The Café At Stephen Pearce Pottery.

The Café At Stephen Pearce Pottery
At The End Of The Lane

I was sitting in the Cafe at Stephen Pearce Pottery when I heard them. I looked up at the sloping ceiling, up beyond the many paintings of fruits and vegetables, expecting to see a swallow or two. But, no. The bird sounds were coming from the room next door, from a couple of lovebirds.

There were other happy sounds from that quarter too, from children playing with a lump of clay on a worktop with a wall in front decorated with the prints of lots of little hands. So here the kids are engaged while mum and dad enjoy the food and drink next door.

And if the weather is fine, you will hear the birds and other little creatures as you sit and dine in one of the two quite attractive outdoor areas, each surrounded by wind-stopping trees and bushes.

But all these desirable extras aside, it is the food you come from. Chef Christine Crowley won't let you down, whether you've come for brunch or lunch or just a cup of the Golden Bean coffee and one of her delicious cakes. Actually, if you're going to confine yourself to just one cake, make it the absolutely delicious Carrot and Walnut. Then again…..

We were there for lunch recently, arriving just as they changed the boards. That gave us a chance to see the Brunch Menu and that too is very tempting. Lots of drinks here too, teas and coffees, waters and juices. And a short wine list that includes Cremant d’Alsace to add a little sparkle to your visit.

I had heard good mention of the Steak Sandwich (€10.00) so I picked that. It was one of the best of its type I’ve come across. The ingredients are simply stated: sourdough, steak, caramelised onions, garlic mayonnaise and dressed leaves. Simply delicious, as someone famous down Shanagarry way would say!

Virtually everything on your plate is local. The sourdough is by Pana, the steak from Frank Murphy Butchers. Other names on the list include fish smoker Bill Casey (a next door neighbour), The Village Green Grocer in Castlemartyr, Rosscarbery Recipes, Jack McCarthy Kanturk, Ardsallagh Goats Cheese, East Ferry Farm, Darren’s Eggs Ballymaloe, Wilkie’s Organic Hot Chocolate and Golden Bean Coffee.

CL’s pick was the Bruschetta with roasted red peppers, hummus, grilled gourgette, served with dressed leaves. This eye-catching palate-pleasing plateful cost just €8.50. Excellent eating, excellent value.

Then it was time for coffee and that Carrot and Walnut cake! If a whole flock of swallows had flown in at that moment, I wouldn’t have heard them, such was my concentration on that superb wedge of moist sweetness in the lovely café at the end of a Shanagarry boreen.

The Café at Stephen Pearce Pottery

Shanagarry

County Cork

Tel: 086 199 6934

Email: thecafeatspp@gmail.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecafeatstephenpearcepottery/timeline

Twitter: Twitter @TheCafe_SPP

Twisted Kinsale. You Send Me!

Twisted Kinsale. You Send Me!

Halibut and Lobster Risotto. Mains

When Sam Cooke released Twistin’ the night away back in the 60s day, the B side was You Send Me. The titles might well sum up Twisted in Kinsale. Cooke’s Twist was new and, in Kinsale, Spanish Head Chef Guillermo Carrión Garcia has put a new twist on the menu and, well, it sends me!

Don’t know what It sends me means? This is what the Urban Dictionary says: It describes a feeling of love so deep, it takes you to another world.

Twisted is a Tapas Bar and Restaurant in Kinsale, opened by Maushmi Arun and Christophe Moreau over 12 months ago. Started as Tapas and Wine but evolved into a full scale restaurant and the tapas are large, doubling as starters. I think one would be called ración in Spain.

Octopus starter

So let's start on the new summer menu in this long, narrow place, with its casual decor of sides of wine boxes on some wall surfaces and also its big black wall with the Specials chalked up and also the names of the international team.  

They have a tempting cocktail list. And a really classy wine list, much of it organic and available by the glass. If you're looking for white, Bodegas Menade Verdejo or Cuvee de Conti Semillon and Muscadelle from Bergerac are excellent. On the red side, I was delighted with the Massaya Classic Red (Lebanon) and the Volubilia rogue, a Moroccan blend from Domaine Zouina. But you’ve lots to pick from and hard to go wrong. The staff will help you choose.

Peppers stuffed with lamb; mains

You may stick with the Tapas here for the evening; there are usually three or four specials to vary the mix. You may also enjoy various boards to share, including meat and cheese. I might well go that route next time as they have top notch Iberico Belloto ham, and cheeses, such as Ossau Irraty (got lost up there once - blame it on the Sat-Nav!) from the Pyrenees and Gubbeen from West Cork. Indeed, you can have a board of cheese and meat.

Didn't get to all the starters but did try five! The Rabbit Leg in a Mediterranean sauce is gorgeous, the sauce especially so, and do try also the Prawn and Sea Spaghetti Spring Rolls that come with a chilli mayonnaise.

Turbot and purple potato

Fresh Calamari and Aioli Sauce with Organic Lettuce is simply delightful. The Baby Octopus with Gallego sauce on a bed of potato is both spectacular and delicious. And the Beef Cheek croquettes with Port sauce and sweet onion is amazing and very popular too.

On to the mains then. There was the Skeaghanore Duck Leg Confit that comes with Sarlat style wild garlic potatoes. Add in a fig sauce, a white peach froth, and an amazing apple and walnut salad and you have quite a treat on your plate!

Rabbit starter

 Just as well, everything can be shared here - they leave a few extra plates for that very purpose. Otherwise there’d be a fight when the Lobster and Halibut Miloja appears. The fish is in a puff pastry pocket and served with a squid ink risotto, pak choi, local samphire and roasted cherry tomatoes.

And the sharing goes on. The Wild Turbot comes with purple potato, bilbaina of chanterelles and more, quite a presentation! And our next joint venture involved the Piquillo Peppers (sweet taste, no heat). Here, they are stuffed with creamy minced Irish lamb, with a Vizcaina sauce, and served with couscous, zucchini pearls, cream of celery, sweet potato squares, baby carrots, baby leeks. Superb. No wonder it’s an in-house favourite!

Duck

 Boozy, decadent, velvety are words used to describe the desserts, mostly all together and all true! Love my sweet wine, so when I saw a glass of Jurancon with those Bordeaux treats, Canelé (bite-sized custard filled cakes), I just had to say oui. And my treat was matched on the other side of the table by Chocolate Truffles with Pietri Geraud Banyuls Rimage Mademoiselle O. Just had to be nice to Mademoiselle to get a taste of that sweet red!

And, after experience, there is yet one more dessert to recommend. Considering where the chef hails from, there was no way we could leave and not try the Santiago Almond Tart, mascarpone ice-cream and fresh mango. Magic!

Cheeks

And the Twisted service? Very friendly, very informative and helpful. You get a warm welcome and soon the water and menus are on your table and a mini-copy of the specials board as well. And they don't leave it at that. They’ll explain the specials and answer any other questions, help you with the wine as well. 

All in all, something new and refreshing in this gourmet corner of Ireland. Something very welcome and Very Highly Recommended.

Santiago Tart

Twisted
5 Main Street, Kinsale, County Cork
Tel: 086 810 0157
Hours: Daily - 6.00pm to 10.00pm
Email: twistedkinsale@gmail.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/twistedkinsale5mainstreet/?fref=nf
Twitter: @TwistedKinsale

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View from Bunnyconnellan

Amuse Bouche

..there, just outside the door, he preserved traditional delicacies - brisket, liver sausage and whale blubber, supplied by a local shopkeeper - in a small bucket of sour whey. Erlendur topped up the bucket on a regular basis. He often got into arguments about eating habits with Gardar, who was a big fan of American fast food. To Erlendur, all Gardar’s impassioned talk of pizzas and hamburgers was gibberish.

from Reykjavik Nights by Arnaldur Indridason

Samphire by Ballycotton Bay. Of Tropics and Turnips

Samphire by Ballycotton Bay

Of Tropics and Turnips

Tropics for two

Let’s start at the end. Because the end of the superb meal in Samphire, the new restaurant in Garryvoe Hotel, was rather spectacular.

That sweet ending was called Tropics for Two. We shared: Pineapple with white chocolate mousse, coconut, lime and coriander jelly, and passionfruit (16.00 for two). The flesh is removed and cut into in cubes which are then presented on skewers; the shell is then filled with the mousse and topped with the jelly. The coconut is the base for the little “biscuits” that are scattered around. What a delicious combination, meant to be shared!

Scallops

And what of the humble turnip? These rarely appear on Irish menus but the side dish, Confit New Season Turnip, was a delight and this commonly overlooked vegetable, herbed and oiled, emerged as a serious rival to the ubiquitous Butternut Squash. The side dishes are listed on the menu; you get one included with your mains and the others will cost you three euro each.

The food is not the only spectacular element at Samphire. There is a stunning view out over the bay. From my table, I could see the island by Ballycotton, the lighthouse and that path up to the lighthouse. It is also a very comfortable place with a lovely bar in the round taking up about a third of the floor.

Goats cheese

And at this bar, they mix some serious cocktails. One of ours was the Dirty Martini with Dingle gin as the main base. Gins too are featured, some local, some not local. Buy local is my motto and so I went for the Blackwater No. 5 and the tonic was Fever Tree (they haven’t got Poacher’s, yet). Enjoyed that!

You may start with something from their nibbles menu, perhaps Spicy Chorizo al Vino (3.50) or maybe Local Naked Oysters from the Bay at €1.50 each.

Chicken

There’s a good choice of starters too including my choice: Seared King Scallops, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Samphire, Wasabi and Courgette (9.50). Great flavors, textures, very happy with that. CL went for the local cheese, in a starter called All About the Goat: Ardsallagh Beignet, Thyme and Honey Mousse, Lime, Apple, Tomato and Ben’s Brioche, another delightful combination.

We got a lovely welcome at reception and in the restaurant and the service was nice and friendly with a check every now and then to make sure everything was alright. And it was, all through.

The Cod

The local input continued through the mains. CL picked a beauty: East Ferry Chicken char-grilled with gremolata, peperonata, chilli aioli, tender-stem broccoli (20.00), including a lovely side of cous cous. My turnip came with the Cod from the Pond, served with roasted cauliflower (mini-florets) and a Goan spiced cream (19.00). Both plates went back empty, not a scrap left on either, a vote of confidence!

And then it was time for that gorgeous finalé. Not local but we weren't to be denied a touch of the tropics on a rather coolish summer’s evening. Very Highly Recommended Dish in a Very Highly Recommended Restaurant.

Blackwater G&T and Dingle Gin Dirty Martini

Contact details below

Samphire at Garryvoe Hotel

Ballycotton Bay

County Cork

Open from 6.00pm Wed to Sun.

Phone: 021 4646728

Twitter: @Garryvoehotel

Website: http://www.garryvoehotel.com

Beaujolais Encore. Hail the classy crus.

Beaujolais Encore.

Hail the classy crus.

Beaujolais has a borderline continental climate, tempered by the presence of the Massif Central to the west and the Alps to the east. This provides a relatively warm growing season. See Wine-Searcher’s summary (weather and more) of the region here.

So they have ideal weather? Not bad, but it’s not plain sailing.  Every farmer keeps an eye on the sky, watching what is coming over them there hills. This May and June, it wasn't at all pleasant in Beaujolais. In the north of the area, where the crus are situated, the hail came with a vengeance and, according to Decanter, Beaujolais authorities reported some plots in the appellations of Chiroubles and Fleurie were completely destroyed. More on the hail here.

Not easy for the farmers. But they are a resilient lot. I remember, just a few years, visiting a vineyard in Vouvray (Loire) just days after such a devastating hailstorm. The farmer shrugged his shoulders and said that’s nature.

The crus, and we have two below, produce the flagship wines and there are ten of them: Chiroubles, Saint Amour, Fleurie, Régnié, Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Juliénas, Chénas, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent.

Read all about the May Beaujolais Masterclass in Cork here.
See yesterday's post - three different Beaujolais featured

Domaine de la Plaigne Beaujolais Villages 2013, 12.5%, €16.25 Le Caveau

Ruby is the colour here and there are aromas of red berries (strawberries, raspberries). On the palate those berry flavours are all in silky harmony. It is juicy too, light and delicious, with typical acidity and Highly Recommended.

It is one hundred per cent Gamay, hand-harvested and - the unromantic bit! - aged in concrete vats. The winemakers recommend pairing it with Delicatessen meats, fish terrine, grilled entrecote steak, poultry, Italian dishes, “ideal for all occasions from aperitif to cheese”.

Didier Devignes Clos Les Charmes, Moulin A Vent 2010, 13%, €23.95 Le Caveau

Moulin-à-Vent, with its full bodied and complex wines, is the highest rated of all the Beaujolais Crus. Liam Campbell, at the recent masterclass in Cork, called it “the most regal of all the crus”. A windmill, that was classified as a historical monument in 1930, is the well-known symbol of the Cru.

So a great cru and quite a winemaker in Didier Desvignes: “Everything I do both in vine growing and winemaking aims at allowing nature and terroir to express themselves to the full. I choose traditional methods, including tilling between the vines, to guarantee the flavours of the wine.” Still, “convinced that time in the barrel gives additional and new aromatic complexity”, he does use oak, for 10 months in this particular wine.

The wines are grown in “a remarkable vineyard” where the soil consists mainly of pink granite which has a natural affinity, it seems, with Gamay and this is 100 percent Gamay. The grapes from each plot are vinified separately to obtain the best possible balance between the structure and finesse given by the terroirs.

Colour is a rather deep ruby and the aromas are quite complex, a rich combination of cherries and berries, hints of spice. All combine harmoniously on the palate, amazing flavours and a matching acidity requesting food! Tannins are at play too and then follows a long lasting finish.

Enjoy it with small game, stews and mature cheeses, they say. I found it went very well indeed with a Irish Piedmontese steak that I bought in a very popular stall at the recent Cork Summer Show. Very Highly Recommended, both the steak and the wine!

Domaine Jean Foillard Cote du Py, Morgon 2013, 12.5%, €34.20 Le Caveau

This, from the second largest of the crus, was perhaps the standout wine of the Beaujolais masterclass held last month in L’Atitude. Introducing it, Liam Campbell told us we were in for a treat, “an outstanding wine”. And this single vineyard wine is certainly a Gamay gem.

Colour is a light ruby. Look closer and you’ll see a little cloudiness - no worries, this is a natural wine. Aromas hint of red cherry, berries too. The palate is out on its own, red fruits and a little spice, that typical balancing acidity again, tannins are fine and then a superb finalé. Very Highly Recommended

The fact that the vines are grown on “one of the best sites of the entire Beaujolais region”, on an extinct volcano, plus the use of minimum intervention (the use of oak is minimal), makes this a rather unique expression of the Gamay.

See yesterday's post - three different Beaujolais featured

Beaujolais Wines, De première classe

Beaujolais Wines 

De première classe

Many of us were introduced to Beaujolais through the much marketed Nouveau. Decades ago now, I remember seeing one half of the local Roches Stores (now Debenhams) front window absolutely packed with colourful bottles in November. And the hype was inescapable with all kinds of contrived races set up to be first with the Nouveau in Cork or Ireland.

And that Nouveau is is still going strong all around the world. So too is the region itself, though it might not have the gravitas of Bordeaux or neighbouring Burgundy. There is a continuity of quality here, almost a guarantee of it if you move up a step or two to the Villages or to one of the ten crus.

Read all about the May Beaujolais Masterclass in Cork here.
And three more (different) Beaujolais, including two crus, here

Chateau du Chatelard Beaujolais Villages, Cuvée Les Vieilles Vignes 2013, 12.5%, €15.95 Karwig Wines

Colour is ruby and the aromas, not very intense, are of strawberries and raspberries. On the harmonious palate, you meet the expected fruits, fine tannins, the typical acidity (good for food) and a decent finish. At a recent masterclass in Cork, Liam Campbell said that Villages may be better value than the basic Beaujolais. This perfectly balanced bottle is the proof and Highly Recommended!

It is produced from old vines (up to 85 years old) and is hand-harvested. I came across some sediment, so decanting is advised. Liam also mentioned that low tannin wines may be served at lower temperatures, between 13 and 15 degrees, and his favourite pairing is with tuna steak. The producers recommend “the cuisine of spring and summer”, listing white and red meats, charcuterie and cheese. Over to you!

Chateau du Chatelard Cuvée Les Vieux Granits Fleurie 2013, 13%, €20.30 Karwig Wines

Gorgeous carmine colour catches the eye and red fruits lead the aromas, quite beguiling overall. The harmonious palate features red fruits mainly in a delightful balance of fruit and acidity, gentle tannins too, elegant and silky all the way to a superb finish. Highly Recommended.

Fleurie is one of the ten Beaujolais crus and this is made from hillside vineyards of old pink granite and is hand-harvested. They recommend trying it with white and red meats, cheese, even chocolate desserts.

Baronne du Chatelard Cuvée Les Pentes Brouilly, 13%, €19.25 Karwig Wines

Brouilly is the largest and most southerly of the Beaujolais crus and this bottle, from plots located at the heart of the appellation, has more going for it on all counts, except perhaps for acidity, than the Fleurie. If I had to pick one of the three, this would be it. But no problem with either of the other two.

It has more to offer in colour, aroma and is better on the palate with a longer finish. It will suit those who like a little more presence in the mouth. Colour is an intense ruby and then come big fruit aromas (berries and plums), vibrant fruit flavours, a hint of minerality and good finish. This elegant medium bodied wine, with rounded tannins, is Highly Recommended.

Serve, they say, at 14-16 degrees with roasted meats in sauce, poultry, and cheeses. I noticed some sediment, so do decant.

Tomorrow, watch out for another three from Beaujolais, including two crus.

The Big Grill Festival. International BBQ at Herbert Park.

Get Fired Up At 'The Big Grill' International BBQ Festival

Herbert Park from the 11-14 August

Chefs John Relihan (left) from Holy Smoke Cork 

and Mark O' Brien from Barbecoa do some meaty pit work

Celebrate the age-old art of cooking with smoke and fire at the country's biggest International BBQ event, 'The Big Grill Festival', which has its 3rd outing this summer in Herbert Park, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, from the 11-14 August 2016.  

This event has almost doubled in size year on year.  It will feature famous Pitmasters from all over the world, mastering flame and fire to create a multitude of dishes using different BBQ techniques and flavours, for an estimated 20,000 visitors.  This is live fire cooking at its finest with clean charcoal and wood only; no gas or electricity in sight.

Chefs will illustrate the differences (and similarities) between Asado (South American), Mediterranean, German, Asian, Irish and Southern  USA style low ‘n’ slow BBQ methods for guests to savour.  Expect whole hogs, lamb on spits, flying chickens, goat, wild Irish game, Southern Style ribs, Asian skewered meats, Brazilian steaks and much much more.

Headline chefs include Neil Rankin (Smokehouse Restaurant, London), Andre Lima de Luca (Brazil) John Relihan, (Holy Smoke, Cork), Mark O'Brien (Barbecoa, London), 'The First Ladies of Cue' from Hangfire Smokehouse (Wales), Richard Turner (Hawksmoor/Pit Cue, London) along with restaurants Fowl Play,  Box Burger (Wicklow), The Pigs Tale (Wexford) and Dublin favourites, Kinara Kitchen, Pitt Bros and Asador.  Chefs from Churrascada, Brazil's uber BBQ festival in Sao Paolo, will be joining forces with organiser Andy Noonan's new BBQ venture, Fowl Play, to demonstrate Mallmann-esque cooking techniques that have existed for thousands of years. Head of 'catertainment' will be the renowned and fully spandexed DJ BBQ who will be cooking and compering at the same time.

Amateur BBQ enthusiasts can also get a look in by taking part in the 'Pitmaster Competition' with the chance of winning a place to cook in the famous Jack Daniel's BBQ World Championships in Tennessee in October.  To enter, fill out the application form on the website.

While BBQ  takes centre stage the food is matched with an enviable selection of Irish craft beer, cider and spirits with producers and chefs on hand for tastings, pairings, advice and of course a good 'Banter' with Jim Carroll.  

Live acts and Bodytonic DJ's will play soul, funk, hip hop and party music throughout the weekend, creating a truly international flavour in the heart of leafy D4.  Other activities include eating competitions which feature raw chilies and dangerously hot chicken wings (so hot that participants have to wear goggles!) that are really good fun to watch as are the giant-sized performing 'characters' roaming the park.

Hot chicken tonight.
So hot, contestants have to wear goggles!

Children under 12 go free and there is a special area for them on Saturday and Sunday.  Activities will include The Great Herbert Park Bug Hunt, and Bushcraft demonstration on how to survive in the wilderness.  Along with lots of child-friendly food from a variety of vendors, this makes 'The Big Grill' a great day out for all the family.

Tickets from €15.  Corporate groups and parties can avail of special rates.  Tickets can be purchased at www.biggrillfestival.com.

Media release