Dukes get the nod. And the thumbs-up! Plus a coffee coincidence at Coach House Café .

Dukes get the nod. And the thumbs-up! 

Plus coffee coincidence at Coach House Café 

A snap decision to check out Dukes in Carey’s Lane (Cork) for a light lunch paid off handsomely last Friday. We had quite a few choices in the narrow streets of the Huguenot Quarter before Dukes got the nod.

Being Friday, there was a queue, not a big one, but rather one that was constantly replenished by incoming customers. All worked smoothly, no fuss, no noises other than the orders and the responses, all calm, and politeness on both sides.

Pancakes

We read the boards as we waited and also the display cabinets. Soon it was our turn. CL checked that the Brunch Menu was still available (it was, but closed minutes later). We ordered, just the one course each, and headed for our table with the stand-up numbered sign.

Settled in, took our jackets off, put our glasses on, checked the phones and, in no time at all, our dishes arrived. 

CL’s pancakes, from that Brunch Menu, were colourful with plenty of fruit (strawberries and blueberries) and no shortage of maple syrup (bacon was an alternative accompaniment). In any case, the fruit, syrup and pancakes, an excellent combination, were well received and enjoyable and efficiently dispatched.

Chicken and Bacon Ciabatta

Indeed, she was waiting for me to finish up rather than the more usual opposite. But there was no pressure, never is. In fact, it was an excuse to pass over to her a decent sample of my Chicken and Bacon Ciabatta with Dubliner Cheddar and Ballymaloe Relish and the unexpected and very tasty salad (not listed on the menu). This item came from the regular lunch list and was very satisfactory indeed, getting thumbs up from both sides of the table.

The coffee has a high reputation here but unfortunately, we didn't have the extra time to indulge and had to make do with our glasses of water (even though I spotted local beer in the fridge. Next time.)

Dukes is a family-owned and family-run business which has been serving exceptional coffee and food to the people of Cork since 2005. “Since day one, the Dukes philosophy has been to create inclusive, welcoming, comfortable spaces. We currently operate two cafes in Cork, one on Carey's Lane and one in City Gate, Mahon we also run a catering business.”

Menu (French Church Street 25.08.2023)

A Coffee Coincidence

I had spotted in Dukes that their upstairs room is called Newsom Lounge but thought no more of it until 24 hours later when I walked into the Coach House Café in the grounds of Blarney Castle and saw, on the inside wall close to the blackboard, a big sign, an old one, with Newsom’s in large letters followed by Coffee Essence in slighter smaller letters.

Newsom and Sons, tea and coffee merchants, first opened in Cork in 1816, located at 40 and 41 Patrick Street (later occupied by Woolworths and now Permanent TSB) and their warehouses were in Carey’s Lane, now Dukes Café. 

James Joyce, or at least his father, had a fondness for Newsom’s apparently - see Irish Examiner article by Flicka Small. 

Dukes French Church St. (Duke's pic)

Duke’s Coffee Company, 4 Carey’s Lane, Cork. 

Carey's Lane, T12 X732, CORK +353 021 4905877

Also at The Plaza, City Gate, Mahon, T12CR23, CORK +353 021 4350139

Check more details (including menus) at www.dukes.ie

CorkBillyBeers #40. Craft IPA with Torc Brewing, White Hag, Brú and O Brother.

CorkBillyBeers #40

Craft IPA with Torc Brewing, White Hag, Brú and O Brother.

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Torc Kerry Natterjack IPA 5% ABV, 500 ml bottle Carry Out Killarney

In Castlegregory, County Kerry, there is a bar/restaurant called Natterjacks. It is named after the toads in the county. Both the bar and the toad can be happily noisy occasionally. This IPA is named for the toad who has a very loud and distinctive mating call amplified by the single vocal sac found under the chin of the male.

The toad has a yellow line down the middle of the back. The Torc beer is more orange than yellow with a soft white head. It is fairly hazy but you can just about see the fountains of bubbles rising towards the top.

Aromas are fairly delicate, mostly floral and resinous with a touch of citrus also. Flavours are piney and fresh, with a refreshing punch to it, and an excellent balance between malts and hops (bitterness is mid-range). If you want an IPA with a difference, this is well worth trying.

Very Highly Recommended.

Torc says: Our IPA packs a flavour punch, brewed using Irish Pale Ale Malt, Irish Wheat, and speciality Caramunich Malt. This blend, combined with select hops, results in a well-balanced India Pale Ale…. Ideal food pairings include pork, steak, BBQ, and spicy dishes.

And about those natterjacks? Well, the label tells us they are an endangered species in Ireland.  “Their natural range is restricted to the coastal zones around Castlemaine Harbour and Castlegregory in Co Kerry. In Spring, when the male is most active, the loud croaking call can be heard from as much as one kilometre away.”

Geek Bits

SRM: 4.3 • IBU: 83 • ABV: 5%
Style: Indian Pale Ale • Released: 2023

Malts: Irish Pale Ale Malt, Irish Wheat, and speciality Caramunich Malt

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White Hag Atlantean NEIPA 5.4% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

This hazy pale orange ale comes with a white foamy crown that soon dissipates. It is, of course, meant to be cloudy as that is part and parcel of a New England IPA. Aromas are of the tropics, nothing too strong though.

“Drink the beer as fresh as possible, when all the Alpha & Beta oils from the hops are the most powerful.” And I did just that and got a creamy rush of refreshment, a velvet glove equipped with a big, juicy, fruit punch. I’ll take a count and go again.

The White Hag has expended “copious amounts’ of American hops in this one. But the bitterness you might have had expected has been subdued by the use of oats and lactose that add a rich creaminess. It is not that unusual for New England IPAs to exhibit a tropical, juicy sweetness rather than the classic bitter.

• The ABV is 5.4%, which is on the lower end for a NEIPA. This makes it a bit more sessionable.
• The beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized.
• The beer is best enjoyed fresh, as the hop flavours will fade over time.

Very Highly Recommended.

Breweries can come up with amazing yarns. This is the one on the Atlantean label: Atlantean is inspired by mythological sea journeys that took curious voyagers beyond the ninth wave in search of the magical Otherworlds and the secret treasures they held. For this IPA our inspiration has travelled back from the other lands of New England across the cloudy foam of the Atlantic.

Ingredients: water, lactose, barley, wheat, oats, yeast, hops

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Brú Urban Jungle Citrus IPA 5.5% ABV,

“Amarillo, a pioneer of American hops, is blended with Ekuanot. This mix has created a vortex of fresh fruity flavours, above all the citrus side with a hint of pineapple sweetness.” That’s the intro to this IPA from Brú.

Colour is mid-gold, slightly hazy with a soft white head. The aromatics are moderate, mostly on the Citra side: lemon, orange and lime. The two hops combine well and give a complex mix on the palate, that “vortex of fresh fruit flavours” according to the brewery. Above all, it is refreshing, with a decent bittering at the finish.

Fruity and refreshing then and Highly Recommended.

Geek Bits

Hops: Amarillo, Ekuanot

Malts: Carapils, Golden Promise, Oat Flakes, Pale

Brú is proud to champion local ingredients. “We’re engaged with our community, working alongside local producers to bring our customers the best examples of Irish food and drink.

As an Irish company, we’re committed to supporting local charities and the communities around us. In brewing, our Irish partners include:

• Loughran Family Malt
• Wicklow Hops Company
• Malting Company of Ireland"

Brú, established in 2013 in County Meath, nowadays offer two core ranges “driven by the same brewing spirit”: BRÚ core and Urban Jungle. “BRÚ Brewery brews beer for all tastes, whether you’re a seasoned craft beer drinker, or just looking for a familiar quality pint.” The beers are widely available and well worth checking out.

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O Brother Ikigai Oat Cream IPA 6.1% ABV, 440 ml can No 21 Coburg St

Some similarities between this and the Atlantean above. Colour is common, a hazy pale orange, though Ikigai has a larger head, soft and longer lasting. Aromas are subtle, citrus, grassy and grapefruit. These along with citrusy, spicy and herbal notes follow through just about to the palate, with hints of sweetness thanks to the lactose, and the expected creamy feel (from the oats) barely materialises as the beer seems to lose its way.

They say: “Ikigai is your true purpose in life or reason for being. We know what gets us up in the morning and keeps us going through the challenging times: Finding new and exciting ways to make delicious beer, meeting and working with like-minded independent souls who are pushing the boundaries of their fields and bringing it all together to create an elevated beer experience for all our thirsty beer drinkers. Beer is our Ikigai.”

Geek Bits

Label: Citra, Comet

Ingredients - Water, Malted Barley, Oats, Lactose, Hops, Yeast

Among the big brands in Kildare Village, I find a familiar name. Crêperie Angelie make an outstanding crêpe with Coolea Cheese!

Among the big brands in Kildare Village, I find a familiar name.

Coolea & Spinach Crêpe

Crêperie Angelie make an outstanding crêpe

with Coolea Cheese!

Thanks to the crepe in my hand, I was thinking of two contrasting villages.

One is Coolea, hardly a village at all, just a scattering of buildings deep in the countryside up in the hills above Ballyvourney in County Cork. Here the Willems family has been making their famous cheese since the 1970s.

Chocolate Block at Lindt

Village mural

What a contrast then with Kildare Village where I was enjoying my crêpe. Here you have an impressive line-up of the biggest brand names in the world cheek by jowl. And there are visitors from all over Ireland and many from Europe and indeed quite a few from beyond.

My crêpe was a beauty and the highlight was Coolea Cheese. I had just ordered it from Crêperie Angelie. The cheese was paired with spinach and all very enjoyable indeed and ideal for a light lunch as a sumptuous dinner was arranged for later on at our hotel, the Clanard Court in Athy.

The Crêperie is one of quite a few food outlets in Kildare Village, so you won't go hungry at all. It is one of the smaller ones. I noticed one doing doughnuts (the Rolling Donut) and Murphy’s Ice Cream of Dingle fame is also there.  If you want something substantial then the likes of Dunne and Crescenzi and Saba will oblige.

Athy's narrow Horse Bridge (1796) at the point where the Barrow River
is joined by the Grand Canal (lock at left)

With the crêpes under our belts, we began walking the village and yet the purchases all had a food connection. The old credit card got a bashing at the tempting Lindt chocolate shop and even more so at Le Creuset.

Later, in Athy, the local Supervalu (Pettitt’s) had a well-stocked craft beer section. I was looking for local breweries and found a few beers from Ballykilcavan, Boyne Brewhouse and Rye River. Happy with that lot! 

And then we headed off to Minch Malt. The brochure claims it is the oldest (opened in 1847) and the largest producer in the country. In its early days, it was one of many malthouses along the banks of the Grand Canal. We returned over Horse Bridge (1796) and walked back to the town centre along the bank of the Barrow (one of the three sisters).

Athy is one of the biggest towns in the county and has quite a lot of history. Unfortunately, the Shackleton Museum is closed for renovations. Next time!

Strong. Ballet dancer with boxing gloves.
An eye-catching mural by Solus on Barrow Quay, Athy
Look closely at the 6 drawings above the "signature".

We also took time to visit Burtown House and Gardens, a few miles away from the hotel. There are over 12 acres of gardens, park and woodland, and 180 acres of remaining farmland from a once 2000-acre estate. There is also a sculpture trail here. 

It was Sunday afternoon and their popular Green Barn restaurant, where the menus are seasonal, was very busy indeed. And they also have accommodation. Our walk around barely scratched the surface so that’s another place, plus the Bog of Allen, that we plan to visit.

Sculpture by Catherine Greene at Burtown House
and below, garden flowers on a woodland path.

Shackleton
in Athy

For any visit to Kildare, the 4-star Clanard Court is excellent, has lovely staff and they’ll feed you well. It also benefits from a central location. Both the M7 and M9 are close by. Newbridge is 26 minutes away, National Stud (20), Naas (32), The Curragh (25), Punchestown (31), St Stephen’s Green (68), Tullamore Dew (58), Ballykilcavan Brewery (18) another must visit, Carlow (27), Kilbeggan Distillery (68) one track mind! From Cork, it is 128 minutes.

Also on this visit (thanks to Into Kildare for helping):

Newbridge Silverware.

Clanard Court Hotel.

Kildare Village - Athy - Burtown House

Recent Visit:

The National Stud & Japanese Gardens 

You're on course for a great time when you stay at Lawlor's of Naas 

Lawlor's Naas is a great base for Kildare's many attractions 

Greenwich Café Brunch A Perfect Finalé To Cork On A Fork Festival

Greenwich Café Brunch A Perfect Finalé To Cork On A Fork Festival

Eggs Royale: O'Connell's Smoked Salmon, Poached East Ferry Farm Eggs and Hollandaise sauce. The best Eggs Royale I've tasted in a long long time and Evin (of Brunch Cork), at the table with us, agreed. The ingredients were superb. The smoked salmon was a light and delightful surprise, so much better than what you get in many hotel breakfasts, you know those that come with a punchy aroma that dominates everything else on the plate.

Greenwich café chef patron Dermot O'Sullivan supports local all year round at the popular Caroline Street venue. So it was no big surprise to see him do it again with his Cork on a Fork Brunch special last Sunday, fittingly entitled "A Celebration of The English Market with Kinsale Gin". No surprise either to see the event sell out. 

It was quite a gin weekend for us and
the Kinsale version kept up the
standard in this welcome G&T
just after arrival.

CL enjoyed her tasty plate of Irish mushrooms on Pana sourdough toast, Parmesan shavings and slow-roasted tomatoes with basil pesto. Again the ingredients were key. The mushrooms and tomatoes were packed full of flavour and there was no shortage of moisture to soften the sourdough crust. Thumbs up again!

We had recently enjoyed the third dish on this special menu and knew the Strawberry Crumble Challah Bread French Toast using challah bread from The Alternative Bread Company, new season Irish strawberries, whipped mascarpone and oat crumble / or Rosscarbery bacon with maple syrup is another gem from the little kitchen here.

French Toast (from a previous visit)
is a regular on the menu here

Felicity Roberts of the Greenwich team heading to the sunny terrace
during last Sunday's A Taste of The English Market Brunch
 with Kinsale Gin during Cork on a Fork Fest. 
Pic: Joleen Cronin.

Supporting local is ingrained here in Greenwich. Just check out all the local names on the regular menu below.

Sounds from a Safe Harbour Festival Announce "The Last Supper"

Sounds from a Safe Harbour Festival Announce "The Last Supper"

Artist Sophie Gough and, below,
her painting "The Last Supper"

 

Last night at their Festival launch at the Heineken Brewery in Cork, Sounds from a Safe Harbour Festival (SFSH), renowned for its eclectic and ground-breaking programming, announced the final round of special events to their line-up for the 2023 edition. Taking place from 7^th – 10^th September in venues across Cork City, SFSH will be an unmissable four days of music, food, dance, literature, theatre, and conversation, with plenty of ticketed and FREE events to explore, curated by Festival Director Mary Hickson, Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National, actor Cillian Murphy and playwright Enda Walsh. 

On the final day of the festival, Sounds from a Safe Harbour presents an Ireland x Iceland food collaboration The Last Supper with chefs Takashi Miyazaki of Ichigo Ichie (Cork), Rob Krawczyk of Chestnut (Ballydehob), and Georg Arnar Halldórsson previously of Óx (Reykjavik), who will present a unique 7 course menu to close SFSH23 in The Mirror Room at The River Lee Hotel.

 

Taking inspiration from the collective experiences of Irish, Icelandic, and Japanese cultures, the three chefs have created a meal that will remind you of home while exploring the similarities and differences of ingredients and flavours we all recognise as islanders.

 

Speaking about the event Takashi Miyazaki said “We are excited to explore the space between the local produce and cooking techniques of these two islands - Ireland and Iceland.  The core motivation behind this event is collaboration, digging into each other’s roots while prioritising food sustainability and ethical consumption.”

 

“As always, we are delighted to be working with Sounds From A Safe Harbour and assisting them to realise their ambitious vision in creativity and collaboration. Hosting The Last Supper in The Mirror Room here at The River Lee will be a fitting way to close the festival, and we are immensely proud to open our kitchen to some of our country’s most talented culinary personalities as they bring this inspired event to Cork City.”  Ruairi O’Connor, General Manager, River Lee Hotel.

Cork artist and researcher Sophie Gough worked with the group to create the painting to represent the event and took her inspiration from seaweeds. 

 

Limited to 100 people, tickets for this exclusive event are on sale now via https://soundsfromasafeharbour.com/events/

The service will be split into 3 long table sittings: 7pm, 7:45pm, and 8:30pm. 

Tickets are €200 for meal only, and €260 with a natural wine pairing by Le Caveau (Kilkenny). There will also be a wine list available for purchase on the night. (Alternative menu available for both Vegetarians and Coeliacs.)

*********

The full press release for the Festival follows:

 

TWO WEEKS UNTIL SOUNDS FROM A SAFE HARBOUR FESTIVAL

-MORE ACTS REVEALED

The Staves

 

Residency artists announced today include Alexi Murdoch, Dermot Kennedy, Paddy
Keenan, Bryce Dessner (The National), Ólafur Arnaulds, Cillian Murphy, Niamh Regan, Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Anna Mullarkey, Christof van der Ven, David Kitt, Dustin O’Halloran, Eoin French (Talos), The Staves, PLUS an Ireland x Iceland food collaboration, and more.

www.soundsfromasafeharbour.com

 

Sounds from a Safe Harbour Festival (SFSH), renowned for its eclectic and ground-breaking programming, announces the final round of special events to their line-up for the 2023 edition. Taking place from 7 th – 10 th September in venues across Cork City, SFSH promises to be an unmissable four days of music, dance, literature, theatre, and conversation, with plenty of ticketed and FREE events to explore, curated by Festival Director Mary Hickson, Bryce and Aaron Dessner of The National, actor Cillian Murphy and playwright Enda Walsh.

NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:

 

With new collaborations at the beating heart of SFSH, a number of International and Irish artists will come to Cork for the week leading up to the festival, to experiment and collaborate with each other in the ‘37d03d residency’. Some of the results of which will feature in previously announced ticketed events where ‘special
guests’ are mentioned. They will also be appearing on the pop-up programme around the city over the course of the weekend. Keep an eye on SFSH’s social media for news on venues and locations and be open to some new exciting experiences. Many of the artists already announced will feature on the residency too, with the
addition of: Alexi Murdoch, Cillian Murphy, David Kitt, Dermot Kennedy, Dustin O’Halloran, Elaine Howley, Eoin French, Hana Stretton, Laoise Leahy, Niamh Regan, Ólafur Arnalds, Paddy Keenan, Peadar O’Goill, Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Shahzad Ismaily, Sophie Gough, The Space Between, and The Staves.

 

***

 

Sounds from a Safe Harbour presents an Ireland x Iceland food collaboration The Last Supper with Takashi Miyazaki of Ichigo Ichie (Cork), Rob Krawczyk of Chestnut (Ballydehob), and Georg Arnar Halldórsson previously of Óx (Reykjavik), who will present a unique 7 course menu to close SFSH23 in The Mirror Room at
The River Lee Hotel.

 

Taking inspiration from the collective experiences of Irish, Icelandic, and Japanese cultures, the three chefs have created a meal that will remind you of home while exploring the similarities and differences of ingredients and flavours we all recognise as islanders. Speaking about the event Takashi Miyazaki said “We are excited to explore the space between the local produce and cooking techniques of these two islands - Ireland and Iceland. The core motivation behind this event is collaboration, digging into each other’s roots while prioritising food sustainability and ethical consumption.”

Ruairi O’Connor, General Manager, River Lee Hotel: “As always, we are delighted to be working with Sounds From A Safe Harbour and assisting them to realise
their ambitious vision in creativity and collaboration. Hosting The Last Supper in The Mirror Room here at The River Lee will be a fitting way to close the festival, and we are immensely proud to open our kitchen to some of our country’s most talented culinary personalities as they bring this inspired event to Cork City.”

Cork artist and researcher Sophie Gough worked with the group to create the painting to represent the event and took her inspiration from seaweeds. She will also feature in the 37d03d residency.

 

Limited to 100 people, tickets for this exclusive event were released on Wednesday 23rd August at midday. The service will be split into 3 long table sittings: 7pm, 7:45pm, and 8:30pm. Tickets are €200 for meal only, and €260 with a natural wine pairing by Le Caveau (Kilkenny). There will also be a wine list available for purchase on the night. (Alternative menu available for both Vegetarians and Coeliacs.)

 

***

 

On Thursday night at 10:30pm in The Pavilion, Nik Taylor presents Clinker Babbage – an improvised music-making ritual involving an ever-changing, ever-growing oversized band of varying ability, and a Svengali with one long arm. Obey the rules, unfetter your inhibitions, embrace the offbeat; instructions issued with a pokey
finger. Tickets €15 and available from Wednesday 23rd Aug at midday.



Speaking at the Festival launch at the Kiln, in the Heineken Brewery, Cork [Tues 22nd August], Festival Director Mary Hickson said: “We are really thrilled to be bringing three incredible chefs together to create this unique dining experience to
close the festival. We are very grateful to all the participants for getting behind the idea.

The beating heart of SFSH23 is the 37d03d residency. We have had glimpses of this in previous editions of the festival but this year we are going all in - with almost 50 artists coming to Cork to write, experiment, collaborate and spend time together. Many of these artists have not yet been named and will be featuring in events that mention “special guests” - for example FEIST, Todd Dahlhoff, Shahzad Ismaily and Elaine Howley will be joining Max Porter for his SHY event. The results of their time together will also populate the free pop up programme which is yet to be announced. Keep an eye on our social media for updates over the weekend. SFSH is all about new experiences for both the artists and the audience - please come with an open mind”

 

Some of the previously announced shows include: Feist’s Multitudes; the European premiere of Bonny Light Horseman with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, conducted by Robert Ames; Wilco, with support from Anna Mieke; Ye Vagabonds’ Lighthouse Constellations; LA Force, Anna B Savage + Brìghde Chaimbeul, Cormac Begley | Romain Bly | Kate Ellis | Caimin Gilmore, The Vernon Spring, Alex Somers’ Liminal Soundbath, Kara Jackson, Indigo Sparke, Memorial, Crash Ensemble with Diamanda La Berge Dramm, INNI + Fischersund: An Evening of Scent and Music, Max Porter, Megan Barker, Teac Damsa’s ‘How to Be a Dancer’, Luke Murphy’s ‘Volcano’ + much much more.

 

For full listings, and tickets, visit soundsfromasafeharbour.com 

 

 

Follow Sounds from a Safe Harbour on social media:

www.soundsfromasafeharbour.com

www.facebook.com/soundsfromasafeharbour/

www.twitter.com/safeharbourfest

www.instagram.com/soundsfromasafeharbour/

#SFSH23

 Sounds from a Safe Harbour 2023 is supported by Heineken Ireland, Cork City Council, and The River Lee Hotel.