West Cork Suppliers on Show

Say cheese: Fooling around with Val Manning

West Cork Suppliers on Show



Some of the top food producers and suppliers in West Cork were gathered in the ballroom of the West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen last Wednesday as part of the week long A Taste of West Cork festival, specifically there in the morning so that the visiting chefs for the evening’s highlight, the Celtic Cook-off, could sample and choose from the produce.

Delighted to get an invite to the morning session and meet up with some old friends from the markets and also meet some new ones. Manning’s Emporium  from Ballylickey had a stand groaning with some of the best cheese around: Durrus, Coolea, Gubbeen, Fermoy etc. and Val and Andrew were in top form. More top notch cheese too at the Milleens stand where Quinlan Steele was on duty.

Frank Krawczyk, a citizen of the world who loves his West Cork home, is one of Ireland’s best known salami and sausage makers. Loved his Bresaola and his treatement of a shoulder of pork, both tasty and moist, not to mention his cured ham. Frank, based in Schull, gives regular demonstrations at Ballyvolane House and O’Brien’s Chop House.

Frank Krawczyk

Axel and Marye Miret are the couple behind West Cork Garlic  and their product was used by winning chef Garry O’Hanlon. Caroline Hennessy was on the 8 Degrees Brewing stand and she was displaying the full range of their popular beers. Saw the ale again on the Friday, on tap in Cork’s latest craft beer pub, the Hub in Anglesea Street.

Two of the four people on the Celtic Cook-off working group, Avril Allshire of Rosscarbery Recipes and Sally Barnes (“the greatest fish smoker in the country”, according to one Tom Doorley) of Woodcock Smokery were both busy at their stands.

Lingered also at the Skeaghanore West Cork Duck stand, for the conversation and also for a sample or two. Here they like to keep it simple, natural and additive free. Read all about this wonderful product here.


The chefs had been down to the coast earlier in the mornings so there was no fish stand in the ballroom but the sea wasn’t forgotten as we met Sally McKenna of Bridgestone Guides and Jim Kennedy of Atlantic Sea Kayaking.  They had a very impressive display from the sea and the shore including Dilisk, Carrageen Moss, Sea Spaghetti and Wrack and more. Tasty stuff too and Masterchef winner Tim Anderson was shopping there.

Got to most of the stands but missed out on a few, including Brown Envelope Seeds. All of the suppliers were back for the Cook-off in the evening and the stands were kept busy as hundreds of people squeezed in.

A few more producers came too, including Glenilen and Matson’s Wine and Food Store of Bandon who, with Searson’s, were supplying the matching wines for the cook-off meals. Matson’s are offering 20 per cent off on the show wines for the next while. I got a taste of one of them, the Vallado from the Douro, a terrific red, easy drinking and delicious.

All in all, a great experience that underlined once again the quantity and quality of the producers in the area. And, another thing, these are friendly folk. So why not put the festival in your diary for September 2013. You won’t regret it!

Reinforcements for Celtic Cook-off Champ!

Ondine's Roy Brett makes welcome return to Taste of West Cork!

2011 Celtic Cook Off winner, Roy Brett of Ondine Restaurant in Edinburgh, is bringing three of his brigade with him to the West Cork Hotel in Skibbereen to provide “A Taste of Ondine” on Tuesday 11 September. Roy and his team will work with Chef Aidan O’Driscoll and the West Cork Hotel team to cook a Scottish themed meal using the very best of West Cork produce.

Roy loved his visit to the A Taste of West Cork Festival so much last year that he discussed the possibility of coming back with Neil Grant, West Cork Hotel General Manager, as soon as he returned to Scotland. “Roy has been an unbelievable ambassador for West Cork and its incredible food produce since his visit a year ago,” explains Neil. “Roy featured Rosscarbery Recipe’s White and Black puddings, Sally Barnes Smoked Salmon and he even started baking his own Soda Bread after his visit. I understand he knocked back numerous offers to attend various events this year in favour of attending this year’s food festival, so we are thrilled to have him.”

Roy will be a busy man. Not only will he be cooking a meal at the West Cork Hotel, he is also judging for both the Food Festival’s Schools’ Cookery Competition and this year’s Celtic Cook Off event. Roy was blown away by the quality of cooking on show at last year’s Schools’ Competition and vowed to return. “If you asked a kid in Scotland where there food came from they would say ‘Tesco,’” was Roy’s quip on seeing the young chefs talk about the provenance of their food being cooked last year!

It will be fascinating to see Roy judge the Celtic Cook Off as he is very familiar with Tony Singh of Scotland as well as Jack Stein and Stephane Delourme who are coming from the Rick Stein Company and representing Cornwall and Brittany respectively. “I can’t wait to put them under a little bit of pressure,” says Roy. We can’t wait either!!

Roy’s Taste of Ondine will be a six course tasting menu at €40 per person and will be served at 7:30 PM on Tuesday 11 September. Roy may even drag a few of the Celtic Cook Off competitors into the kitchen to support him!

The produce for this Celtic Feast is kindly sponsored by artisan food producer members of West Cork Food. As Neil Grant says, “We are lucky to have such a wealth of great produce in this region. The producers have such passion and their passion combined with Roy’s artistry….wow. We are in for a great night!”

Bookings can be made through the West Cork Hotel reception. +00 353 (0)28 21277

SKIBBEREEN HEATS UP

Alannah Cawley pictured at Thornhill Organic Farm, Skibbereen.

SKIBBEREEN HEATS UP FOR FOR MUNSTER’S FAVOURITE FOOD FESTIVAL   
Festival to Celebrate the Humble Spud

Summer may be almost over and we may have missed the sun but Skibbereen is beginning to heat up for its premier festival, “A Taste of West Cork”. Ireland’s longest established food festival which is now in its ninth year runs from September 9-16 with a host of events to suit every taste and budget.

A Taste of West Cork is the best opportunity hundreds of local producers have to get in front of people who are passionate about food. This year’s festival is set to be bigger and better with a real focus on Ireland’s food heritage. Special homage will be paid to the humble spud as the nation’s favourite tuber takes centre stage with a variety of events looking at the importance of the potato in Ireland including a special workshop by Eanna Ni Lamhna.

The ever popular Schools Cookery Competition will see students challenged to create unique dishes centred on the potato while restaurants around Skibbereen also create their own unique ‘spudcentric’ dishes. There will also be numerous workshops, tastings and demonstrations on all elements of international cuisine with the full calendar of events aiding the extension of West Cork’s tourist season.

Among the list of other standout events will be the traditional open air food and craft market with over 100 exhibitors, themed nights in restaurants in Skibbereen and beyond, nutritional workshops, appearances from a host of celebrity chefs, including UK Masterchef winner Tim Anderson, traditional music nights and a special performance from one of Ireland’s best singer/ songwriters, Declan O’Rourke.

This year will also see the return of the very popular Celtic Cook Off at the West Cork Hotel which will see chefs from the six Celtic territories (Scotland, Isle of Man, Ireland, Cornwall, Wales and Brittany) participate in a ‘cook off’ event in front of a live audience, whilst also aiming to impress a panel of judges.

Speaking of the festival, Clare Gallagher, Chairperson said, “West Cork has long been noted as the capital of artisan food in Ireland and we are spoiled for choice with the range of locally produced products we have on offer. We understand how important local food is to our economy and with our wealth of artisan food producers, supportive retailers, talented chefs and award winning restaurants we believe West Cork has it all. Through the hard work of our farmers and fishermen by land and sea we produce world class food and combine this with the most idyllic part of Ireland, A Taste of West Cork makes for the perfect festival for all the family. The festival is also the first step in highlighting West Cork as a top choice of holiday destination to the Irish abroad ahead of The Gathering 2013. In this we are hugely grateful to Fáilte Ireland for all of their support and encouragement.”

She continued, “From seminars on food heritage, to food demonstrations and tastings, competitions between the best chefs in Europe and West Cork, and the grand finale of the biggest harvest food and craft market staged in the Fairfield, there will be something to tempt every palette.”

Many events throughout the week are free or minimum charges apply. To view the entire list of events, times and prices please visit www.atasteofwestcork.com