Aaron Mansworth wins the annual pancake race but you too can be a winner with Alex's recipes

Aaron Mansworth wins the annual pancake race but you too can be a Tuesday winner with Alex's recipes

Winners all - (L/R) James Healy, The Shelbourne Bar, took third place; Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director at Trigon Hotels, winner; and Alex Petit, Group Executive Chef at Trigon Hotels, took second place. Photo: Colm Lougheed

The VQ area of Cork City was full of flipping fun this morning as traders took part in the Metropole Hotel’s annual pancake race.

Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director at Trigon Hotels, beat off stiff competition to claim the winning title. 

The pancake race was a Shrove Tuesday tradition when Thompson's Bakery was open on the street dating back to 1826.

Metropole Hotel team members joined representatives from businesses including The Shelbourne Bar, Spar MacCurtain Street and To Have and To Hold Flowers as they ran along MacCurtain Street while flipping pancakes. The Metropole Hotel has been organising the event since 2018 and it brings much enjoyment to the area every year.

Sandra Murphy, Group Brand and Communications Manager at Trigon Hotels said: “We are a very close group in the VQ and this morning’s pancake race highlights the camaraderie amongst us - it also brings out our competitive side. We all want the bragging rights! The pancake race is a very old tradition starting off almost 200 years ago. It’s been going from strength to strength since we brought it back. It’s a great way to showcase the vibrancy of the area and brings us all together for a morning full of flipping fun!”

Speaking about his win, Aaron jokingly said; “I’m seven years in training and my first time taking part so I’m delighted to take the crowning glory! The VQ is a wonderful area in the city and we’re thrilled to be part of it. I’m looking forward to defending my title next year!”

Alex Petit is Group Executive Chef of Trigon Hotels, which includes the Metropole Hotel and Cork International Hotel.  He has created a delicious sweet and a savoury pancake recipe for people to try at home.

CLASSIC CREPE SUZETTE 

A classic combination of buttery French style crepe topped with an orange caramel served with orange zests and segments.

Crêpe batter:

55g of unsalted butter

2 eggs

25g of caster sugar

100g of plain flour

Sea salt

350ml of milk

4 tsp vegetable oil

Orange sauce:

150ml orange juice

225g of caster sugar

175g of unsalted butter

3 tbsp of Grand Marnier, or other orange liqueur

2 oranges, zest and segments kept separated

Method: 

Make the Pancakes:

Sift the flour and sugar into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Drop in egg, melted butter and a little of the milk.

Using a whisk, slowly incorporate the flour until you have a smooth thick batter.

Gradually beat in the remaining milk and add the salt. Allow to stand for 20 minutes before using.

Heat a little oil in a 20cm (8in) heavy-based frying non stick pan. Pour off any excess. Pour a ladle of batter into the pan and tilt to coat the pan base. 

Cook until golden and flip to the other side. Repeat with the remaining batter, stacking the pancakes on top of each other. Then cover with foil to prevent them drying out.

Make the sauce:

Melt butter in a frying pan and stir in the orange zest and sugar. Add the orange juice and cook stirring until sugar has dissolved & thicken to a light caramel colour.

Add the orange liquor and allow to boil gently until liquid has reduced slightly, watch out for flames if you are using an open gas ring.

Fold the pancake into triangles and dip in the juice to coat and repeat with the other side.

Serve warm topped with the orange segments and a generous scoop of ice cream

BUCKWHEAT CREPE GARNISHED WITH CHORIZO, FRIED EGG AND CHEDDAR 

Breton gluten free crepes garnished with chorizo, cheddar & topped with a fried egg.

Ingredients:

Buckwheat crepes : 

330 grams buckwheat flour

10 grams salt

750ml cold water

1 egg

Garnish: 

 4 eggs

20 slices chorizo

100g cheddar

1 bunch fresh chives

Method: 

For the pancakes:

Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl

Add the water and egg and mix vigorously until smooth

Rest the batter for at least 1 hour prior to cooking

Cook the crepes one by one and rest onto a plate

For the garnish:

In a non stick pan, fry the egg sunny side up with little oil

Season with salt and pepper and place the cooked eggs onto a side dish

In a large frying pan on medium heat, add a knob of butter and place a crepe on it

Sprinkle with a generous amount of grated cheddar and place 5 slices of chorizo

Place a fried egg on top and fold the 4 sides of the crepe to form a square

Keep cooking the crepe until the cheese has fully melted

Plate the crepe and sprinkle with freshly chopped chives

This can be served with a fresh salad dressed with an elderflower vinaigrette and finely shaved red onions

press release

 

Le Caveau 2025 Spring Tastings.Superb wines, Masterclass on Terroirs Project, new wines from Kilkenny

 Le Caveau 2025 Spring Tastings

Superb wines. 

Masterclass on Terroirs Project. 

New wines from County Kilkenny.

Pascal Rossignol and team, celebrating 26 years in business, put on a brilliant Spring Tasting in Cork’s old Apple Market last week. There were superb wines to taste (as always), and in addition, Dario Poddano (Les Caves de Pyrene) conducted a Masterclass on the Terroirs Project. And there was a bonus surprise when Aoife McCan took me through some of the excellent wines now being produced by Kilkenny’s Triskelion Vineyard.

Sean Kerin (well experienced in wine in the Rhone, the UK, and his native Australia) and Irishman Philip Little are behind Triskelion. They have two small south-facing vineyards in Piltown, planted in 2018 with Regent, Rondo, Seyval Blanc, Richensteiner, Sauvignon Gris, and Bacchus. It seems that the “secret to success” for Triskelion (and other Irish wine hopefuls) lies in the fact that the vines are a mix of different hybrids and PIWIs (the German acronym for fungus-resistant grape varieties).

Aoife started me with their Pet Nat, then a white and a rosé. What a beautiful trio of surprises, all really good and so encouraging for the future. The white is a blend of Seyval Blanc, Bacchus and Richensteiner with a small amount of Sauvnignier Gris ( along the lines of an Alsace Gentil). The red - and that too is superb - is a blend of Rondo, Regent, Dornfelder and a small amount of Pinot Noir.

The wines are produced solely from their own grapes, all grown outdoors in County Kilkenny, where they are also bottled. I understand they are not on sale yet, but do watch out for them!

From The Tasting - A Shopping List

My favourite white was the Femme Soleil, while the Foillard Morgon topped the reds!

I used the main tasting as a “scouting mission” for the next 12 months or so. I was rather selective as I sipped, and I’m sure that there were other excellent wines in addition to the dozen below, which will form the basis of my next shopping list!

White:

1 - 2023 Cuvée Cantalouette BLANC, Tour des Gendres, Bergerac (Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, SAVAGNIN)

2 - 2023 Bourgogne Aligoté, Maison Ambroise, Burgundy

3 - 2023 Chenin VDF, Famille Mosse, Loire

4 - 2022 Montlouis Minérale+, Frantz Saumon, Loire

5 - 2023 Femme Soleil, Cyril Fhal, Roussillon (Grenache Gris)

6 - 2018-21 Y`a Plus Qu`a, Kumpf et Meyer, Alsace (Multi-vintages, Sylvaner, Auxerrois)

Red:

1 - 2022 Gamabumba Gamay, Domaine des Fables, Savoie

2 - 2023 Beaujolais Villages, Alex Foillard

3 - 2023 Rouge Lux, Marie et Vincent Tricot, Auvergne (Gamay d’Auvergne)

4 - 2020 Chénas Coup Double, Paul-Henri Thillardon, Beaujolais

5 - 2022 Morgon Corcelette, Jean Foillard, Beaujolais

6 - 2022 Fleurie, Jean Foillard, Beaujolais

The Terroirs Project

Grandparent and grandchild

The Terroirs Project, led by Les Caves de Pyrene and supported by Le Caveau, was conceived to make delicious and affordable wines from sustainable and organic practices in the vineyard and by means of low-intervention, chemical-free winemaking.

 

Dario Poddano says: “We’ve collaborated with some of our favourite growers from around the world, focusing intently on the quality of the grapes and emphasising light-touch vinification in order to bring out the best expression of terroir from each respective region. “

 

All of the wines that make up the Terroirs Project are:

• Made from organically farmed fruit
• Naturally fermented with indigenous yeasts
• Made with minimal or zero sulphur
• Suitable for vegetarians and vegans

We’ve highlighted a few of them on the blog in recent weeks, such as Caminante,  Fratelli Felix (an ideal introduction to orange wine)  and Brich. Read all about the project here. 

Those New Labels - more volume / fewer lines

This year, the hard reality of the new labelling law, specific to Ireland, is sinking in. Pascal Rossignol of Le Caveau has nothing against the consumer being provided with extra information but says, “These regulations are highly impractical for small-scale wine producers, who now have to create back labels for each cuvee, each size bottle and will have to do so at every vintage change.”

 

“We are no longer able to share allocations from overseas (New World) with our UK friends at Les Caves de Pyrene and have delisted almost 20 wineries, with more to come next year. The wines were sent to London before making their way to Ireland; it’s simply not possible to open all these cases and label them. We will need to reduce the range from our existing producers, more volume / fewer lines might become the new reality of the Irish wine scene, unfortunately,"

 

But Pascal is positive, as he usually is. “All is not gloom; in 25 years, we weathered a boom, a recession and a pandemic, so we will face this new challenge and keep going the best we can. I am back from a recent trip to France, where I met with dozens of artisan producers at Natural wine salons, including Clandestine, Ardèche, Pénitentes, Il Etait Une Fois and La Dive. All our producers are going to be with us on this and print these back labels. Resilience!”

 

CORK'S MARKET LANE GROUP; ONLY RESTAURANTS TO PLACE ON LIST OF IRELANDS BEST WORKPLACES 2025

press release

CORK'S MARKET LANE GROUP; ONLY RESTAURANTS TO

 PLACE ON LIST OF IRELANDS BEST WORKPLACES 2025

A moment to celebrate the award for Market Lane co-owners. 

From L to R:  Mark O'Shaughnessy, Tracey Corbett, Judy Howard and Conrad Howard  

The progressive, Cork-based Market Lane Restaurant Group has received a major boost to its 2025 recruitment drive by being named one of Ireland's Best Workplaces 2025, after a thorough and independent analysis conducted by Great Place to Work® Institute Ireland. The newly selected companies were announced on Wednesday 26 March 2025. The Market Lane Group was the only restaurant group to be recognised and will use this to kickstart its annual recruitment drive as discerning jobseekers increasingly use credentials like this when choosing where to work.

The group comprises 5 restaurants: Market Lane, goldie, ORSO, Elbow Lane Smokehouse & Brewery and The Castle Café Blackrock. The company was accredited a Great Place to Work (GPTW) in 2023 and 2024 and last year it also won a coveted Gold Employer Excellence Award from Failte Ireland.

“We are so delighted and humbled to be selected" says Michelle Daniel, head office co-ordinator at Market Lane. “This recognition really helps us stand out as employers of choice in the increasingly competitive hospitality talent market. It also comes at our peak recruitment period for the group, which is perfect timing!

"We have found that jobseekers, particularly in the hospitality industry, are really doing their homework on the companies they apply to, which is great for us. They want to work with organisations that best reflect their belief systems and that offer a good work/life balance."

The criteria for entry to the list of Ireland's Best Workplaces is strongly based on direct feedback from employees, provided as part of an extensive and anonymous survey about the workplace experience, undertaken by the GPTW team.

“91% of our staff are proud to say they work for us” continues Daniel, and, really importantly for the industry at present, 94% say that they are treated equally regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age or race. This reflects our ongoing commitment to build a great workplace culture and employee experience.”

Crucially, while the Market Lane Group has been working closely with GPTW over the past couple of years, significant improvements have been noticed in recruitment outcomes. “Since we have engaged with the GPTW programme we have noticed a higher retention rate and a significant reduction in the number of vacancies. The volume and standard of job applications has also increased” adds Daniel "as have the number of employee referrals."

These results have engendered a stronger cultural stance from the company which has, in turn, strengthened the recruitment team’s conviction and assessment processes when choosing candidates who are the right fit for the company.

“We have also had a much greater engagement by staff members in our ambitious environmental policies, staff training programmes and advancement opportunities at all levels. This adds to employee skill sets, which raises standards across the board. We are understandably delighted that we started on this journey with GPTW" concludes Daniel. "To be selected as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland, and the only restaurant group to do so is the icing on the cake."

On the craft trail with 9 White Deer and Whiplash

On the craft trail with 9 White Deer and Whiplash 

9 White Deer Stag Stout 4.2% ABV, Bradleys

 

“remember how creamy the pints used to be”

This gluten-free Stag Stout, from Ballyvourney’s 9 White Deer, weighs in at 4.2% ABV. It is a glossy black colour with a soft tan head. Aromas are rich and rammed with chocolate promise, which is fully delivered in the mouth. Here, the chocolate and Madagascan vanilla (each listed in the ingredients) play the most pleasing duet as the rich and smooth beer finds its way around. The chocolate is never over the top though and the stout is distinctive and delicious. Smooth and creamy, all without any nitro! And it is also gluten-free.

They say: Stag Stout is a medium-bodied traditional dry Irish stout at 4.2 % ABV. It is designed to appeal primarily to traditional stout drinkers, who remember how creamy the pints used to be. The complex recipe we developed brings back to life characteristics that are long forgotten. However, this stout is like no other; Stag Stout also happens to be gluten-free, the first of its kind anywhere in the world.

The combination of the medium body, low carbonation and low hop bitterness makes Stag Stout a dangerously drinkable stout that tastes every bit as gorgeous as it looks. The promise from 9 White Deer is that as you enjoy a pint of Stag Stout, you will agree with them in their assertion that it is the “Smoothest Stout in Ireland”.  It certainly is a good one!

Whiplash Blue Ghosts Pils 5.2% ABV, 330 ml can, Bradleys 

 

Mid gold is the colour of this German Pils from Whiplash. It is a clear beer with plenty of bubbles in view. The hops, Saaz and Hersbrucker, also bring something to the party, and you’ll notice herbal hints, even grassy notes, along with a hint of Bergamot in both the aroma and palate. 

They didn’t spare the hops using 10g/l of Saaz and Hersbrucker and say it is unique in that it is heavily whirlpool hopped, not dry hopped. Perfect for outdoors in the sun, but not bad by the fireside either.

The Blue Ghosts are given some corporal heft by the hops. By the way, that yeast strain, WLP833, is regarded as ideal for German-style lagers, and that certainly seems to be the case here with yet another well-executed beer, one of a series of excellent lagers from the busy Whiplash team. The other styles that they focus on are big stouts, IPAs and porters.

Petit Roubie Picpoul De Pinet. Excellent match for oysters and shellfish

Petit Roubie Picpoul De Pinet (AOP) 2023, 12.5% ABV

€16.50 Matsons at Bandon, Grange and Youghal

an excellent match for oysters and shellfish

This dry wine, dry, white, crisp and appley, from the south of France, has a green-gold hue and is often referred to as the Muscadet of the South. 

The Petit Roubie is an exemplar of the Picpoul. The grape is found in the Languedoc and the best of it seems to be from the village of Pinet, on the edge of the Med and about 90 minutes east of Carcassonne, exactly where this one is produced. Picpoul is a very old grape variety and the name means lip—stinger (after its high acidity).

It is quite aromatic, a mix of floral, citrus,  and apple. Crisp, with no shortage of acidity, with white and citrus fruit (lime) on the palate and its excellent mouthfeel, it is harmonious and pairs beautifully with oysters and shellfish. Serve at about 8 degrees for best results; a degree or two one way or the other doesn’t do any harm!

Floriane and Olivier Azan, owners of the domain, have been producing organically since 1985. The use of herbicides and pesticides, even in localised application, is strictly prohibited, while fertilisation is done with compost, seaweed, rock powders and organic fertilisers only.

Very Highly Recommended.