Amuse Bouche

The next day was Martha’s twenty-ninth birthday, and after she woke, somewhat the worse for wear, at one in the afternoon, Matthews gave her a huge basket of flowers and pulled together a lavish feast of caviar, pâté en croûte, Christmas pudding, and ham, to which Hemingway added bottles of Champagne and Chateau d'Yquem. She didn't feel very celebratory, however; she’d just heard word was out in the United States about her relationship with Hemingway, and she dreaded the consequences….

from Hotel Florida by Amanda Vaill (2014)

Que Syrah, Shiraz. Southern Style.

Que Syrah, Shiraz

Southern Style

Bilancia Syrah 2004 (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand), 13.5%, €25.18 (was 31.50) Karwig Wines.

Before we even get to the contents, there are two things to note here. The grape is called Syrah and the closure is screw-cap. Don't think I’ve ever twisted a cap off a wine as old. In France, the grape is called Syrah. Elsewhere this ever popular grape is known as Shiraz unless the winemaker, as here, is aiming for the more restrained French style.

A small amount of Viognier (c. 2%) has been used here. The term for this, according to Grapes and Wines, is co-fermentation and says it “gives not just perfume but some extra silkiness of texture”. Syrah itself is, of course, a great blender, most famously in the Rhone where it mixes so well with Grenache and Mourvèdre (shorthand: GSM).

This Bilancia (balance) has a purple colour, aromas of ripe fruit, a little pepper. There is a gorgeous elegant mouthfeel, flavours (mainly plum) and spice; lives up to its name with perfect balance and harmony, good finish too. Highly Recommended. 

The Leheny Gibson mentioned on the front label refers to two people, winemakers Lorraine Leheny and Warren Gibson who first released their wines in 1998.

Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz 2012 (Padthaway, Australia), 14.5%, €16.75 Karwig Wines

This juicy vibrant wine is Shiraz rather than Syrah. Purple is the colour and there in the aromas you'll find ripe red fruits and some spice too. Juicy and vibrant on the palate, fine tannins, oak well integrated, well balanced and easy drinking. Excellent on its own, great too, they suggest, “with food and friends”. Highly Recommended.

Jip Jip Rocks is one of three Bryson family vineyards in the area; the others are Morambro Creek and Mt Monster, who also produce Shiraz. By the way, Jip Jip is well known too for its sparkling shiraz. Quite a few Australian vineyards produce a sparkling shiraz.

David Bryson told me in Cork a few years back that this still Shiraz is their main seller. It is a 100% Shiraz, 100% Padthaway wine with “a lot of vineyard character..a bottle of serious fun…,approachable”.

The Jip Jip rocks have existed for 350 million years and the striking outcrop is sacred to Aboriginal beliefs.

Pielow’s Shiraz 2012, (Tulbagh, Western Cape, South Africa), 14.5%, €17.95 Karwig Wines

Colour is a deep purple, dark fruit aromas plus oak. Quite a lively palate of dark berry fruit flavours, and vanilla; tannins well rounded. No shortage of power here yet it is well balanced with a decent finish. Juicy steaks, barbecued meats and spare ribs are suggested as matches. This is very much a New World Shiraz and is Recommended!

Colin and Teresa Pielow, formerly chef proprietors of two Irish restaurants (including one in Cobh), came to to South Africa a few years back and settled in the beautiful Tulbagh valley in the Cape Winelands. The property where they established and planted their own vineyard has produced this Pielow's Shiraz which is still in their ownership. They have returned to Ireland and opened Pielows Restaurant in Cabinteely where, of course, you may enjoy this fruit-driven Shiraz!

Pielow’s wines are available from:

Pielow's Restaurant, 2 Main Street, Cabinteely, Dublin 18, Ireland

Tel: 01 284 0914 Email: pielows@eircom.net

Karwig Wines, Carrigaline, Co.Cork.

Tel: 021 437 4159 Email: info@karwigwines.ie

Mitchell & Son, Glasthule, 54 Glasthule Road, Glasthule Co. Dublin

Tel: 01 230 2301 Email: glasthule@mitchellandson.com

Avoca Food Market, (stocked by Mitchell & Son), Kilmacanogue. Co. Wicklow

Tel: 01 274 6900 Web: avoca.com

Taste of the Week. Old Millbank Salmon Paté

Taste of the Week

Old Millbank Salmon Paté

Geraldine Bass is a regular at the local farmers markets here in Cork and her Old Millbank Salmon Paté is our Taste of the Week. You’ll certainly see her stall in Mahon Point (Thursdays) and Douglas (Saturdays).

The paté - you can get a nice little pot of it for four euro - comes two ways. The original is in a very tasty creamy paste, ideal for spreading on canapes or, if in  a hurry, spooning! And now there is a variation. She adds little chunks of her salmon to it, giving an extra twist to the texture and the flavour (see photo above). Either way, it’s delicious.

Geraldine also sells her award winning smoked salmon to restaurants and delicatessens.

Old Mill Bank Smoke House, Willow Pond, Summer Park, Buttevant, Co. Cork.

It’s between Mallow and Buttevant, so sometimes you’ll see Mallow in the address.

Email:	bass3@indigo.ie
Phone:	+353 22 23299

And they called it Patty's Day but we changed it! Cheers.

And they called it Patty's Day

but we changed it!

The Bunny from Blarney Chocolate

The Bunny from Blarney Chocolate Pays A Visit

There was a ring at the door. The big white bunny from Blarney Chocolate was outside. And she was carrying a hamper of goodies from their new range. Needless to say, she got a big welcome!

This is her story:

A locally designed Easter range is bouncing into spring with hand crafted and moulded chocolate treats that are mind meltingly wonderful, courtesy of the professional chocolatiers at Blarney Chocolate Factory.  As always the Cork based chocolate company has the perfect chocolate treat for everyone including luxury eggs, a range of smaller eggs and chocolate figures, chocolate truffle boxes and the popular chocolate lollipops and bars. 

For those who are looking for delicious, fun and traditional nod to all things Easter then Blarney Chocolate Factory have a range of medium and large Eggs in Milk or Dark Chocolate which can be decorated and personalised, the only limits being your imagination! For something eggstra special then look no further than the stunning signature Easter product which features a beautiful milk chocolate character of a rabbit and duck in an Egg (€15.95).

A must for Easter egg hunts or perfect for sharing with friends Blarney Chocolate Factory have a number of options ideal for sharing including: six lovely milk chocolate eggs in a chocolate egg box (€12.95), 2 milk chocolate eggs with a bunny lollipop (€5.95), a milk chocolate chicken on a cracked open egg with small praline eggs in a yellow box (€12.95), milk chocolate chick sitting on a milk chocolate egg (€4.95) and last but not least the quirky ‘Croc’ egg in a box with chocolate buttons (€9.95)

The perfect choice for chocolate lovers with a more sophisticated palette are the un-egg-spected flavour range of artisan eggs which include; dark chocolate egg with mint sugar and mint fondant pralines (€12.95), a hazelnut praline egg (€12.95) and the super luxurious large truffle egg which features a half egg of milk or dark chocolate filled with a collection of our pralines, truffles and fondants (€22.95).

Blarney Chocolate Factory is proud of their gifted chocolatiers who lovingly hand crafted each and every piece of chocolate so that their skill and passion can be tasted in every joyful mouthful.

The full Blarney Chocolate Factory Easter range is available at their shop on the square in Blarney Village or online at 

www.blarneychocolatefactory.com/collections/easter

That big white bunny!

About Blarney Chocolate Factory:

Blarney Chocolate Factory opened for business on the first of June 2014. Their charming shop is located in the beautiful square in the centre of Blarney Village and only 100 yards from the entrance to Blarney Castle.  In addition to amazing chocolate products they sell great Coffee, Hot Chocolate and fine Italian Gelato which is also made in Cork.

Italian Trio at O’Brien’s. Bardolino and Soave by Guerrieri Rizzardi

Italian Trio at O’Brien’s

Bardolino and Soave by Guerrieri Rizzardi

On a recent weekend, my local Douglas O’Brien’s - indeed O’Brien’s nationwide - had an Italian tasting, highlighting the wines of Guerrieri Rizzardi from the Veneto. I came away with a few bottles, two Bardolino and one Soave. The Bardolino wine zone may be familiar to quite a few of you as it lies on the eastern shores of Lake Garda, popular with Irish holidaymakers.

Soave is also in the Veneto but further east. The drive for quantity over quality led “to the eventual detriment of the Soave brand” according to Wine-Searcher.com. Yet good producers - and Guerrieri Rizzardi is one of the best there, according to Grapes and Wines -  can make “a complex and satisfying” classico. My bottle comes from the original Classico. Watch out too for Soave Superiore.

Like Soave, the Bardolino viticultural area saw much expansion and again there was a drop in quality. Wines in original areas near Bardolino town are labelled Classico and Superiore as are the ones below. No lack of quality here though! The wines were on offer (offer price in brackets) when I called, but just for that weekend!

Costeggiola Soave Classico 2011, 13.5%, €15.45 (12.36), O’Brien’s

Only about twenty per cent of Soave now comes from the original Classico zone. Costeggiola enjoyed a very good year in 2011. And this is a blend of Garganega (70 per cent minimum) and Chardonnay (30% maximum). No oak has been used but it has been aged on lees.

The characteristics of Garganega are exotic spice, citrus fruit and nutty aromas and Chardonnay is used to enhance richness, body and complexity.

It boasts a lovely light gold colour. Not overly aromatic but pleasant peach and pear notes come through. Fruit and acidity were immediately noted, minerality in play too, and a persistent finish. Recommended.

There is a note on the bottle that this should not be served too chilled. Very important advice! Serve between 12-13 degrees to get the best from your Costeggiola!  With all that lively acidity it would be a pity not to drink this with food and they recommended pairing it with Italian starters, white meats, fresh or smoked seafood, shellfish, goats cheese or tempura prawns. Should be okay too with salads and vegetarian dishes.

Tacchetto Bardolino Classico 2014, 12.5%, €16.45 (13.16) O’Brien’s

This has a very light red colour and indeed is nice and light in many respects, including the fragrant fruity aromas. It is fresh and fruity too on the palate, a little spice too, good acidity and quite a long finish, a beautiful light, smooth easy-drinking wine, good either with or without food. Highly Recommended. And you can make that Very Highly Recommend if you like this easy-drinking fruity style!

There are three grapes variety in the blend - Corvina (80%), Rondinella (10) and Merlot (10) - grown on stony vineyards. Label recommends serving it at 14-16 degrees but a well informed source in Douglas told me he has seen it served lightly chilled.

Food pairings, suggested by the producer: Cajun; rabbit; steak tartar; salami and cold pork meat.

Munus Bardolino Classico Superiore 2013, 13%, €21.45 (14.90) O’Brien’s

This is made from the highest quality grapes (including some very old Corvina) from the best Bardolino vineyards and spends 12 months in seasoned oak. Indeed, Munus is the only red wine cuvée from the Bardolino classico wine area aged in oak barrels. The same three grapes are used: Corvino (70%), Merlot (20%) and Rondinella (10%).

Color is a little darker than the Tacchetto, not by much. Aromas are vibrant and fruity, and follow through to the palate. Flavours are more robust, “more muscle,” I was told in Douglas! Acidity is excellent, hints of sweet spice too, and a good finish too. All that acidity means it's meant for food. Bring on the lamb!  The producer says: “Superb with pork and poultry dishes and lighter game such as partridge and quail. Also porcini mushroom risotto.” Very Highly Recommended.

There are other Guerrieri Rizzardi wines at O'Brien's as well as this trio.

California Wines at Ballymaloe. Variety Under The Sun

California Wines at Ballymaloe

Variety Under The Sun

 No less than eight grape varieties featured as Liam Campbell, in association with Wines of California, presented a very interesting and high quality tasting at the Grainstore in Ballymaloe last Wednesday.

The big “spread” was no accident as Liam deliberately chose to show that the Sunshine State can grow any variety under the sun. “No matter what variety, you can be sure that someone in California is experimenting with it.”

When you think of California, you bring up some lovely images: “Tee-shorts, shorts, flip-flops, beach, laid-back, easy-going. And the producers embrace that friendly attitude and praise one another’s wine.”

He started the whites with Paul Dolan’s 2012 organic Chardonnay from Mendocino. Classic Drinks are the importers and rrp is €26.99. The Dolan family has a Waterford connection. This “is totally dry but fruity with medium acidity”. It is full-bodied, with a persistent finish. Dolan is a leading proponent of biodynamic and organic grape farming, according to Wines of California (2014). This was my favourite of the three whites.

The Benziger 2012 Sauvignon blanc, imported by Febvre (rrp €24.99), “has quite a European accent”, according to Liam. “Great acidity with lemon, lime and apple characteristics, a very versatile food wine”. It certainly went well with the St Tola Ash Goat Cheese.

Benziger, not to be confused with the Beringers, are another vineyard that use natural farming methods and to quote from Wines of California: “The rolling hills of their Glen Ellen estate are home...to..sheep, cattle, and a host of bugs and birds that keep the vineyard in balance."

In between the whites and the reds, Liam spoke about the Morgan Bay 2014 Zinfandel Rose that we had started with as we took our seats in the grainstore. At 10% abv it is a light drink, also a little bit sweet. “But like Blue Nun, it gets people into wine; it is fresh and fruity and a great cheese partner.” Now it was time “to move on to the dark side”.

The reds started with a Pinot Noir, the La Crema (Monterey) 2012, imported by Celtic Whiskey & Wines with an rrp of €31.99. Liam praised it for its high acidity, a great summer wine, versatile and very good with food, not just red meats but may be served cool with poultry, fish and so on. Again, the vineyard is sustainably farmed. 

Wines are produced in four quality levels. We had an excellent example in Ballymaloe but apparently the Point Noir to watch out for is the third tier Russian River Valley 2011 from the Appellation series.

Liam continued his exploration of the many varieties when he next introduced the Barbera 2010 from Montevino (Spanish for mountain wine). “It has  a gentle ruby colour, looks very young for a 2010, plummy aromas now..mouth-watering, gentle tannins, high acidity that cuts the fat in your chorizo!” Sure did. It is imported by Findlaters and rrp is €14.50.

Wouldn't be a Californian tasting without a good red Zinfandel and our example was a Bonterra 2013, with a big abv of 15%, imported by Richmond Market, rrp €18.00. This has a pale-ish ruby colour with black fruits and gentle tannins and was a perfect match with that delicious Mossfield cheese. Bonterra, well known for their Merlot, are the leading producer of organic wines in California.

The Delicato Vineyards are one of the leading family vineyards in the US and produce under a variety of labels including Gnarly Head that you will see in Ireland. We enjoyed their First Press 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, imported by Cassidy Wines and with an rrp of €26.99 .This is ageing well, “a perfect ruby to the edge” and went down well. Liam’s tip here was to decant!

We finished on a high note with a Syrah, the Tepusquet 2013 from Cambria. You'll find it in O'Brien’s at €24.99. The Tepusquet vineyard has been replanted over the past 20 years. Liam: “The nose is subdued but there is a deep mine of flavour, black fruit characteristics and great acidity. Great with steak… but try it with fried calamari! The temptation is to use it now but it will age well.”

It was quite a tasting with nine wines in all. Thanks to Liam, Justine Adams from Wines of California and to Colm McCan of Ballymaloe. Thanks too to Ballymaloe for their terrific matching bites all through.

Some very recent post on California and its wines.
1 - California Trio. Zin, Zin and PN.
2 -Wines from California. Serious. Cheeky and Over Here

Amuse Bouche

If we had waterproof coats it would have been pleasant enough to drive in that spring rain. As it was we sought the shelter of trees or halted at cafés alongside the road. We had a marvellous lunch from the hotel at Lyon, an excellent truffled roast chicken, delicious bread and white Mâcon wine and Scott was very happy when we drank the white Mâconnais at each of our stops. At Mâcon I had bought four more bottles of excellent wine which I uncorked as we needed them.

I am not sure that Scott had ever drunk wine from a bottle before…

from A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway (1936)

Taste Cork's Electric Breakfast Part 2: Plan! Plan! Plan! Nutri Bullet Generation.

Taste Cork's Electric Breakfast Part 2: 

Plan! Plan! Plan!

And the Nutri Bullet Generation.

The 12 Mile Menu on a plate at Sage. (Photo 2014)

It may have been the morning after the night before for Kevin Aherne. But Kevin, who had rushed back from Killarney having seen his Midleton restaurant Sage named as the best in Cork at the Irish Restaurant Awards, was well up for for the Taste Cork Breakfast Seminar in Electric on Wednesday morning.

Once you have your idea fixed, Plan, Plan, Plan. That was his advice to would-be producers and restaurateurs. “It is the same as in the restaurant kitchen: preparation, preparation, preparation!

Kevin's own big idea was of course, his 12 Mile Menu. That came after Sage had been open for three years. So they closed while the new idea was formed and got going again when it was fully formed.

Jen O'Mahony, Bean Brownie, Kevin O'Connell, Forage and Find,
and Sarah Sexton, Bean Brownie

So number one for Kevin was to get “your idea”. Why did he not call his plan the Local Menu or the Artisan Menu. “Because those words, though still popular and though they still mean something, are losing weight.”

Once your idea is there and you believe in it, it is now time to get it marketed, to get the message across to your customers. In his case, the restaurant was the platform and he used it to highlight the high level of great produce in East Cork and indeed in Cork county.

“Producers don't always get the credit they deserve”. Up to 26 producers are supplying Kevin's 12 Mile Menu at present and you'll see many of their photos - in work situations - on the walls of Sage.

Declan Daly, Cork County Council, Mary Daly, Food Safety Company,
 and Rebecca O'Keeffe, Taste Cork

Small producers have to put up with food fraud from time to time with one outlet or another saying this is the genuine article or maybe buying the genuine thing for a week or two and then substituting an import. “It is important that the food label is true. No respect for bullshitters!”

Even though successful, there are always pointed questions. “You don't get everything from within the 12 miles, do you? Why not 20 miles?” Kevin is well used to them by now. He confirmed that all fresh produce comes from within the 12 mile limit; his poultry supplier is on the limit at 11.99 miles! But Kevin has no problem with someone having a twenty miles limit or a fifty mile limit. Not every part of the country has such a concentration of producers as has East Cork. Indeed, Kevin's great idea is obviously open for replication elsewhere.

More about Sage and its 12 Mile Menu here

Paul O'Brien, Bunnyconnellan Bar and Restaurant,
and Shannon Keane, Diva Boutique Bakery and Cafe,

After the traditional full Irish (full Cork) at Electric, Mary Daly (of the Food Safety Company) had the task of diverting minds to Changing Trends in Food. “Take the Healthy Option for instance. Smart food operators are onto it. Free From is part of it but much more than that. Lifestyle factors come into it and there are a growing number with allergy intolerance, 10% suffering from it and 20% who think they are! It represents a significant opportunity for the food sector”.

Take the Lifestylers, the “Nutri-Bullet generation”. “They eat out regularly, not necessarily high-end. So promoting healthy foods (less processed, less fattening food) will retain your lifestyle audience.”

“What is driving Free From? How do you give it to them? Eighteen per cent of them chose to eat healthier, not because to have to….they want great taste, guilt free treats and small portions.”

“Calories on menus are coming,” she has no doubt. “Most operators are responding to trends, keen to do the right thing, even if calorie counts aren't that popular. Listen to your customers: clean food, clear labels, and healthy options for kids. Make it your marketing message. It is what the customer wants; this is not a fad.”

Read more on Mary’s thoughts on Food Trends here.

For more background on Taste Cork's Breakfast Seminar see Part One .

Electric Breakfast For Taste Cork. Producers, Restaurateurs Pull Together

Electric Breakfast For Taste Cork

Producers, Restaurateurs Pull Together

The local plate!

Taste Cork, set up with supports from the Local Enterprise Offices in Cork, Cork City Council and Cork County Council, and other state agencies, held a Breakfast Seminar at Electric in the South Mall yesterday morning.

The goal of Taste Cork is to help the county nurture its enviable status as an iconic food brand and that was underlined with the produce on the breakfast plate: Jack McCarthy’s bacon, O’Flynn’s Breakfast sausage, Rosscarbery Black pudding, Ballyhoura mushroom, East Ferry Fried eggs and Ballymaloe Relish. Electric’s own brown bread went down well while other highlights were Wilkie's Organic Hot Chocolate and Bean Brownies Banana Bread.

Taste Cork, fronted by Rebecca O’Keeffe, is determined to get Cork produce the exposure it deserves, to help the local producers as much as possible. And one practical way is the opening, in a few days, of the Cork Incubator Kitchen in the Carrigaline Industrial Estate (on the Crosshaven Road).

A breakfast highlight (above) and
another, Wilkie's hot chocolate, below.

Brendan Russell has taken on the management reins here and told the full house of producers and restaurateurs in Electric that the facility will have two kitchens. One is the Bakery Kitchen, fully equipped, with a state of the art triple deck oven the highlight. The other is called the Catering Kitchen. This will be for preparation work in volume and equipment here includes a quick vacuum packer and a sealing machine.

The website will soon be up and running and that will make it easy to register. Brendan, who has spent 16 years as a chef, has a good understanding as to why businesses succeed (and fail) and education will also feature under the following headings:

1 - Theory of Practicality;

2 - Business Understanding;

3- Catering Skills;

4 - Work Relations.

The event was opened by Sean O’Sullivan and he was delighted that funding had been provided for the full-time position in Taste Cork. Both he and Rebecca are looking forward to getting everyone “to start looking locally”. And so say all of us. You can see my motto on the site here: Buy local, fresh and fair. The more we pull together, the further we will go.

Kevin Aherne is one man who has been doing exactly this for the past five years and his innovative 12 Mile Menu was recognised by his peers on Tuesday evening in Killarney when his Sage Restaurant in Midleton won Restaurant of the Year in Cork.

Kevin spoke later at the seminar and we’ll have a post on that tomorrow. Mary Daly (Food Safety Company) also spoke in Electric and she too stressed the importance of local: “Provenance is hugely important. Taste Cork can play a big role.” More too from Mary tomorrow. Part Two is now up and running and you can see what Kevin and Mary said here.