Free family fun at Waterford Harvest Festival

press release

Free family fun at Waterford Harvest Festival

Young foodies and aspiring chefs will flock to the Waterford Harvest Festival this weekend, with an abundance of FREE events for families taking place from 6 – 8 September. Having just been named Foodie Destinations 2019 winner by the Restaurants Association of Ireland, Waterford will showcase its gourmet status at the annual festival, with free cooking demonstrations, markets and workshops for all the family. Full details are available at www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie.

Festival Director, Tommie Ryan said: “We are delighted to kick off another exciting Harvest Festival this weekend. Waterford has just been announced winner of Foodie Destinations 2019 because of its sense of local awareness, pride and passion for food tourism… and Harvest epitomises just that. This weekend is for all the family to enjoy, with over 70 free and ticketed events.

“We urge everyone to don their walking shoes or grab their bikes, as the Greenway Grazing food market opens the festival with food stalls dotted along the Waterford Greenway to celebrate the launch of Fáilte Ireland’s new #TasteTheIsland campaign. There will also be fantastic cooking demos throughout the weekend by celebrity chefs Edward Hayden and the GastroGays, as well as well-known local chefs at the Dawn Meats Demo Tent. From drama workshops to cake making; drum circles to science fairs, there is a huge mix on offer to keep kids entertained.”

Further free highlights include the Festival Market, located at Arundel Sq./Michael Street, showcasing Irish products across the weekend. The Copper Coast Market will feature local artists and food producers at the Applemarket on Saturday. Experience the handmade produce of exciting start-ups at the South East Makers Market, located on Broad Street, Friday to Sunday; and the Food the Waterford Way Market and Demos at the Applemarket on Sunday, featuring some of Waterford’s finest producers.

Paddy Casey performs a free concert in the Churchyard, Bailey’s New Street on Saturday; the SE2 Music Stage at Arundel Square puts on three days of live music, while the festival favourite Blaa Eating Competition is on the Sunday. Expect music and fun at the Cultural Quarter Block Party at Tully’s on O’Connell Street on Friday.

LiveWell Day takes place on Friday, offering young children the chance to experience yoga, pilates, massages and dance workshops. The event is free however pre-booking is essential. Children can enjoy Drum Dance Ireland’s interactive drum show at Ballybricken Green and the Calmast Maths, Science and Technology Fair on Broad Street, both on Saturday and Sunday. A free chocolate biscuit cake-making workshop takes place at Carter’s Chocolate Café on Sunday.

The Team Ireland Butchery Demonstration takes place on Sunday, with the team representing Ireland at the World Butchery Challenge in California in 2020 displaying their world-class butchery skills in the Dawn Meats Demo Tent, John Roberts Sq.

Ballybricken Fair will put on woodcarving demos, an educational and interactive mobile farm, a fairground, and falconry at Ballybricken Green on both Saturday and Sunday.

There are pay-as-you-go events at Harvest 2019 such as a Mexican Day at No. 9 and the Meat Lovers Feast at the Bodega, both Saturday. Ticketed highlights this weekend include Celebrating Seaweed at Momo with the seaweed expert, Marie Power aka The Sea Gardener; and the Thai and Vietnamese Street Food Feast at Sabai.

For all details visit www.waterfordharvestfestival.ie or follow:

•      Facebook: @waterfordharvest

•      Twitter: @harvest_fest

•      Instagram: @harvest_fest

Wines to enjoy. From the cool of The Loire to the heat of The Midi.

Wines to enjoy. From the cool of The Loire to the heat of The Midi.

Mirouze Ciel du Sud Rouge (Corbieres AOC) 2016, 14%, €20.10 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny

A fifty fifty blend of Grenache and Carignan, this would be termed a LDR (light, dry, red) in Australia. The French winemakers, Mirouze, somewhat more poetically, call theirs “ a wine of light and natural thirst”.

Vin de Soif is another term, a wine you could drink with your lunch and then work away as energetically as ever during the afternoon, a bit like a farmhouse saison perhaps. So easy to drink, and easy to digest. A bit of sediment in the bottom of this French bottle, so perhaps best to decant.

Light wine or not, the colour is a tad darker than expected, close to a dark ruby. Quite intense fragrance, cherries and berries. And those summer fruits are prominent on the lively palate, round smooth tannins and some spice there too especially at the finish. 

The little vineyard, certified organic, in Corbieres is surrounded by garrigue. That means the vines are well away from the sprays of neighbours. On the other hand, wild boar enjoy the cover of the scrub and so the Mirouze family have to use an electric fence to deter them.

So there you are, one Highly Recommended wine, organic and very drinkable. Now, what have I lined up for the afternoon? 

By the way, they produce a white “cousin” called Sol Blanc, blend of Roussane (85%) and Vermentino.

Nicolas Reau “Pompois” Anjou (AOC) 2015, 12%, €25.95 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

When pianist Nicolas Reau switched from jazz and blues, the 22 year old went on to hit the high notes as a winemaker. Though not straight away. As in music, there is a long apprenticeship, but Nicolas was well on an assured path by the time he set up in the Loire village of Sainte-Radegonde, in the Anjou A.O.C. Appellation.

His estate (sounds much better than farm!) is called ‘Le Clos des Treilles’ and this Very Highly Recommended Pompiers is made from fruit produced by 50 year-old Cabernet Franc vines, grown organically. This wine spends 12 months in used oak barrels (used for 2 to 5 wines) without racking, so you won’t note much influence of the wood.

Mid ruby is the colour. Nose is somewhat complex, red fruit, herb and floral notes too. Palate is typical of the variety, light, fresh, fine tannins, sweet spice too and a good finish. Typical Loire acidity, so you’ll find it a versatile food wine, meat, cheese and vegetables all on its hit list.

Ali's Kitchen. Variety. Fresh. Local. Seasonal. No Need to Luca Further.

Ali's Kitchen. Variety. Fresh. Local. Seasonal.

No Need to Luca Further.

French Toast here at Ali’s Kitchen in the heart of Cork City is something of a moveable feast, but one well worth following. It might come with strawberries, with peaches, with dates, with blueberries, with blackberries and pears or, as was the case last Friday, with Apple Compote. To the compote, they added Vanilla Mascarpone and crumble and that added up to quite a dish for eleven euro. That was CL’s excellent choice from the Brunch Menu (it runs until 2.00pm). The variations on the theme, and it’s not confined to the French Toast, underlines that what you get here is fresh and seasonal.

I confirmed its excellence, cutting off a corner to have with my Macchiato, that exquisite little cuppa one of the best of its kind I’ve come across.

And speaking of “best of its kind” I have to mention front-of-house Luca who gave us his exclusive attention. Indeed, he seemed to give his exclusive attention to everyone. He greeted you on the way in and said goodbye on the way out and checked on the table in between. 

If he were a centre-half - maybe he is, for all I know - nothing would get past him! But he "tackles" in the most delightful chatty way. The only time he frowned was when a departing customer responded with “merci” to Luca’s “ciao”. “He thinks I’m a Frenchman”, he moaned in mock horror!

At Ali’s, they celebrate brunch every day. “You’ll get Poachies galore and hollandaise heaven! Classic dishes like Eggs Benedict & Potato Hash to Waffles, Fritters and French Toast”. While at the weekend, “Bubbles & Mimosas at the weekend makes our Brunch extra special”.

The variations and specials are prominently displayed on a board and here I strayed from the Brunch to the Lunch column and put my eye on the open Fish Sandwich (9.50): O’Connell’s smoked mackerel, roast tomato, salsa verde, leaves and caper, all on slices of toasted sourdough. It was the perfect combination, all the extras combining so harmoniously with the generous amount of mackerel.

Very happy indeed with that one, another superb dish. I had intended trying out Ali’s famous cinnamon buns but, after the fish and the corner of the French Toast, had to postpone that pleasure. Ciao Luca and grazie for that excellent macchiato. 

Ali’s opens early every weekday (except Monday when they are closed) and serves breakfast/brunch. Again the menu is small but varies from day to day and she promises something for everyone, including Eggs Benny and Harissa Eggs plus specials, their own granola even (if you’re in before noon). And, as we’ve seen from our visit, she and her team deliver big-time! 

Ali's Kitchen   ,

Rory Gallagher Place,

Cork City,

Ireland

021 2390680

Open:

Tue-Sat: 8.30am-4.00pm

Sun: 10.30am-3.00pm

Congrats Mór to Longueville House

P R E S S  R E L E A S E

Congrats Mór to Longueville House

(L to R) John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, Estelle Alley from Bord Bia and William O’Callaghan, Longueville House Beverages

Roll out the barrel… Longueville Mór Cider wins Golden Fork for Ireland

Golden Fork from Ireland announced

Following a record-breaking 12,772 entries judged over 75 days, Great Taste, the world’s most revered food and drink awards, has reached its grand finale for 2019. The Great Taste Golden Fork for the best food or drink from Ireland was presented to Longueville House Beverages from Cork for its Longueville Mór Cider. A “perfectly balanced” 8% ABV cider made using Dabinett and Michelin apples from the cider maker’s own orchards, this is the only brandy cask fermented cider currently produced in Ireland.

With an “amazing aroma of sweet apples on the nose, followed by a fresh and crisp taste with depth and a clean finish”, the Longueville Mór Cider impressed at every stage of the blind-tasted judging process. Rising to the top among hundreds of other entries from Ireland, the cider was celebrated as the best tasting product in its region at the Great Taste Golden Fork Dinner held on Sunday 1 September at the InterContinental Park Lane Hotel, London, where over 350 guests from the world of fine food gathered to discover this year’s stars of food and drink.

Contact: Longueville House Beverages, 00353 2247156 / www.longuevillehouse.ie.

The Golden Fork from Ireland was sponsored by Bord Bia and also nominated this year was a Great Taste 3-star Specially Selected Irish Free-Range Whole Goose from Aldi Stores Ireland and a Great Taste 3-star Star Anise Balsamic Vinegar by Wildwood Vinegars in County Mayo.

A full list of all Golden Fork trophy winners is available from amy@freshlygroundpr.co.uk.

What is Great Taste? 

Great Taste, founded in 1994 and organised by the Guild of Fine Food, has judged over 146,000 products in the last 25 years; each one has been blind-tasted by a team of judges who are dedicated to finding the most exquisite tasting food and drink regardless of branding or packaging. The panel of judges this year included; cook, writer and champion of sustainable food, Melissa Hemsley, Kenny Tutt, MasterChef 2018 champion, author, Olia Hercules, chef and food writer, Gill Meller, Kavi Thakar from Dishoom, food writer and stylist, Georgina Hayden and author and chef, Zoe Adjonyoh, as well as food buyers from Selfridges, Sourced Market and Partridges. These esteemed palates have together tasted and re-judged the 3-star winners to finally agree on the Golden Fork Trophy winners and the Great Taste 2019 Supreme Champion. 

Great Taste ratings

3-star: Extraordinarily tasty foods – less than 3% of products are awarded a 3-star each year – don’t

leave the shop without buying it!

2-star:  Above and beyond delicious – less than 10% of entries will achieve this rating

1-star: A food that delivers fantastic flavour. Approximately 25% of entries will achieve this rating each year.

Amuse Bouche

After Ferguson unpacked,… went to the dining room for breakfast, which was still being served at ten o’clock, and had his first taste of English cuisine, a platter that consisted of one sunny-side-up egg (great but delicious), two undercooked rashers of bacon (slightly repellent but delicious), two pork sausages, a thoroughly cooked cooked tomato, and two thick slices of homemade white bread slathered with Devonshire butter that was better than any butter he had ever tasted. The coffee was undrinkable…

from 4 3 2 1 by Paul Auster (2017). Highly Recommended.

Blas na hÉireann 2019 finalists announced ahead of October's final judging in Dingle

Blas na hÉireann 2019 finalists announced ahead of final judging in Dingle in October  and there are 62 producers shortlisted from Cork.

Take time out to tour the stunning peninsula, including Slea Head (above)

Arte Clifford (Blas)

 Blas na hÉireann, the Irish food awards, have reached the penultimate stage of this year’s awards, with the announcement of the finalists who will go through to the final round of judging in Dingle this October, with 350 producers from across Ireland reaching this coveted stage.

The Blas na hÉireann awards are the biggest blind tasting of produce in the country, and the criteria on which the product is judged as well as the judging system itself, which was developed by Blas with the Food Science Dept of UCC and the University of Copenhagen that is now recognised as an industry gold standard worldwide.

During the first round of judging which took place over the course of four weeks in June and July, over 2,500 entries were judged in UCC & TU Dublin, bringing the total number of finalists in each category down to just five.

Each of these producer finalists will have their products tasted, compared, savoured and judged at the final of Blas na Éireann 2019 in Dingle on Thursday 3rd October. This is the 12th year of the biggest competition for quality Irish produce on the island, and the Blas na Éireann 2019 final will produce worthy winners of awards that have become an important part of the commercial success of so many exceptional Irish products.

The finalists shortlisted from Kerry across a range of different categories are Kinsale Mead Co., West Cork Garlic, 9 White Deer Brewery Ltd., Bainne Codladh Ltd., Baked 4 U, Ballyvolane House Spirits Company Ltd., Bandon Vale Cheese Ltd., Barrie's Pate, Bluebell Falls, Bó Rua Farm, Caherbeg Free Range Pork Ltd., Centra - Inspired by Centra Made in store salads, Clona Dairies, Clonakilty Food Company, Cooke's At The Gallery, Coolmore Foods, Elbow Lane Brewhouse Ltd., Fitzgeralds Butchers, Follain, Gloun Cross Dairies, Good Food Processing Ltd., Gourmet Pantry Kinsale, Happy Days, Artisan Ice Cream, Hassetts Bakery & Confectioners Ltd., Henry Denny & Sons (IRE) Ltd., Hodgins Sausages, Irish Yogurts Clonakilty, Keohane Seafoods, Kepak Cork, Kinsale Bay Food Company, Longueville House Beverages, Macroom Buffalo Cheese Products Ltd., Maggie's Homemade Jam, MamaBear Foods Ltd., Mellas Fudge, Milleens Cheese, Milsean, Nohoval Drinks Company, North Cork Co Op, North Cork Creameries, Ó Crualaoi Feoil Teo, O'Flynn's Gourmet Sausage Company, O'Leary Family Butchers, On The Pig's Back - La Charcuterie Irlandaise Ltd., Praline Pastry Shop, Quish's Kitchen, Saturday Pizzas, Secret Recipe, Serendipity Smokehouse, Shannon Vale Foods, Skeaghanore Duck, Spice O' Life Ltd., St. Patricks Distillery Ltd., The Fresh Fish Deli, Tom Durcan Meats Ltd., Trace Of Cakes, Liz's Grain Free Bread, Uflourish Foods, Union Hall Smoked Fish, Velo Coffee Roasters, West Cork Distillers, West Cork Eggs Ltd.

A former Supreme Champion

 Backyard at Blas

Returning to this year’s Blas na hÉireann in Dingle is the hugely successful Backyard at Blas, an innovative meeting space designed to bring fellow producers together in a relaxed and informal way to meet, mingle and share experience and insights into running a business, and to offer support to those starting out. First supported by Bank of Ireland in 2017 and again last year, the talks series has proved so popular with attendees that Bank of Ireland have just signed a new deal for Backyard at Blas 2019.

This September, Blas na hÉireann are going on the road with a special roadshow to help finalists get ready for the weekend in Dingle. They have been kindly welcomed by their partner Bank of Ireland to host special events across the country in their Bank of Ireland Workbench venues. These events will help finalists with details on the weekend of final judging, tips on how best to prepare from a press and buyer point of view, local information for travel, help on timings and how best to prepare your product for delivery and judging.

The roadshow will be in Cork on Tuesday 3^rd September at 2pm in the Bank Of Ireland Workbench, 70 Patrick Street, Cork.

Over 2,500  products were entered into this year’s competition to win Gold, Silver or Bronze Blas na hÉireann awards in over 140 food and drink categories, as well as key awards like Supreme Champion and Best Artisan Producer, so there will be good food and drink guaranteed in Dingle this October.

press release

A Taste of West Cork Forum to Explore The Challenges of Change

press release

The Challenges of Change:

Annual West Cork Forum, as part of A Taste of West Cork Food Festival, set to shine spotlight on food safety, sustainability and climate change

As avid foodies all over the island salivate at the thought of the upcoming A Taste of West Cork Food Festival (6-15^th September) – including international food fans who have travelled long distances to be a part of the gourmet action – organisers of the annual festival are also keen to use their platform to showcase West Cork’s prominence as a standalone, sustainable food capital of Ireland and one that strives to protect and nurture its surrounding environment. This will be carried out through the annual West Cork Forum, a free event that will take over the Baltimore Sailing Club on Saturday 7^th September and serve as one of the key highlights of the 2019 Festival programme.

Sponsored by Sean and Rose O’Driscoll, this year’s conference covers a hugely pressing topic, namely ‘Facing the Challenges of a Rapidly Changing World – Our Survival’. An all-day event, the 2019 West Cork Forum will kick off at 11am sharp, with the morning section running straight through until lunchtime at 1pm. After a brief break, the activity will be back in full swing from 2:30-4:30pm, when the conference element of the Forum will come to a conclusion.

The West Cork Forum agenda is this year decorated with a wide range of esteemed guest speakers, who will discuss an array of notable topics including food safety, food justice, sustainability and climate change. Among those addressing the gathered crowds will be the Australian Ambassador to Ireland, His Excellency Richard Andrews; Baroness Bryony Worthington, Architect of the UK Climate Change Act, Founder of Sandbag Climate Campaign and Executive Director for Europe of the Environmental Defence Fund; Dr Aifric O Sullivan UCD, member of the Editorial Group of the InterAcademy Partnership Report 2018; Owen Brennan, Executive Chairman Devenish Nutrition; Dr Christie Godsmark, School of Public Health and the Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork; David Byrne, Former EU Commissioner, Health and Consumer Protection with Responsibility for Food Safety in the EU; and Chairman Lord David Puttnam, climate activist, educator and filmmaker.

 

At last year's forum (l to r): Sean O'Driscoll, sponsor West Cork Forum; Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development and Helen Collins, Chair of A Taste of West Cork Food Festival. 

Those attending the West Cork Forum can also take advantage of another A Taste of West Cork Food Festival programme highlight, which will be held in the area on the evening in order to celebrate the centenary of the RNLI Baltimore. The event, taking place at Baltimore Harbour from 5pm is also free of charge to the public and will feature a rescue demonstration staged by the RNLI Lifeboat station and the Coast Guard helicopter, giving onlookers an opportunity to witness the bravery and professionalism of the volunteers that battle the elements and put their lives at risk to rescue those in danger at sea.

Following an engaging morning and afternoon filled with debate, discussion and contemplation, lucky ticketholders (to a now sold-out event) will be invited to celebrate and sample all of the finest produce that West Cork has to offer, with a drinks’ reception at the Baltimore Sailing Club, followed by a gourmet seafood dinner at The Lookout Restaurant. Pre-dinner drinks will be complimented by a special performance from St Fachtna’s Silver Band, while a seafood feast served up by Kate Jacob and her team at The Lookout will showcase the bounty of the Atlantic Ocean, with each course paired with carefully selected Australian wines. During the dinner, critically acclaimed Dutch cookbook author, recipe writer, TV presenter and culinary editor Yvette van Boven, will address the crowd and bring yet another memorable, educational Forum to a close.

Speaking ahead of next week’s conference, His Excellency Richard Andrews, the Australian Ambassador to Ireland, said: “This festival and indeed the West Cork Forum highlights the love and knowledge the people of West Cork have for their own place, their pride in the quality of the fruits it bears, and their commitment to managing their land sustainably for the future. These are values Australia’s Aboriginal people have held for over 60,000 years, and of which Australians today remain proud. Our communities, although separated by land and sea, remain intrinsically linked thanks to the major role played by Irish people in the building of Australia as it is today. We want 21^st century Ireland – and especially West Cork – to be an ongoing part of the story of our national cuisine and we equally want Australia to contribute to the evolution of Ireland’s culinary landscape.”

He added: “We look forward to celebrating our mutual commitment during this ground-breaking visit and to sharing an educational experience through the West Cork Forum.”

Also commenting on an event that promises to be one of the busiest of the Festival, Chairperson of the A Taste of West Cork Food Festival voluntary committee, Helen Collins, said: “This year’s topic is undoubtedly of great importance to all of us as citizens of the world, and it certainly holds particular prominence for those of us living in West Cork and familiar with its rich landscape and the huge efforts of its local people in contributing to sustainability, food quality and combating climate change. Our status as one of Ireland’s most prominent food capitals gives us a natural platform to hold such serious discussions on sustainable food safety and environmental health and the West Cork Forum addresses all these issues in depth. This status, combined with a list of speakers that are as esteemed as they are informed on their individual subject, creates an unbeatable formula for an event that will both enlighten and inspire. We are proud that through the annual Forum and bountiful programme, our Festival continues to excite and educate those that visit this heavenly part of the planet.”

For further details on the West Cork Forum and A Taste of West Cork Food Festival, which runs from 6-15th September, visit www.atasteofwestcork.com. To book events please call the venues directly.

Taste of the Week. Irish Bacon Jam by Erne Larder

Taste of the Week

Irish Bacon Jam by Erne Larder

Just had a mid-day snack there with three simple ingredients: sourdough from El Door in Cork, Durrus Óg from West Cork and Irish Bacon Jam (our Taste of the Week) from the Erne Larder. Very happy with that combination.

The Bacon Jam is basically a chutney, with the main ingredient being Irish dry cure bacon. It has a delicious flavour so use it sparingly, up to your self really but a little goes a long way!

Declan O’Donoghue, a former chef, is responsible for this excellent product and his serving tips include cheese. Also burgers, baked potatoes (“will never be te same again” he says), with cheese on toast, with ice cream, and in bacon sarnies with attitude. That’s enough to be going on with! Enjoy.

Erne Larder, 3 Lackaboy View, Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh. 

A Trio of Excellent Wines from Mary Pawle

A Trio of Excellent Wines from Mary Pawle

Château Peybonhomme-Les-Tours “Energies” Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux (AOP) 2016, 13%, €30.00, Mary Pawle

This biodynamic wine from the right bank of the Gironde estuary (those of you who have holidayed in the Royan region may have seen booths selling Blaye wines in the local markets) is outstanding. It is a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dark ruby is the colour and there are fairly intense dark fruit aromas with a hint of minerality. It is fresh, light and dry to finish. Fresh and flavourful and packed with those dark fruits. Medium bodied, juicy and light, quite succulent indeed. Excellent acidity help with the food pairings. Tannins are smooth. Young, yet smooth beyond its years. This early maturity means it can be enjoyed now or postponed for up to ten years. No postponing here, Very Highly Recommended as it is.

Interestingly, having been wild yeast fermented in concrete with a week-long, post-ferment maceration on skins,  it is then then aged in Italian clay amphora for one year before being bottled unfiltered and with minimal use of SO2. The terracotta of the amphora has been credited with “assuaging” the power and giving the palate a nice amplitude. 

Day of bottling was determined by the biodynamic calendar. Day of drinking? Seventh of July 2019.

Amastuola “Vignatorta” Puglia (IGP) 2014, 14%, €15.50 Mary Pawle

This blend of Syrah (75%) and Primitivo comes from Puglia in the heel of Italy and is organic. Vignatorta goes perfectly with red meat, game such as venison or wild boar, but also with white meat of poultry, turkey and duck.

Colour is an intense ruby. The aromas are also rather intense, berries and cherries in the mix. Cherry flavours make for a fruity and juicy palate experience; spice is prominent there too. Good acidity is also in evidence while the tannins just about retain their grip. Fruit and spice again at the decent finish. Highly Recommended.

Amastuola “Lamarossa” Primitivo Puglia (IGT) 2015, 14.5%, €19.95 Mary Pawle

My attention wandered after opening this and I was pleasurably sipping away,  thoroughly enjoying it, when I realised that  I hadn’t taken a single note.

This is 100% Primitivo, the twin of California’s Zinfandel, and has the high alcohol content of its American relation. Like the Vignatorta (above), it is organic. In my humble opinion, it is more sophisticated and a better wine than the Vignatorta, a bit more expensive too of course. Ageing is 6 months in oak barrels, 6 months in cement.

Amastuola Lamarossa is a wine suitable for the whole meal, which goes perfectly with both white and red meats. Referred as “a veritable ode to the terroir of Taranto”, this Primitivo IGT has a deep, almost impenetrable ruby-red colour. 

Aromas are intense, featuring  berries and cherries. A very juicy palate, less spice than its stablemate, acidity enough along with quite subtle tannins and persistent finish. A pleasure to drink and Very Highly Recommended.

Dining at Russborough House

Dining at Russborough House

We are on our way to dinner at Russborough House. It is one of the most sought after invitations and we are looking forward to the evening as we ease up the drive. The old Jaguar makes quite a sound on the gravel as the brakes are applied. Sir Alfred and Lady Beit are waiting for us in the great hall, genuinely delighted to see us.

Amazing stucco throughout, here on the main stairs

Soon, the other guests arrive and we are shown to the dining room with its Spanish carpet, paintings of the family and that magnificent fireplace with a bust of Bacchus (is that a red wine stain I see on his face?). We start off with a 1954 Hock Deidesheimer. 

Soon the conversation is buzzing. Not by accident, I might add. Our hosts are well-known for their shrewd and thoughtful organisation and have spent quite time on the seating arrangements. We dine in some comfort. Dishes include roast pheasant, game chips and braised chicory and the fish is poached salmon with extremely thinly cut cucumber, new potatoes and mint. We are fully at ease by the time Sir Alfred introduces us to his favourite Sauterne. Oh, by the way, cheese is served here instead of dessert.

It isn’t always fine cuisine here, not even for our hosts. I was told that when Sir Alfred dines on his own he might have bangers and mash, served in a silver salver of course!

Ready to dine?

Anyhow, at the end of the meal, the hospitality continued in fine style. We are offered luxury cigarettes from Turkey and Cuban Cohiba cigars, with port on the dining room table. Cognac too of course. All kinds of aromas, include fine perfumes, mix in that smoke-filled room.

More stucco. One of many chandeliers

Pollard is the long-serving butler to Sir Alfred and they work hand in hand on all kinds of arrangements for events in the house and estate. You can be sure that Pollard had been instructed as to the vintage of the wine and whether or not a tablecloth should be used. That level of detail plus Lady Beit’s organisational skills almost always ensures a perfect evening. And in the morning - we are staying for the night - we are informed that breakfast  (usually includes grapefruit segments) will be served in the dining room at 9.30am. 

Aesop's greedy dog about to lose his bone in the water

It is all routine here and the place works like clockwork, lunch at 1.00pm and afternoon tea at 5pm precisely. For the latter, and we’ve been there from time, you may enjoy Darjeeling tea plus a chocolate biscuit each. Fine china and silver thongs for the sugar bowl are always used. And don’t miss dinner, timed for 7pm precisely!

More Aesop: The Shepherd feeds an injured lion who will eventually spare the shepherd when they meet in the arena

The Beits have a staff of between 20 and 25, like an extended family, though there is no familiarity as the staff always address them as ‘Sir Alfred’ and ‘Her Ladyship’. They only recruit people who are both able and dedicated - from the gardeners who grow the fruit and vegetables to the maid who makes the butter.

Dinner was interrupted when Rose Dugdale came calling in April 1974

The staff here are always immaculately dressed, with maids in white pinafores. They see food and wine that is rarely seen in everyday life as their employer is a wine connoisseur with a liking for dessert wines and also Clarets such as Chateau Margaux.

Face from the colonnade

****

Fantasy dinner over and no Margaux for me, I’m afraid, on our recent visit to this fascinating house, so much to see and take in and our excellent guide Iris gave us a terrific tour. Most of the info about the habits of the Beits (and the previous families) are detailed in various exhibitions around the house and you can get some fascinating insights into the Beits (and their troubles with the IRA and gangsters), down below in the basement.

Oh, by the way, I didn’t get to see the kitchens here. Simply because they are still in use, serving up food for the house café. It is a very busy spot with a couple of adjoining dining rooms and some visitors take food out to enjoy in the open air and keep an eye on the kids who are well catered for here with various playing areas and walks through the parklands. We confined ourselves to a couple of pastries and coffee before hitting the road home to Cork.

Two timber floors, the one on the right from Russborough. On the left, is detail from a Benedictine monastery in Engelberg (Switzerland), the 3D effect achieved by the use of four different timbers. Something similar in Wicklow?

See also on this trip:
 Museum of Style Icons
Decorator to the Stars Designed Newbridge Silver Café
Dining at Russborough House
Wine, Dine & Golf at Tulfarris Hotel & Golf Resort

Russborough House
Historic house and parklands
Blessington, Co. Wicklow
See also: Museum of Style Icons