is quite a treat, served with mussels, bacon and clam cream. My choice here was Pork Belly served with Salt Baked Celeriac, Chorizo and puffed crackling, another gem. The mains are accompanied by perfectly cooked vegetables: crunchy sugar snap peas, a smooth mashed carrot with cumin, and croquette potatoes.

Fairly full after that lot, even though the pace had been relaxed all through. Service was excellent as well, friendly, informative. They couldn't persuade us to take dessert though but I did enjoy a sweet finalé thanks to a wee glass of their Crasto LBV Port, elegant, sweet and spicy, a more than able substitute for the listed but unavailable Warres. So it was with a nice warm feeling that we left the new house of Mulcahy. Very Highly Recommended.

Mulcahy’s Bar & Restaurant,

Main Street, Kenmare,

County Kerry

064 6642383 or 087 2364449

Our Table Is Back With A BAM. Midsummer Festival unveils spectacular 2016 programme.

Cork Midsummer Festival unveils spectacular 2016 programme

Our Table Is Back With A BAM

 

Our Table - a 2015 Highlight

Cork Midsummer Festival launched its spectacular 2016 programme of events  last evening. The city will become the stage for more than 400 artists and 39 events across seven days in June. Festival goers will have a choice of 29 different unique and unusual venues at the Festival which runs from 17-19 June, 24-26 June and on Midsummer, June 21.

Over 50,000 people are expected to attend the diverse array of events. Performances and events will take place at some new and unexpected locations, such as the Bells of Shandon, Cork Boat Club and Elizabeth Fort. For full details and tickets visit www.corkmidsummer.com.

The 2016 programme includes 18 brand new works and is a fusion of opera, literature, theatre, dance, comedy, music and visual art. Family events, forums, talks and a wide choice of free events will also take place. Cork Midsummer Festival is proudly supported by the Arts Council, Cork City Council and Fáilte Ireland.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Cork Midsummer Festival Artistic Curator Kath Gorman said: “As Cork Midsummer Festival celebrates its 20th year; we are thrilled to once again collaborate with the city’s arts organisations to present such a dynamic programme, bursting with the work of so many excellent artists from all over the world. 

“During the Festival, the whole city is the stage with events taking place in many unique and unexpected locations – from forts and parks, to hairdressers and streets. The Festival will be a celebration of how the arts can continue to engage, entertain and inspire. It’s an opportunity for people to experience our wonderfully creative city in a different way.” 

In a nod to the 100th anniversary commemoration of the 1916 Rising, Corcadorca is to stage Sacrifice at Easter at Barrack Street’s Elizabeth Fort from June 17 to July 2. Utopia Ltd, an off-site collaborative theatre performance inspired by the biography of Rodger Casement, will run June 17-19at Cork Boat Club. Choreographer Ruairí Donovan will stage Soldiers, a walking performance inspired by the mobilisation of 1,000 volunteers by Tomás Mac Curtain for the Rising. 

Festival favourite Picnic in the Park will return to Fitzgerald Park on June 19. The popular and much-loved Our Table also makes a welcome return. Sponsored by BAM Ireland, Ballymaloe, Cully & Sully and Tiger Beer, the outdoor banquet for 400 food lovers, spanning the length of Oliver Plunkett Street, will see twelve of Cork’s finest restaurants joining forces on June 26.

Further highlights include the return of mesmorising songstress Camille O’Sullivan, who will perform for a special, one-night only show at The Everyman on June 25. The hilarious Penny Arcade will also appear at the venue, bringing her double award-winning Edinburgh show Longing Lasts Longer to Cork for its Irish premiere on June 24. 

The renowned Metta Theatre is to stage another first for Ireland; a 21^st century twist on Kipling's classic tale The Jungle Book, complete with street dance, circus and rap. It will run from June 17-19and June 21.

One of the most unique events this year is Be My Guest, with Shandon residents selecting pieces from the Art Council’s permanent collection to hang in their living rooms. Their homes will then be opened to the public for a weekend art trail. Writer Kevin Barry will also host Crosstown Drift on June 25, taking his audience on a trail of tales and tunes across Cork. 

Midsummer Executive Director, Lorraine Maye added: “We are hugely appreciative to all our sponsors, partners, patrons, friends, and colleagues who have supported this festival, and ensured that Midsummer remains one of the most exciting summertime arts events in the country. We are also extremely grateful for the continued support of our audiences. We look forward to welcoming audiences old and new to the Festival this year - Cork is the only place to be for Midsummer!”

For full details of all events and bookings visit www.corkmidsummer.com.

Facebook: CorkMidsummerFestival

Twitter: @CorkMidsummer

International Sauvignon Blanc Day. Three To Try Next Friday

International Sauvignon Blanc Day

Three To Try Next Friday

The beautiful Chenonceau chateau in the Loire area
(but on the Cher River, a tributary of the Loire)

Sauvignon Blanc, possibly now the world’s best known white grape variety, has its annual day in the spotlight this coming Friday when International Sauvignon Blanc Day will be celebrated. We have three examples, all highly recommended, for you to try.

The “secret” of Sauvignon Blanc, known to connoisseurs for decades as the grape used in Sancerre in the Loire, was blown apart by the winemakers of New Zealand, of Marlborough in particular, whose fresh and lively style caught the attention of the world and, unlike the French, the Kiwis used the grape variety on the front label. Suddenly, we all knew a grape variety!

“The Kiwis made it famous” says one of the three well-known personalities discussing the white grape on a short video on YouTube; check it out here. Not one of them has a bad word to say about it:

“Great wine for beginners”;

“World’s most honest wine”;

“Refreshing”;

“Goes extremely well with soft cheeses:;

“Safest white wine to order from a wine list”.

If you want know more about the grape, read Jancis Robinson and the experts at Wine-searcher.com .

We don't have any for you from New Zealand but they are easily found. We do have a Southern Hemisphere offering, with an Irish connection, and two from the Loire area. Neither of the two is from Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé but both are nonetheless very interesting and excellent wines.

Guy Allion Domaine Du Haut Perron Sauvignon 2014 (Touraine AC), 13%, €14.55 Le Caveau

Touraine is the catch-all AC along much of the Loire valley but under it you’ll find many excellent wines, including this one. If it had Sancerre on the label, you could add another tenner to the price. Great value for money here and well worth a try. Their viticultural methods are “resolutely organic and sustainable”.

Its light yellow colour is pure and bright. In the aromas you’ll find white fruit (apple, pear), herbaceous notes, even nettle. No shortage of flavours, including citrus, on the fresh palate, where it is supple and vibrant, a sharp mineral edge, all combining in a good finish. Highly Recommended.

They say it is a wine to drink as an aperitif, with asparagus, seafood, or fish with a slightly creamy sauce or White butter.

I say try it with a simple Goatsbridge Smoked Trout salad or with Pan-fried Chicken Breast from the Chicken Inn cooked with apple and white wine (this one!).

Elgin Ridge 272 Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (South Africa), 14%, €21.95 Bradley’s. (see also Le Caveau)

There is an Irish connection here. Cavan woman Marion Smith (Ballyjamesduff) is co-owner with husband Brian and the vineyard is certified organic. They are also the owners of the largest herd of Dexter cattle (a native Irish breed) in the area. You’ll also see Dorper sheep, Peking duck and chicken all keeping the vineyard in check.

The name comes from the fact that the vineyard is 282 metres above sea-level, “the ideal height to create cool-climate Sauvignon Blanc in the Elgin Valley”.

Colour is light gold, with a great clarity, and white fruits are to the fore in the aromas. On the palate, you get those white fruit flavours, citrus taking the lead now, lively acidity, a mineral edge there too and a good finish. A lovely refreshing wine, great with food, and Highly Recommended.

Frantz Saumon Montlouis-Sur-Loire Sauvignon 2014 (Vin de France), 11.5%, €17.95 Bradley’s (see also le Caveau)

This natural wine is made from manually harvested organic grapes and not your usual Sauvignon Blanc, even that little bit different to others from the Loire in both aroma and palate. You’ll notice it at first sniff: it is not overly aromatic at all, though you may find citrus and pineapple. It is also low in alcohol. Only indigenous yeasts are used and the use of sulphur is very restricted.

Colour is an inviting light gold, really bright, with microbubbles on the glass. It is pleasant and tingly on the palate, with notes of gooseberry and grapefruit, excellent acidity, all followed by a good finish.

Producers recommend trying this delicious wine with “simply prepared fish dishes”. It is well worth a try and Highly Recommended. And don't worry, it is not that far away from your normal Sauvignon Blanc!