A superb thirst-quenching Picpoul De Pinet from Chateau de la Mirande

La Mirande Picpoul De Pinet (AOP) 2023, 13.0% ABV

RRP: €17.35. Stockists: Stockists: 64 Wine Dublin, Bradley’s of Cork, Greenman Dublin, Le Caveau Kilkenny 

A gorgeous, thirst-quenching Picpoul

Chateau de la Mirande, with its vineyard surrounded by garigue, is located in the Languedoc, in an area with a saltwater lagoon dedicated to producing and cultivating oysters and mussels. And this is just the wine to pair with these bivalve molluscs! This stellar example of Picpoul is Very Highly Recommended.

Green harvesting and organic viticulture are part of the estate’s philosophy. Marie-Laure took over the vineyard after her father Joseph Albajan's passing and continues the family tradition of producing superb, thirst-quenching Picpoul, loaded with flavour, freshness, and vitality.

The La Mirande has a clear, light gold colour and fresh aromas of peaches, apricots and citrus fruits with a little aniseed in the background. The texture is very crisp with good acidity. The flavours are of stone fruits and white flowers with a dash of lemon and lime, leading to a sharp and refreshing finish. 

Mussels and oysters will be the simplest of accompaniments for your nicely chilled Picpoul, while a linguine of crab and chilli is also shortlisted! 

Picpoul de Pinet is often called the Muscadet of the south. It is an approachable white wine for any dining occasion, including as an aperitif, and I find it can fill in, more than adequately, for Alarbino. The name means lip—stinger (after its high acidity), but that has never put anyone off enjoying it!

Picpoul is an ancient grape, but the disease Phylloxera almost did for it until the French discovered it could thrive on sandy soil. Hence its renaissance in the Languedoc. It is no surprise, then, that Picpoul is found in coastal vineyards such as those which surround Pinet and the Etang de Thau (lots of oysters here, conveniently!), just west of Montpellier.

CORK BUSINESSES IN THE MIX AS FINALISTS REVEALED IN GOOD FOOD IRELAND® AWARDS 2024

press release

CORK BUSINESSES IN THE MIX 

FINALISTS REVEALED IN GOOD FOOD IRELAND® AWARDS 2024 

IN ASSOCIATION WITH FBD INSURANCE

Tulip time at Ballymaloe House

 

Good Food Ireland® is delighted to announce the finalists for its highly regarded national awards, with an impressive 17 businesses from Co. Cork making the 2024 shortlist across multiple categories. 

 

The winners are due to be revealed at a high-profile dinner taking place on Monday 11^th November at The K Club, Co. Kildare. 

 

The Good Food Ireland® Awards 2024 in association with FBD Insurance celebrate businesses at every layer of our island’s food and drink industry. From primary producers, manufacturers, and chefs, to shops, hotels, tourism experiences, and restaurants, those businesses who make the shortlist are regarded by the judges as embodying all that makes Ireland’s food offering so standout. 

  

The core emphasis of the Awards is the consumer experience of local, fresh, seasonal, Irish ingredients. Good Food Ireland® highlights tourism-hospitality and retail businesses that prioritise local produce and encourages others. This in turn supports Irish farmers, food producers and fishermen, sustainably strengthening local economies and communities. 

Spice from Kerala used by Rebel City Distillery

 

An independent collection of Irish and international leaders with in-depth knowledge of the hospitality industry makes up this year’s judging panel who shortlisted the nominees from those businesses approved by Good Food Ireland®, subject to meeting strict criteria through onsite inspection.  They include: Founder and Managing Director of Good Food Ireland® Margaret Jeffares, former Good Food Ireland® Operations Director Susan Kerr, Journalist John Wilson, Hospitality consultant Tom O’Connell, Lecturer in the School of Hospitality Management & Tourism at TU Dublin Dr Detta Melia, Executive Chairman and Owner of Odyssey International Kevin Shannon, and previous Chef and Hotelier Maurice Keller.  The expert panel will select the overall winner following mystery inspections and assessments in the weeks preceding the prize giving dinner in November. 

Autumn at Hayfield Manor

 

Featuring across 12 different categories, the Co. Cork businesses who made the shortlist are: 

5 Star Hotel of the Year - Hayfield Manor

Culinary Haven of the Year - Ballymaloe House Hotel

Restaurant of the Year - Fishy Fishy / The Church Restaurant

Café of the Year – On the Pigs Back Cafe & Deli Douglas / Kalbo’s

Pub of the Year - The Lifeboat Inn

Shop of the Year - Urru Culinary Store

Food Tourism Experience Award - Ballymaloe Cookery School, Organic Farm & Gardens

Meat Producer of the Year - Tom Durcan Meats

Dairy Producer of the Year - Milleens Cheese

Fish & Seafood Producer of the Year- Ummera Smoked Products / K O' Connell English Market

Bakery & Chocolate Producer of the Year - Praline Pastry & Chocolate Shop / Koko Kinsale

Drinks Producer of the Year - Rebel City Distillery / Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur

 

For the first time this year there was also the opportunity for all other businesses around the island of Ireland who believe they share the Good Food Ireland® philosophy, to enter a dedicated “Food Lovers Choice Award” for which the public can cast their votes up until Sunday 20^th October. 

The terrace at the Lifeboat Inn, Courtmacsherry.

 

Other awards of recognition will include: the Good Food Ireland® 5 Star Hotel of the Year; Culinary Haven of the Year; Restaurant of the Year; Pub of the Year and the Supreme Award sponsored by the Awards’ Official Partners FBD Insurance. Tourism Ireland is sponsoring the Good Food Ireland® Food Tourism Experience Award which highlights those businesses who feature local Irish food or drink as part of their visitor experience, whilst Bord Bia sponsors the highly regarded Overall Producer of the Year Award and AIB the Sustainability Award. Other award sponsors include: The National Dairy Council, Roe and Co; Boursot Wines, and Waterford, along with The K Club, Co. Kildare as Host Partner. 

  

Margaret Jeffares, Founder and Managing Director of Good Food Ireland® says: "We’re delighted to be back with another Good Food Ireland® Awards and, as part of the judging panel I have to admit that each year we do this, it gets harder due to the high calibre of entries and increasing commitment to prioritising local Irish produce. It is important that those businesses communicate this shared philosophy to inform customers and attract new visitors seeking an authentic, cultural Irish food or drink experience. Seeing all these businesses collaborate and work together across sectors to help build our island’s reputation for spectacular food and drink overseas in order to create inclusive economic growth is truly fantastic. 

  

“All of those businesses who have made it onto 2024’s shortlist are a genuine inspiration. Proud and passionate ambassadors of Ireland who strive to capture the very essence of the authenticity and provenance that makes our food and drink so uniquely ours. All the judges would like to extend our congratulations to them and wish everyone the best of luck for the 11^th November." 

  

See the full shortlist of finalists for the Good Food Ireland® Awards 2024 in association with FBD Insurance below. For full details on the individual awards, tickets to the event, and general information about Good Food Ireland® visit goodfoodireland.ie 

Fish Box's a winner as we sample the superb fish offerings of Kay’s Kitchen, a new hot food stall in the English Market.

Fish Box's a winner as we sample the superb fish offerings of Kay’s Kitchen, a new hot food stall in the English Market.

Large array of fishy delights

The place may be small, but there's a large array of fishy delights at the new Kay's Kitchen in Cork's English Market. With Kay, fish, and English Market in one sentence, you'll likely guess that the legendary K. O'Connell's Fish Stall (established 1962) has something to do with this tasty new and hot development. And you'd be correct!

We visited the other day and were surprised at all the choices on offer. It was hard to decide, so we picked the Fish Box, which itself has a variety of flavours and textures.”

Chef Martina Cronin, formerly the co-owner of the fabulous Square Table in Blarney, warmly welcomed us and guided us through the many dishes before we decided on the €15.00 box. The Fish Box includes Panko Crumbed Haddock, Fish Cake, Smoked Salmon Croquettes, Fried Potatoes, Salad, and Dip.

She and fellow chef Darren Connolly, the owner of the popular Cafe Vega in Cobh (now closed), have been working hard to assemble this selection. They aim it mostly at city customers who might like something hot and different for lunch. However, we took our box home. After a quick spin in the bus and then a short turn in the air fryer, we sat down at the table and enjoyed every little bit. We got a hot lunch for two for fifteen euro. Not bad, right?

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It's has been a busy year, eating out around Ireland (Munster mainly). Check our current list here.

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Other choices include Crispy Baguette, Pan-fried prawns, and Gubbeen chorizo, finished with Romanesco. Or perhaps you’d go for the Grilled Fish Taco, Sun Dried Tomato, Quinoa, Herb Créme Fraiche, and Pickled Chilli. How about the Fresh Salmon Leek Cheddar Croquettes?

During cold days, consider trying the Prawn and Sea Bass Hotpot, fresh Chowder, or Celeriac Soup. The signature dish is the Fish Burger (Panko crumbed) served with salad and spuds and is well worth considering. They also offer Tarts (Smoked Salmon and capers) and Quiches (such as Chorizo, tomato, Onion jam, and French Compté).

And that’s not the end of it! Smoked Salmon on a Brioche Bun with Horseradish and potato salad sounds very tempting, as does the Classic Prawn cocktail with Marie Rose Sauce and Home-made Brown Bread.

Kay’s Kitchen, just across the aisle from the mothership O’Connell’s Fish Stall, has a selection of soft drinks on the counter. It is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and  Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

K O’Connell Fish Merchants has been selected as a finalist in The Good Food Ireland's “Fish + Seafood Supplier of the Year” award. Voting has now opened. Have your say here.

 

Cobh on a sunny morning

Cobh on a sunny morning

October 2024

The Bandstand

Sonia O'Sullivan, always a winner.

Looking west: Annie Moore and siblings

Sailing

Looking down on Pearse Square, with Titanic Experience in the background, from the cathedral.

Des Res. The Crescent.

Gorgeous. Jack Doyle remembered

St Colman's Cathedral. Commenced 1868, completed 1919.
Designed by E. W. Pugin and G. C. Ashlin in 1868

Coffees, cakes, curiosities (including vintage Carrigaline pottery)
at Belvelly Vintage, 5 Harbour Row, Cobh, Ireland P24N407

Resting boat. Busy bird.

Casement Square, with a tour group at Lusitania Monument

St Brendan, The Navigator.
By marygregoriysculptor.blogspot.ie  

The Commodore Hotel, always looking well.

Colourful mural at Cobh Railway Station.

Jazz Dining Experiences feature as Metropole Hotel confirms line-up for this year's Jazz Festival Club.

Jazz Dining Experiences feature as Metropole Hotel 

confirms the line-up for this year's Jazz Festival Club. 

Excitement is building at the Metropole Hotel ahead of this year’s Cork Jazz Festival. The full line-up has been confirmed with a host of diverse artists on several stages around the hotel throughout the October Bank Holiday weekend.

The original home of the Cork Jazz Festival is welcoming firm favourites along with some new additions to the bill. Fans of swing, funk, groove and blues will be well catered for with an exciting mix of Irish and international acts.

The line-up includes the New York Brass Band, The Swing Bandits featuring The Loungeman, Harry Connolly, Pixie and The Gypsies, Fiona Kennedy, Hugh Buckley Trio, MTU Gospel Choir and Le Hot Club Quintet.

Live performances will start at 1:30 pm daily and continue until the early hours of the morning. Attendees can move from stage to stage to enjoy the special atmosphere and excitement of the Festival Club.  

Several Jazz Dining Experiences offer a four-course dinner in the hotel’s Riverview Restaurant, accompanied by live music performances and access to the Jazz Festival Club.

The hotel also offers weekend breaks with one-, two-, and three-night packages, including B and B, a cocktail on arrival, dinner, and entrance to the Jazz Festival Club.

Pierce Lowney, Director of Food and Beverage at Trigon Hotels, said: “The Metropole Hotel is the perfect location for the Jazz Festival with five stages set up in the hotel, including our newly renovated Ballroom. We have an exciting lineup of live performances this year, catering to all ages. Our Jazz Dining Experience packages mean that people can come and soak up the atmosphere during the day before sitting down to a delicious meal prepared by our team of chefs and then continue to dance the night away.”

The Metropole Hotel Festival Club is strictly an over-23s venue. Tickets start at €41 plus booking fee per person per night, and a range of prices is available for the Jazz Dining Experience and Jazz Weekend Breaks.

For details of the line up and to purchase tickets or any of the packages go to https://www.themetropolehotel.ie/whats-on/events-in-cork/cork-jazz-festival/

press release

Beer of the Week. Lineman Electromode APA. Limited edition hits the spot

Beer of the Week

Lineman Electromode APA, 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

limited edition hits the spot

The recently canned Electromode American Pale Ale is a limited edition (their 5th of the year) from the Dublin brewery Lineman.

It is a hazy orange, yet you can see the microbubbles at play, shimmying their way towards the soft white head. The recipe includes delicious Maris Otter malt, flaked oats, and the West Coast hops Simcoe, Azacca, and Columbus. There is no hard bitterness here and no hard fruit flavours. It is just a super balance with softer fruits such as pineapple and peach.

This supple American Pale Ale is a beer to be enjoyed at leisure. It is Very Highly Recommended and is our Beer of the Week.

It has a medium body and classically firm bitterness, complemented by notes of bright lime, pineapple, and “just a smidgen of peach”.

It has proven very popular since its release. Lineman: "This American Pale Ale has been flying out the brewery door. Brewed with a little more mouthfeel and bitterness from one of our old favourite hops, Columbus, some Azacca, and Citra."

10th Anniversary ‘Skiddy Sour’ Beer from Elbow Lane Brewhouse & Rebel Distillery

press release

 10^th Anniversary ‘Skiddy Sour’ Beer from Elbow Lane Brewhouse & Rebel Distillery

Russel Garret, Master Brewer at Elbow Lane

Two of Cork city’s smallest and most innovative drinks producers have joined forces to create a limited-edition beer to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the iconic Elbow Lane Smokehouse and Brewery. Called 'Skiddy's Sour,' it is the result of a collaboration between the brewery and Rebel Distillery. Elbow Lane's award-winning beer has been aged in the distillery’s oak barrels for three months. These barrels have previously been used to mature the distillery’s popular Maharani gin.

The result is a slightly puckish brew with soft and sour notes, and it packs a fair punch at 6% abv.

These barrels will now be used to create a new gin expression at Rebel Distillery.

Beer lovers can check out 'Skiddy Sour' at Market Lane restaurants, including Elbow Lane and Market Lane, while it lasts.

The beer will also form part of the Elbow Lane Tutored Tastings, which run every Saturday at the brewery in Oliver Plunkett Street from 12 noon. Tickets are €55 and include a selection of pinchos and a limited-edition Elbow Lane illustrated t-shirt. 

Pig Rouge 2021 Faugeres - pair with cremated sausages at a rainy BBQ!

Pig Rouge 2021 Faugeres (AOP) 2021, 14% ABV

€15.00 Matson’s (Bandon, Grange and Youghal)

pair with cremated sausages at a rainy, miserable SUMMER BBQ!

Why would you call your wine Pig? Quite simple, really. The producers are Paul and Isla Gordon (PIG)!  This is one of their wines that come from thinking outside the box. “No rules, no regs, just tasty, well-made booze!” And their food pairing suggestion is also outside the small parallelogram: cremated sausages* at a rainy, miserable Summer BBQ!

So there, you get the hang of it. This wine is for enjoyment - don't get too serious about it. It is a blend of Grenache Noir 50%, Mourverde 20% and Syrah 30%. Nico, at Matson’s, says that it is part of a small-scale production, and he is very happy with it: “Great wine, fresh with a little spice, loads and loads of fruit.”

The colour is a mid-to-dark ruby. There are strong aromas of dark fruit and spice. The fruit is forward and deep, with power and finesse in equal measure. That spice, too, has excellent acidity. The finish is pure, long, and balanced. Very Highly Recommended.

I see that they also have an orange version—that should be interesting. I must keep an eye out for it.

Our winemakers are an Irish-Australian combination. Paul is Australian, and he and his Irish wife Isla work (and I mean work) at Domaine la Sarabande, a vineyard in the Languedoc about twenty minutes' drive from Beziers.

The dynamic wine couple is based in the Faugéres appellation in the South of France. Paul honed his winemaking skills in New Zealand’s vineyards. Isla, from Carlow, brings her knowledge and commitment to quality grape growing, which she learned during several years of working with some of the best viticulturists in New Zealand, where they met.

* If the rain quenches the flame, you might like Cold meats/pâtés, Duck, hard mature cheese, Roast lamb/beef, or slow-cooked shoulder of lamb instead.

Vigneti Zabu “Il Passo Verde” Nero D’Avola 2022 perfectly displays the Sicilian terroir as never before!

Vigneti Zabu “Il Passo Verde” Nero D’Avola Sicily (DOC) 2022, 13% ABV

RRP €18.95. Stockists: Bradleys, Matson’s, J J O’Driscoll, Baggot Street Wines

Martins Off Licence, The Wine Centre, McHughs Off Licences, Power & Co Fine Wines      

Jus de Vine, The Vintry, Wineonline

the 2022 vintage perfectly displays the Sicilian terroir as never before

This 2022 Vigneti Zabu "Il Passo Verde" Nero D'Avola is a compelling Sicilian red, bursting with bold flavours and a complex structure. The deep ruby colour hints at the intensity within, while the aromas of cherry, plum, and a touch of spice tantalise the senses.

On the palate, the wine explodes with vibrant fruit flavours balanced by firm tannins and a lingering finish. The spice notes add a layer of complexity, making Il Passo Verde a true delight for red wine enthusiasts.

The Vigneti Zabu "Il Passo Verde" Nero D'Avola is a stunning exemplar of Sicilian winemaking. With its bold flavours, complex structure, and excellent ageing potential, it will impress. 

A Taste of Sicily

Grapes are sourced from vineyards on the lakeside of Lake Arancio in Sambuca di Sicilia. The lake's crystal-clear waters create a unique microclimate that contributes to the wine's exceptional quality.

The 2022 vintage is a standout, showcasing the best of Sicilian terroir. The addition of Nero d'Avola grapes from vineyards near the sea brings a hint of saltiness to the final blend, adding even more character.

Winemaking Excellence

Vigneti Zabu is committed to producing organic wines of the highest quality. The grapes for this Nero D'Avola are carefully selected and fermented in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperatures. A portion of the wine is then aged in French and American oak barrels, adding complexity and structure. The powerful tannins indicate their excellent ageing potential. Cellar this bottle for a few years and watch it develop even more complexity and depth.

Zabu suggests pairing it with Medium-Aged Cheese, Meatballs, Roast Chicken, and Vegetables , while Wine Folly says, “Classic pairings include oxtail soup and beef stew.”

• This post is part of a series on Italian wines made from native grapes and produced by usually small or medium-sized organic wineries. Taking some “guidance” here from the recently published VINO. Mightn’t always net the hat trick but hope to score two from the three each time. I have quite a few lined up but I’m happy to consider any suggestions or help. #OrganicItaly
• See the expanding list of #OrganicItaly wines here