Ballyannan Wood & Choctaw Monument
Midleton, Co. Cork. 20/09/2020
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| Midleton |
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| Ballinacurra |
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| Hayfield |
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| Message in a bottle. The Fairy Folk invite you to post a message! |
Thursday, September 24, 2020
Ballyannan Wood & Choctaw Monument
Wednesday, September 23, 2020
A Duo of Delicious Whites: Riesling and Grüner Veltliner
A Duo of Delicious Whites: Riesling and Grüner Veltliner
“Straightforward and elegant,” is how Georg Lingenfelder described this wine while speaking in Cork late last year. Georg represents the 14th generation of the family in wine in the Pfalz and this year is their 500th anniversary!
The 2018 is a straw yellow in colour. It certainly has the typical Riesling aromas (citrus-y). 'Trocken' on the label means this is a dry Riesling, yet it bursts with bright citrus and red apple fruit, all the time remaining elegant with a stony minerality, a high acidity and a lemon-fresh finish. Very Highly Recommended.
Georg told us that Pfalz is in the south west of Germany. “One of the driest and warmest areas but still a cool climate. Wines can be more full bodied here in good years. 2018 was warm and dry and some of the 2018 are not too heavy. All hand-picked, all wild fermented, we rely on the natural yeasts that are all around our cellar.”
The wines with the Lingenfelder’s house on the front label are single plot. This Riesling has the house on the front, so the fruit came from a single plot, quite a small one in this case. “We are right next to the Rhine but our vineyards are not too steep - easier to work there. We use sustainable methods, lots of other plants between the rows. This gives bio diversity, very important to us.”
Georg is enthusiastic about local and authenticity. And the commitment continues so that the next 14 generations “get a chance to live off the land as well; without herbicides, without irrigation, only minimal fertilisation and lots of biodiversity”. And we, the consumers, get the opportunity to drink excellent wines like this one.
Steininger Grüner Veltliner Kamptal (DAC) 2018, €17.25 Wines Direct
This Grüner Veltliner (Gru-Vee) is a light golden yellow. Ripe apples aromas, herbal notes too. Juicy fruity (melon) on the palate, with crisp acidity, complex and elegant all the way through to the minerally finish. This harmonious easy-drinking wine is Very Highly Recommended. Well priced too, by the way.
Importers Wines Direct suggest pairing it with Rich Fish, Light Fish and Shellfish, Hard Cheese, Fresh Greens. In fact, Gru-Vee is very versatile at the table.
Not too long back, I was impressed by the way it handled a dish of Fresh monkfish, Malaysian noodles, pancetta, chilli and black pepper jam and julienne of vegetables in Jacques (one of our top local restaurants).
And it also married amazingly well with Halibut, Sea Radish, Bacon, Pepper Dulse and Elf Cap in Greene’s (another classy Cork venue); lots of flavours in both dishes but no bother to the Steininger.
This wine is indeed an excellent ambassador for Grüner Veltliner from the Kamptal. The winemakers say the Kamptal’s three types of soil (primordial rock, loess and clay), are ideal for Grüner Veltliner, Riesling and Zweigelt.
The climate too, of course, not to mention the family. “The vine absorbs these impressions and reflects them in the wine and gives each wine its personality and character. Behind every wine are also the people. Making good wine is a way of life, as well as a fascinating task. You need experience and a lot of feeling.”
Glenbower. An Autumn Walk
Glenbower. An Autumn Walk
Glenbower Wood is in Killeagh, East Cork. Pics from 19.09.2020
Tuesday, September 22, 2020
Kylie's Latest Hits
Kylie's Latest Hits
Kylie Minogue Sauvignon Blanc Côtes de Gascogne (IGP) 2019, 11,5% abv, €12.99, Winesoftheworld.ie and Carry Out Off Licences.
Always loved the few holidays we had down in Gascony, arguing with the locals about rugby and not least sipping the local Floc aperitif before enjoying the local white wines with a bowl of mussels and other fish dishes. The only trouble was when you got the wines home to Ireland, they never seemed to match the holiday experience!
But Gascon wines have much improved over the decades and this Kylie Sauvignon Blanc is a well-made example and has made the journey well! Light straw colour. Aromas fresh, gooseberry and citrus. Crisp and lively on the palate. En Vacances!
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| Might not be Kylie's style but they love The Fanfare down in Gascony |
Kylie Minogue Merlot Pays D’Oc (IGP) 2019, 13.5% abv, €12.99, Winesoftheworld.ie and Carry Out Off Licences.
The Signature Merlot features grapes grown in the sun-drenched Pays d’Oc region in the south of France. No shortage of aromatics here and its juicy fruity (cherry, plum) palate makes it instantly gluggable, nice bit of fruit and spice along with smooth tannins define the finish.
This young friendly easy-drinking Merlot is produced from grapes grown in the beautiful Languedoc region in the South of France, a country where they grow more of it than anywhere else in the world. According to Wine Folly, about half the world’s Merlot is grown in France (mostly in Bordeaux and the Languedoc).
Kate Barry, Wines of the World, tells me that Kylie’s go-to matching for her Merlot are grilled halloumi, tomato and aubergine skewers, beautifully enhanced by the fruit-forward red. And her top pairing for the Sauv Blanc is a fresh watermelon, feta and mint salad. Note too that Merlot is quite versatile and will go with a wide range of foods as does Sauvignon Blanc.
The Kylie Minogue Wines’ Signature Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot are available exclusively in Ireland on www.WinesofTheWorld.ie and Carry Out Off Licences at an RRP of €12.99 since Monday 24th August. The pair complete the star’s Signature Range, which also includes the wildly popular and best-selling Signature Rosé.
Blackwater's October Taster Box. Little Rascals Session. Blacks Beer Winner. Hugh Johnson's Top 10. Wines Direct in Grenache Groove. Cheers #22
Blackwater's October Taster Box. Little Rascals Session. Blacks Beer Winner. Hugh Johnson's Top 10. Wines Direct in Grenache Groove.
And more on wine, beer and spirits in Cheers #22
October's Blackwater Tasters Box revealed
Back in August we launched Ireland's first craft distillery subscription club and were overwhelmed by the response. Since then we’ve been busy in the orchards and fruit gardens of the south-east working on two new unique spirits for the October Blackwater Tasters Club box, and we can now reveal the contents: a Windfall Apple Spiced Gin and a luscious Wexford Blackcurrant Cassis.
Join the club here
Happy Days With Little Rascals
They say: "Happy days is our 4.1% session pale ale. A mouth watering hop combination of Vic Secret, Citra, Cascade, Mosaic and Hull Melon ensures this beer gets the VIP treatment. Expect fresh mango, passion fruit, orange, melon and much more. A delicate caramel malt backbone perfectly balances this juicy pale ale. It is the perfect session beer …HAPPY DAYS!"
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Monday, September 21, 2020
A Quart of Ale± #13. Moving on over to craft. Brewdog. Kinnegar. Galway Bay. Roadworks.
A Quart of Ale± #13
Moving on over to craft.
India Pale Ale
Brewdog Punk IPA 5.6%, 330ml can Bradley’s of Cork
“Punk IPA began with us brewing a beer we wanted to drink and ended up starting a revolution. It is our flagship - assertive, bitter and with an explosion of tropical fruit.” James Watt, Brewdog. The beer was inspired by the hoppy pale ales of the US. It was released in 2007 and in 2011 they “changed it up” by adding “the benefits of dry-hopping”.
From the can, it pours light gold, clear almost. White head gives a brief nod and sinks. A fairly intense whiff of tropical fruits. And tropical fruit galore spreads out on the palate. They use words like riot and anarchy yet this beer is amazingly balanced, well made, well bred, not quite the spiky clanging punk the PR implies. Quite a beer though. I could go along with the tag on the label: Post Modern classic. I’d love to try a pint of draught!
The IBU is 40 (35 in the book) and Extra Pale and Cara are the malts used.
Hops are: Ahtanum, Amarillo, Cascade, Chinook, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe.
Kinnegar Scraggy Bay IPA 5.3%, 440ml can Bradley’s of Cork
This IPA from Donegal has a gold colour and a friendly enough white head that doesn’t shrink the minute you look at it. It is hazy, unfiltered and naturally carbonated.
Aromas, hoppy, are modest enough but nothing shy about it when it reaches the palate. A hoppy uppercut makes those taste buds stand up and take notice. But no need to worry, this is a balanced IPA, a friendly fecker from the friendly farmhouse brewers.
The Punk may have been first out of the traps, but this Donegal bunny is the cutest thing, knows her hops and Scraggy is a worthy competitor in this space.
They say: Lough Swilly’s natural and cultural history is beautifully captured in the Irish and English place-names that mark its coastal features. Beneath the Knockalla Hills lies Scraggy Bay, giving us a local name for a style of beer with a great maritime past.
Galway Bay Full Sail IPA 5.8%, 330ml can Bradley’s of Cork
Straw is the colour and the head is an off white. Aromas are a touch on the sour side. Hops are prominent on the palate but the malt has a decent say as well and the beer is balanced. Hops are added through the process, including dry hopping, and I can agree that the beer is “as fresh as can be”. Another excellent beer from Galway Bay.
The hops used are of American origin, Colombus, El Dorado and Cascade (45 IBU). With multiple generous additions in the kettle and further dry hopped before it reaches you as fresh as it can be.
Food: The acidity and hop bitterness in this beer makes it great for standing up to most spicy dishes, such as Indian and Mexican dishes. The freshness of the beer makes for a great companion to grilled meats and barbecues.
They say: The simple malt bill gives an ABV of 5.8% which carries the flavour and really allows the hops to shine through. Serve at: 6-8 °C
Roadworks “Caution Hops Ahead” IPA 6.5%, 500ml bottle Aldi
This Aldi beer is produced by Pearse Lyons in Dundalk. It has a hazy light gold colour. Look closely and you’ll see plenty of bubbles rising up to the creamy white head. A mild mix of tropical fruit in the aromas. And mild enough too on the palate. Hoppy enough too at this stage. Easy drinking and refreshing with a satisfying dry finish.
A decent enough body that they partly credit to the Golden Baked Oats. Not too much detail on the label and no website found. It is a flavoursome US style IPA. It would be nice to see a bit more info and the way Aldi play with labels (not just the Lyons beers) is confusing to say the least.
Ummera's Anthony Cresswell (right) is a happy man today as his Irish Smoked Irish Organic Salmon is awarded 3-stars at the Great Taste Awards. Ten years ago, his Smoked Duck won a similar award. Ummera is just one of an amazing 396 Irish based winners this year.
The Press release
Time-honoured tradition takes top honours, as Great Taste stars go to Ireland’s coastline, pastures and hedgerows
Following 14 weeks of judging, the results of the world’s most trusted food and drink awards, Great Taste, have been released, with many producers in Ireland now celebrating. Out of a record breaking 12,777 entries from 106 different countries, 42% were awarded a highly prized Great Taste accolade and a remarkable 396 are based in Ireland.
Among the Great Taste 3-star winners from Ireland are a number of traditional products that make the most of what the land and sea provides, including; the “plump, glossy, soft and remarkably sweet” Carlingford Oysters from Carlingford Oyster Co, “a real taste of the sea” that led one judge to say, “it is hard to imagine better tasting, better looking oysters”; a “simple but really well made” Gooseberry Spread from Crossogue Preserves in Thurles, Co. Tipperary, praised for having “notes from the flesh, skins and pips all present” and ending in style with a “lovely hedgerow finish”; and Traditional Ham on the Bone from James Whelan Butchers in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary, a “whopper of a ham with a light piggy aroma” and “oozing pig flavour”, with the judges agreeing that this “was obviously a happy pig.”
While these producers enjoy their success and begin displaying the unmistakable gold and black Great Taste logo, with 1-, 2- or 3- stars, on their award-winning products, they will wait with much anticipation to see if they also scoop the top awards for their region. These final honours, including the Great Taste 2020 Supreme Champion, will be announced at the virtual Great Taste Golden Fork awards event, set to take place in October.
Recognised as a stamp of excellence among consumers and retailers alike, Great Taste, organised by the Guild of Fine Food, values taste above all else, with no regard for branding or packaging. Whether it is cake, coffee, kippers or kombucha being judged, all products are removed from their packaging before being tasted. The judges then savour, confer and re-taste to decide which products are worthy of a 1-, 2- or 3-star award.
This year’s winners have been found through a combination of remote judging and socially distanced judging sessions, after the lockdown began just one week into the schedule. This necessitated a swift and comprehensive reinvention of the Great Taste process to ensure that robust judging standards were maintained and the quality of feedback was not compromised, all in time to provide a much-needed boost for food and drink producers during the all-important Christmas period.
Details of this year’s winners can be found at www.greattasteawards.co.uk and a wide range of award winning products are available to buy in delis, farm shops and independent retail outlets across the country.
Facts and figures about Great Taste 2020:
- Great Taste is widely acknowledged as the most respected food accreditation scheme for artisan and speciality food producers
- A record breaking 12,777 different products were entered in 2020
- Entries were sent in from 106 different countries, including Estonia, Greece, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, the USA and Vietnam
- 144 judges took part this year. Less than usual, due to the pandemic and to ensure social distancing in both locations. However, the same number of judging layers were applied, to maintain the rigorous and robust process. Judges included the most demanding palates, belonging to food critics, chefs, restaurateurs, retail buyers, cooks, producers and a host of food writers, journalists and social media influencers
- Judging took place over a total of 14 weeks. Having begun as planned in March 2020, the process was then halted due to COVID-19. Judging resumed in early May, when remote judging was able to take place in judges’ homes, before Great Taste returned to the judging rooms in both Dorset and London during July
- Judging took place at the following locations:
- Guild HQ in Gillingham, Dorset, as well several other Dorset venues
- The Guild of Fine Food’s London home, No. 42 Southwark Street, SE1
- The homes of regular judges, as Great Taste continued during lockdown
- 3,818 awarded 1-star
- 1,294 awarded 2-star
- 205 awarded 3-star
As the judges searched for the stars of 2020, waste was kept to a minimum, with unused products being donated to local food banks and hampers made up of excess products for local businesses to raffle in aid of charities. No plastic plates or cutlery were used during the judging rounds, reducing plastic waste by almost 100%. The Guild of Fine Food also donates surplus computer equipment, used to record the judges’ comments, to community-based projects across the UK, which are then refurbished and used to facilitate after school clubs and many other initiatives designed to support underprivileged families.
A full list of winners is available from sam@freshlygroundpr.co.uk.
Sunday, September 20, 2020
The Lake Hotel. A Favourite in a Favoured Place
The Lake Hotel. A Favourite in a Favoured Place
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| Featherblade |
Killarney’s Lake Hotel has an exquisite location, right on the shore, parade of mountains on view. As you dine, you’ll note it also has its own mini-peninsula with the ruins of a castle. Well, maybe you’ll note it between courses, as otherwise you’ll be fully engaged with the brilliant dishes coming from the kitchen team under Executive Chef Noel Enright and you’ll taste why they’ve been awarded with two AA Rosettes for four consecutive years.
We hadn’t visited with over a decade but got a very warm welcome indeed from the reception staff and the goodbye was just as genuine. We still had warm memories of our previous visit so we upgraded our room to lake view and that brought the total for dinner (including a free glass of prosecco), bed and breakfast, to €209.00. Delighted then that they added a complimentary bottle of wine (I think all tables got one or perhaps it was just returning visitors - I’m not sure).
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| Morning |
The room was spacious and comfortable and had all the bits and pieces you’d expect and the bathroom was also well equipped. We stepped out onto the balcony to take in the splendid views from left to right, the castle, the deer in the mid distance. Soon we were strolling out to the edge of the peninsula and getting an even closer look at the waters and the mountains. Not so sunny tough but somewhat better the following morning.
Dinner was booked for seven and, with our masks on, we were led to a table by the window, both chairs angled to that each of us could enjoy the view. Soon we were unmasked, and had water, breads and that prosecco (with strawberry afloat) on the table. The menu covered most bases and there were a couple of specials as well. Quite a choice of house wines (4 red, 4 white, 1 rosé) to choose our complimentary bottle from and we settled on a Chilean Merlot.
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| Poached Pear starter |
The dining commenced with a tasty amuse bouche and two fine appetisers (from quite a list) followed. The Poached Pear (roasted pecans, date compote, blue cheese ice cream, balsamic and walnut vinaigrette) looked impressive and didn’t deceive. And the other, the Carrigcleena Free Range Duck Plate (smoked breast, confit leg croquette, liver parfait, poached black cherry, and red vein sorrel) was also an accomplished combination, all the duck variations superb and that cherry had a nice little alcoholic kick to it.
While major suppliers, such as Pallas Foods and La Rousse, are listed, it was good to see local producers and suppliers such as Eve’s Leaves (organic salads), Spillane’s Seafood, Paul Walker (free range pork) and Cronin’s Butchers on the list along with Carrigcleena of course.
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| Pork Belly |
By now, darkness was settling in and we were watching out for the deer to cross in front of the dining room but that didn’t happen! In any event we didn’t see them. Perhaps we were too engrossed in the food as the mains were both excellent.
CL choose the Slow Cooked Featherblade of Beef (butternut squash purée, shallot petals, roasted heritage carrot, pancetta crumb and beef just). Perfectly cooked and full of flavour, it was an excellent example of the dish.
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| Desserts |
My pick, from the specials list, was the Slow Cooked Pork Belly (tender-stem broccoli, Poached peach, crispy potato, and red wine). It was indeed rather special, perfectly executed and that peach was a surprise yet very welcome element in the indulgent ensemble.
Desserts can be rather much of muchness but the descriptions here promised something more and that feeling was reinforced by the earlier dishes. Again the kitchen came up trumps. From the four on offer - they also had an Irish cheeseboard - we picked two. And weren’t disappointed, far from it.
The Dingle Gin Baba and Chamomile Cream (Blackberry sorbet, meringue) was a delicious delight while the slightly heavier Roasted Fig and Crème Fraiche Custard (thyme ice cream, Pistachio pastry) was another treat. And there was still more to come, a selection of petit fours to linger over as the darkness cloaked the mountain tops and then filled in the the gaps below.
We were back in the same room, even close to the same table, for breakfast, and this time there was a hint of sun in the view of the lake and surrounds. Covid restrictions were again in play but there was a buffet to start with.
There was a small queue and a rope that kept you at distance. Inside the little barrier, servers filled your granola, your fruit, sometimes giving you more than you’d give yourself. By the time I got back for the mains, I asked that my Full Irish be confined to one of each and so it was. There was something rustic about the puddings (black and white), the plump sausage and the rasher, something really wholesome and they were full of flavour and robust texture. Very good indeed! And so we were well set up for our next venture, a walk to the waterfalls at Gleninchaquin (near Kenmare).
While the long dining room is airy and bright, much of the Castlelough Restaurant was built as part of the original house in 1820. It has high ceilings, large ornate mirrors and cornice work which reminds one of the great country houses of the past when dinner was the highlight of the day and ball gowns and black tie were the usual attire. Without a doubt, the most eye-catching feature of this magnificent room is the vast windows which span the full room, from one end to the other, ensuring that all are reminded of the breathtaking scenery just beyond the hotel.
Find more info on the hotel and its facilities here . And, while you’re online, it may be worth your while checking out their October and November offers. Might be doing that myself!
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| Duck starter |
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