Seafood Delights at Cliff House Hotel Festival Lunch

Seafood Delights at Cliff House Hotel Festival Lunch

West Waterford Festival of Food Highlight

The minute I read that the House Restaurant were doing a Seafood Lunch Tasting Menu as part off the West Waterford Festival of Food, I booked our table. And my confidence was rewarded spectacularly as we absolutely enjoyed the meal served up by Chef Patron, Tony Parkin. I have enjoyed a few splendid meals at this elegant cliff-side location but this was perhaps the best.  I could be back there again soon as it just 45 minutes from my door.

After a gentle welcome we got a prime window seat with a view of the bay. We’ve had better weather here but never a better lunch. First the wine had to be settled. The list is extensive but I concentrated on the list of five whites available by the glass.

Haddock croquette
canape

The Guerila Rebula from Slovenia (left) immediately caught my eye as I was very impressed by their wines at a recent La Rousse tasting at the Glass Curtain. This golden wine is made from biodynamic grown grapes; it has complex aromas, and is fresh and elegant on the palate, quite close to an orange wine, and combined well with the fish.  

We also very much enjoyed the Weingut Malat Höhlgraden, Grüner Veltliner, from Kremstal, elegant and fine and a classic expression of the Austrian grape, always versatile at the table.

Then the food began with a couple of canapés, a Smoked Haddock croquette (right) and John Dory tempura, each a tempting hint of delicious things to come.  

Then we were into the menu proper beginning with Tuna, Nahm jim, Galangal. Just a sliver of tuna with the Thai sauce giving a sweet and sour and spicy flavour enhanced by the ginger of the Galangal.

Red Mullet

The Red Mullet (carrot, ginger, orange, jalapeño) followed in a foamy liquid. Another slightly spicy and delicious dish and here the wines played a role as well. A memorable dish indeed - there was a spoon to take up the liquid, otherwise we would have tempted to use a piece of the earlier bread! A pity that we don’t see more of this fish in Irish restaurants and fish shops.

No problem getting your hands on John Dory but not like this serving of the fish with asparagus, morel, wild garlic and a sauce of mushroom and truffle. Quite a simple dish with every single element a star. It is an outstanding fish in any case but surrounded by such an assembly of delicious local and seasonal elements, the dish was amazing and memorable.

Tuna

And we would finish on a high as well with the 63% Manjari Chocolate (Marsala, Coffee and Yoghurt Sorbet).  I was wondering where the fruit notes were coming from and it was from the Manjari itself, a single origin Madagascar, which is made from rare cocoa beans giving it a fresh, acidic, sharp bouquet with red fruit notes. Add in the Sicilian Marsala, the coffee and the sorbet and we had quite a chocolate symphony. Perhaps the best chocolate dessert I have tasted.

Not quite finished yet as, with the coffee, came our Petit Fours, a Chocolate Truffle and a gorgeous White Chocolate piece loaded in the middle with a white chocolate ganache. Lovely finalé to a splendid meal indeed. Bravo to Tony Parkin and his team at The House.

White Chocolate Petit Fours
with white chocolate ganache filling

On this trip

Mount Congreve, Kilmeaden

The Local, Dungarvan

The Baker's Table of Lismore

Vinilo, Lismore

Marvellous Sunny Morning On The Vee (Waterford/Tipperary)

360 Town Stay, Dungarvan

The Shamrock

Seafood Delights at Cliff House Hotel Festival Lunch

 

INTO KILDARE TO PAINT THE TOWN RED FOR PUNCHESTOWN

press release

INTO KILDARE TO PAINT THE TOWN RED FOR PUNCHESTOWN

Pictured are Áine Mangan, CEO Into Kildare and Joanne Byrne – Digital Experience Officer Into Kildare.

Pic: Conor Healy / Picture It Photography.

 

Into Kildare, the tourism board for County Kildare has joined forces with Punchestown Racecourse and officially launched the ‘Paint The Town Red’ campaign.   The campaign is a best dressed window and building competition which will help promote and support businesses in Naas before and during the Punchestown Festival.  The initiative will see shops and traders in Naas being encouraged to decorate their buildings and shop fronts in a racing inspired, Punchestown theme.

 

The Punchestown Festival this year runs from Tuesday 25 - Saturday 29th April and there are plenty of great places in Naas for racegoers to visit both pre and post racing including some of Ireland’s best boutiques, men’s shops, hotels, restaurants, and pubs to mention but a few.

Naas businesses are being encouraged to embrace the fun and the energy of the famous festival and to ‘Paint The Town Red’ by incorporating the colour red in their window displays. Into Kildare has also sponsored flags which have dressed the streetscape and Naas Town Centre and which create a festival and party atmosphere in the town centre.

The trader with the best window will win a wonderful opportunity to be a tourist in their own county! The winner will get a host of fabulous prizes including dinner, bed and breakfast for two people at Kilkea Castle Hotel and Golf Resort, dinner bed and breakfast for two at Moyvalley Hotel and Golf Resort and dinner, bed and breakfast at Clanard Court Hotel. The top prize also includes hospitality for two in the La Touche Restaurant on the 29^th of April at the Punchestown Festival.  The fun doesn’t stop there… there’s also a family pass to the Irish National Stud to include the Racehorse Experience and Japanese Gardens and to top it all off there’s two tickets to see all of the flat horse racing action at the 1,000 Guineas Raceday at The Curragh on May, 28^th.

The two runners up will win hospitality in the La Touche Restaurant on the 29^th of April at Punchestown, a family pass with the Irish Racehorse Experience for use at the Irish National Stud and Japanese Gardens and two tickets to the 1,000 Guineas Raceday at the Curragh.

All entrants in the Paint The Town Red best dressed window competition will be given a pair of complimentary tickets for the opening day of the festival, Tuesday 25^th of April when the overall winner will be announced.

To enter, entrants need to email a photo of their shop front all decorated in the Punchestown colours and racing theme to jcreaton@punchestown.com The deadline is Tuesday 18^th of April. Punchestown Racecourse will announce the finalists on social media on Friday 21^st of April and the winner will be announced and presented with their prize in the Parade Ring at Punchestown Racecourse on Tuesday, 25^th of April.

Speaking about the campaign, Áine Mangan, CEO of Into Kildare said, “The Into Kildare, Paint the Town Red initiative aims to encourage racegoers to eat, sleep and shop in Naas and to spend their money with local businesses.  The Punchestown Festival will attract over 130,000 racegoers to the racecourse this year and those racegoers will of course need somewhere to eat, sleep and shop. 

Kildare is known as ‘The Thoroughbred County’ but we also have lots to offer away from the track including fabulous cultural, dining and shopping experiences.  Flags and creative displays will help to create a fun, festival atmosphere and will remind people that there is plenty to see and do in the area before and after racing.  We are calling on all businesses to embrace the racing theme, decorate Naas and Paint the Town Red! “

She went on to say, “It is up to all of us collectively to entice visiting racegoers into the town with attractive offers and showcase the great community spirit that is alive and well in Naas. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank our members in the tourism network in county Kildare - Into Kildare who have been most supportive and engaging.”

Conor O Neill, CEO of Punchestown Racecourse said, “Last year was our first year back to racing as we knew it post pandemic. We were just blown away by the atmosphere, the crowds and the goodwill.  We called last year our ‘Great Comeback Festival’ and it was certainly that!  We look forward to welcoming great crowds and glad to see that most people have availed of the early bird discounts and got great value tickets. Sales are strong, hospitality continues to impress us with the level of popularity and UK visitors return year after year and account for 20% of the festival attendance.  The Paint the Town Red concept was introduced to create that welcome for visitors and connect the town to this massive flagship event that’s happening just on the outskirts. We would like to thank those businesses that really put in such great efforts. It all adds to the event which in turn contributes massively to the local economy. We look forward to welcoming the people of Kildare and beyond to the 2023 Punchestown Festival.

 

For further information about Into Kildare please see www.intokildare.ie or email into info@intokildare.ie

 

Tickets now on sale for the Cork County Mayor’s Charity Dinner

press release 

Tickets now on sale for the Cork County Mayor’s Charity Dinner

Set sail for Bantry on Saturday May 27th

Cllr. Danny Collins, Mayor of the County of Cork, Christy Walsh, Bandon Hyperbaric Oxygen Centre and Helen O Driscoll, Cancer Connect,at the launch. Pic: Brian Lougheed

The Mayor of the County of Cork, Councillor Danny Collins, will host a not to be missed Charity Dinner on Saturday 27th May 2023 at the West Lodge Bantry.

It promises to be a memorable summer evening of great food and entertainment, celebrating the best of Cork County and its maritime heritage, with 100% of proceeds going to Cancer Connect and Bandon Hyperbaric Oxygen Centre.  The event will also mark the Mayor’s year in office.

Tickets, which are priced at €100 each, are expected to sell quickly for the evening, which includes a drinks reception, 3-course dinner showcasing some of the best local produce from across the county plus lots more. 

Master of Ceremonies for the event will be none other than Irish stand-up comedian, bestselling author and award-winning broadcaster Colm O’Regan.  He will be joined by C103 presenter Patricia Messinger, while special guests include celebrity comedian Bernard Casey who will do a cameo performance on the evening, ensuring spirits are high and kept high as attendees round off the evening with The Boogie Band. 

It will be one of the networking and social highlights of the year in Cork County but above all Mayor Collins is keen to raise as much funds as possible for his chosen charities.

Commenting on the event, Mayor Collins, said “It has been my highest honour to serve Cork County over the past year. Cork County has global status when it comes to food, culture, tourism, and business.   I’m really looking forward to welcoming everyone to my hometown of Bantry for this year’s edition of the Mayor’s annual charity event. I hope business, tourism and cultural representatives from around the county will come out in support of the night.  It will be an evening of fine food and entertainment but above all it will raise much needed funds for two very deserving charities that need our support.”

Cancer Connect is a not for profit organisation with charitable status that co-ordinates transport to Cork hospitals for passengers attending Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy treatments, and cancer related appointments.

Bandon Hyperbaric Oxygen Centre (B.H.O.C.) is another not for profit which houses two state of the art oxygen chambers treating a wide range of conditions and patients across West Cork.  Fundraising is an integral part of this volunteer-led registered charity.

For more and to book tickets see corkcoco.ie, email: corkcountymayorsdinner@corkcoco.ie or call The Cork County Mayor’s Secretary on (021) 4285367.

CORK STUDENTS WIN TOP PRIZES IN TEXACO CHILDREN’S ART COMPETITION

CORK STUDENTS WIN TOP PRIZES IN TEXACO CHILDREN’S ART COMPETITION

Mitchelstown's Amy O'Brien 

 

Three Cork students have won top prizes in this year’s 69th Texaco Children’s Art Competition.

 

In the 16-18 years age category, Amy O'Brien (age 17), a pupil at Presentation Secondary School, Mitchelstown, won second prize for her artwork entitled ‘The Bond’.

 

Amy’s work is described by Final Adjudicator, Professor Gary Granville as “a highly detailed and fascinating study of her immediate physical and emotional environment.”

 

Isauro Ramalho, a Special Merit winner with this painting.

In addition, two Cork winners each won Special Merit Awards for artworks that Professor Granville said ‘were imaginative and displayed high levels of skill and creativity’.

 

They were Keelin Ní Laoire (17) from Scoil Mhuire Dromanallig, Ballingeary and Isauro Ramalho (11), a pupil at Scoil Naomh Fionán na Reanna in Belgooly.

 

A Special Merit for Keelin Niģ Laoire

The Texaco Children’s Art Competition is popularly regarded as the longest-running sponsorship in the history of arts sponsoring in Ireland, with an unbroken history that dates back to the very first Competition held in 1955. This year, as has been the case throughout its life, it has been a platform on which young artists from Cork and counties throughout Ireland have had their talents recognised and their creativity commended.

press release   

Bantry's Maritime Hotel. Convenient and Comfortable Gateway to West Cork

Bantry's Maritime Hotel. 

Convenient and Comfortable Gateway to West Cork 

The Natural Growing Company display

If you are intending to stay in Bantry, then make it a Thursday night. Why? Because the fabulous Bantry Market takes over the town on Fridays. It is huge with all kinds of everything on offer.

The market is not all about food, far from it, though you can get quite a lot of it there. Gubbeen of course have their cheese and smoked meats and there are eggs, potatoes and vegetables, not to mention fruit and other produce, are all available.There are a hot food stands as well. 

Pasta mains at Maritime

You can buy carpets and other household items,  bric-a-brac galore and certainly lots and lots of tools. There are stalls selling hand tools, a whole range of gloves (mostly for work) and you may find one selling fishing gear.

An amazing market. You can buy anything here, from a needle to an octopus, from a glove to a carpet, and live chickens (even more animals on the first Friday of summer months when a fair is added to the event). The receptionist at the hotel told us that those first Fridays were the days to visit!

Outdoor dining facilty in the square

And that Maritime Hotel is our usual base when we are in the town by the Atlantic. It is comfortable and so well situated, so close to the central square, on the main road to nearby magnificent drives both east (Sheep’s Head, and Mizen) and west (Beara, the Healy Pass). It is a friendly place and another advantage of staying on a Thursday is that they provide music in the bar. Don’t worry if you can’t make Thursdays as other nights will be just as good!

Anyhow we were there recently on a Thursday (Mar 30th) and it was lashing, so bad we couldn’t take a planned stroll through the town. But we had arrived fine and dry thanks to their superb car park. It is just across the road and underground with a lift up to the reception or to your room. Excellent.

Maritime fish cakes

We had been well filled at lunch in the Killarney Brewery and Distillery in Fossa and didn’t need a big dinner so we headed to the hotel bar. Glad to see that they had 9 White Deer Kolsch, one of our favourite drinks on draught plus quite a list of bottled craft beer. The Kolsch went down well followed by a very enjoyable Green Spot.

Plenty of choice on the menu: soups, sandwiches, starters, mains and Roisín’s desserts plus an impressive list of specials. CL went for one of the latter, the Salmon and Sweetcorn Fishcakes. This was billed as a starter but wasn’t far off main dish size. Never got sweetcorn in a fish cake before but these, with a side salad, were very good indeed. 

My pick was the Seafood Pasta (locally caught Shellfish and Seafood bound in Rich Tomato Sauce Served with Garlic Bread). No shortage of fish and the sauce brought it all together. Happy with that and my later Green Spot!

No Green Spot in the morning as breakfast was served in the rather splendid Ocean Restaurant. Well, it was more self-service. There were a few items, including pancakes, that could be ordered for the kitchen but, after muesli and fruit and juice of course, we headed for the buffet and build our own version of the full, maybe partial, Irish. Either way, it was quite satisfactory.

O'Driscoll's fish, of Schull, sure get around

A few minutes later and we were strolling along the square and through the market stalls. First though we saw how the town had taken to outdoor dining with a variety of covered seating places.

We had one particular stall in mind and were glad to see it there just off the northern end of the square where we filled a pretty big box with plants, a few herbs, plus spinach, mixed lettuce, and curly kale, all from the local Natural Growing Company. Not the easiest carry back to the carpark but we made it, said goodbye to Bantry and its market and headed for the city.

The Maritime (from a previous visit)

Everyone loves this Tuscan “baby”, Capezzana’s Barco Reale

Everyone loves this Tuscan “baby”, Capezzana’s Barco Reale

Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano (DOC) 2019 

RRP €24.99. Red Island Wine Co. The Allotment. Grapevine. Wineonline.ie. O’Donovans Off Licence. La Touche Wines. Clontarf Wines

Everybody loves a baby and this Barco Real is the baby at Capezzana, one of most famous of Tuscan wineries. This light and easy drinking blend of Sangiovese (75%), Cabernet Sauvignon (15%), Canaiolo and Cabernet Franc, is the youthful version of the Carmignano from Capezzana and has become known as their “baby wine, the everyday drinking wine”. So said Pierpaolo Guerra of Capezzana as he introduced this wine at a September tasting in the MacCurtain Street Cellar.

The Carmignano is produced from slightly older grapes and also spends more time in oak compared to the 6-8 month stay of the Barco Real. 

This 2019 baby has a deep ruby red colour. The intense and fruity nose displays aromas of red plum and cherry with subtle hints of oak from barrel ageing. Rounded and ripe on the palate, it shows a perfect balance of fruit and well-integrated tannins. There is a hint of spiced berries on the long, elegant finish. Young but quite irresistible. 

Very Highly Recommended.

You may be surprised to see French grapes in the mix but Pierpaulo explained that French grapes have a very long history here as we sipped this aromatic and fruity wine with a spicy finish.

Not everyone is a fan of the international grapes. Take Giovanni Manetti, who runs the family vineyard Fontodi (1968) in the heart of Chianti Classico, as an example. 

He is proud that the main red grape here is Sangiovese, that it has seen off the challenge of the international grapes. “By rule, Chianti Classico must contain 80% Sangiovese but the trend is towards increasing that percentage, a very positive trend as it gives more sense of place. It is a very delicate grape but suits the terroir and it expresses it well. …Sangiovese has always been the biggest player but other indigenous grapes could be a good companion, better than the international varieties.”

While international grapes go back a long time here, Capezzana itself though has a much longer history. Situated in the Carmignano zone to the west of Florence, is nowadays owned and run by the Contini Bonacossi family, the latest in a long line. In fact, in the archives in Florence, they discovered a contract for the rent of vines and olive groves at Capezzana signed in 804 AD.

See more on Capezzana here .

Lunch at Killarney Brewery & Distillery in Fossa.

 Lunch at Killarney Brewery & Distillery in Fossa.

Fossa is the new source of Killarney Brewing’s beer and also the  source of Killarney’s Distillery’s new whiskey (not here yet!). It is also the place where you’ll get some generous meals to go with your choice of drink.

And all of this is quite spectacular with an amazing view out front towards the McGillicuddy Reeks. I enjoyed my lunch there recently and, of course, it included a couple of beers.

The restaurant is upstairs and it is massive, room for about 150 covers I reckon. And it is a very comfortable place, very pleasing on the eye too. And the welcome and service is very friendly and efficient, and unusually, it was all male, mostly bearded fellows. Nice crew though. Of course you get that great view out through the glass and when the temperatures go up, some lucky customers will get to enjoy their food and drink on the balcony.

Let us start with the menu, the Drinks Menu that is! They have no less than eight of their own beers on offer here, everything from the Rutting Red (Irish Red) to the Brazen Banshee (a German Marzen). My pick, whenever I get the chance, is the Casey Brothers Extra Stout.

“This stout is a fuller flavour version of the classic Irish-style dry stout, with a hefty body and incredibly dense head. We employ a variety of dark malts to capture the essences of espresso, treacle, black bread and dark chocolate. Some Flahavans oats add to the smoothness of this classic beer style.” Best way to have your porridge then!

Their Blonde Ale (4.8%) is widely available in Kerry on draught and has become a favourite of CL’s. Me too! Killarney say: This blonde gets its complex malt character from several specialty malts and a touch of wheat, balanced with just the right amount of fruity hop flavour. So the stout and blonde were our picks.

CL got more of it than she bargained for because the ale, in a generous taster, is served with the Drunken Sailor (18.50), her lunch dish. The Sailor is served in a wooden box and is quite a feed. Blonde beer battered fish, fresh pea puree with a hint of mint, tartar sauce, curry sauce served with rustic chunky fries and a taster of our Killarney Blonde Beer. Allergens: Gluten, Eggs, Milk, Sulphur Dioxide, Fish, Mustard.

They have a share of burgers here, including one without meat. Various sandwiches too, and starters such as soup or wings (in two sizes).

I picked the Po Boy Breaded Prawn Torpedo (12.50), one of three sandwich choices. The Po Boy consisted of Louisiana prawns, avocado mayo, tomato, lettuce and chipotle mayo in a torpedo roll. Another large and satisfying feed.

Beer is not the only drink on offer. Their Killarney 1092 Series 8 year Old Whiskey is also available and I should probably have had tried that as it is rather rare. I don’t think it is available anywhere else.

Interior

I did have a sample a few weeks back. They wanted this whiskey to be elegant with the beer barrel (their own Imperial Stout casks) playing a role but not being allowed to dominate. It was a huge effort but they came up with a very drinkable and balanced whiskey and there was a great response to it. Nose is fresh and light with hints of white peach and pears, flavours of caramel and banana, malt and chocolate, with a smooth and red apple finish. Light, elegant and subtle, as ordered. 

Perhaps, they’ll try and replicate it in the near future! Just don’t go messing with my favourite Casey Brothers stout lads - I want that just as it is!

You may check out all the menus (Evening, Lunch, Sunday, Drinks) here. 

Tours will more than likely start sometime in May. Keep an eye on their various social media platforms for updates and then book that bus!

Cask staves make cool (if large) light shades.>>>>>

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