Taste of the Week. Hederman’s Hot Smoked Salmon

Taste of the Week

Hederman’s Hot Smoked Salmon

Just one look and I was hooked. Frank Hederman’s side of smoked salmon lay temptingly on the bare boards of his market table in Midleton. The gorgeous rich shades of red/orange, from the smoke and the added Kashmiri chillies, were enhanced by the autumn sun. There was no need to even taste a sample. Knowing that it had come from an old authentic smokehouse a few miles away and knowing how carefully Frank sources and handles his fish, I bought a piece.

And there was no putting it in the fridge when I got home. No, this was to be used within hours. It can, of course, be refrigerated and later served at room temperature or gently re-heated. If you want to slice, that is best done straight from the fridge. It is flakier than cold smoked and indeed is easy to flake for your plate.

You’ll find while flaking that every second piece is going into your mouth. Maybe I should have bought more? In any event it is absolutely delicious and succulent and our Taste of the Week. Aside from Midleton, you may also buy it in his shop in the English Market and of course he has it for sale online as well.

The salmon is farmed organically on the west coast of Ireland. It is Kiln-smoked by the master smoker over a live beech wood fire in Cobh and sprinkled with mildly hot Kashmiri Chillies. The chillies are more a condiment than a spice in this case. Enjoy

Frank Hederman

Belvelly Smoke House

Belvelly

Great Island

Cobh

Co Cork

Ireland

Phone: +353 (0) 21 481 1089

Enquiries: shipping@frankhederman.com

Web: https://www.frankhederman.com/smoke-house

Social Eating Events Begin in Style at Samphire!

Social Eating Events Begin in Style at Samphire!

Eoin takes on the carving duty at this table! No bother to him.

Last Friday’s Dinner Table was the first of the Samphire Social Eating Events in the Garryvoe Hotel. And, judging by its success, it won’t be the last. Indeed, there’s quite a list organised already. So get your friends together for a dinner party with a difference.

You’ll have six or eight or so at a table and all the food comes out on platters for sharing, lots of it. And very good food too, the best of local produce sourced and cooked to perfection by Head Chef Kevin O’Sullivan. Nothing too fancy but dishes that are simply superb served in an causal fun atmosphere with a little jazz in the background. And some events have wine included (Le Caveau wines were included last Friday) and there is a whiskey special coming up too. See the list at bottom.

After a drink at the beautiful bar, we were seated with our companions and the starters were served. We hardly knew where to look as a series of the restaurant’s favourites arrived at the table: deep fried calamari, skewered prawns, goats cheese boules, venison terrine, chorizo, cured ham, pickled veg, also a selection of breads.

And then there was wine, one red and one white. The white was Cuvée Marine by Domaine de Menard in Gascony, a delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Gros Manseng and Columbard. The red was the Gran Cerdo Tempranillo from Rioja in Spain complete with a cartoon label that featured a greedy pig (standing in for the bankers that didn't support the vineyard in its hour of need) eating a big bunch of euro. Good cartoon and excellent wine too. The wines were introduced before each course by Pascal Rossignol and Colm McCan of Le Caveau.

The meat for the main course was Roast sirloin of Prime Hereford Beef with a magnificent red wine gravy. And here the fun came in as a volunteer was needed to slice the beef. We had one in Eoin and he did a great job indeed. No need to cut the fish which was Baked Cod en croute with samphire, lemon and chive beurre blanc. Needless to say, they were served with all the trimmings, beautiful veg and excellent roast potatoes too.

And the wines were gorgeous as well. The red was Carmin Brilliant “Clos de Caveau” from Vacqueryas in the lower Rhone, its unusual wrap-around label designed by Karl Lagerfeld. A great label and a great wine too. The white wine was the Chateau Turcaud Cuvée Majeure from Bordeaux, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris. This is named after the local abbey, a big tourist attraction (the vineyard is just alongside), and is well worth seeking out.

The place was packed and there was a great buzz in the lovely Samphire, opened early this year. Time now for dessert and time too for another volunteer. First though there were gasps all round as the Baked Alaska arrived and more as it was flamed. When that died down, Elke took up the knife and dished it out in generous slices. And then a bit of a hush as we tucked into the soft sweetness. Oh my.

What would the boys from Le Caveau come up with? They offered a choice of two. One was the Corte Alta Prosecco from the Veneto but the one that really caught my attention, indeed the attention of the table, was the Alain Brumont Gros Manseng Doux from the south west of France, a lovely non-cloying sweet wine, the palate coating sweet fruits balanced by a fresh acidity. Perfect. Not too often you get two beauties from Gascony on a wine matching. Just goes to show that Pascal and company are expert at seeking out these little-known (and well priced) gems. 

Next up in the Social Eating Series:

November 4th - A Jameson Whiskey Night, with full dinner and music and more. Check here 

November 25th - Game Night. Longueville Cider, Le Caveau wines, and no less than five courses. Details here. 

December 15th - Christmas Masquerade Supper, a dinner party with a difference. Fun with a full meal and drinks included. Find out more here. 

Munster Wine & Dine in Midleton. Outstanding Trip To Sage and Irish Distillers

Munster Wine & Dine in Midleton. Outstanding Trip To Sage and Irish Distillers

The big one!

 Last week’s Munster Wine & Dine mid-week trip to Midleton was packed with highlights, both at Irish Distillers and later at Sage Restaurant.

There was a generous welcome from the team at the Distillery. For me, the tutored tasting by Brian Ledwidge was the outstanding part, as we got to sample three of the very best produced here.

Cooper's corner. Tools & staves

We started with the Redbreast 12, a single pot still whiskey. The single by the way refers to a single distillery, not a single pot. Pick up your glass - no need to swish it around as you would with wine - just give it a gentle turn and that will allow the aromas rise. The Redbreast has been matured in Oloroso casks and so it is quite aromatic, reminiscent of a Christmas cake being taken out of the oven, according to Brian.

In the mouth, there is a significant “creaminess (from the unmalted barley), fruit (from the cask), and spice (from the pot still), a nice balance of all three”. Brian also told us about the latest Redbreast which has been raised in Lustau casks.

The cottage

 Power’s were one of the three companies that merged to form Irish Distillers in the mid 60s and their line was represented here by John’s Lane Release. John’s Lane (in Dublin) was where the original would have been produced. 

It is nicely spiced from the still. Raised in US (mainly) and Spanish casks, Brian pointed out the vanilla on the nose, also a light apricot.Twelve years (at least) of maturation is rewarded with outstanding flavour and complexity, vanilla, chocolate, caramel, spices, all there together in a long long finish.

Peter: "the next guy that contradicts the guide......"

 And then we were on to an outstanding premium whiskey, the Midleton Very Rare, made from whiskey that has been matured in US casks only. The casks (no more then 250) to be used are hand-picked by Master Distiller Brian Nation and are between 12 and 22 years old. The resulting blend is nicely balanced with “50 to 60 per cent of the flavour coming from the wood”. Unlike the previous two, this is a blended whiskey.

Micro

This truly magnificent and much celebrated whiskey is amazingly smooth (after that long maturation), light of fruit, with hints of sweetness and spice, an absolutely outstanding mouthful.

There was an earlier tasting also, this coming as we toured the massive warehouse complex, with Daniel as our guide. You have to know your way around here - they build a new one every two months! And these are huge; each warehouse holds 16,800 casks. And the overall “population” is no less than 1.4 million casks. All needed, with more than five million cases of Jameson alone being sold annually.

The old millwheel still turning

New!

 Hard to take in those kind of numbers. The going got a whole lot easier though when Daniel invited Beverly, a MWD member, to open a bourbon cask. She extracted the bung like a veteran and we all enjoyed the whiskey that had been inside since 1991. Still time for another sample, this from a 2001 Sherry cask (much bigger) and probably destined for a Redbreast bottle, another lovely sip.

On arrival at Midleton, we were welcomed by Kevin O'Gorman, Master of Maturation (one of the four 'Midleton Masters', and responsible for all of the whiskey once it goes into barrel) and Carol Quinn, Archivist at Midleton Distillery. Kevin told us how Midleton have been making whiskey here since 1825. He’s excited by much that is going on now in Irish whiskey. “So many new things going on. I love the innovation.”

The Jameson Perfect Serve

 We would see some of that right here on our first walkabout, through the old distillery, the history explained in a lively manner by our guide Peter Corr (also a member of the Munster Wine & Dine, so there was some gentle slagging going on).

The old buildings, which have seen duty as a flour mill and as a military barracks, were vacated for the “new” distillery in 1975. They are full of history and memorabilia, enough to explain the production process to newbies!

And its not all old. Irish Distillers now have their very own micro-distillery here, three sparkling new copper stills all ready for action. And no doubt, the firm’s distillers - there are eight of them - will be taking full advantage of the possibility of making new and exciting spirits, something that couldn't happen in the huge new distillery with its massive stills always busy.

Three of the best

 After Peter’s tour, which also included the cooperage, we made our first visit to the Whiskey Academy where we met Brian, David McCabe and Maura Coffey and had our first drink of the afternoon, a very welcome Jameson Sour Old fashioned. The bitters by the way are a new product: Jameson Sloe Berry Bitters (foraged in the west of Ireland).

And it was the Academy that also saw our last drink of the informative tour, the Jameson Perfect Serve. Brian told us that Jameson was well known for “its mixability and is also very popular when mixed with Ginger Ale”.

Add caption

His recipe, more or less, is to use a tumbler with loads of ice. Add a standard measure of Jameson, lime ( “a nice big piece squeezed in”), and top it all up with chilled Ginger Ale. Cheers! 

Roast beets

 After that, it was time to take the short walk out the lane and up the main street and then another warm welcome from chef/owner Kevin Aherne and his team at Sage. We had ordered a meal based on his famous #12 Mile Menu and it was absolutely top notch.

After an lovely amuse bouche and a sampling of his tasty potato bread, we had a choice of starters:

Salt Baked beets, candied outs, apples;

Smoked scallop, wild hedgehog mushroom, sea beet;

Beef filet carpaccio, black onion aioli, purple potato, celeriac.

I enjoyed my scallop dish, soft and delicious in a lovely "broth". And I also managed a sample of the beets, a lovely mix of textures and flavours.

Cod

The fish course had two options:

Butter poached cod, barley, broccoli, smoked cheese;

John Dory, gnocchi, shiitake, mushroom butter.

The John Dory was another soft and delicate dish but thoroughly delicious while the Cod was so well matched with the barley and the broccoli. The fish, in each case, looked invitingly fresh, top class.

Two main courses to pick from:

Pork shoulder, swede, pear;

Beef fillet, cheek, bone marrow, lovage.

The pork was from Woodside Farm, so I wasn't going to ignore that. And I wasn't disappointed. It was superb, full of flavour. And there was only praise too from CL who enjoyed the fillet, also full of flavour. Two quite perfect dishes really, each well accompanied.

White chocolate

Something sweet to finish:

Apple parfait, apple arlette, and spiced bread;

White chocolate cheesecake, blackberry;

Bo Rua Farmhouse cheddar, chutney, nuts.

I know the Bo Rua is lovely but my sweet tooth demanded the chocolate, soft, sweet and soon gone. And much the same could be said by CL about her Apple combination.

* The next Munster Wine & Dine event is a distillery tour (Bertha's Revenge) and lunch at Ballyvolane House - details here.

Amuse Bouche

Many of the organised crime figures in Lewisburg (jail) treated me as one of their own…made sure I received the same food as they did: corn on the cob, pheasant and rice, steak and onions….

… pheasants were ..cooked on a nightly basis around autumn. Traps were set for the pheasants - milk boxes, which fell on them, as they entered to eat loose scattered corn. One night a raid was conducted on the dormitory for narcotics and other contraband. Officer Hill picked up a laundry bag, put his arm deep inside, jumped back and shouted as two pheasants flew out and around the inside of the dormitory and out through an open window. The place was in uproar…Hill was very unpopular.

from The 100 Kilo Case by Peter Daly with James Durney (2016). Very Highly Recommended.

Cinnamon Cottage. A Treasure Trove

Cinnamon Cottage

A Treasure Trove

Ali and Patrick are just over 12 months into their adventure at Cinnamon Cottage and the hard-working pair are doing just that, working hard. Much done, more to do, but you can see the difference. The deli has been expanded and the wine selection has been doubled.

And still the work goes on. Fun too. They’re enjoying the run-in to Halloween and you (and the kids, of course!) are invited to the Rochestown cottage for face-painting and balloon animals on the Saturday. And don't forget to get the brack, complete with all the bits and pieces, including that all important ring.

Ali and Patrick

After that it’s Christmas. More work, more fun. And speaking of Christmas, you can already buy your cake. If you don't want a big one, you can get a small one. A slice will suit some people fine and Ali and Patrick do that too. Lots of cakes here, most available by the slice, including the very popular Coconut and Raspberry cake and old favourites like the Victoria Sandwich! And Chocoholics will be in their element!

And they do salads to beat the band, eight to ten freshly made each day, all seasonal. At the moment, look out for the Roast Pumpkin and Butternut Squash with feta and chilli. And then there’s the winter coleslaw. 

On every cabinet, every shelf, there’s something delicious including a few surprises, jams and chutneys and porridge oats. And they have a selection of excellent cheeses, most of it coming via Sheridan’s. Six months back they started doing Kiddies Meals, with no added sugar, no added salt. Choose from a Mild Chicken Curry, Mac n Cheese, Cottage Pie.

You’ll see lots of local produce, beef from O’Connell’s, chicken from Sheehan’s, puddings and sausages and more from Kanturk’s Jack McCarthy, free range eggs and chickens from East Ferry, Shell fish from Dingle, Basil Pesto and Ravioli from Glanmire, popular stone-baked pizza bases made in Ireland by Pizza da Piero, Amodeo dressing from Tuscany Bistro in Limerick, Shine’s Wild Irish Tuna, Green Saffron spices, and the new Irish Tonic Water from Poacher’s in Co.Wexford! And that’s just a handful of what’s available in this treasure trove.

And they bake. Not just cakes but breads and buns. Check out those scones and croissants. In the deli counter, you’ll see artichokes, sun dried tomatoes etc. There’s readymade meals, fresh and frozen, including warming soups, chicken and beef dishes and more, and handy side dishes such as Wholegrain Mash with Gruyere cheese!

You’ll need a good wine to wash down all that food. And again, no shortage here. The Cottage have three main suppliers and that adds up to a big selection, including quite a few organic bottles, getting more and more popular, according to Patrick. I spotted a few favourites: the Pedra da Auga Albarino, the Walnut Blocks and the Gran Martinez Rioja Crianza. 

There is so much more in this lovely place, including Badger & Dodo Coffee; I’ve just barely scratched the surface here. It must be the most productive cottage in Ireland. Well done to Ali and Patrick and their staff on a great 12 months. There are eight regularly employed and, on busy days, that can rise to 15, most of them local.

The Cinnamon Cottage
Monastery Road
Rochestown
Co. Cork
Tel: 021 4894922
Facebook: @Cinnamoncottage
Twitter: @Cinnamoncottage
Web: http://cinnamoncottage.ie
Hours
 Mon - closed;
Tue-Fri: 9.30-6.30;
Sat: 9.30-5.30;
Sun: 10.00-4.00.

A Madregale Duo. Not the same as madrigal!

A Madregale Duo

Not the same as madrigal!

Having a bit of fun with a pun here. Below, we have a look at two examples of Madregale wines, one white, one red. The Madrigal is a musical work. Maybe after a glass or two of the wine, you and your drinking partners might move on to a Madrigal!

Traditionally, polyphonic madrigals are unaccompanied but that is not the case with this example by Monterverdi .  The number of voices varies from two to eight, and most frequently from three to six.

Back to the wines - don't think I'm up to a madrigal - which come from the award-winning Cantina Tollo, “one of the biggest and best co-operative wineries in the Abruzzo region” of Italy. These two are excellent simple quaffable wines and good value to boot.

Madregale Bianco 2015, Terre di Chieti (IGP), 12%, €11.05 Le Caveau

Light gold is the colour with tints of green. The white fruit aromas are of moderate intensity. There is a tingle on the palate as the fruit flavours roll in with a citrus-y overlay. It is lively and fresh and dry, all combined in a lingering finish. This simple well-made wine, obtained from a blend of Trebbiano and Chardonnay grapes, is an excellent house wine; fine too for parties and weddings and for everyday quaffing. Recommended.

Madregale Rosso 2015, Terre di Chieti (IGP), 12.5%, €11.05 Le Caveau

Another easy-drinking Madregale, ideal as a summer quaffer or with uncomplicated Italian dishes such as pizza or tomato based pasta. It is a well balanced blend of traditional local grapes Montepulciano and Sangiovese (sometimes Merlot).

Colour is purple and there is jammy red fruit in the aromas. Fresh and fruity with typical Italian acidity (they make their wine to go with food). Easy-drinking too - good company on the summer patio or even in a warm winter room. Recommended.

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week

Athula Peri Peri

You can't go wrong with Peri Peri, not with the spelling. It’s also spelt Piri Piri, even Pili Pili. Three chances of getting it right.

Whatever about the spelling, Athula has got it all right with his range of Peri Peri sauces, now available in local Supervalus and indeed in Mr Bell’s in the English Market. He does a mild version, a version with lemon and herb and also a hot one (it is just that - but used sparingly, it works well, especially with roast chicken). They come in handy 125g bottles and so you are less likely to have waste.

Chef Athula, from Sri Lanka, now in Cork, has “worked in 5 star restaurants across the world” and has put that experience to use with this range bringing “true restaurant quality to your kitchen”. 

I’m very happy with the Lemon and Herb and found it great with fish and chicken (after cooking). It can also be used as a dip and to liven up a salad. There are tips for this and the others on the bottles. Indeed, it livens up everything we’ve used it on so far and is Taste of the Week.

Athula Fusion Foods,

Unit 1&2, J Street, 

Carrigaline Industrial Estate, 

KilnaglKilnagearyeary Road, 

Carrigaline, Co. Cork

Tel: 087 136 7525

Web: http://athulafusionfoods.com

Portuguese Pair Show Quality and Value

Portuguese Pair Show Quality and Value

The inspiration for trying this Portuguese pair, well at least the red, came from Jancis Robinson’s The 24 Hour Wine Expert. She has a page of Obvious and Alternative wines. In one pairing the obvious is Bordeaux red, the alternative is red from Portugal’s Douro. 

Spotted this Esporão in Karwig’s and, though it’s not from the Douro exactly, thought that it would fit the bill. Then I saw the white and thought if they can make a good red, they should be able to make a good white. The white is good and the red is quite superb and would leave many from Bordeaux in its wake.

Esporão Reserva Red Alentejo DOC (Portugal) 2013, 14.5%, €26.65 Karwig Wines

First things first. This is a gem and Very Highly Recommended. It is a blend of Alicante Bouschet, Aragones, Cabernet Sauvignon and Trincadeira.

It has a deep red colour. And there are concentrated aromas of ripe red fruits and that follows through to the palate. Here you find a dense concentration of flavours, spice too, firm tannins, along with a long satisfying finish.

Esporão Reserva White Alentejo DOC (Portugal) 2014, 14%, €20.90 Karwig Wines

This deft combination of fruit and acidity is based on a blend that includes Antao Vaz, Arinto, Rouheiro, and Semillon. The fruit is picked early in the morning and it has seen “partial ageing” for 6 months in French and US oak. They call it “a wine for special occasions” and it is indeed very good and Highly Recommended.

You notice the bright light gold colour with tints of green. Aromas are of soft white fruits, with peach and grapefruit flavours on the almost creamy palate. The oak is well integrated. Fruity and mineral-y and, though not exactly bone-dry, this is a well balanced wine with a long finish.

Iago for Dinner

Iago for Dinner

 Going to a dinner was the making of another.

Might have mangled that old saying a bit but all in the cause of truth.

While at the table during the midweek Green Saffron Spice Dinner at Isaac’s, I was talking to two Dublin visitors on my right and one of them was telling me all about a Dublin restaurant where the pasta is made fresh every day. On my left, simultaneously but out of my hearing range, CL was chatting to a local chef Mary who was telling her all about the fresh pasta (and more) she makes daily in Iago’s in Prince’s Street in Cork city.

And early on Saturday morning, I was wondering about dinner later on and I remembered what CL had told me. Could I, I said to myself, get not just the pasta but a full dinner in Iago? I knew they have a great cheese selection. I could start with that Mozzarella from Macroom’s Johnny Lynch, get some of that pasta and there had to be a dessert there.

Why not look up their website? So I searched and came across their Facebook page first and I could hardly believe it when I read a post that had been put up only a few minutes earlier. An instant dinner from Iago today…. was the headline and then a picture with details:

Fresh Focaccia

Roast Butternut Squash Ravioli, served with our Sage Butter

Torta de Santiago

 Less than an hour later, I was in 9 Prince’s Street, asking about the Facebook dinner. I drew a blank, if a smiling one! As it happened, Mary emerged from the kitchen and she put me and the staff right and soon the friendly staff were filling the bag, about 19 euros worth in all.

Fast forward to that evening and CL, delighted at having to spend so little time in the kitchen, was also delighted with the meal. We both were, each enjoying that fresh herb flavoured focaccia bread, made with yeast and olive oil; the delicious ravioli, topped with melting sage butter, and we also added a little grated Creeny, a marvellously pungent six month old sheep cheese produced by Corleggy in County Cavan. 

And then the lovely finalé with a generous slice each of the almond cake from Santiago. Had we bought the full tart, we would have seen the imprint (in sugar) of the Cross of Saint James (cruz de Santiago) which gives the pastry its name. This won't be the last time we’ll make the pilgrimage to Iago for dinner!

Ravioli and sage butter

 And that place in Dublin where you’ll get top notch fresh pasta? It is Romano’s in Capel Street.

And the correct version of the old saying is going to a wedding was the making of another.

Of course, you knew that. The line comes from a song called Old Maid in a Garret, lyrics here. 

Iago

9 Prince’s Street

Cork

Tel: (021) 427 7047

Email: iago2@eircom.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Iago-116253695123175/

Hours: 9.30-5.00 Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu.

9.00-5.30 Fri.

9.00-5.00 Sat.