A quartet of excellent German wines from Reh Kendermann

A quartet of excellent German wines from Weinhaus Reh Kendermann

All four wines are on offer at Dunnes Stores until April 2nd; check them out here

Weinhaus Reh Kendermann Terra Quartär Pinot Noir Pfalz Trocken 2019, 13%, €9.20 until April 2nd (RSP 11.50)

Germany is one of the world’s top producers of Pinot Noir (or Spatburgunder, as they call it there) and the Pfalz (also noted for its Riesling) is one of the top growing areas in Germany. The soil here, from an ancient sub-tropical sea, is now fertile and warm, suits the Pinot well and ensures healthy and ripe grapes.

You can almost guess it’s healthy from the glossy light-red colour. Aromas are moderately intense, red berries and cherries.  Fruit flavours impress on the palate with mineral notes in there too. Light and elegant, juicy with balancing acidity, all the way to a smooth finish. Highly Recommended.

The combination between the good water retention and warming properties of this special Löss soil encourages aroma development and gives very elegant wines. The proof is in your glass.

Pairings recommended include Pasta, red meat, white meat.

Terra Quartär translates as Terra Quaternary

By the way, France and the USA are the top two country producers of Pinot Noir. I was somewhat surprised a few years back to  hear  that Germany was third but even more so to read recently that the fourth top grower is Moldova!

Weinhaus Reh Kendermann Schiefer Steillage Riesling Feinherb Mosel 2020, 11.0%, €8.80 until April 2nd (RSP €11.00)

 

Germany’s Mosel region is world famous for its steep and stony slopes as well as its slate soil. It also grows some excellent Riesling, perhaps slightly less dry than those of the Rhine vineyard. I learned that when I was a regular caller to the late lamented Joe Karwig who imported so many excellent German wines to Carrigaline.

This one, by the Rev Kendermann company, is typical. Colour is a light straw, very little colour really. Aromas are moderate, ripe white apples, and the slightest hint of diesel (which I rarely get in young European Riesling). 

The fruit, citrus and apple again, comes into its own on the fresh palate, which displays also liveliness and minerality. Lemon and lime take the lead towards the finish. Yet it is that residual sweetness that comes through to underline its Mosel heritage and earns it the off dry term (Feinherb) on the label.

A delicious and toothsome wine. Try it on its own or with Asian Cuisine, fish and seafood and white meat dishes. Highly Recommended.

The vines which grow on these steep slate slopes of the Mosel profit from the angle of the sun and the perfect heat storage property of the slate (depicted on the bottle). It absorbs the heat from the day and gives it back to the vines at night. In combination with the cool climate it helps the grapes to ripen.The results are wines with high minerality and a lively character.

We have Trocken on the both Sauvignon Blanc and Point Noir labels meaning dry. Feinherb is mentioned on the label here and this is a popular German term for off-dry. The soils that the three vines grow in are highlighted on the bottles.

Weinhaus Reh Kendermann Kalkstein Sauvignon Blanc Trocken Pfalz 2020, 12.5% €9.20 until April 2nd (RSP 11.50)

Colour of this Sauvignon Blanc from Germany’s cool northerly Pfalz is a light straw, very light.  Apple and citrus, also a little pepper, in the aromas.  Lively and fresh on the palate, more exotic fruit here too but a balancing acidity helps makes this a zesty and delicious wine. It is dry and food-friendly and quite an impressive German contender in Sauvignon Blanc. Highly Recommended.

Sauvignon Blanc may well be one of the finest and most widely grown white wine varieties in the world but it is fairly unusual to find a German example in Ireland. The grape is just not associated internationally with the country. Just took a look at the often quoted Grapes and Wine and, in a few pages on where the grape grows best, Austria is mentioned but not a word on Germany. Same story in Wine-Searcher.com. And, by the way, this is not a Sancerre imitation nor a Marlborough either. Somewhere in between, this Kalkstein is its own vin.

Kendermann  say: The cool and dry climate in combination with the deep and nutrient-rich limestone soils of the Palatinate offer ideal growing conditions for the Sauvignon Blanc grape. The vines can root deeply and hence they are more water stress–resistant. This grape variety which came from France via New Zealand to Germany develops great aromas on these thin porous limestone soils. Therefore, the wine is very aromatic and has exotic notes of mango, passionfruit and citrus fruit.

Recommended pairings are: fish, Asian cuisine, white meats and salads. One of our favourites is Scallops, with rashers (Truly Irish) and Irish Shellfish Butter. That was our recipe, designed to match with the Cono Sur Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, and it got us to the European final of the Cono Sur Blogger competition in Paris in 2014.

Weinhaus Reh Kendermann Kalkstein Pinot Noir Rosé Trocken Pfalz 2019, 12%, Dunnes Stores exclusive -  €9.20 until April 2nd (RSP 11.50)

This very very pale Pinot Noir rosé is barely coloured. Light red fruit aromas turn up as pleasant flavours in the mouth, light and fruity and with a crisp mouth-watering acidity. The tip here is not to chill it too much or you lose some of the benefit of the impressive if subtle citrus flavours. Amazing that a wine with such a weak colour can be so refreshing and bursting with flavour right through to a crisp finish. Highly Recommended.

Much of the credit goes to the soil of Kalkstein where the limestone helps the grapes reach full ripeness. Kalkstein is actually the German for limestone. Recommended pairings: Fish, Vegetarian, White Meat.

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* Winemakers since 1920, family owned Reh Kendermann is Germany’s largest export wine company. As a leading wine exporter, the winery makes German wines popular in the whole world: Black Tower the most successful German wine brand worldwide comes from Reh Kendermann.

**All the above four wines are on offer at Dunnes Stores until April 2nd; check them out here.

On top of the world - Double glory for Clonakilty Distillery at World Whiskies Awards

On top of the world - Double glory for Clonakilty Distillery at World Whiskies Awards

Ewan and the Clonakilty stills

 Ewan Paterson wins Best Visitor Experience Manager, while Clonakilty Small Batch Single Malt trumps again in World Whiskies Awards

 

 

It’s been a good start to 2022 for Clonakilty Distillery in terms of awards, and yesterday they continued their winning ways as they scooped two major awards at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards.

 

The maritime distillery trumped in two categories yesterday March 24^th – with Visitor Experience Manager Ewan Paterson winning the Best Visitor Experience Manager category, whilst their multi-award winning Clonakilty Small Batch Single Malt Whiskey added another accolade to its collection of silverware.

 

Speaking in relation to the award, Mr Paterson paid tribute to the wider Clonakilty Distillery team:

 

He said : “It is an absolute honour to receive this Icons of Whisky Award from Whisky Magazine. I would like to say thanks to the whole team at Clonakilty Distillery, management, production and the office team, who all make it possible for us to delight our visitors. I’m proud to work with the brilliant Visitor Experience Team who make my job a pleasure on a daily basis.”

 

He added: It’s been a challenging two years and I thank them all for their ongoing support and enthusiasm. Being part of the Clonakilty Distillery since we opened our doors in 2019 has been a wonderful journey and the future is very exciting!”

 

Clonakilty’s Small Batch Single Malt was the second award for the team on the night, coming up trumps in the Single Malt Small Batch Category.

 

To qualify for this award, a Single Cask Single Malt whiskey must have been disgorged and bottled without addition of any substance except water (for dilution to bottling strength) and/or spirit caramel. The vatting of two or more casks is not permitted at any point in the production process of a Single Cask Single Malt.

 

Head Distiller at Clonakilty Distillery Paul Corbett said the team was delighted to be recognized for their Clonakilty Small Batch Single Malt, which was in collaboration with O’Hara’s Brewery.

 

He said, “O’Hara’s brew exceptional beers and on nosing the casks before filling I knew we were going to be crafting something special. The resulting Clonakilty Small Batch Single Malt has a complex blend of chocolate, fruit and spice notes with a rich mouth-feel and we’re delighted it has been recognised on a global scale.”

 

Founder of Clonakilty Distillery Michael Scully also expressed his delight at the award wins and said the team were excited for a busy summer: 

 

“I am thrilled to see Ewan recognised today as the best Visitor Experience Manager, the team are incredibly proud of him, he plays a pivotal role at our Visitor Centre and if you’ve ever visited you will know that he goes above and beyond to ensure everyone that comes through the doors has the best possible experience that they can at Clonakilty Distillery.”

 

He added: “It is a testament to Paul and his team of distillers that our Clonakilty Small Batch Single Malt y has also been recognised at the awards today. We will legally be able to launch our own very first whiskey made from our distillery in May later this year, so it has been a great start to 2022 for us and we are really looking forward to a busy summer and autumn welcoming visitors back to our distillery tours.”

 

To keep up to date with all things Clonakilty Distillery, check out Clonakilty Distillery on Twitter @clondistillery, on Facebook @clonakiltydistillery and on Instagram @clonakiltydistillery For more information visit https://clonakiltydistillery.ie/

 

Fota Island Resort ‘s Head Chef Maris Urbanovics is named Ireland’s Chef of the Year at the Hotel and Catering Review Gold Medal Awards.

press release 

Fota Island Resort ‘s Head Chef Maris Urbanovics is named Ireland’s Chef of the Year at the Hotel and Catering Review Gold Medal Awards.

 

Fota Island Resort have been awarded two top industry awards at the prestigious Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards which took place at Lyrath Estate Hotel, Co. Kilkenny on Tuesday 22^nd March, hosted by Ireland’s favourite radio presenter Marty Whelan.

 

Claiming the prestigious accolade of Ireland's Chef of the Year for The Cove Restaurant's Head Chef Maris Urbanovics while also being awarded bronze in Ireland’s 5 Star Hotel Spa Experience category.

 

Carmel Guihen, General Manager at Fota Island Resort shared “We are delighted to have been awarded Ireland’s Chef of The Year, a fantastic achievement for our Head Chef Maris Urbanovics, who along with the culinary team at the resort have worked so hard to bring innovative ideas and wonderful dining experiences to our guests. Maris’ passion and talents are wonderful to have at Fota Island Resort and we look forward to seeing what he plans to bring to The Cove over the next year and beyond.’ Carmel continued, ‘ I’d like to congratulate our wonderful spa team who were awarded bronze on the night in Ireland’s 5 Star Hotel Spa Experience category, a brilliant achievement for all of the team.’

The Cove Restaurant is the Resort’s speciality restaurant with a seasonal set menu options and six-course tasting menu that creates a flavoursome and gracious dining experience. The imaginative menus draw on Head Chef Maris Urbanovic's love of nature and foraging, celebrating Cork’s abundance of artisan producers including Shanagarry Smoke House, Ballintubber Farm, Gubbeen Smokehouse and Ballyhoura Mountain Mushrooms.  The Cove is an intimate setting complete with its own wine cellar where the restaurant's experienced sommeliers have curated a pairing option that includes, beer, cider and wines, all designed to complement the flavours of the food.

Head Chef of The Cove, Maris Urbanovics from Latvia has been with Fota Island Resort since 2018, his passion for cooking started at a young age, growing up by the sea and spending his childhood foraging with his parents, learning about sustainability within cooking. Over his career Maris has worked across many diverse restaurants and hotels, falling in love with Ireland and making Cork his home 15 years ago, a county with an abundance of fantastic local produce, where he has built strong relationships with artisan producers incorporating as much local produce into his menus at Fota Island Resort as possible.

Celebrating a remarkable 32 years, the Hotel & Catering Review Gold Medal Awards are the leading independent awards for the Irish hospitality industry and aim to recognise and celebrate the outstanding achievements of the hotel and catering sector throughout the country over the past twelve months.

For more information on The Cove Restaurant and to experience the award-winning property first hand, find out more by visiting www.fotaisland.ie. 

Love or Loathe Coffee? APC wants you on their Coffee Study

Love or Loathe Coffee? 

APC wants you on their Coffee Study

 

Coffee is the very first thought of the day for many people waking up all over the world. At APC Microbiome Ireland, a world leading SFI Research Centre headquartered in University College Cork (UCC) researchers are thinking about coffee all day every day. Dr Serena Boscaini and Nurse Caroline O’Leary are leading a study investigating how coffee consumption affects the brain and gut microbiota of healthy adults between 30 and 50 years-old.

 

Dr Serena Boscaini, PhD Postdoctoral Researcher and Caroline O’Leary, Clinical Research Support Officer

Moderate coffee drinkers who drink three to five cups of coffee per day, living near and in Cork city are needed to take part in the study. This study involves four in person visits to University College Cork over approximately six weeks. APC researchers are also seeking non-coffee drinkers both in Cork and in the rest of Ireland. For non-coffee drinkers the study involves two visits to University College Cork, for those living outside Cork the first visit can be done online. 

Dr Serena Boscaini, Postdoctoral Researcher at APC Microbiome Ireland  says “It is known that coffee consumption has a positive effect on human health. In particular, moderate consumption of coffee is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, liver diseases, Type II diabetes, cognitive decline, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. This is not surprising since coffee contains several phytochemicals that are beneficial for human health, including different kinds of polyphenols. A large number of polyphenols are metabolized and modified by the microbes in our gut. It is also known that a number of microbes-derived molecules are affecting the health of other organs, such as the brain. To this end, this study aims to explore in detail what is the effect of coffee consumption on the gut microbiota, stress and cognition. At the moment, the effect of coffee on the gut microbiota and on the communication pathways between the brain and the gut is still largely unexplored.”

Caroline O’Leary, Clinical Research Nurse at APC Microbiome Ireland says “People are incredibly passionate about coffee and we believe that this is a wonderful opportunity for coffee lovers, and haters, to play an important part in research that will tell us more about how coffee benefits our microbes and our brain.”

To find out more please email Caroline O’Leary at carolineoleary@ucc.ie or Dr. Serena Boscaini at serena.boscaini@ucc.ie or visit https://apc.ucc.ie/coffee

Whiskey Chats Second Anniversary Celebrated In Style

Whiskey Chats Second Anniversary Celebrated In Style

Distillers dropped in from Paris and Boston and places in between to the Whiskey Chats Second Anniversary Zoom party, all looking for feedback as their spirits were an essential part of the recent celebration of Laurie O’Dwyer's podcast achievements. 

Not alone did they get good feedback but there was much praise for the likes of Maurice O'Connell of Lakeview, for the inspiring and influential Fionnán O’Connor, and for the O’Donovan brothers of Irish Malts, all for their efforts to promote Irish spirits .

Lakeview, with the Hilly Field in the background.

O’Connell, a direct descendant of the great Daniel O’Connell, has a series of well appreciated Liberator spirits to his credit but the last few days have been special as his Lakeview Estate Single Pot Still has become available to try and was one of the eight spirits (there were eleven drinks in all) tasted during the celebration. 

The barley was grown on his own land by the Lakes of Killarney in the Hilly Field. Harvested in 2018, it was malted in Naas and distilled in 2019 by Great Northern before being matured in a mixture of Bourbon and Bordeaux casks with 20% peated. “The sample (46% abv) is a rough cut,” he said. “More to be done, I have a group of tasters working on it.”

Already the colour is fantastic and the feeling in the party group was that this will fly off the shelves when released. And there will be more! 

On the day following the celebration, Maurice posted a tweet:  “The Whiskey cycle continues... Ploughing (underway in) the Hilly Field in advance of planting the Barley for our Lakeview #SingleEstate #PotStill #Whiskey. Only 5/6 years to wait before pouring!” 

James Doherty of Sliabh Liag in Donegal told us all about our sample of Cask Strength Midnight Silkie. The abv here by the way is around 70% and James cautioned: “Add a touch of water!” 

Its backbone is in the grain. It has been raised in casks, virgin oak and French red wine included, but James reckoned it is the influence of the Imperial Stout casks from Sligo’s White Hag brewery that gives this Silkie its creaminess. He pointed to the quite earthy smoke, “ a signature of our style" plus that signature softness in the mouth. “Big apple roundness, fresh and zingy.” “Aromas of cream soda”, said Laurie.

Onscreen: James from Sliabh Liag from Boston

Waterford Distillery have a “sister” distillery in the Caribbean island of Grenada and,  as you might expect, there is a big emphasis on terroir. And Waterford’s Ned confirmed that as he introduced the 50% Renegade Rum. “It is made with fresh sugar cane… there are no delays in distilling… the results are very different depending on what farm the cane comes from. It is a new distillery, an amalgamation of countries involved and commissioning was delayed by Covid 19.”

"The rum has an unusual nose, pungent, very different and it takes a lot of getting used to. Fruity, tropical, even stewed fruits (the stuff from the cask is mind-blowing).” 

Quite a few, but not all, participants agreed on tomato soup for those aromas, that I found it funky and edgy. Mango was among the tropical fruits on the palate and this impressive rum had a dry finish. Ned was standing in for Waterford’s Mark Reynier who did check in later in the evening from Paris.

One of the windows at the Pearse Lyons distillery in Dublin's Liberties

Conor Ryan joined in from perhaps the country’s most beautiful distillery, Pearse Lyons in the Liberties. He had a Poitín New Make to tell us about. “A really fun project. It is produced with 100% own-grown grain from Dundalk, distilled in Dublin on our Kentucky stills with our own yeast.”

 Very smooth, no great heat but,  at 65%, Conor advised adding a little water. For me, it was silky and spicy, fresher fruits and a hint of liquorice in the aromas. “Spicy, biscuity, crisp barley notes,” said Conor, “with a little strawberry sweetness.”

Killowen (via their website)

The first break from the spirits (in a 3 hour plus session) saw Chris Hennessy introduce a canned cocktail called Ginger Sting. Based on an Aqua Vitae from an ancient recipe, you find notes of clove, nutmeg and mostly ginger. Light on carbonation, it is refreshing with a dry finish. And you can expect more of these “designer drinks” from Chris and Off the Cuffe.

John O’Donovan spoke about Cyber Monday Single Malt (46%), their collaboration with blenders JJ Corry. “It stands out for us. So much effort but the best of fun doing it. A great collaboration, something very different.” “A typical Bush fruit bomb, very smooth, fruity,” said Laurie. 

There was lots of praise for Irish Malts for their operation and their keenly priced offerings to the whiskey drinker. “Great stuff!” “A powerhouse online service.” “Fresh approach.” 

The morning after.....

Boánn’s Michael Walsh had a New Make Light Distillate (63%, use a few drops of water!) for the party. Laurie questioned the small amount (1.25%) of Rye. But Michael explained that some grains, such as Rye, “become noticeable at low thresholds”. 

It seems that the Meath distillery has a “secret” weapon. “We have a cooling coil in our stills.” Its settings can lead to the production of heavy, core or light distillate like the one we enjoyed. “I’m not aware of anyone else who has it. It is made by Green Engineering.”

Two beers were introduced during the evening, both excellent: the export version of Bambrick’s by Ballykilcavan and Batch Four of last year’s favourite Flora and Fauna from County Clare’s Western Herd whose brewer Bridger Kelleher was delighted with the “good vibes the beer got from the whiskey community”. 

Ballykilcavan have been making quite a contribution to Irish Whiskey. Their barley is used by Waterford while Irish Distillers have used their oak to make a limited amount of casks (for Dair Ghaelach). More on these two beers in our regular Quart of Ale posts. Along with the spirits and the beers, we had a few well rendered songs too by Paul Costello. 

Brendan Carty from the Killowen Distillery in Newry introduced his 68% spirit: “..this is by far our best distillate, so much fruit, pears and apple, reduce the peat factor”. It is surprisingly palatable. 

Brendan went on to praise the influential Fionnán O’Connor: “We owe him so much”, an opinion endorsed by Laurie: “Fair play to him for his passion”.

By the time we got to the Mulroy Bay, made by the Baoilleach Distillery in Donegal, the question of whether Irish Whiskey should use peat or turf as a term was boiling and Baoilleach’s Michael O’Boyle threw another sod in the fire with the word móna! 

And Michael disclosed that their turf comes from a nearby bog and that they also get a blacker peat from a relation’s bog and that there is a good interaction between the two types.

The distillery should have good news shortly about an upgrade that will take them “from the amateur league to the top division”. 

Going by the range of spirits tasted at this celebration that top division is going to be very competitive indeed and the best of luck to all contenders. No doubt, the third anniversary of Whiskey Chats will give us the state of play again in a year’s time. In the meantime, thanks to Laurie and Sláinte to all.

* The celebration was recorded and a podcast is coming. Best keep an eye on Laurie’s twitter @whiskeychatspod

 for the updates 

Two Superb Wines from Burgundy and Mendoza. Well worth a try!

Two Superb Wines from Burgundy and Mendoza for your list. Well worth a try!

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Chateau De Santenay ROC Blanc Mercurey (AC) 2017, 13%

RRP €31.99 wineonline.ie Terroirs

Chateau De Santenay is situated in the central strip of the Côte Chalonnaise which itself is in the middle of the Burgundy vineyard (north to south and leaving aside the isolated Chablis). Here, on that central strip, according to the World Atlas of Wine, “Mercurey is much the best-known appellation…”. 

Our 2017 Santenay comes in a bright and clear light-gold colour. Aromas are concentrated, pear and citrus notes, and just a mild hint of vanilla. The mouthfeel is superb, the texture impressing (thanks to its time in oak). For sure it is ample in the mouth, those superb fruity aromas (more of the pear now) continuing and citrus flavours, plus hazelnut hints. Thanks to its stimulating acidity, it has a beautiful balanced path to the finalé.

The Chateau de Santenay is one of the most important Burgundy estates with its 90 hectares spread across 14 appellations planted in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. “We are totally committed to the protection of the environment and the biodiversity of our vineyards.”

The Chateau itself confirms that the grape variety is 100% Chardonnay from a small vineyard in the village of Saone-et-Loire. White wine represents only 10% of the vineyard in Mercurey but it is a very significant proportion. Mercurey blanc has a zesty mineral edginess (from the limestone in the soil). The soils are rich in clay, but the limestone (typical of the Côte Chalonnaise) is “very present” as well as some areas of marl. These characteristics give the white wines of Mercurey a strong structure. 

“Our good farming practices allow us to be certified ‘High Environmental Value’ and ‘Terra Vitis’. The soil is managed by tillage, permanent grass cover and that ,with herbicides removed from the process, provide a biologically active soil life. The thinning and green harvesting help to control the yield and maintain good health of the plant by aerating clusters. Winemaking is traditional with moderate pneumatic pressing. Static settlings for 12 hours then fermented in oak barrels. Aged sur lies during 12 to 18 months.”

Pair with pasta, rich fish (salmons tuna) shellfish, mild and soft cheese, charcuterie.

Flichman Dedicado Malbec (Tupungato Mendoza Argentina) 2016, 13.5%

RRP € 29.99 Avoca Handweavers Shops, Molloys Liquor Store (Clonsilla), The 1601, Michael's Mount Merrion, Ely Wine Store Maynooth, wineonline.ie

This Malbec from Argentina’s Mendoza (the UCO Valley sub-region) has a deep ruby colour. Ripe red fruits feature in the intense aromas along with hints of spice (from its 12 months in oak). On the complex palate, there is dark fruit and a very fresh structure with concentrated ripe tannins. The finish is long with more fruit and spices. Very Highly Recommended.

You can taste why this is one of Finca Flichman’s signature wines. The finca was founded in 1873 by a Polish immigrant and bought by Sogrape in 1998. It is also very well known for its Caballero de la Cepo, an iconic bottling and one of the earliest super-premium wines.

Importers Liberty: Produced in the Valle de Uco, Mendoza. Made by one of Argentina's rising stars German Barra, fruit for this Malbec is sourced from the Tupungato district of the Uco Valley. Aged for 12 months in French oak, it is full bodied and rich. 100%Malbec.

High altitude Tupungato is the northernmost sub-region of the Uco Valley in Mendoza, at 1300 metres above sea level. The grapes benefit from large diurnal temperature variations which result in a longer growing season. Pedro Parra, the renowned Chilean soil mapping expert, consults on these vineyards.

Flichman tell us that fermentation was carried out over 20-25 days in stainless steel tanks. After malolactic fermentation took place, the wine was aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. It is a wine with typical aromas of the variety subtly fused in wood. It presents an excellent level of nuances on the palate.

Generous Plates At The Vienna Woods Hotel. And A Memory Of Time And Chicken Shared

Generous Plates At The Vienna Woods Hotel. 

And A Memory Of Time, And Chicken, Shared.

Memories came back the other night when we visited the nearby Vienna Woods Hotel for dinner. The building, surrounded by woods and perched on a height overlooking the Glashaboy River, has stood there since 1756. 

My memory or at least the basis for it doesn’t go back quite that far. One school break (Easter or summer I do not recall) in the early sixties, I worked here for a week or two, helping new owner Joan Shubuek. I mostly did the washing up, and a few other odd jobs around the place. 

In late afternoons, she would call me, occasionally, to the kitchen and we would share a cooked chicken and have a chat about what I cannot remember, probably about my family and schooling. That over, she’d wrap up the remains of the chicken and I’d cycle up the hill and home. Shubuek it was who gave that already old building its new name and a new purpose. Perhaps, for old times sake, I should have had the chicken the other night!

There is a quite a menu here in Mabel Crawford’s Bistro, a series of connected rooms (of different sizes). The Bistro is an unusual space and reportedly long hidden until discovered just over a decade ago. “Moving an old fridge in 2009 revealed a 150 year-old kitchen, and pantry of the old house, which was transformed into a 90-seat bistro.” The Crawfords lived here from 1875 to 1946.

The current menu covers lunch and dinner options, everything from soups and sandwiches to slow-cooked Featherblade of Beef and Torched Fillet of Atlantic Cod. It was the Dexter beef in the 8 ounce Burger that caught my eye and it was served with Organic tossed leaves, crispy bacon, and cheddar cheese, all in a Brioche bun plus a side of Hand Cut fries. And that beef certainly had that extra bit of flavour but everything else was also excellent, including those chips!

Our other pick was the Seared Supreme of Chicken (with caramelised apple and wild mushroom duxelle, toasted pine nuts, tender stem broccoli, Parma ham, fresh thyme, and wholegrain mustard). As we ate through this, we found the broccoli has been replaced by kale and there was no visible sign of the toasted pine nuts. 

In any case, it was quite a plateful and besides, to her surprise, a generous bowl of vegetables and potato gratin arrived as well. She enjoyed the ample chicken but barely picked at the side! Other main courses included steak, fish pie, Fish ’n Chips, a curry, and a duo of salmon and Monkfish.

Starters were also on the generous side. Don’t often see a Fricassee of Wild Irish Forest Mushroom on the menu so I went for that (cooked with white wine, parmesan cheese, seasoned greens, double cream, and basil oil and served with toasted Olive bread). Our other starter was the Grilled Garlic Breaded Mussels (with fresh herb crumb, lemon, rocket, pickled cucumber, bread and a side salad). Both were enjoyed.

It seems that most dishes here are on the generous side. The Vienna Woods are not alone in that regard, far from it. Sometimes I wonder if it is an Irish thing. Maybe not. By coincidence, I am at present reading Taste by Stanley Tucci. He is talking about a favourite NY restaurant: "The Carnegie Deli took it to the extreme. Their motto was, ‘if you’ve finished your meal, we’ve done something wrong.'” From Taste by Stanley Tucci.

A comfy booth, one of the rooms in Mabel Crawford's

We’ve had a few rhubarb desserts recently so we continued that trend by trying their Irish Rhubarb & Rosewater Panna Cotta with vanilla pod, homemade cookie (coconut), honey and rosewater, and cream of course! Quite a pleasant dessert and easy-eating following the generous dishes before. Again, as was the case in other restaurants (The Glass Curtain and The Tannery), there was little enough sign of the rhubarb. The best of these desserts came at O'Mahony's Watergrasshill; no shortage of the new season rhubarb there and it was served simply with ice cream, a bit like Alice’s Peach!

It was a busy early evening here in Glanmire as quite a few confirmation parties were in full swing and they kept a team of servers going non-stop. Our server, also involved in the servings in the various rooms, kept a good eye on us and even had time for the odd quick chat and a laugh and that added to our enjoyment of the occasion.

This spectacularly sited hotel is very well decorated and comfortably furnished and a pleasure to visit. So why not call in for a drink or a bite next time you’re in the area. I can assure you it is now much changed from the 1756 structure, built in the Regency style by Davis Ducart as a summer leisure lodge for Lord Barrymore!

Where we dined. Just how old is that exposed brickwork?