Ballyvourney's Mills Inn's worth a stop. Best to make it a planned one!

Ballyvourney's Mills Inn's worth a stop. Best to make it a planned one!

Ballyvourney’s Mills Inn was looking splendid in the sun on the last day of March and quite a buzz inside as well with regulars plus a group celebration or two enjoying the food. With travel and dining out hit at various periods of the Covid crisis, The Mills no doubt like many others found the going difficult but the lively buzz there on the 31st March 2022 indicated it is well placed to make a full recovery!

I don’t know how many times I’ve passed this popular stopping off venue for Cork and Kerry travellers. But it has usually been too close to breakfast or just before lunch or there’s been a big dinner on the near horizon.

The lunch-time call though at the end of March was planned. So we parked at the side and entered the large premises where the mid-day sun streamed through the roadside windows, nothing but blue sky outside. And that is where got our table, taking in the artefacts, prints and photos around the various nooks and crannies after we had studied the menu.

And it is quite a large menu, reinforced by a small posse of specials. All tastes are catered for. Let us begin with the Cúrsa Tosaigh (starters). There was Soup and Chowder, Chicken Wings, Black Pudding Croquettes, Salads, a vegetarian Curried Spiced Garden Pea and Red Lentil Fritters, and more, including two specials, a Chicken Liver Paté and Creamy Mushrooms.

We were concentrating on the mains and what a list. Included were the Mills Farm Beef Lasagne, Sirloin and Rib Eye steaks, Mills Farm Burger, a Chicken Curry, Fish and Chips, Panko Crumbed Deep Water Scampi Prawns and specials of course: Roast Rump of Beef, Grilled Fillet of Salmon, a Beef and Vegetable Casserole, and a Supreme of Chicken.

Takes a while to make your mind up here! In the end I went for the Cajun Spiced Chicken Fillet Burger with melted Mozzarella Cheese, baby gem lettuce and beef tomato in a toasted brioche bun with salt and fries and little bowls of guacamole and tomato salsa. It turned out to be an excellent plate, the chicken, the juicy beef tomato, the sauces and the chips all perfect.

Our other choice was the Panko Crumbed Chicken goujons with garlic mayonnaise and tomato salsa, served with house salad and fries. We swapped dishes halfway through and I enjoyed this as well, even if the chicken wasn’t quite at the same quality level as that in the burger.

But the highlight was yet to come. The dessert offerings followed more or less traditional lines with Cheesecake, Chocolate Brownie, and Sticky Toffee Pudding on the list with two specials: Peach and Lemon Posset and their Bread and Butter Pudding. 

As it happened, we went for the most traditional of the lot, the Apple Pie, and we hit the jackpot, probably the best of its kind I’ve come across in years. And huge, as big as one of John Egan’s football boots! Just as well we were sharing this simple but splendid creation. Warm Home-made Apple Pie with whipped cream and crème anglaise (they added a scoop of ice cream) sounds innocent enough but its level of deliciousness was from some heavenly kitchen.

If you are passing here anytime soon and have a little time on your hands, do drop in for this Apple Pie, at least. Better again is to do what I did on this occasion: make the Mills Inn a planned stop, take your time and enjoy the food and the friendly service and perhaps a pint of the local and excellent 9 White Deer beers!

Also on this visit:

Killarney National Park

Bray Head Walk on Valentia Island

Kells Bay Gardens and lunch at Sala Thai

Dinner at The Mad Monk by Quinlans Fish

The Lake Hotel

A stroll in the National Park Killarney. In the vicinity of Muckross House.

A stroll in the National Park Killarney. 

In the vicinity of Muckross House.

* Entrance and parking at Muckross House. 

Also on this visit:

Bray Head Walk on Valentia Island

Kells Bay Gardens and lunch at Sala Thai

Dinner at The Mad Monk by Quinlans Fish

Lunch on the way down at The Mills Inn, Ballyvourney.

The Lake Hotel

Valentia Island's Spectacular Bray Head Tower Walk. One of my favourites!

Valentia Island's Spectacular Bray Head Tower Walk

One of my favourites!

The famous Skellig islands are to your left as you walk up towards the tower.

Whenever I'm in South West Kerry, I invariably head for the Bray Head Tower Walk on Valentia Island. It is not very difficult and you have amazing views, especially of the Skelligs, as you climb, and of Portmagee and its bridge to the island as you come down.

Let us wind back to Portmagee. To start, drive from there over that bridge and then pass the Skellig Experience Centre on your left. Take the first turn left - Bray Head is on the signpost. Two minutes or so later, another crossroads, another sign and left again. 

View from the carpark

About a minute after that (5 minutes total from Portmagee) you will arrive at the car park on the left. Even here, you will get superb views. But better to pay the two euro fee, place the ticket on the dash and head for the hill!

This gate is the only "obstacle" on the path but a set of steps will help you on the way

The path is wide. There are loose stones and sometimes there will be watery patches. But nothing too serious. Just be careful, bring a stick (more of a precaution than a necessity). It is really quite an easy walk.

If you step it out and don't stop too often for photos (like some people!), you should reach the old tower in about 30 minutes. Have a look around there for as long as you wish and then head back. You'll find that the descent goes by quite quickly.

Early stages

Great views of the ocean and nearby cliffs and of course the islands as you go and return. In season you will see quite a few boats below in the water, ferrying passengers out to the Skelligs, some to land, others to circle and return. The boats leave from Portmagee. Read a bit more about Portmagee here.

On your left as you walk up

The Little Skellig

The Tower

Skellig Michael

Islands in the sun

On the way down you see the bridge (into Portmagee on the right).

Also on this visit:

Killarney National Park

Kells Bay Gardens and lunch at Sala Thai

Dinner at The Mad Monk by Quinlans Fish

Lunch on the way down at The Mills Inn, Ballyvourney.

The Lake Hotel

Jameson Crested and Eight Degrees Collaboration

Jameson Crested and

 Eight Degrees Collaboration

Irish Distillers, maker of some of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, is building on its long-standing collaboration with Eight Degrees Brewing to create a stunning third edition in this Jameson Crested series.

Jameson Crested Finished in Barleywine Irish Oak Barrels is a limited-edition whiskey born from the latest instalment of the exciting partnership between Irish Distillers and the award-winning, Cork-based brewery, which is renowned for its innovation and experimentation.

For this third iteration, Irish Distillers and Eight Degrees once again joined forces to showcase the very best of Irish talent and local produce, and started by selecting rare Irish oak barrels from Midleton Distillery’s carefully curated inventory. The brewery team at Eight Degrees then selected barleywine, a traditional malt-forward beer, to rest in the barrels for twelve weeks to produce a rich and complex sipping beer infused with whiskey flavours for their Original Gravity series (ABV 12.2%).

Once emptied, the beer-seasoned barrels were then returned to Midleton, filled with Jameson Crested and left to mature for a further three months. The result is an elevated Jameson Crested with a rich roasted malted barley flavour profile with notes of toasted almonds and sweet candy floss. Bottled at 45% ABV, the whiskey perfectly balances generous oak tannins and dried fruits with cereal notes and nutty undertones from the barleywine for a full-bodied and luxurious flavour.

“Our relationship with Eight Degrees Brewing continues to provide a springboard for innovation, adding a new dimension to both our whiskeys and beers,” explains Irish Distillers’ Blender Deirdre O’Carroll.

“As a wood, Irish oak is much more porous than its American counterpart, meaning the barrels have been quick to mature and impart flavours of caramel and dairy fudge, which have worked elegantly in tandem with the nutty, malted flavour of the barleywine for a luscious whiskey which is truly Irish in every sip.”

Derek Neville, Head Cellarman at Eight Degrees Brewing, adds: “It is a rare privilege to work with Irish oak in beer brewing and the buttery creaminess the casks added to our Original Gravity Irish Oak-Aged Barleywine was immediately distinctive. We are thrilled to see the seasoned casks return to their rightful resting place, with our beer imparting a sweet, malted character to this special bottling of the iconic Jameson Crested.”

The celebration of Ireland continues on pack with designs from local artist Coireall Carroll Kent adorning both the Jameson Crested bottle and the Eight Degrees beer cans. Featuring historical patterns and ancient tree roots, the artwork is a vivid celebration of the Irish countryside.

Commenting on the work, Kent says: “I wanted to create a standout design which was distinctly Irish, I spent a lot of the pandemic trekking across the Irish countryside, and many of the roads that I took to are shrouded in trees just like these. The knots are naturally rooted in Celtic culture, with the concentric circles representing both the curves of our landscape and the bubbles in a good drink!”

A limited-edition release of fewer than 10,000 bottles, Jameson Crested Finished in Barleywine Irish Oak Barrels will be available in Jameson’s brand home outlets at Jameson Distillery, Bow Street, Dublin, Midleton Distillery, Cork, as well as in global travel retail and through Jameson’s online shop, priced at €50 (70cl). In Ireland, it will also be available in O’Brien’s Off Licences and other specialist off licences.

press release

Kiely’s of Cork. Maylor Street Chipper With A Difference.

Kiely’s of Cork. Maylor Street Chipper With A Difference.

Ummera Smoked Chicken

Kiely’s Chipper in Maylor Street was long regarded as a leader in the market but the 1940 enterprise faded from the scene in the noughties. 

Now though, in 2022, Kinsale’s Blue Haven have revamped the premises and have also revamped the menu; it is still fish and chips but the new crew have added a few attractive touches of their own. For instance, how many chippers do Ummera Smoked Chicken fritters? How many offer dessert?

But let us start with the basics. They have three versions of their homemade chips; you may have them with a Garlic Aioli, Guacamole, or Parmesan and Truffle Mayonaisse.

Catch of the Day

Move on up the menu a bit and you see Seafood Croquettes with tartare sauce and those Ummera Smoked Chicken Fritters. They don’t mention that both of these also come on a base of fries. Indeed, they are two substantial enough boxes. The croquettes are packed full of fish and the chicken fritters, all six of them, are delicious, especially with that tomato relish.

For another few euro, the choice increases again. And they include Homemade Chips with 56 hour sous vide beef stew and crispy shallot. Also the Homemade Chips with Pulled Chicken Thai Curry, radish, chilies and Sesame seeds.  How about the Chip Butty (Cuthbert’s White Sliced Pan, Seafood croquette, tartare sauce, crunchy slaw and homemade chips)?

Fish croquettes

The €14.50 Catch of the Day (tempura haddock, prawn, calamari, with homemade chips, sesame seed, lemon and Kiely’s Special Sauce) also falls into that category. It is delicious and a meal in itself.

Extra sauce for one euro

One that I enjoyed was the Prawn Scampi  (15.50). It came with homemade chips, crunchy slaw and Togarashi Mayonnaise. A big bunch of well cooked prawns, excellent chips (as was the case all through) and another good sauce, not to mention the crunch of the slaw. Couldn’t eat another bite!

But if you could, they have Churro with deep fried banana, strawberry or chocolate sauce. Are Kiely’s the only chipper that offer dessert?

Scampi and Togarashi sauce

Like most chippers, it is not a sit-down premises, though there are a couple of small tables outside on the street. Kiely’s is well set up for online ordering. Make your choices, click and collect. Our order was close to being ready when we called (we were a little early) and they handed out a chip or two as we waited and soon the lovely chatty crew had us on our way. 

The Single Malt Shop - WhistlePig 11 Year Old Exclusive

press release

From WhistlePig Distillery in Vermont comes Volume 1 in "The Library Series." 

The Single Malt Shop - 11 Year Old Exclusive

 

In the first of a collection of five single cask bottlings from the WhistlePig Distillery in Vermont, comes Volume 1 in "The Library Series."  Produced to celebrate the ultimate in aged Rye whiskey, each annual edition comes in a leather bound Encyclopedia so that with every Volume, the collector will be building their own library. Volume 1 was aged for 11 years in virgin American Oak and was named "Rutland Barrel" in honour of a local Vermont township. Every other Volume will also carry that feature.

The entire project was initially commenced under the late Dave Pickerell's stewardship. Known worldwide as the Founding Father of the American Craft Distilling Movement, Dave was master distiller and blender in WhistlePig before he sadly passed away in 2018. Together with his colleague Pete Lynch who has become his successor, he decided that they needed to set aside some of their precious rye stocks and allow them additional ageing and care. 

After a meticulous cask selection, they settled on virgin American Oak with the sole aim of capturing the very essence of rye whiskey. As one of the final projects for Dave to have worked on, The Library Series stands out as one of the last opportunities to embrace his remarkable legacy. And with the whiskey itself bottled at the cask strength of 56.9% ABV, this is rye that is not just supremely crafted, but captured in its purest form. It is available exclusively from The Single Malt Shop.

ABOUT WHISTLEPIG DISTILLERY

In 2007, a group of people decided to buy a farm in the idyllic surroundings of Shoreham, Vermont. Inspired by the wonderful nature all around them, they started conjuring up plans of making a hyper local Vermont whiskey. 

Their dream was to grow their own rye, harvest oak from local forests to make unique barrels, source water from the estate well and to distill and age it all on site. In 2015, it all became a reality when Dave Pickerell ran their first distillation in a copper still he specifically made and customized for them. His WhistlePig mantra was soon born, “Our grain. Our water. Our wood. We call it the Triple Terroir."

Such a groundbreaking approach, indicates the sheer strength of character of what makes WhistlePig stand out. Whether they're working with older outside stock or their newer farm distilled spirit, their dedication to creating the finest rye whiskeys in the world is totally unrivalled. The results speak for themselves. WhistlePig's portfolio is the most awarded home of rye whiskeys in the world.

ABOUT THE SINGLE MALT SHOP 

The Single Malt Shop is based in Dublin and owned and operated by The Single Malt Fund, the world’s first publicly listed Alternative Investment Fund for whisky. Listed on the Nordic Growth Market in Sweden, The Single Malt Fund is fully regulated, offering investors a safe way to invest in the Water of Life. We invest in rare and limited edition whiskies from all over the world and make these available for sale via The Single Malt Shop.

The idea for The Single Malt Fund came about on a trip with friends to Islay, on a cold and wet January weekend. Over a dram or two, our founders thought it would be a good idea for whisky enthusiasts around the world to be able to invest in their favourite precious liquid. At the same time, they wanted to allow investors and the general public alike to purchase any stocks that we source, on an on-going basis. So, The Single Malt Fund and The Single Malt Shop were born. As whisky fans ourselves, we are delighted to be a new player in the industry and look forward to playing a small role in promoting the liquid that we all love.

WHISTLEPIG VOLUME 1 OF THE ENCYCLOPEDIA SERIES, AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM THE SINGLE MALT SHOP

Age: 11 Years, All Rye

Availability: Shipping worldwide. Click here to see a list of countries.

A Quart of Ale± #99. On the craft journey with a cider detour: Legacy, Longueville and Mac Ivors

A Quart of Ale± #99

On the craft journey with a cider detour: Legacy, Longueville and Mac Ivors

Longueville House Cider 5.9%, 500ml can Bradleys

..”Refreshing, clean and crisp…it’s how traditional cider used to be before it got all artificial and fake,” say Longueville House of their original cider, a real artisan production.

It arrives in your glass in a dark amber colour but you will see the natural sparkle. The aromas are unmistakably of the orchard where their cider apples, Dabinett and Michelin, grow. And the outstanding autumnal apple flavour of this medium dry cider confirms its authenticity. This is one you swallow and say thanks to the O’Callaghans.

The apples are harvested in late October, once picked they are crushed and pressed together (they don’t over worry about the exact quantity of each of the two varieties) in the Cider Mill on the estate. The pressed juice is left naturally ferment over a period of 2 to 6 months, taking place as a result of the action of the wild yeasts, which are particular to the orchards and environs of Longueville. 

The newly fermented cider is left for a further 6 months resulting in a rich, amber coloured cider, full of character, flavour and taste. There are no added sugars or sweeteners (no chapalisation) colourings, additives, sulphites or preservatives used at any stage during the production and manufacturing process of the ciders. The entire process from growing the apples to the fermentation of the cider is done on the farm.

Legacy Medium Cider 5%, 500ml bottle

Very light orange-y colour here. And it carries a light haze, not so much that you can’t see the fountains of bubbles constantly rising. The nose, not over emphatic, is undoubtedly of apples. It has quite an engaging mouthfeel, a burst of flavour, sweet yes but also well balanced so there’s no excess and it finishes fruity and satisfying, tannins gently gripping the lips as it says goodbye.

This one is a bit like the Alsace Gentil wine as it has no less than six varieties: Elstar (eating), Bramley (cooking), Discovery (eating), Katy (eating), Michelin (cider) and Dabinette (cider). 

They say: “This is a crowd pleasing cider; easy drinking, great flavour profile, natural apple aroma. Great with good friends, a warm sun, a good sporting occasion or kicking back on your own.” 

Legacy have a small passionate team “that love producing the best quality ciders the land can produce in a sustainable way. From blossom to bottle.”

Legacy Dry Cider 5%, 500ml bottle

A very bright  liquid with an orange colour and, like the Medium, it is slightly clouded. Again you can see those bubbles flying up. Natural apple aromas greet the nose. There no shortage of fruit flavours (green apple from locally grown fruit) as it hits the palate but it is, as you would expect, noticeably drier; your lips will tell you! A good bite is how producer Liam McDonell describes it, saying it “is the strong Bramley flavour coming through”. It is well balanced though and quite a thirst quencher.

The Medium Dry is made with three apple varieties; Elstar (eating), Bramley (cooking) and Michelin (cider). “Elstar is a floral light cider that sits in the background, Bramley is the big bold mouthful and Michelin is a beautiful sweet French cider apple that gives a soft caramel flavour and a lingering dryness”. The blend has a crisp dry finish.

“This is a great cider with oily fish and white meat. It has a strong acidic backbone so it is able to cut through rich flavours and compliment. The high carbonation coats the tongue and cleanses the palate.”

By the way, this is a favourite of Liam’s. Our session here ended on a split decision. I was a little surprised that I had a slight preference for the Medium and not at all surprised that my tasting partner (CL) picked the Dry!

Mac Ivors Juicy Session Cider 4.2%, 330 ml can x 4 Tesco

This session cider pours clean and golden, bubbles galore. Aromas are of the orchard and it is clearly a refreshing one. May not be dry enough for some, but I’d be quite happy with it in a session. It does of course finish dry. It comes in a 330 ml can and, after a check for stockists, I found mine in a 4-pack in Tesco.

They say: Delicious and thirst-quenching, our Juicy Session Cider is made exclusively from hand-picked, Irish-grown dessert apples such as Falstaff, Elstar, Allington Pippin and Golden delicious. This medium dry cider has a simple and refreshing flavour profile and it now comes in a convenient can. Crisp clean finish.

Mac Ivors Cider has its roots in Armagh, known as “The Orchard County”. “Our farm was established in 1855 in the townland of Ardress. Our cider takes its name from our Cider Maker Greg Mac Neice’s grandmother Annie Mac Ivor.”

Some interesting bits on the Mac Ivor packaging:

Armagh grows 4 times as many apples as the rest of Ireland put together.

It takes the juice of 4 whole apples to make every can of our cider.

Every year, we hand pick over 12 millions apples on our family farm.

We have 52 hives bees to pollinate our apple trees. That’s millions of bees!

GLENILEN FARM PARTNERS WITH EASON

press release

GLENILEN FARM PARTNERS WITH EASON

Glenilen Farm has joined forces with iconic Irish retail brand Eason to encourage children to learn about sustainability in a fun way. 

 

The partnership will see 12 new activities for children included on the inner sleeves of Glenilen Farm Kids Yoghurts and a weekly competition to win an Eason voucher. 

Glenilen Farm is a family-owned food producer, making fresh dairy products using local milk. It began in the kitchen of Valerie and Alan Kingston’s home in Drimoleague in 1997. It currently processes almost 100,000 litres of milk weekly, churning out a quarter of a million pots of yoghurt each week. 

 

Valerie Kingston says, “We’re delighted to be working with Eason. Every parent wants to see their children reading and learning about the environment. Our passion at Glenilen Farm is creating wholesome food that’s good for people in the most sustainable way possible. We only use local milk, have solar panels, rainwater collection systems and thousands of native trees on Glenilen Farm. We even keep pigs to eat any food waste from the factory.  We want to share our love of the environment with the next generation showing them that small changes can make a world of a difference.”

Eason is Ireland’s leading retailer of books, magazines and stationery. It has been in operation for 135 years and has a network of over 50 outlets in Ireland. 

Brendan Corbett is Group Head of Marketing with Eason, he added, “We’re thrilled at Eason to collaborate with Glenilen Farm on this inspiring initiative – it’s great to partner with an Irish company who shares our passion for engaging with families, and with children in particular.”

The partnership between Glenilen Farm and Eason will run until the end of the year. 

 

Glenilen Farm kids yoghurt is the ideal healthy snack packed full of live gut-friendly cultures. Available in three flavours, strawberry, vanilla, and banana, it’s made with real fruit and its smooth and creamy texture makes it suitable from weaning age upwards.