Monday, June 3, 2024

Tasty barbecue offerings available at The English Market

press release

Tasty barbecue offerings available at The English Market 

With summer finally heating up, the traders at the English Market have been busy preparing and curating the best of local offerings for a sizzling summer feast. 


Below are a selection of traders offering a variety of options to suit all tastes this barbecue season. 


On The Pigs Back


Doing what they do best, On The Pig’s Back has a selection of

Thursday, May 30, 2024

Stonewell Sting. Drink of the Week. Maybe drink of the summer!

Stonewell Sting. Maybe the drink of the summer!

Stonewell Sting Limited Edition Craft Cider, 5.50% ABV, Ballymaloe Food Festival


One of the most refreshing drinks of the summer.


I'm pretty sure I was the first person, aside from the Stonewall crew, to taste this exquisite cider, now our taste of the week. I got that first "sting" at their stall in the Ballymaloe Food Festival earlier this month.


Colour is pale gold, with a few

Two Green Shoots Launch Immersive New Summer Experiences. Celebrated chefs and producers featured.

press release

Two Green Shoots Launch Immersive New Summer Experiences

Celebrated chefs and producers featured.

Learn from Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery

 Two Green Shoots in Glengarriff, West Cork, a haven in which visitors can ground themselves in nature and escape the everyday, has launched two immersive new summer experiences

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

TUTORED BEER TASTINGS NOW ON THE MENU AT ELBOW LANE, IRELAND’S SMALLEST BREWERY

TUTORED BEER TASTINGS NOW ON THE MENU AT 
ELBOW LANE, IRELAND’S SMALLEST BREWERY
Russel Garrett, Master Brewer, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery


To celebrate its 10th Anniversary this year, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery, the country’s smallest brewery has created a new

“Powerful attack of black fruits, lots of freshness, long finish.” You may like this Dolcetto from Piemonte

GD Vajra Monterustico Dogliani (DOCG) 2022, 13% ABV

€24.95 Bradleys



“Powerful attack of black fruits, lots of freshness, long finish.” You may like this!


This organic red from Piemonte is made from 100% Dolcetto. The grape name translates as “little sweet one”, and it is, but the wine is very dry! Quite a contradiction!


It has a deep

Clonmel's Mad Beans. More than a business

Taste of the Week.

Clonmel's Mad Beans. More than a business


Clonmel's Mad Beans have combined their passion for quality coffee with a commitment to social responsibility. Founded by Martin and Jenny Blanchfield, the company "is the culmination of years of

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Convenient Food from the English Market!

Convenient Food from the English Market!

You want to avoid being stuck in the kitchen on a hot summer's day - and we will have them! You'd prefer to be in the garden enjoying some nice food. 

Here's one suggested meal solution, based on a quick visit to the English Market. "Ingredients" include the always superb Smoked Chicken from Ummera (buy at the Good Food shop). The Sushi is available from the Maki stall. The olives were a present from Spain while the Glenilen Mango and Passionfruit Cheesecake is widely available from various farmers' markets and Dunnes Stores.

Ummera Smoked Chicken is added to

Beer of the Week. Brett and Hops combine in another knockout from Ballymahon's Wide Street

Beer of the Week

Yeast and Hops combine in another knockout from Ballymahon's Wide Street


Wide Street Sidechain Brettanomyces IPA 5.7% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys


They know their music in Ballymahon and for sure they know their beer as illustrated by this knockout IPA.


Colour is a hazy lemony/orange, with

Monday, May 27, 2024

AN IMPRESSIVE NEW LOOK FOR THE ICONIC SHANNON SUITE AT THE LIMERICK STRAND HOTEL

 

AN IMPRESSIVE NEW LOOK FOR THE ICONIC SHANNON SUITE AT

THE LIMERICK STRAND HOTEL



 

The Limerick Strand Hotel has just unveiled their newly refurbished Shannon Suite after an impressive €200K refresh.

Millimetre Design, were tasked with creating a bespoke new look, where every detail is tailored to perfection. Inspiration for the interior design was drawn from the River Shannon, which breathes life into Limerick city and given the

From an artisan powerhouse comes this stunning Cleto Chiarli, Vecchia Modena Lambrusco

Cleto Chiarli, Vecchia Modena Lambrusco di Sorbara (DOC), 2022, 11% ABV

RRP €32.95. Stockists: Mitchell & Son, Pinto Wines



With millions of gallons of industrial Lambrusco flowing from Emilia Romagna, the province has somehow managed to become an artisan powerhouse. 


About 170 million bottles a year are produced and it is the dominant wine here. No shortage of quantity then and I was somehow lucky enough to get my hands on one of the quality ones, this by Cleto Chiarli. This is where the recent book VINO (very highly recommended!) comes in handy as they have a shortlist of the More Exceptional Producers of Lambrusco in Emilia-Romagna and Cleto Chiarli is one of them..


So what is Lambrusco? It is a style of dry sparkling red wine made from several clones of the red Lambrusco grape. Our Cleto Chiarli is made from

Friday, May 24, 2024

Cork on a Fork Fest announces first events for 2024 programme

 Cork on a Fork Fest announces first events for 2024 programme

Get a taste of Cork’s unique food culture at the 5-day food festival which returns from 14th-18th August 2024  ~

Nascimento Nunes, Head Chef at Paladar; Alexandre Petit, Group Executive Chef of Trigon Hotels; and Brian Murray, Chef and Owner of The Glass Curtain, at the launch of Cork on a Fork Festival See www.corkonaforkfest.ie for more. Photo: Joleen Cronin

Get ready to savour the unique flavours of Cork at ‘Cork on a Fork Festival’, returning from August 14-18 2024 throughout Cork City centre. This celebration of food brought to you by Cork City Council and local businesses will showcase Cork’s unique food culture, culinary excellence, dining experiences and quality local produce over five days of food, trails, events, talks, demos and festival fun.  

Cork on a Fork Fest has just unveiled the first events for its

Tickets for The VQ Shared Table at Cork on a Fork Fest Now Available!

Tickets for The VQ Shared Table at Cork on a Fork Fest Now Available!

A long-table dinner experience on MacCurtain Street, August 14th 2024

Nascimento Nunes, Head Chef at Paladar; Brian Murray, Chef and Owner of The Glass Curtain; Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. Kieran McCarthy; and Alexandre Petit, Group Executive Chef of Trigon Hotels, at the launch of Cork on a Fork Festival, which takes place from

Drink of the Week. Killahora Pét-Nat Rare Bittersweet Cider 2022

Drink of the Week

Killahora Pét-Nat Rare Bittersweet Cider 2022, 6.0% ABV, Ballymaloe Food Festival



Pale orange is the colour, with a fountain of little Bubbles rising through the haze to the top. The apple in the aromas is subtle rather than strong. In the mouth, there’s a nice balance of acidity and tannins.


On the palate, it may be best for me to take a step back and just endorse what Killahora say: This is a real expression of our natural terroir and will appeal to those who may enjoy other wild fermented liquids such as lambic beer, especially Oude gueze, and natural wines.  The complexity that can come from ciders such as these will undoubtedly surprise and delight those who try it.


And yes I am delighted with it as I also like those Belgian beers. This bottle contains wild fermented ciders aged in neutral Irish whisky barrels and allowed to mature in their cellar.  Each production is unique…it is 100% Killahora terroir-based juice, wild fermented, cask aged and unlike most ciders you’ve tried.


With its acidity and tannins, it is a real food all-rounder. They advise to serve it with cooked meats, oily fish or roasted vegetables. Or, of course, serve it lightly chilled and enjoy it as an aperitif.


Pét-nat – pronounced pet-naa – is short for Pétillant Naturel, meaning naturally bubbling. It is a return to tradition in sparkling wine production and here is used in cider. The method may be borrowed from the winery but no one would mistake this complex sipper from Glounthaune for a wine!