WHEN WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH

GATTUSO: MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY 

Italians use hand gestures a lot, especially in the south of the country, but rarely the head as fish-shop owner Gennaro Gattuso  did against Spurs.

Born in the south, Gattuso’s hand has also gotten him into trouble: In a UEFA Champions League group stage match against Ajax in September 2003, he was sent off during second-half injury time after slapping Ajax striker and current team-mate Zlatan Ibrahimović in the face with the back of his hand. (Wikipediia)

All ties in nicely with a bottle of Primitivo that I recently received as a present. It is called Parlare Italiano and the label illustration is a series of hands in various poses.

Anyone who watches Italian football regularly will know a few of these gestures. Perhaps the most common is where you press your hands together as if in prayer, then move them up and down. You usually do this with the ref when he has ruled against you. Like most gestures it can mean different things: Why don't you listen to me? or You’re going to be the death of me! It is also a favourite gesture among Italian mothers.

Interesting, isn’t it. Found it in a very informative book on Italian Wine called, believe or not, Vino Italiano!

A bit more interesting really than this bottle which comes from the hot region of Puglia, Italy’s heel. It is made from the Primitivo grape, which has proven strong links to America’s Zinfandel and is the most consumer friendly grape of the region.

Colour is a fairly dark red and there is an aroma of dark fruits. On the palate, this softly structured wine is fruity, reasonably flavoursome with good acidity and just a bit more to it than a simple quaffing wine. Just a little bit.

Parlare Italiano, Primitivo Salento, 2008, 13.5%, **/***

FOOD AND WINE SHOWCASE

 FOOD AND DRINK SHOWCASE NEEDED  

West Cork’s Charlie Costello (@charliecostello), restaurant owner and hotel manager, is never short of an idea or two and lately he has been thinking about expanding the interaction of food and wine people on twitter, especially producers and suppliers.

“What about meeting up with your tweeting suppliers. We could feature their food & wines.” 

Just been wondering what form this could take. And duration? 

Perhaps, it could it start off with a tasting night? Something like that evening when LocalMarkets.ie launched their service in the English Market. Should it take place in a restaurant with the menu for the night drawn from the suppliers?

Should it be a weekend festival? There are so many suppliers in the Cork area that I suspect more than one restaurant might be needed. Hold the event in a town or area, like Clonakilty for example, where there is a cluster of restaurants. First course here, second course there, dessert over there. Maybe erect a marquee?

I know there are some very enjoyable food events around the city and county but don’t we need a really grand showcase? One that would draw the punters in from near and far, especially now that the reputation of Irish food is so high.

Any ideas out there?  Here is a link to some American food and wine festivals.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_Network_South_Beach_Wine_and_Food_Festival Have a look and let us have your comments in the facility below or via twitter!

Thanks to @Jaq_Stedman Jacqueline Stedman, via Twitter, you can see how they do it in one part of Australia here

SPICE UP YOUR MORNINGS

GREEN SAFFRON

The fragrant Green Saffron stall is a regular stop for me whenever I’m in either the Mahon or Midleton Farmers Market.

Met Arun (did you see him on RTE yesterday making a tempting gingerbread?) in Mahon last Thursday and spotted a couple of granolas for sale. These were new to me and, with some advice from the man himself, I settled for a pack of Breakfast Granola, rather than the more expensive luxury one!

Paid just over 4 euro for 500 Gms and I am delighted to say that I am really enjoying my purchase. It certainly has spiced up breakfast time but please don't be put off by all my talk of spice. The Green Saffron Juicy Fruit Spice blend is moderate but does provide a pleasant taste and a pleasing aroma even early in the morning.

The full ingredient list: Rapeseed Oil, Jumbo Oat Flakes, Figs, Golden Syrup, Light Brown Soft Sugar, Rye Flakes, Barley Flakers, Butter, salt, Pistachios, Almonds, Sultanas, Rosewater and Green Saffron’s Juicy Fruit Blend.

Tempted? I bet you are. Try it and let me know what you think.

VILLAGE TALES

VILLAGE TALK

The hype on wine labels never ceases to amaze me. Take this for example, from an ordinary Beaujolais-Villages: “...like a dream,...a poem, or perhaps a symphony”.

My notes for this Pierre Ponnelle 2009 Beaujolais Villages were more down to earth. Leave the orchestra out of it; the string quartet will do nicely!

Colour: Light cherry red.

Nose: Tame fruit.

Palate: Light red fruit flavours, simple, easy drinking dry wine, smooth and nicely balanced with not a bad finish at all. The grape is 100% Gamay and ABV is 12.5%. Rating: ***

They say “it is .. richer than any other types of Beaujolais”. But we don’t believe everything we read on the back label. Do we?

It didn’t always have such skilled defenders as today’s PR firm. Gamay was once banned. Duke Phillip the Bold took a dislike to it back in the 14^th century. But it grew its way back. The revival really took a hold in the 1960s when local grower Georges Duboef promoted, with great success, Beaujolais Nouveau.

That usually arrived in November, still does but to much less fanfare, and was meant to be drunk young and that applies to much of today’s Beaujolais (Nouveau or otherwise) though there are exceptions.

Not overly keen on this fairly average one and you, and I, would do better to find a Beaujolais Villages with the village name on the bottle – see the map (click to enlarge).  A wine made from the grapes from one of these villages is called a Cru Beaujolais, and the AOC label will name the village.  It will be a little bit more expensive but not overly so. Must say I do enjoy one every now and then, especially in summer time.

Much the same goes for Cotes de Rhone Villages. Get one with the village name on the bottle. I hit the jackpot here with a Christmas present: Chateau de Marjolet 2009 Laudun, Cotes de Rhone Village, Cuvee Tradition, 14.5% ABV, Gold Medal winner Orange 2010 ****.

(This present got mixed with others so I don't know who gave it and canl;t ask where they bought uit. Jay Fox of jay_at_hollands has been in touch: "its hitting Ireland in about 3-4 weeks. I'll be stocking it.")


Marjolet is “an independent producer” in the village of Laudun where some of the region’s finest reds are made. Hugh Johnson has praise for it in his 2011 writings: Most happening area, bundle of good wines,...., all very drinkable.”

On the evidence of this Laudun, I agree with him. Colour is medium red with an aroma of red fruits (strawberry and cherry). On the palate, it is peppery, juicy, medium bodied and well balanced and rich with a pleasant lingering finale. 

ELECTRIC

ELECTRIC

Just a few years back, I had my first encounter with Sauerkraut*, in an Austrian monastery on the banks of the Danube. Not a very pleasant meeting, very sharp stuff indeed and the English ex-pat alongside was having a laugh: I told you so!

Got back on the boat and headed for Vienna. A few days later at a Heurigen (wine tavern that serves food, and the only place I ever got wine in a half-litre tankard ) near the city, the Sauerkraut was on the menu again. Never afraid to research in depth, I tried it again and found it much milder and every enjoyable.

And, thankfully, it was the latter type (this from Alsace) that accompanied my Pheasant (€20) on a dinner visit to Electric.  Bacon and Morteau sausage were also in the pleasing mix, along with some mashed potato. A really well balanced dish and one happy customer.

The other side of the table was delighted with her Roast free range chicken with carrots, parsnips, goose fat roasties and onion gravy (€17). The chicken was exceptionally flavoursome, the whole combination so well done and a pleasure to eat.

We had skipped the tempting starters and so had room for desserts. Again these were top notch. The Cocktail Alexander (brandy panacotta with espresso chocolate mousse) looked classy and inviting and it sure was a treat.

Unusually, I went for the tri-partite Chocolate Explosion (€8.00): a dark mousse, a light mousse and a chocolate cake, each separate in the well presented dish. Quite a substantial dessert but there was nothing left!

Drinks included Brown Brothers late harvested orange muscat (€4.5 a glass), Les Jamelles 2008 Vine De Pays d'Oc Merlot (€4.9) and NZ Old Coach Road 2009 Nelson Riesling (€5). Decent wines at decent prices.

The new restaurant is on the second floor with views, depending on where you are seated, over South Mall, end of Grand Parade and the adjacent river. It is a very pleasant place to visit with good food and good people at all levels of the interaction.

*Choucroute in France

TALL, DARK AND HANDSOME!

TALL, DARK AND HANDSOME 

Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2008, McLaren Vale, 14% ABV, €15.99 RRP, ****

Just in time for Valentine’s - a tall, dark and handsome visitor from South Australia.

Colour is dark red and the aroma is of dark fruits and a hint of mint. Rich dark fruits on the palate, it is a smooth well balanced wine where the tannins play their role with a pleasant ease, all ending in an equally pleasant lingering finish.

Couldn’t ask for anything more from this highly rated winery. The wine itself doesn't do too badly either and picked up 90 points from Wine Spectator. It is rich, full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and has been aged for 18 months in both French and America oak.

In the past few months I have tasted other products of Kangarilla Road and have been very happy with them. So if you like this one why not try these:

Kangarilla Road Shiraz 2008, 14.5%, €15.99, McLaren Vale (Aus.)

Kangarilla Road Charlie’s Blend Shiraz Cabernet 2008, 14%, €11.99, McLaren Vale (Aus.)

Kangarilla Road Leaf Series Shiraz (15.99) or the 2Up Shiraz (11.99).

Distributed by Wine Alliance and available in Off Licences at independents nationwide.

THURSDAY IN MAHON

Hens on point of lay for sale in Mahon

MAHON POINT FARMERS MARKET

All calm at Mahon Point Farmers Market yesterday after the

THE WEEKEND CATCH

English Market

A bumper Weekend Catch, fresh from the Net.

THE WEEKEND CATCH

Restaurant Wine & Food Scene

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market_lane Market Lane 

Seasonal special jack mac black pudding with

CATCH 'EM YOUNG

Kerpen

CATCH THEM YOUNG   

Kerpen 2009 Riesling Blauschiefer Trocken, 12.5%, Karwig Wines (€14.05) ****

On a Christmas visit to Carrigaline I picked up this

WEXFORD DOUBLE

Kilmore Quay gull is buying Irish

FOCUS ON BUYING LOCAL

You really need your thinking cap on when

HOW LOCAL DO YOU GO?

TIPP DOUBLE FOR THIS CORKMAN!

Just been reading the always entertaining and

THE RISING TIDE

THE RISING TIDE

Enjoyed a terrific meal at Glounthaune’s Rising Tide Brasserie on Friday night. Quality local produce featured strongly across

SPANISH RIESLING!

 WINE STORE SHOUTS OUT FOR A SPANISH RIESLING 

Some big names in the wine game are coming out