Engaging and elegant Vermentino from Sardinia.

Engaging and elegant Vermentino from Sardinia.

Atzei Saragat Isola Dei Nuraghi (IGT) Vermentino 2022, 13.5% ABV,

RRP €20.95. Stockists: The Cinnamon Cottage; JJ O’Driscoll Superstore Ballinlough; Searsons Wine Merchants; Red Nose Wine; Jus de Vine; Bradleys; Blackrock Cellar.

Confidence rises as you read the introduction, by importers Liberty, to this Vermentino from Sardinia. “The Vermentino for this wine is grown on the hillsides and the plains close to the village of Mogoro, in the Alta Marmilla sub-region of southern Sardinia. The soils are granitic with a large instance of limestone, producing highly aromatic wines. Atzei follows a strict selection process in the vineyards at harvest, ensuring that only the very best fruit is picked, and the resulting wines display excellent concentration of flavours.”

The colour is a light straw yellow. Aromas are quite forward, a rush of elderberry along with white stone fruit (peach, nectarines). The palate is full of intense flavour, from the first sip to the long finish and all the time the wine is engaging and elegant.

I do like my Vermentino, even more so now. Very Highly Recommended.

Sardinia’s 2020 vintage was a great one. “The spring was characterised by good levels of rainfall that replenished water reserves in the soil. Summer was warm and dry, and the grapes matured evenly without any intervention in the vineyard. The harvest started in the second week of September and the fruit was healthy and perfectly ripe.”

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Check my growing list of top wines for 2023

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Check out my Good Value Wine List here

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After a short maceration on the skins, fermentation took place at controlled temperatures with the use of selected yeasts. Vinification is conducted without the presence of oxygen, in order to preserve the natural, fresh fruit aromas. The wine was then transferred to stainless-steel tanks where it remained on fine lees for 40 days, with regular bâtonnage performed, before bottling.

The colourful label takes its inspiration from the clothes of Sardinian women. The bright colours reflect the colours of the earth, the sky and the sea. Even nowadays, on feast days, Sardinian women wear these rich, colourful dresses with great pride, passing them down from generation to generation as the most precious gift. 

Perfect as an aperitif with cheese puffs or slices of Sardinian ham, dishes with fresh bottarga (salted or dried tuna), savoury pies with vegetables, dishes with shellfish and seafood. Very good with pecorino cheese and semi-hard cow cheese.

CorkBillyBeers #51. Craft with Wicklow Wolf, Hofbräu, and Lacada

CorkBillyBeers #51

Craft with Wicklow Wolf, Hofbräu, and Lacada

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Wicklow Wolf (with Devil’s Peak & Fierce Beer) Tryfecta Hazy Pale Ale, 4.5% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

“Tryfecta is a hazy pale ale double dry hopped with New Zealand hop Motueka. This refreshing pale ale pours a hazy golden hue with tropical and citrus fruit flavours and aromas.”

That’s how Wicklow Wolf sums up their recent collaboration with Fierce Beer (Scotland) and Devil’s Peak (South Africa), a beer put together with an eye on Group B (the so-called group of death) of the World Cup in rugby where all three countries are fighting for just two quarter-final places.

The message from the den: We were delighted to welcome our friends, Fierce Beer from Scotland back to Wicklow and this time we also invited our friends in Devil’s Peak from South Africa for our latest Crossbreed Series Collab.This beer is a celebration of friendship and competition, as Ireland, Scotland and South Africa all played each other at this year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

So what better way to celebrate the games than brewing a beer that we can all enjoy together win or lose. Tryfecta is a 4.5% Hazy Pale Ale double dry hopped with New Zealand hops, providing a wonderful burst of tropical fruits.

It is a murky orange colour with a white head that doesn't hang about too long. The aromas are hoppy for sure - the All Blacks haven't been left out of the picture and could well skip off with the trophy when the dust settles in Paris this weekend. Quite a beer though, with that burst of tropical fruit as promised, and one of the better collaborations of recent years.

Very Highly Recommended.

BB: 21.08.2024. Bought: 25.09.23

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Hofbräu Original Helles, 5.1% ABV, 500 ml bottle Dunnes Stores

“A beer with character for connoisseurs with character.”

Colour is lovely gold/yellow with bands of sparkly bubbles rising non-stop towards the soft white head. The aromas are slightly sweet malty, a hint too of hops.  It is full-bodied, really mature, a superb grown-up lager with the excellent balance required.

Pairings recommended by the Munich brewery are sausage and cheese, salads, roast pork, pasta and steamed fish. But the best pairings are to be found in a beer hall in Munich, sitting together on long wooden benches, enjoying pretzels and hearty snacks and treats, feeling that Bavarian hospitality and camaraderie, the perfect service donned in smart-looking traditional costume…”

 

Geek Bits

Available all year round. 

Bottom fermented. 

Serve at 6-7 degrees. 

Hops: Herkules, Perle, Magnum, Select.

Malts: light barley malt, Munich malt

Brweing: infusion method

Bitterness: 24 IBU

Other:

BB: 05.03.2024. Bought: 20.09.2023

We had another German lager on here (in #47), the HB Bayerisches Pils, recently. The bottles are fairly similar, both use the letters HB in blue and both beers are bottle-fermented but the other HB is in Traunstein about an hour and a half from Munich. Both brewers are long-standing, HB (Munich) was founded in 1589 and Hofbräuhaus in Traunstein in 1612.

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Lacada Screw Steamer California Common, 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

California Common is a beer made by fermenting lager yeast at warmer ale yeast temperatures. Also known as a “steam beer”

The latter name comes from the 'Screw Steamer / SS' ships. One such famous ship was the SS Hazel which was a steam packet ferry that ran between Ardrossan, Scotland and Portrush in the early 1900s. And that is where the name of this Portrush-brewed beer comes from.

It is malty in the aromas. Colour is a reddish-orange. Quite pleasant on the palate with a light caramel maltiness, and rustic, woody notes from the Northern Brewer hops (often used in California Common for its woody, piney and minty essence). You’ll also find this hop in Lambic, Porter, European Ales, and Stout, on the darker side in other words.

The Rising Sun’s “Common Eileen”, another California Common, was malty with a decent bitterness, with traditional old-style American hops, came out about four years ago. Good name but short-lived, I think. This Portrush effort has more going for it but not sure that it will have a lasting impact.

Worth a try though. Recommended.

BB: 31.01.2024. Bought: 25.09.23

Sunday lunch with a difference at Greene’s Restaurant

 Sunday lunch with a difference at Greene’s Restaurant

Halloumi

Local Produce with a Global Twist

Greene's restaurant has undergone many changes in the past year, but its commitment to local producers remains strong. New Executive Head Chef Nicolas Alegre and his team are putting a Spanish and South American twist on the menu, with stunning results.

Alegre is using local produce from Twomey's Butchers, Glenmar Fish, and Ardsallagh Cheese, and others, to create dishes that are both delicious and innovative. His Slow-cooked Twomey's Pork Belly with black garlic, hibiscus, cauliflower puree, and bechamel sauce is a must-try, as is his Glenmar Salmon Peruvian Tiradito with coriander oil, lime sauce, and onion salad. 

Tiradito

Super Flavours and Textures

The flavours and textures in Alegre's dishes are simply superb. The pork belly is tender and juicy. The salmon is fresh and delicate, with a hint of spice from the coriander oil and lime sauce.

Tiradito: A Peruvian Dish with Japanese Influences

Tiradito is a Peruvian dish of raw fish, cut in the shape of sashimi, and served in a spicy sauce. It reflects the influence of Japanese immigrants on Peruvian cuisine. Alegre's Tiradito is a perfect example of this fusion cuisine, with its delicate salmon, tangy lime sauce, and crunchy onion salad.

Last Sunday we were back at Greene's, where the experienced Ricardo Pinto heads up the front-of-house staff, for lunch We were greeted warmly and our coats were taken and hung up for us. We were soon seated at our "usual" window seat, with its beautiful view of the waterfall.

We opted for the regular lunch menu, which is a four-course meal for €42.50. The same menu is also available as an Early Bird, but be sure to check the website for times.

We started with a delightful amuse-bouche of mini fish cakes with a lime sauce. This was a lovely surprise and it set the tone for the rest of the meal.

We also had the breads, which were served with a delicious honey butter with sweet pepper and lime. The breads, white and brown, were fresh and crusty, and the butter was the perfect complement.

Pork Belly

The super flavours and textures just kept coming. My starter was the Slow-cooked Twomey’s Pork Belly (with black garlic, hibiscus, cauliflower puree, and bechamel sauce) while CL picked the Glenmar Salmon Peruvian Tiradito (with coriander oil, lime sauce, onion salad).

Both were absolutely top-notch. They looked so appetising and the promise was delivered. 

Cod

The fried fish of the day was Cod and that was accompanied by Pil Pil Vasco (Basque) and Spinach. Quite a lovely piece of fish, the cooking was spot on. My pick was the Grilled Halloumi, seasonal vegetables, and curry (Ras el hanout grilled halloumi, Indian chickpeas, curry). Another beautifully presented dish and it didn’t flatter to deceive - very happy with it. 

You can have a side with each of the mains and we enjoyed their Honey Roast Root Veg and Triple Cooked Fries. Rosemary Baby Potatoes and Buttery Mash were also available.

The Woodruff set cream pudding is a long-time favourite dessert here and is still on the menu! But this time, we choose the Burnt Basque Cheesecake, enhanced delightfully by blackberry textures. 

Basque cheesecake

A big thumbs up for the dessert (and the coffee) and for the meal in general! If you are looking for a four-course Sunday lunch menu that is a bit different from the norm, and is both delicious and affordable, I highly recommend you check this out!

The Lunch Menu

Begin

Ardsallagh Goats Cheese (with apricot, candy walnuts, roasted oats.

Slow-cooked Twomey’s Pork Belly (with black garlic, hibiscus, cauliflower puree, bechamel sauce.

Glenmar Salmon Peruvian Tiradito ((with coriander oil, lime sauce, onion salad). Vegetable Tisotto (with Aioli and vegetables).

Spanish Asidillo (with fresh mix lettuce and pickled vegetables).

Mains

Pan Fried Fish of the Day (Pil Pil Vasco, Spinach).

Striploin of Twomey’s Beef (Smoke Mash, Broccoli, Café de Paris Beef Sauce).

Grilled Halloumi, seasonal vegetables, curry (with Ras el hanout grilled halloumi, Indian chickpeas, curry).

Mint and Spinach Risotto (Stir-fry spinach).

Sweet

Chocolate and coconut cream (dark Chocolate, Toasted Coconut, Dark Chocolate Sorbet).

Woodruff set cream pudding (Caramelised apple, oats, vanilla ice-cream)

Burnt Basque Cheesecake (Blackberry Textures).

Selection of sorbet

To Finish

Freshly Brewed Tea or Coffee

SANO serves up a slice of Naples in Cork

media release

SANO serves up a slice of Naples in Cork

The authentic taste of Naples has arrived in Cork with the opening of the highly affordable Neapolitan pizzeria SANO Pizza.

SANO has ventured to Cork after successes seen in Dublin and Glasgow and promises to bring the same quality and service speed to their new home at Parnell Place.

Pizzas are made Neapolitan style with a softer and lighter base and chewy crusts using a sourdough, which has lower salt content than other styles. All dough is made on-site daily, using only four ingredients: flour, water, salt and yeast. The dough is fermented for a minimum of 48 hours, which breaks down the gluten and starch, creating the lighter style. Each pizza is hand stretched before being topped with ingredients sourced from Italy, including spicy salami from Calabria, mozzarella di
bufala, La Rosina tomatoes and the finest, softest ‘00’ flour considered the gold standard for Neapolitan pizza. 

The restaurant has two Valoriani Italian ovens which cook pizzas at 450 degrees in 90 seconds. The menu is straightforward and unfussy. Pizzas include the ‘SANO Marinara simple’ with tomato sugo, garlic, basil and oregano, as well as the ‘Sapori Del Sud’ - Italian fennel sausage, nduja (a spicy pork sausage), Italian broccoli and options for mozzarella de bufala. For anchovy fans, the Maradona comes with the salty umami flavoured fish, capers, oregano, olives, basil, garlic, fresh mozzarella & tomato sugo. And vegans can enjoy a drool-worthy pizza topped with crema porcini, roast potato, black olives and fresh baby spinach.

All pizzas are priced between €6.90 and €13.50. Sides include Meat or Veg Antipasto, Caprese salad and Burrata with cherry tomatoes & extra virgin olive oil. For those with a sweet tooth, there are milkshakes and a selection of desserts, including soft vanilla ice cream served in a bowl or cone from €3.50 or cheat day favourite Nutella Pizza, which comes with strawberries or banana.

The restaurant has seating for 140 guests. The open plan design extends to the kitchen, allowing diners to see the talented ‘pizzaiolos’ at work. The highly Instagrammable design-led interior includes reclaimed wood panels, geometric tile flooring, industrial lighting and walls covered in sassy photography and graffiti murals inspired by those on buildings in Naples.

Co-owner Raymond MacHugh said: “We’re passionate about giving people in Cork the finest Neapolitan Pizzas at an affordable cost. In other traditional Italian outlets, a family of four could expect to pay in excess of €100, whereas in SANO Cork Centre, a family of 4 could have 4 x 12 inch Margherita’s, a glass of wine, pint of beer, 1 litre of cloudy lemonade and a pizza Nuttela enough to share for 4 for only €59.”

SANO Cork Centre is the first in Cork and follows two successful SANO restaurants in Dublin and one in Glasgow for restauranteur twins Raymond and Tony MacHugh, who have owned restaurants in Ireland for more than three decades.

The substantial €½ million renovation of the previous Sliced Pizza location was carried out by Opus Construction & Developments, with consultancy from DL Group Consulting Engineers, both Cork-based firms. SANO expect to employ up to 60 staff.

Opening hours are Sunday-Wednesday 12 noon-10 p.m., Thursday 12 noon-10:30 p.m. and 12 noon–11 pm Friday and Saturday. Home delivery is available via Deliveroo.

For more information, visit sano.pizza

PepperBox Shiraz Will Spice Up Your Home Cooking

PepperBox Shiraz Will Spice Up Your Home Cooking 

PepperBox Shiraz SE Australia 2019, 14% ABV

€13.50 in Supervalu and Dunnes Stores; also available in Carry Out stores

“Bring your food to life with the spicy aromas and blackcurrant and cherry flavours of Pepperbox Shiraz. The wine's sublime intensity is hard to resist, especially if you are slow cooking, searing or grilling.” That’s the encouraging call from producers Casella to try their Australian Shiraz.

So let us try! The colour is a deep ruby. Aromas are rich, and peppery. And these aromas accompany superb flavours, ripe fruit character (blackcurrant and cherry) and smooth tannins, all the way to a spicy finalé, a peppery punch which is a trademark of Shiraz, especially Australian Shiraz. As the label says, “It’s what makes the PepperBox the perfect partner if you are eating chargrilled, seared, roasted or slow cooked…..”

Might be no harm to put a few bottles aside for the Christmas as it pairs well with most meats right the way through to chocolate desserts. Naturally intense, it is the perfect partner for great food and the ideal choice for get-togethers and special occasions with friends and family.

Specific parcels of fruit were selected across a variety of regions in South Australia. These parcels had a full, rich flavour profile and contained certain characteristics the winemaking team wanted to showcase. The fermentation of the fruit was across a span of 5-7 days at mild to warmer temperatures. Wines then spent up to 9 months in contact with a mixture of new and second-year oak prior to bottling.

PepperBox comes from sunny South Eastern Australia. It's a part of Casella Family Brands, the largest family-owned wine brand in Australia. Started in 1969 by Filippo and Maria Casella and is now run by their son John Casella.

While Casella had a long experience of wine in Italy, it wasn’t exactly an overnight success in Oz. But their turn-of-the-century partnership with a leading American distributor changed all that. Their spectacular rise to prominence in the US led renowned Australian wine writer AD Halliwell to call Cassella “A modern-day fairytale success story”. 

So there are good reasons to keep an eye on this relatively recently launched PepperBox which is aimed at “the more adventurous shopper who has a keen interest in cooking at home, and who is prepared to pay a little more for their wine to match this food and impress their hosts, or indeed for the guests to choose a wine to take round to their hosts and impress.”

I reckon they are pretty much on the bullseye with this Shiraz. Highly Recommended

Ballymaloe Foods add a grown-up twist to delicious cranberry sauce! i-Stil 38 Premium Irish Vodka in a limited-edition for Christmas

Ballymaloe Foods add a grown-up twist to a delicious cranberry sauce!

iStil Ballymaloe Foods Royale

i-Stil 38 Premium Irish Vodka in a limited-edition for Christmas. 

As part of their ongoing commitment to engage with the best local Irish producers, Ballymaloe Foods is proud to announce details of their latest partnership, a cranberry sauce made with i-Stil 38 Premium Irish Vodka.

Since the brand was established in 1990, Ballymaloe Foods has always prioritized working with the best producers and suppliers to ensure their products are of the highest quality and always taste great. Their collaboration with i-Stil 38 Premium Irish Vodka is a prime example.

One of the three vodkas in the i-Stil 38 portfolio, is a pink berry made naturally with distilled Irish grains and Irish berries. It is rich with a fresh, fruity flavour and was chosen by the Ballymaloe team to infuse with their cranberry sauce. The end result is a grown-up twist on a delicious cranberry sauce that works wonderfully with roast turkey, nut loaf, brie cheese or even mixed into a festive cocktail.

General Manager of Ballymaloe Foods and daughter of the company’s founder, Maxine Hyde adds,

“With the holiday season nearly upon us, no dinner table is complete without a jar of cranberry sauce - whether it's destined for the plate or lovingly dressed onto a sandwich, it is the perfect accompaniment to so many Christmas meals. I have also taken great pleasure in mixing our Ballymaloe & i-Stil 38 Vodka cranberry sauce into some very tasty cocktails, an ideal way to celebrate some Christmas cheer!”

Oisin Davis* of Great Irish Beverages consulted on a cocktail creation for the cranberry sauce, a simple drink to mix up either at home or in a bar.

CRANBERRY CHRISTMAS ROYALE

INGREDIENTS:
35 ml i-Stil 38 pink berries vodka, 1 teaspoon Ballymaloe & i-Stil 38  vodka cranberry sauce, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 100 ml of dry prosecco and a lemon twist to garnish.

METHOD:
Place the cranberry sauce into an iced shaker and pour in the vodka and lemon juice. Seal the shaker and shake hard for ten seconds. Fine strain the cocktail into a chilled champagne glass before topping up with the prosecco and garnishing with a lemon twist.

* Fancy more cocktails with great Irish ingredients? Try Oisin's debut book,"Irish Kitchen Cocktails", published earlier this October (2023).

Valley of the Spiders. Sunday at Glen River Park

Valley of the Spiders. Sunday at Glen River Park

22.10.2023