Taste Overload

Craig Camp @CraigCamp

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Wine Camp - 5000 Wines a Year: I saw a comment recently from a wine writer noting that they tasted over five thousand wines a year. I could only think how sad. Was this some sort of punishment? Did someone commit a crime? What a pity to turn such a pleasure into such a grind... bit.ly/xAmarP #wine

Fanfare for the Chef Cashman

Fanfare for the Chef Cashman

Hake

The food served up in Augustine’s is fit for an emperor. Ancient rulers, even some modern ones, might have preferred a personal fanfare on entry. Perhaps there should be a fanfare, but for chef proprietor Brendan Cashman.

Augustine’s do, of course, make a fuss of you, but in a quiet unfussy way. Your coats are taken and hung in a proper cloakroom (and the correct garment is returned each and every time!). Then you are led to your table of generous proportions and also in its own generous space and with comfortable seating.

The floors are nicely carpeted, the various sections of the restaurant discreetly separated. A fit and proper place, and atmosphere, to enjoy some excellent food, a Cork treasure, and, from what some well travelled people say to me, a national one, a five star venue.

No rush, but no delay either, as the evening got underway. They were serving some lovely buns to nibble from as we checked the menus. Three types on offer, each excellent, and they were Sundried tomato, Black Olive, and plain.

 Augustine’s is justly noted for its very reasonably priced Tasting Menu, six courses for just €25.00. This time though, we decided to go A la Carte. While we waiting for the starters, we enjoyed an Amuse Bouche, a shot of Chilled Spicy Tomato and Herb Gazpacho. That certainly woke up the sensors and we were ready for action.

Scallops

I started with the Pan Fried Breast of Quail, with smoked Aubergine purée, Pane Polenta and Brunoise Provencale. (11.95). Looked well and tasted ever so well. Top notch for sure but I was still drawn to the other side of the table where CL was raving about her special: Scallops, apple, apple puree and breaded ham hock. Luckily, after 46 years, we are still inclined to share!

Now for the main event. I was delighted with mine: Foraged mushroom risotto with truffle, oak smoked Gubbeen cheese, and poached duck egg (22.95). This was the most perfect combination of sight, taste, texture and aroma. Almost forgot my little pot of creamy potato mash, an irresistible side to an immaculate five star main plate. Food heaven.

And CL was on Cloud Nine also thanks to the Oven Baked Fillet of Hake, with a tomato and chorizo sauce bialdi, Saffron Gnocchi and steamed mussels. (26.95). Luckily, I got a reasonably decent picture of that and you can gain some idea at least of how it looked. It tasted brilliantly as well.

Service all along had been top class with virtually every single need anticipated and all that without anyone leaning over your shoulder. We had our chats of course, a quick word or two with a busy Brendan and great to see Carol who was also very busy at front of house.

Quite an informative chat too about the wine, a wine that we enjoyed very much indeed: Chateau Haut Rian Bordeaux blanc 2010 (26.00). This is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon (which accounts for no less than 60% of the mix). A well balanced impressive wine with floral and fruity flavours and a fresh and persistent finish.

Dessert

Our wine and our stay were now coming to an end but I wasn’t going to leave without trying dessert. In the end, we settled on just one (two spoons, of course) and that was the Tart Tatin of Spiced Plum with Vanilla Ice-cream (8.50). Perfection once again, a spicy yet sweet note to end a lovely evening on.

We’ll be back and we highly recommend it to locals and visitors alike. Tom Doorley has given us Corkonians permission to brag about this place. No need for anything loud really. Just let Brendan’s food do the talking.

CORK CITY: see, shop, eat, drink, stay..........

Recently, Argus Car Rentals asked me to do a guide for first time visitors to Cork City. Might also be a help to the locals so I've posted it below....

First time visiting Cork? We want you to make the most from your rental car Cork experience. For that reason, we've enlisted the assistance of a local travel expert to help get you on your way. Follow these important travel tips and enjoy the finest that Cork is offering.

See: The Queen made it her number one stop in Cork so you’ve just got to visit the English Market, an institution in the city since 1788. Nearby, you’ll see the spires of historic St Fin Barre’s Cathedral.

St Anne’s Church in Shandon is another landmark. Visit and don’t forget to ring the bells. Be sure also to check the four clocks on the tower, better known here as the four liars (since they don’t always agree). Cork was once the butter capital of the world and the Butter Museum is in the shadow of Shandon.

Staying north of the river, why not pay a call to the storied cells of the City Gaol. The Glucksman is a lovely new art gallery in the leafy grounds of the university while the well established Crawford Gallery is easily accessible in the city centre, next door to the Opera House.

Shop: While in the English Market why not do a bit of shopping and check out local delicacies such as buttered eggs and spiced beef. The compact city centre boasts a couple of top notch shopping centres: Merchants Quay and the new Opera Lane area. North Main Street has Bradley’s, founded in 1850 and famous for its wall of craft beers (110 at last count).

For a different experience head to Mahon Point Farmer’s Market every Thursday where you’ll find fantastic local cheese and meat and much more, including wild mushrooms, all within a few yards of the large shopping centre.

Eat: No shortage of eating places. At the high end, you’ve got Les Gourmandises and Augustine’s while top lunchtime venues are the Farmgate and Nash 19. See my top 31 local restaurants here.  Coffee stops, led by Cafe Gusto, abound.

Drink: For something a little different you’ll find the newly opened L’Atitude Wine Café close to the City Hall. The emphasis here is on quality wines and tasty local snacks. Electric, with its downstairs bar and upstairs eatery, has taken the South Mall by storm since it opened in 2010. The Boardwalk, SoHo and the Bodega are other modern bars with restaurants attached.
Read more here

Amuse Bouche. Its legs alone were still writhing...

She placed the heavy looking plate on the table.

“You can use the soy sauce on the table there.”

The whole plate was heaped high with colourful seaweed, on top of which was an entire squid. Its body was translucent, clear through to the seaweed below. Its silvery metallic-looking eyes were unfocussed and stared into space. Its legs alone were still writhing, as if they could escape the plate.

“The legs and whatever else you leave we’ll make into tempura or deep-fry for you,” the waitress explained.

From Villain by Shuichi Yoshida.

Clash Of The Ciders

Clash Of The Ciders

Longueville House cider, medium dry, 5%ABV, 50cl, €3.99 at Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork.

Stonewell cider, medium dry, 5.5% ABV, 50cl, €3.99 at Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork.

The Longueville House comes in a distinctive squat bottle and its lovely black and gold label is less eye-catching than that on the Stonewell. It has a nice fruity aroma and a rich amber colour in which you see streams of little bubbles constantly rising.

Very pleasant on the palate where the fruit is well balanced, the kind of balance you’d expect to find in a well made West Country cider, a property previously remarked on by the Apple Farm’s Con Traas in a recent newsletter.

The Stonewell’s Celtic design really stands out on the shelf and there is also a huge visual contrast in the glass. The Stonewell colour is so much lighter, more like honey, and again the rising bubbles are obvious.

Its aroma is lighter, more apple-ly, very pleasant indeed. And it is lighter also on the palate, but nowhere near as dry as the LH. And that factor could well make it a favourite with the ladies, well at least with the lady of this house. It is marginally higher in alcohol and that did not go down as well with the lady.

As far as this amateur referee is concerned, my Clash of the Ciders will have to go to a replay (at least one) after this high scoring draw. Final score: 5 stars each. No need to seek a winner here but rather let us celebrate that, in less than 12 months, we have two outstanding craft ciders being made in the county.

If you do want to set up your own tasting match, just call into Bradley’s and get a few of each and see which one suits you. If you want to know more about cider, click on the link below where you’ll find info such as:

“The flavour of cider varies. Ciders can be classified from dry to sweet. Their appearance ranges from cloudy with sediment to completely clear, and their colour ranges from light yellow through orange to brown. The variations in clarity and colour are mostly due to filtering between pressing and fermentation. Some apple varieties will produce a clear cider without any filtration. Both sparkling and still ciders are made; the sparkling variety is the more common.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cider#Appearance_and_types_of_cider

Little Beauty and the ladies of L'Atitude

Little Beauty's Fleur McCree hits Leeside next week!

Maurice O'Mahony, the man behind Wine Alliance, has been in touch about an exciting event at the new Wine Cafe on Union Quay, L'Atitude 51. We'll let Maurice take over and tell you all about it.
No better boy!

Its an honour for Wine Alliance to be part of L’Atitude 51′s first event in their “Meet the Winemaker” series

Fleur McCree, owner of Little Beauty of Marlborough, New Zealand will present a flight of five of her limited edition wines in a guided tasting in the newly opened L’Atitude 51 Wine Workshop (on the first floor) of . . . .

L’Atitude 51.

1 Union Quay,

Cork City 

021 2390219

Thursday February 9th From 7.00pm – 9.00pm

Entrance Fee is just €12 and places are very limited.

The line up includes a tasting of  . . . . .

• Little Beauty Sauvignon Blanc
• Little Beauty Riesling
• Little Beauty Pinot Gris
• Little Beauty Gewurztraminer
• Little Beauty Pinot Noir

Canapés & Snacks will also be served on the evening

Fleur will walk us through the New Zealand wine landscape and will then focus on her beloved Marlborough and her privately owned vineyard. If you want to read up on Little Beauty, check out their website here

L’Atitude 51 is the perfect location for a tasting. Centrally located in in the heart of Cork’s city centre, the owners Beverley Mathews and Emmanuelle Legrand offer a beautiful selection of wines (including a big selection by the glass), craft beers and gourmet coffee and tea. They also offer a delicious selection of homecooked food in a lovely relaxing setting on the banks of the lovely Lee across the road from Cork’s City Hall.

So why not come along and sample each of these beautiful limited edition wines for yourself

Thursday February 9th From 7.00pm – 9.00pm

To book a place, call L’Atitude 51 on 021 2390219

See Fleur YouTube video here 

URRU: small, but a big reason to visit Bandon

URRU

The aim in Bandon’s URRU  is to help you enjoy shopping for food and food related items. The formula is a successful one in this bright well laid out shop.

Called there last Saturday and enjoyed the visit, the browsing, the shopping, and the chat with Ruth and the coffee. Not to mention the gorgeous Patisserie Regale Dunmanway made giant Ginger Spice Cookie that accompanied the coffee.

 Shopping for food is easy here as some of the great local names are suppliers: Glenilen, Jack McCarthy, Ummera, Arbutus, Green Saffron, Macroom Mills and many more, including the cheesemakers. Oh, and not forgetting Mella and her irresistible fudge. Ended up with quite a bagful, as usual.

There was a sale on in the kitchenware “department”, 50 per cent off on many items, and we got one or two bits and pieces. URRU also have a collection, an impressive one, of cookery books and also a good wine corner.

 

You won’t go short here. Vegetables? That department is now well covered too at the URRU Greengrocer which is more or less next door to this lovely not so little shop on McSwiney Quay. We had a look in there too. Lots of local vegetables and also enticing imports such as figs and hazelnuts.

A small place but a big reason to visit Bandon, which is so close to the city. Don’t by-pass. Stop for a coffee and a browse (and do bring a bag!)

A GOOD FOOD VALENTINE'S

Vicky Jago has been in touch with a gift idea from Good Food Ireland, a Unique Gift this Valentine's!

"If you love good food, then look no further than a Good Food Ireland gift voucher which allows you the freedom to choose from over 300 Good Food Ireland approved providers located around the island of Ireland. They promise you an experience of the very best in Irish cuisine and hospitality. 

Whether you are looking for a romantic break, an intimate meal, a relaxing spa weekend or a dinner in a famous Irish eatery or just pure food indulgence this is the ideal gift for everyone who simply loves good food!

Good Food Ireland gift vouchers starting from €10 are available to purchase through the Good Food Ireland office Tel 053 9158693 or Online www.goodfoodireland.ie"   

Ummera Smoked Chicken

Smoked Chicken @ Urru Culinary Store, a photo by CorkBilly on Flickr.

One of my all time favourites, one of the brilliant products from @ummera in Timoleague

Dining Royally at The Castle Hotel

DINING AT THE CASTLE

Friday last, we dined at the B’s Restaurant in the Castle Hotel in Macroom. And dined quite royally, I might add. Food and service were terrific.

Service came in the shape of AJ, the maestro of the dining room. No shortage of advice or recommendations and, if something wasn’t on the menu, then he’d get it as he did with the fruit dessert at the end. Lots of friendly chat too, “like”.

As we munched the handmade breads, from a “secret” recipe according to AJ, I was delighted to see so many local producers mentioned on the menu, reliable sources such as Jack McCarthy, Cappoquinn, Ardsallagh, Gubbeen, Milleens, Michael Twomey and quite a few others.

I started off with the Jack McCarthy Black Pudding, which was perfect, as usual, really top drawer stuff. This time, it was served with a Spiced Apple Chutney, a great match.

Local input also to the other starter with the mozzarella coming from the milk of the buffalos on the farm of local man Johnny Lynch. The full title for this starter was: Mozzarella and Roasted Vegetable Bruschetta with fire roasted pepper relish and baby leaf salad. Another good one! Peppers and Aubergine were the roasted veg and the whole thing came together very well indeed.

Sorbet

AJ then humourously explained, just in case we thought the meal was coming to a premature end, that the next course would not be dessert but a sorbet. And quite a tasty and colourful one it turned out to be.

Now, the palate was ready for the mains and I went for an AJ recommendation: Baked Supreme of Cappoquinn Chicken filled with Ardsallagh Goats Cheese wrapped in Parma Ham and served with a Tomato and Basil Sauce. Must say I liked this one. The cheese played a key role in the overall taste without ever threatening to dominate while the sauce – I spooned out every bit – added extra flavour and moisture.

I like it too that the sauce was served in its own little container as was the case with the other main dish: Baked West Cork hake with sundried tomato salsa and served with a light Champagne sauce. The fish was juicy, the spinach underneath was lovely and creamy while the salsa added a bit of tartness. The main dishes were also accompanied by a side plate of perfectly cooked seasonal vegetables.

Now for the real dessert. Once again AJ played a part as one of us was looking for something light. And so he got the chef to produce, without any delay, a perfectly presented plate of gorgeous fruit, as you can see from the picture.

Cheese plate

I too had a gorgeous presentation, quite a line up of local cheese, including top names such as Milleens and Gubbeen, crackers and plum chutney and some slices of plum and mango. Lapped it all up while finishing off the wine which was another treat, the real face of Chardonnay from Burgundy.

For the record it was a Champy 2009 Macon-Lugny (€26.00). It was full-bodied luscious and creamy, not a trace of oak, the real taste of one of the world’s most popular grapes. Lovely wine, lovely meal. Thanks to AJ and all the crew at the Castle.

Year of the Dragon at Ying’s Palace

Main course

Comfort

The Beers

Ying’s Palace

Celebrated the coming of the Year of the Dragon, a little on the late side, with a very tasty meal indeed at Ying’s Palace in Mayfield last night. This is a really well appointed restaurant with a high degree of space and comfort and consistently good food. But, like many Chinese establishments, the take-away business outshines the sit-down!

Amazing really that Chinese cuisine, which is so well established in Ireland, has not really crossed over to our regular restaurants. We’ve got a huge French input, a substantial Italian and Spanish influence, quite a hefty contribution from the Maghreb (cous cous, tagine) but very little from the Chinese.

I was thinking that when our starter arrived. By the way, we had picked one of the set menus which included a glass of wine for a total of €22.80. They have other marginally cheaper set menus along with a four course multi-choice special offer for just €15.59, a great way to try out the place.

Getting back to last night, we started off with a plate of irresistible Prawn Crackers. Polished them off quickly and there was precious little resistance when we were offered a second plate by our very friendly hostess.

Then on to the substantial main starter: Crispy Aromatic Duck (served with strips of spring onions, cucumbers, carrots, pancakes and Hoisin Sauce). I really enjoyed this, a terrific combination and one that might catch on in mainstream restaurants! Finger wipes were supplied as standard service.

Next up was a big bowl of very warm soup: Crabmeat and sweet corn. Just what you’d need on a showery wintry evening, really excellent. By this stage, I had sipped my last drop of the free wine, a very acceptable Cabernet Sauvignon from Valle Andino (Chile). A glass would normally cost €4.90, a bottle €16.80. Good prices!

They had Chinese beer listed on the menu at €3.90 a bottle. Tsingtao is bottled in China and has the usual ingredients, except that rice is added. The rice seems to give it extra flavour and roundness and I must say I absolutely enjoyed it and wouldn’t mind getting my hands on a few. The other beer that we got was Tiger. This regular lager is brewed in Singapore and more widely available and very drinkable.

So now, we were ready for the double barrelled main course: Fillet beef with black pepper sauce and King Prawn Szechuan, both served sizzling! And accompanied by either chips or fried rice. We took one dish of each. Loved those prawns, each a soft explosion of taste redolent of the sea and complimented by the other flavours.

The beef – all their beef is Irish – was so tender I could have cut it with a spoon and so tasty. The black pepper sauce is what it says on the tin so you’d better be aware of that before you order. We enjoyed every piece.

Now we were full and had just begun to sip our coffee (included) when our hostess came to the table with a slice of homemade cheesecake, on the house!

We wished her well for the New Year, hoping the Dragon would be kind to her. “I hope he will be kind to all peoples,” she graciously replied. And so say all of us.

Thank You Mr Karwig

Thank You Mr Karwig

(and Mr Whelan)

Morambro Creek, Padthaway Australia, Shiraz 2008, 14.5%, €18.50, Karwig Wines

A big thank you to JoeKarwig  in Carrigaline who imports this excellent New World Shiraz, a terrific wine. And thanks also to that well known butcher, Pat Whelan of Clonmel, and now also of Monkstown (Dublin), as it was from Whelan’s on-line shop that I got the ever so tender lack of lamb that I matched with the Morambro Shiraz .

The dark red wine is smooth and lush from start to long finish. It has a pleasantly aromatic nose. The introduction to the palate is excellent. This is a very well made wine indeed with rounded fruit flavours and spice, all in balance, nothing overly restrained and nothing extreme. Easy to enjoy.

The know-how of five generations of the Bryson family has gone into this one and they are justly proud of their methods and of the wine itself. They also say that it is best with food and you won’t get a much better match than the one I enjoyed.

Hayfield Manor Wine Society February Dinner

HAYFIELD MANOR WINE SOCIETY

February Dinner

Jean Louis Smyl of Famille Quiot in the (Rhone Valley) was the star of the evening when the Hayfield Manor Wine Society held its inaugural dinner  in the hotel last November.

At a recent Hayfield event. Sandra is pictured with
Ballymaloe's Samuel (left) and yours truly. pic: Colm McCan.

Sommelière Sandra Biret-Crowley, who did some great work behind the scenes in organising the event, will have the help of Donie O’Brien from Erne Drinks Company when the next dinner takes place on February 23rd. Donie’s visit also signals a change of country as the wines from the awarding Santa Sofia winery in Italy will take centre stage on this occasion.

Hayfield’s Paul O’Connell is rightly proud of their wines: “We view wine as a vital part of the Hayfield Manor experience, and the superb cellar kept by our Sommelière Sandra Biret - Crowley, is a source of delight for experienced wine buffs and enthusiastic amateurs alike.

Enthusiasts looking to expand their knowledge of wine, or amateurs who simply love sampling new and exciting vintages, will relish the special wine events that are a regular feature in Hayfield Manor. Our exceptional suppliers regularly host events that offer an informal but informative exploration of the world of wine, especially some of its less well known delights, with plenty of entertainment to be enjoyed along the way.

We are also happy to offer exclusive events for groups, so if you’re looking for a corporate event or employee incentive evening with a difference, here’s the solution.”


 This special Santa Sofia wine dinner begins at 7.00pm with aperitifs and an introduction to the wines of the estate which is in Italy’s historic Valpolicella Classico region between Venice and Verona. It includes an ancient villa dating back to 1560.


Dinner is €79.00 per person which is served from 7.30pm and includes a 5 course menu specially created by the Executive Chef, Graeme Campbell, to complement 5 different wines.
 Limited spaces are available so an early reservation is strongly recommended. 
To book please call 021-4845900 or email events@hayfieldmanor.ie