Enjoying (mostly) the good life at Killarney's Aghadoe Heights

Enjoying (mostly) the good life at Killarney's Aghadoe Heights

Friday, September 11th, in this year of Covid, found us dining in the Lake Room of the Aghadoe Heights Hotel in Killarney. There were over 80 others, socially distanced, in the large bright room with its splendid view (not everybody gets the same view!) over the lakes below. And it was the same story in the adjoining room, the more “casual” Heights Lounge and Piano Bar.

Our Lake Room menu was fairly restricted as regards choice but the quality was excellent all through, from Amuse Bouche to Dessert. Our wines, chosen from the by-the-glass groups, about five each of red and white, were the intensely fruity Pionero Mundi Albarino (10.50) and the vibrant fruit-driven Old Coach Road Pinot Noir from Nelson in New Zealand (11.50). Dinner (three courses with tea/coffee) comes to €59.50 per person. The Amuse Bouche and Sorbet are included.

Sorbet

Burrata

There were 6 starters in all, including Oysters and Crab Claws, both supplemented. Another included Avocado so I passed on that. But I must say I hit the jackpot with the Burrata Salad with Peaches and Basil. The peaches were surprisingly effective in the delicious ensemble. And our other starter was equally satisfactory: Chicken Croquette with celeriac remoulade and pomegranate. Next up was the lovely unlisted treat of a Champagne Sorbet.

There were just five main dishes to choose from and two of those were beef. Another was seabass which I skipped. This is usually imported and I cannot imagine why the hotel, so close to the lakes and ocean, doesn’t have at least one Irish fish on the menu.

Chicken starter

My pick was the Irish Hereford Sirloin Steak with glazed ox cheek, onion, roasted carrots and Béarnaise sauce and it was quite a splendid plateful, well cooked and presented, the cheek a bonus. CL meanwhile was enjoying her Supreme of Chicken with crispy polenta and green beans, another excellent combination. Also on the table were two sides of seasonal vegetables and one of gratin potato.

Service had been excellent up to this point but then our table seemed to become invisible. Eventually, we had to ask for someone to take the dessert order and its delivery took just as long again, 40 minutes in all. 

The list, another short one, was hardly inspiring with usual suspects such as Apple Crumble, Tiramisu and Chocolate Fondant appearing. I went for the Raspberry Millefeuille and I’d go for it again. Somewhat different from the usual effort and really excellent.

Later, we slept well in a spacious and well-equipped room and enjoyed the morning views over Lough Leane below from the balcony. You don’t have to be a hotel guest to enjoy these views as there is a public viewing area with car park. Just head out the Killorglin Road from Killarney town, turn right for Dingle and then right again and it will be on your right with the hotel on the left.

As you know these days, all meals in hotels have to be booked so we were back in the Lake Room for breakfast at 9.00am. Very surprised to find they were operating a buffet, a buffet where you served yourself from uncovered receptacles and where those that needed toast all handled the toaster controls and those that wanted pastries or cheese or salamis used the thongs provided at each stop. Same with the juice dispensers. There was a small hand sanitiser available at the start of the queue.

Back at the table, we ordered our hot breakfasts from the kitchen, Both the dishes, the Eggs Royale (with smoked salmon) and the Pancakes with maple syrup and berries were faultless.

Soon we were ready to hit the road again but not before a walk out the front to take in the view and a stroll around the hotel to take a final look at its terrific collection of art, including works by Knuttel and Kerry artist Liam O’Neill. Time then to say goodbye to the lovely people who manned the reception, warm and friendly as they had been when we arrived.

Amuse Bouche

via Pixabay

It’s also from Elqui that our pisco comes, a liquor made from the muscatel: transparent, virtuous, and serene as the angelic force that emanates from the land. Pisco is the prime ingredient of the pisco sour, our sweet and treacherous national drink, which must be drunk with confidence, though the second glass has a kick that can floor the most valiant among us.

from My Invented Country by Isabel Allende (2003). Very Highly Recommended.

Taste of the Week. O'Mahony's Italian Sausages with Spanish Rice

Taste of the Week

O'Mahony's Italian Sausages with Spanish Rice

I don't know how many times we've found our Taste of the Week in our Neighbourfood delivery box. The latest is Italian Sausages from the O'Mahony Butcher stall in the English Market. Indeed, you're always on a winner when you purchase at this particular outlet.

What would we do with the sausages? And then I remembered a recipe we used put to good use a few years back. The Blog Chef found it in an instant: Spanish Rice with Chorizo and Sage. We substituted the Italian Sausage for the Chorizo and ended up with a very enjoyable bowlful indeed, our fleeting Taste of the Week.

You also need tomatoes, garlic, red pepper, turmeric (which adds a warm glow) and frozen peas and sage. The trick with the sage is to add a bunch of it (well shredded) towards the end; Dry Sage it, just like a brewer Dry Hops his beer!

It's a relatively easy dish, all cooked in one pan. If anyone wants the recipe, DM me.

Fernhill House Hotel. Its history and its beautiful gardens.

Fernhill House Hotel and its beautiful gardens.

You notice the ferns straightaway. After all, they are planted in groups around Fernhill House Hotel in Clonakilty. And, of course, in the 14 acres of gardens, (itself divided into three sections: managed, lightly-managed and wild). Garden Designer Mary Reynolds has plans and, because Fernhill is a great wedding venue, ferns just have to be included. 

The first reason is that they’ve always been here and the second is one of Mary’s inspirations. Cloich na Coillte is the Irish name for Clon and means ‘Stone in the woods’. Ferns help form the carpet that clothes the earth as part of  healthy woodland, covering the ground in a soft carpet of feathers. “In ancient Ireland, every plant was associated with certain energies. Ferns represent marriage and the secret bond of love. The gentle unfurling of the fern fronds symbolise the slow blooming of love in a committed relationship.”

And so couples come from all over West Cork to get married here, sometimes in the more managed part of the garden. Here, their photographer has some amazing backgrounds to work with, especially at dusk when parts, including the little bridge, are highlighted by fairy lights. 

And, on the Valentine’s Day after their wedding, the couple are invited back to plant an apple tree.

Our September visit to Fernhill started with a warm welcome from Michael O’Neill (jnr), the fourth generation of the family in the hotel. The hotel is built around the original house which dates from 1826. The Atkin family were the first owners. They didn’t have much luck on the male side. When the father died, the family, including Robert Travers Atkin (born Fernhill 1841) went to Australia where he went on to be “the founding father of social justice” in that country. He too died prematurely and the family headed for England. Here, a son of Robert’s became Lord Atkin and was directly responsible for opening the way for compensation claims.

Michael O'Neill and a herb spiral

The Wrights and the Cowpers were other families associated with the house as the 19th century closed and the 20th began. Michael Collins was a visitor in 1920 and, during the war, the Irish army were based here (an ammunition bunker from that time still stands here). The mansion house was bought by M.J. O Neill in the 1940’s and was turned into a hotel by his son Con with his wife Mary in the 1960’s.

The hotel has “grown” around the original house and so too has the wedding business and the garden is a key part of that. But the 14 acres accommodate much more nowadays. Many apple trees grow here and other fruit as well.

Ferns, and a well worn mill-wheel embedded in the wall

And expect to see many varieties of Irish trees and bushes under Mary’s direction, even if there are many here already. And not planted willy nilly! During the tour, Michael explained that they use a layering system with bushes or small trees in the first row, medium sized specimens  next and then the tallest; always with the aim of keeping compatible species close to one another.

We had just 30 minute for so in the garden but you could spend all day here to take in all the detail. As you move from the more fully managed area to the semi-managed area, you come across their stone circle (they built it themselves - it’s not an ancient one!). Here in the grassy circle on certain days you will see a group doing their yoga.

Move on a little further and you will hear the calming sound of running water as the river flows down the glen. Just sit here and relax. Indeed, forest bathing tours can be arranged here. Michael said he slept like a baby after his first experience of the bathing. Foraging tours are also done here, the schedule somewhat curtailed these Covid days, so do check availability with the hotel.

Listen to the birds and see those layered ranks of trees and imagine how they’ll look in the future. And as you stroll up the slope, note the series of terraces near the river. Here, trees are being planted and each terrace will be harvested (and replanted) in rotation, with the harvested timber going to the hotel’s wood-burner.

The family are much into sustainability. They have solar panels in place and have their own sustainable water supply. Michael jnr himself is a director of Sustainable Clonakilty and was a board member of the European Union’s EDEN group. His group had plans to plant no less than 10,000 tress locally this year until the Covid interruption but, still, they managed to get most of them into the ground.

Michael is also a keen historian and his starting point is the house. You can read some of the early details in our first post on our visit here and you’ll know that quite a few well known people have been through its doors. The early families, who lived in the 1826 built mansion and its then 1,257 acre estate, were part of the landed gentry. They had lawn tennis courts, a cricket pitch, a four storey castle tower, an ornate orangery and more. In fairness, they also ran a soup kitchen to feed the starving during the famine.

What may not be so well-known is that Fernhill has quite a literary connection as well, ranging from Margaret Wolfe Hungerford, the Victorian novelist, credited with the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” to Louise O’Neill author of the bang up to date “Asking for it”. Louise, by the way, is a cousin of Michael’s and a great grand-daughter of MJ who purchased the house in 1946.

The Irish army march through Clon during WW2

Michael has put together a folder showing other literary connections with sites that relate directly to the history of Fernhill and its surrounds.

Louise O’Neill - Almost Love and Asking for it

Sophie Hannah - Closed Casket (a Hercule Poirot story set in a Georgian mansion in Clonakilty)

Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (wrote as The Duchess) - Molly Bawn

Tim Pat Coogan - Michael Collins; Eamon De Valera.

Tim Crowley - In Search of Michael Collins

James Douglass - JFK and the Unspeakable

Henry Ford - My Life and Work

Mary Reynolds - Garden Awakening

Damien Enright - Scenic Walks in West Cork

Alison Wickham - Irish Women Speak.

From the garden to the kitchen

Michael had arranged lunch for us but before that he had another little surprise. He showed us some pretty old scrapbooks, full of newspaper cuttings. As with many such collections, the dates had been trimmed from the scraps but, judging by some that still had dates, it seemed they were collected in the early decades of the 20th century.

There were a few recipes that caught my eye:

Lobster Omelet (US spelling).

Salmon Kedjeree (sic)

Little Cheese Custards

Macaroni a la Napolitaine

Kidney Toast

Savoury Vermicelli

Roes and Mushrooms on Toast.

Needless to say, none of those were on the day’s lunch menu! It was a meal that we enjoyed very much indeed and you may read all about it here.

Ballyannan Wood & Choctaw Monument

 Ballyannan Wood & Choctaw Monument

Midleton, Co. Cork. 20/09/2020

Midleton

Ballinacurra

Hayfield

Message in a bottle. The Fairy Folk invite you to post a message!

A Duo of Delicious Whites: Riesling and Grüner Veltliner

A Duo of Delicious Whites: Riesling and Grüner Veltliner

Lingenfelder Riesling Trocken Kabinett Freinsheimer Musikantenbuckel Pfalz (DP), 11%, €19.95  O’Briens Wines 

“Straightforward and elegant,” is how Georg Lingenfelder described this wine while speaking in Cork late last year. Georg represents the 14th generation of the family in wine in the Pfalz and this year is their 500th anniversary!

The 2018 is a straw yellow in colour. It certainly has the typical Riesling aromas (citrus-y). 'Trocken' on the label means this is a dry Riesling, yet it bursts with bright citrus and red apple fruit, all the time remaining elegant with a stony minerality, a high acidity and a lemon-fresh finish. Very Highly Recommended.

Georg told us that Pfalz is in the south west of Germany. “One of the driest and warmest areas but still a cool climate. Wines can be more full bodied here in good years. 2018 was warm and dry and some of the 2018 are not too heavy. All hand-picked, all wild fermented, we rely on the natural yeasts that are all around our cellar.” 

The wines with the Lingenfelder’s house on the front label are single plot. This Riesling has the house on the front, so the fruit came from a single plot, quite a small one in this case. “We are right next to the Rhine but our vineyards are not too steep - easier to work there. We use sustainable methods, lots of other plants between the rows. This gives bio diversity, very important to us.”

Georg is enthusiastic about local and authenticity. And the commitment continues so that the next 14 generations “get a chance to live off the land as well; without herbicides, without irrigation, only minimal fertilisation and lots of biodiversity”. And we, the consumers, get the opportunity to drink excellent wines like this one.

Steininger Grüner Veltliner Kamptal (DAC) 2018, €17.25 Wines Direct

This Grüner Veltliner (Gru-Vee) is a light golden yellow. Ripe apples aromas, herbal notes too. Juicy fruity (melon) on the palate, with crisp acidity, complex and elegant all the way through to the minerally finish. This harmonious easy-drinking wine is Very Highly Recommended. Well priced too, by the way.

Importers Wines Direct suggest pairing it with Rich Fish, Light Fish and Shellfish, Hard Cheese, Fresh Greens. In fact, Gru-Vee is very versatile at the table. 

Not too long back, I was impressed by the way it handled a dish of Fresh monkfish, Malaysian noodles, pancetta, chilli and black pepper jam and julienne of vegetables in Jacques (one of our top local restaurants). 

And it also married amazingly well with Halibut, Sea Radish, Bacon, Pepper Dulse and Elf Cap in Greene’s (another classy Cork venue); lots of flavours in both dishes but no bother to the Steininger.

This wine is indeed an excellent ambassador for Grüner Veltliner from the Kamptal. The winemakers say the Kamptal’s three types of soil (primordial rock, loess and clay), are ideal for Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and Zweigelt. 

The climate too, of course, not to mention the family. “The vine absorbs these impressions and reflects them in the wine and gives each wine its personality and character. Behind every wine are also the people. Making good wine is a way of life, as well as a fascinating task. You need experience and a lot of feeling.”

#DrinkResponsibly

Glenbower. An Autumn Walk

 Glenbower. An Autumn Walk

Glenbower Wood is in Killeagh, East Cork. Pics from 19.09.2020

Kylie's Latest Hits

Kylie's Latest Hits 

Kylie Minogue Sauvignon Blanc Côtes de Gascogne (IGP) 2019, 11,5% abv, €12.99, Winesoftheworld.ie and Carry Out Off Licences.

Always loved the few holidays we had down in Gascony, arguing with the locals about rugby and not least sipping the local Floc aperitif before enjoying the local white wines with a bowl of mussels and other fish dishes. The only trouble was when you got the wines home to Ireland, they never seemed to match the holiday experience! 

But Gascon wines have much improved over the decades and this Kylie Sauvignon Blanc is a  well-made example and has made the journey well! Light straw colour. Aromas fresh, gooseberry and citrus. Crisp and lively on the palate. En Vacances!

Might not be Kylie's style but they love The Fanfare down in Gascony

Kylie Minogue Merlot Pays D’Oc (IGP) 2019, 13.5% abv, €12.99, Winesoftheworld.ie and Carry Out Off Licences.

The Signature Merlot features grapes grown in the sun-drenched Pays d’Oc region in the south of France. No shortage of aromatics here and its juicy fruity (cherry, plum) palate makes it instantly gluggable, nice bit of fruit and spice along with smooth tannins define the finish.

This young friendly easy-drinking Merlot is produced from grapes grown in the beautiful Languedoc region in the South of France, a country where they grow more of it than anywhere else in the world. According to Wine Folly, about half the world’s Merlot is grown in France (mostly in Bordeaux and the Languedoc).

Kate Barry, Wines of the World, tells me that Kylie’s go-to matching for her Merlot are grilled halloumi, tomato and aubergine skewers, beautifully enhanced by the fruit-forward red. And her top pairing for the Sauv Blanc is a fresh watermelon, feta and mint salad. Note too that Merlot is quite versatile and will go with a wide range of foods as does Sauvignon Blanc.

The Kylie Minogue Wines’ Signature Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot are available exclusively in Ireland on www.WinesofTheWorld.ie and Carry Out Off Licences at an RRP of €12.99 since Monday 24th August. The pair complete the star’s Signature Range, which also includes the wildly popular and best-selling Signature Rosé.

Blackwater's October Taster Box. Little Rascals Session. Blacks Beer Winner. Hugh Johnson's Top 10. Wines Direct in Grenache Groove. Cheers #22

Blackwater's October Taster Box. Little Rascals Session. Blacks Beer Winner. Hugh Johnson's Top 10. Wines Direct in Grenache Groove. 

And more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #22

October's Blackwater Tasters Box revealed

Back in August we launched Ireland's first craft distillery subscription club and were overwhelmed by the response. Since then we’ve been busy in the orchards and fruit gardens of the south-east working on two new unique spirits for the October Blackwater Tasters Club box, and we can now reveal the contents: a Windfall Apple Spiced Gin and a luscious Wexford Blackcurrant Cassis.

Join the club here 

Happy Days With Little Rascals

Picked up a can of this session pale ale in the local Supervalu the other day. Very impressive - terrific balance. Well worth looking out for!

They say: "Happy days is our 4.1% session pale ale. A mouth watering hop combination of Vic Secret, Citra, Cascade, Mosaic and Hull Melon ensures this beer gets the VIP treatment. Expect fresh mango, passion fruit, orange, melon and much more. A delicate caramel malt backbone perfectly balances this juicy pale ale. It is the perfect session beer …HAPPY DAYS!"

Blacks Feature In World Beer Awards

"An amazing week for awards here at Blacks as we won the Worlds best Session IPA and Worlds best Speciality IPA for two of our newest beers, Ace of Haze IPA and 2020 Vision Triple IPA. An amazing achievement from all the team here, the Ace of Haze is going to make it into the core beer range and we have another batch in the fermenter which will be canned  very soon." Pot still whiskey production is also in full swing! We have got the brewhouse up to near full speed and managed to run 3 brews of pot still wash on Monday this is a major step in the right direction and a new weekly production record of 12 brews this week! which we should smash again next week! Check out all the news from the busy Kinsale producers on their new website here HUGH JOHNSON’s 10 WINES TO TRY IN 2021 Over 12 million copies of Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Guide have been sold since its first publication 44 years ago. His seminal World Atlas of Wine is also on its 8th edition. Here ..he.. goes into some detail about which are the top 10 wines we should be trying in 2021. Click here. Wines Direct Loving Their Groovy Grenache This weekend Grenache Day was celebrated, so we decided to extend the festivities and create a case around our love for this unique varietal. Grenache is responsible for some of the most delicious and expensive wine in the world. This case is well thought out to showcase Grenache at its finest. You will go on a Grenache adventure from France to Spain and back again. You will enjoy customer favourites of noteworthy bottles and at a most incredible value. More details here.