Showing posts with label Coal Quay Market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Coal Quay Market. Show all posts

Monday, September 5, 2022

Taste of the Week. It's a Cork thing.


Taste of the Week

It's a Cork thing.



I wanted bagels on a Saturday morning! Not any old bagels but the Jerusalem Bagels (with their pomegranate molasses and sesame topping) by Bread & Roses of Ballincollig. Knew they'd be at their stall in the Coal Quay Farmers Market and headed down. On the way, I picked up a pack of coffee at Roughty Foodie in the English Market. A few more bits and pieces as well of course.


Back home, I unpacked the bagels. Pulled a jar of Paul's Honey from the cupboard and slathered it on to the bagels, nothing else whatsoever. Coffee, called the Morning Growler, by Cork Coffee Roasters, was ready. Put the three together and I had a very satisfactory Taste of the Week indeed.

Not all from Cork of course but that coffee is roasted locally by John Gowan down the Marina. The honey was bought at O'Keeffe's in St Lukes and is produced at sustainable apiaries in Cork city and county and packaged by beekeeper Paul Collins who operates in the northside of the city.


Contacts

Bread and Roses here

Cork Coffee Roasters here

Paul's Honey 085 283 1540

Thursday, November 19, 2020

Taste of the Week. Curly Stu's Pizza Special

 Taste of the Week.

 Curly Stu's Pizza Special


Lots of special foods at the Coal Quay Market in the heart of Cork City every Saturday. And now there's another special producer to tempt you. Curly Stu, operating out of a converted horse box, is turning out the most amazing sourdough pizzas, real thoroughbreds based on the Naples line and on the very best of ingredients from home and abroad.

He has a stable full of regulars: Margherita, Pepperoni, and killer Nduja. And always a special. Always well priced, most expensive is 9 euro and you can get three for €22.00 (too good to turn down!).

I called in during last Saturday's sun and showers and found my taste of the week. This special consisted of Pumpkin with Gorgonzola blue cheese, red onion and fresh chives. Another champion for just nine euro, a winning Taste of the Week. 

More about Stu (former long-time head chef at Barnabrow) and his stunning pizzas here. The horsebox can also be found weekly in Newcestown, Cloughduv and Castletown-Kinneigh.




Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Taste of the Week from Kilbrack Farm. Buy local, fresh and fair.

Taste of the Week
from Kilbrack Farm

I found my current Taste of the Week in the superb kale on sale at the Kilbrack Farm stall in the Coal Quay Farmers Market last Saturday. They have other amazing organic vegetables, as does Caroline Robinson a few stalls away. It doesn't have to be just at the Coal Quay. Midleton or Douglas Markets may be more convenient for you. I plan to go to Killavullen next Saturday morning. If Saturday doesn't suit, head to Mahon Point on Thursday. There's a couple of excellent farmers stalls there and don't tell me the markets are expensive. Last week, I got five or six superb carrots in Mahon for one euro!

After the Coal Quay last Saturday, I called to the English Market. Eoin O'Mahony had a lovely piece of porchetta* to go with the kale. There was bread from ABC and paté from On the Pig's Back. As you know, there's lots of other stalls in both markets so no shortage of choice. The point I'm making is support local, buy fresh and fair and you'll end up with a taste of the week that suits your tastes and your budget and, more than likely, your health. The longer my food's journey, the less I trust in it (anyone been watching Rotten on Netflix?). So buy local and from a trusted source. The more we pull together, the further we will go.

* Speaking of pork, we got a delicious shoulder from Woodside Farm at Mahon Thursday; cooked low and slow with seasonal root vegetables, it gave us a very satisfactory dinner on Sunday, as it regularly does.





Sunday, September 17, 2017

A slice of Cork Food History. A walk; then a superb lunch in Jacques.

A Slice Of Cork Food History

A walk; then a superb lunch in Jacques.
Firkin Crane, with Butter Exchange on right.

Saturday last was that little bit different for members of the Munster Wine and Dine. No bus needed this time. A walk through some of Cork City’s old food (and drink) sites was followed by a lunch in Jacques where the menu gave an occasional nod to food from the past.

The walk, more of a conversation on the move really, began near Seamus Murphy’s Onion Seller sculpture in Cornmarket Street and  threw up a few surprises. 

The first was the delight of some walkers who were seeing the Saturday Coal Quay Market for the first time. And another delight came up in Shandon where sweets from the local sweet factory were distributed. Gaps of anticipation as the bags of Bull’s Eyes, Clove Rock, Butter Nuggets, Pear Drops, Rhubarb & Custard and other old time favourites appeared!

There were some differences as to the highlights - one walker loved the Seamus Murphy Dog Drinking Bowl in Patrick Street where the stroll finished - but there was general agreement that the powers that be need to get their act together about the Butter Exchange area, an area packed with history, that badly needs renovation and that has the potential to be a major tourist attraction. One suggested that a good power-wash would be a start.

Certainly much more needs to be done and quickly before the Exchange and its Portico fall victim to the march of time or the match of the arsonist.
Kilbrack Farm in the market

While some of the history touched on stretched back over the centuries, some was quite recent and when we reached the site of the old Whitaker's Hatchery on Camden Quay, we had first hand knowledge passed to us by ex-employee Aoife McCan. She told us all about the day-old chicks that were dispatched by bus all over the county and beyond.

But it was her tale of the “turkey sexer" that really surprised everyone. Apparently it is not easy to tell the difference between the genders. But some people have the gift! And Whitaker's had to book their expert well in advance and get him in from England when the turkey chicks, destined for Christmas market, were being born. Nobody wanted the “tougher” male turkeys, so the “sexer’s” job was to weed them out.

The Kiln Rover once flowed past Whitaker's but that part of it is now enclosed underground. We went up towards the brewery to get a glimpse of its waters. And another walker was able to tell us that the brewery and a nearby distillery (St Johns, long closed) would have had an argument or two about their use of the Kiln River’s water.

If you missed the walk, I have published my notes for it here and you may check it out for yourself. And if you want to get some of those sweets, note that the factory is open Monday to Friday, not on Saturday.

Pickled mussels
Huge queue at Jacques as we arrived for lunch but it was at the other side of the street heading to see Cillian Murphy in Crane Lane. A welcome glass of Longueville House cider as we got to our seats and than an immediate bite from the past: pickled mussels, apple, nasturtium. The pickling was a method of preserving them.

We had a choice of starters and I picked one of the old ones: Lambs kidneys, smoked potato purée, raisins, pine kernels, red wine. A blas from the past. The Barry’s here buy quite a share of their vegetables from the Kilbrack Farm stall in the Coal Quay market - we had stopped there earlier - and the Kilbrack beetroot was featured here with Ardsallagh cheese.
Lambs kidneys

Dave Barry’s Queens turned up in my mains which was a delicious fresh Hake, with seaweed butter, those spuds, and sprouting broccoli. Also available were Confit Duck (with pearl barley), Leg of Ham (with colcannon) and more.

And dessert was largely foraged: Carrigeen mousse and in-season blackberries. As we walked out on to the street, the rain had started to fall. We didn't mind too much as it had stayed dry for the walk!
Hake
If you missed the walk, I have published my notes for it here; you may like to check it out for yourself.
Dessert


Food Walk in Cork. Notes for the recent Munster Wine & Dine Walk.

MWD Food Walk in Cork
Notes for the recent Munster Wine & Dine Walk.

See also post on the actual walk and lunch afterwards in Jacques here.
The Onion Seller

Today, we start with this little statue of the Onion Seller. It was made in 1937 by Seamus Murphy to commemorate the traders here in Cornmarket Street but you’ll also have seen her twin over in Bishop Lucey Park.

The four bay double height Cornstore behind us has seen service as a cornstore and also as a potato and coal store. And, if you look up, you’ll see signs of it being a market and bazaar.

The Bodega stands on the site of St Peter’s Market. The main entrance was on North Main Street. It was completed in 1843 and became known as the Irish Market, its customers regarded as inferior to those of the English Market. 

After years of decline, the Irish Market closed in 1916 and then saw service as a shell factory for British military. Later, after the various wars, it was revived as a market and stuttered along until its final closure in 1955. 

Coal Quay Market


Across the road, you’ll the Musgrave name, long associated with food and general trading in the city. More recently, the Rising Sons brewery opened here, one of a handful of brew pubs across the city.

Now we have the Saturday Market on the Coal Quay, which was indeed a quay. But water is never far away here, just below the floors of the premises, always a worry. Here you’ll see some lovely stalls including Kilbrack Farm from where Jacques get their organic vegetables.


Over the footbridge now and, off to your right, you have Iyer and his famous South Indian food. On the left, there is a newish Nepalese restaurant called Thali (meaning plate!). 
The Cornstore (taken a few years back).

On the corner of Shandon Street, for a few months this year and up to a few weeks ago, the corner building had been painted with butter wraps including names such as Lee Valley, Silver Churn, Freemount and Drinagh. Not anymore, for some reason.

But a nearby advert has lasted much longer. Look up, above the hairdressers, and you’ll see the Arnott’s Gold Medal Porter sign. John Arnott was mayor of Cork for the first of three terms in 1859 and once owned the St Finbarre’s Brewery in the city. 

He also operated a large bakery on the site for a few years and, according to the Beamish and Crawford history (by the O’Drisceoil brothers) he was also involved in the Cork Racecourse, linen manufacture, drapery and department stores and the Irish Times.
North Gate Bridge (left) and Pope's Quay

The brewery, bought from Abbott’s in the early 1860s, became best known as Arnotts. And provided strong competition for both Murphy’s and Beamish’s. In the end, Murphy’s prevailed and in 1901 took over and closed down the Arnott’s breweries. 
Butter wraps - now painted over

Shandon Street was the spine of the city's commercial life in the 18th century. Such was the scale of the beef trade here that it was known as the slaughterhouse of Ireland. 

And it wasn’t just Ireland. In 1756, France and Britain were at each other’s throats in the Seven Years War and “the Great Ox-slaying city of Cork” emerged as the Royal Navy’s preferred supplier for beef, pork and butter. 

Let us head up now on the right hand of the street and, as we do, take a note of all the different cuisines available here. You’ll also find an info panel about some of famous people associated with the street. Turn right into Dominic Street and then go left by the Four Liars restaurant.

The Firkin Crane here was built on the site of Shandon Castle and is named after the small barrels in which butter was transported. Here the empty firkins were weighed, washed and repaired. They were used to export the butter to many areas of the world, especially where there was a British presence.

The Butter Exchange here was remarkable for its longevity, from 1770 to 1924. This Portico, a grand name for a porch, was built in 1849. By 1861, the Cork Butter Exchange became the largest butter exchange in the world. Exports peaked in the 1870s. After that it was in slow decline. Rigid in its ways, in ways that had previously served it well, it failed to react to foreign imports of butter into England and also to new developments in packaging.

The system itself, that included quality control and that had been remarkably successful for the best part of a century, now inhibited innovation and the end was nigh. You can find out all about the butter trade and the famous butter roads in the museum here.
A firkin

And if you want some good old sweets, you may call here to the  Exchange Toffee Works, now known as Shandon Sweets. The Linehan family have been making the sweets here since the 1920s and nowadays the business is carried by Dan and Tony, a father and son pairing. Signs here too for the Loft Shakespearian Company (founded by Father Christy O’Flynn, a man that I knew) and the Butter Exchange Brass Band, and also Mother Jones.

Down now to the quay, via Mulgrave Road. Whitaker’s were established here on Mulgrave Road in 1905, to pack butter and eggs; they later started breeding and hatching their own stock, a natural progression. They are still going strong today in Carrigaline, rearing one million point of lay pullets annually.

But they started their breeding here in the heart of city, on Camden Quay by the Kiln River (covered in 1992). I have to admit I remember them and the excitement at home when the box of day old chicks arrived, having journeyed out of the city by train or bus. And they were dispatched to many parts of the country as I was reminded when I recently saw an advert in the Gaelic Week of January 11th 1969, the swinging sixties in Ireland.

Walk up now towards the brewery and after while you’ll see glimpses of the Kiln River. Cross by the traffic lights into Leitrim Street. In the run-down triangle of buildings (including O’Keeffe’s Bar), there once was a café called An Stad where I and many other secondary school students would stop (on our way from a match in the Athletic Grounds) for a doughnut and a glass of milk! Times have changed since the early 60s.

Walk now to the four-way junction of McCurtain Street, Bridge Street, Coburg Street and Patrick’s. Again back to the 60s (and further) when drovers guided herds of cattle through these streets on their way to the Innishfallen on Penrose Quay, cattle below, humans above, all on the way to the UK. When the cattle had passed, the streets didn’t smell well, didn’t look well. Lots of these drives were in the morning so, to cater for the drovers and the dockers, some pubs in the area, were able to get an early opening licence.
The Bodega

Down now over Patrick’s Bridge and stop at the top of Patrick’s Street, more or less opposite the entrance to Merchant’s Quay shopping centre. Take a look at another Seamus Murphy sculpture, one of his smaller works. You’ll have to lean down to see it at the base of the building, 124 Patrick St.

In the 1950s, there was a restaurant here called the Milk Bar (how times have changed!). The owner commissioned the sculptor to make a trough so the dogs could have a drink while their owners dined inside! 

Our walk, book-ended by sculptor Murphy, ended here. See also post on the actual walk and lunch afterwards in Jacques here.

The route: Cornmarket Street (Coal Quay); over footbridge to Pope’s Quay; turn left to corner of Shandon Street and North Gate Bridge; turn right up Shandon; turn right into Dominick Street, then left by Butter Museum into John Redmond Street; down Redmond Street to T junction; turn right on to Mulgrave Road, then left on to Camden Quay; then left on to Carroll’s Quay; cross road at lights by Heineken Brewery and turn right onto Leitrim Street; walk along into Coburg Street to junction with Bridge St; turn right here, cross the Bridge into Patrick Street.

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week
Granola by Clover Wholefoods


You never know what you'll come across when buying at the local farmers markets. That is as true in Saturday's Coal Quay Market as anywhere else. The point was underlined to me once again last Saturday when I bought this granola from Clover Wholefood, a relatively new stall here, run by Raedi Higgins. It is a gorgeous breakfast treat and Taste of the Week. They have lots of good things here. Pay a visit any Saturday morning and follow them on Twitter here.


Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week
Sourdough by Pana
Thanks largely to the pioneering work of Arbutus Breads, many of us are used to getting high quality loaves at markets and shops. If I had to guess, I would say that sourdough is the most popular. This is an excellent example. It is made by Pana (who have a shop in Merchant's Quay) and has won at Blas na hEireann. I bought this at the Coal Quay Market last Saturday from the Clover Wholefood stall and it is Taste of the Week.

Monday, August 25, 2014

Shawlies Swing on Coal Quay Stage. The Bonded Warehouse: the future?

Shawlies Swing on Coal Quay Stage
The Bonded Warehouse: the future?
A lively bunch of shawl clad women got the 2014 Coal Quay Family Festival off to a swinging start as they took to the stage for a couple of songs. The stage would be busy for a few hours after that with all types of musical groups in action. All part of the Cork Heritage Day and a very appropriate time to remember the past in the heart of the city, politicians (at least one) and priests present as the original shawlies and their families were remembered in song and prayer, and pigeons released in memory of the past and in hope for the future of this vibrant area.
Busy at Coal Quay Farmers Market
And much of the vibrancy is provided by the relatively new businesses in the famous street. The likes of the Cornstore and the Bodega and the spanking new Rising Sons Brew Bar played key roles on Saturday. And then you had the buzz of the Farmers Market, a very genuine market, probably underrated market, where most of the stall holders are actual farmers and producers. I made some tasty purchases here, particularly from Ballyhoura Mushrooms, Caroline and Orchard Cottage Dairy.

The Cornstore's Mags O'Connor dishing out crubeens galore.
And indeed it was here, at the food shop (open Thu-Sat), that I had my first drink of the day, a complimentary glass of wine. And I wasn't the only one enjoying the vino as the sweet voice of mezzo soprano Amanda Neary spilt over the sunny street.

The Bodega were serving free bodice but the queue was massive and I couldn't get near but I did avail of a sample of the smooth and gorgeous Mi Daza stout, courtesy of the Rising Sons stall. And more food at the Cornstore. Out on the street, Mags O’Connor and her merry helpers were dishing out tasty crubeens and a terrific lamb stew (with pearl barley).

Read more about the Coal Quay and the hard-working people behind the annual festival here .

Inside and outside the bond. The vault on the left was the regular store for Hennessy's brandy for decades.
The Bonded Warehouse  (perhaps best known as the bond) also has a long past but what of its future? Later on Saturday afternoon, along with a few dozen more and under the expert guidance of Harry Golden, I visited the ancient building which has been a bonded warehouse for wines and spirits for over 200 years. Temperature (about 12 degrees) never varies and is perfect for the storage of wine.

But not for much longer. A new purpose built bond is now operating in Little lsland and the holdings here in Custom House Quay are being run down. So this public tour, only the second ever, could well be the last and it was with some nostalgia that Harry showed us around. What will become of it in the future? Harry sees huge potential here - there are after all about five acres on this last triangle of land where the two channels of the River Lee meet.
In the bond: Harry Golden (centre) talks of the past and of the future.
It is a listed building but still there is enormous potential in this magnificent location. Just hope the dreams don't become choked with red tape.

Some of Saturday's visitors were half hoping to find a dusty bottle of wine or brandy in the vaults but the ones we visited were empty! Though hopes rose briefly when glass was spotted in a hole in the wall. Just an old light bulb!
In the Coal Quay
One of the vaults visited was Number B17 and that had a long association with Hennessy’s Brandy of Cognac. The Hennessy family originally came from North Cork and, over many decades, their brandy was unloaded at the quay and sent down a line of rollers in the vault to be stored in the bond until the importing merchant paid the due tax.

Beverly Mathews, Maurice O’Mahony and Colm McCan, the trio who organised the Wine Geese series last year,  had organised the bond visit, with help from Harry of course. And later Beverly invited us back to L’Atitude, the lovely wine bar on Union Quay that she runs with Emma Lagrande.


Ladies of the Coal Quay

And here we heard of another of the more recent Wine Geese. Colm McCan told us that Marian Smith grew up in Ballyjamesduff and now runs the Elgin Ridge Winery  (it is 282 metres above sea level) in South Africa. And the generous L’Atitude gave us all a glass of the 282 Sauvignon Blanc, a lovely fresh wine. It is an organic operation and interestingly Dexter cattle help keep the vineyard clean!



Before we started the bond tour, we had a look at the interior of the Custom House, open all day for the Heritage event. Highlight here is the 1906 boardroom (especially the delicately patterned ceiling). If you didn't get there this year, put it on your list for next year. Must say, I’m looking forward to Heritage Day 2015 already.

Deputy Lord Mayor Kenneth O'Flynn finds a spot on stage for a young lady. Dishing out Mi Daza stout; and the pram, an essential on the old Cold Quay!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Coal Quay Revival


Coal Quay Revival


May be it was the spring sunshine. Maybe it was the band. Maybe it was the street entertainer guy who used plasticine to cover his face with a Devil Mask. Maybe it was the chirpy Easter chick.

Can’t quite put my finger on it but, for the first time in a while, I left the Saturday Coal Quay Market with a good feeling, some unexpected purchases and an expectation that I would be back.

The food section is, unfortunately, situated at the far end of Cornmarket Street, but it had the crowd last  Saturday and there seemed to be more stalls than usual. Regulars at other markets, such as Natural Food Bakery and O'Driscoll’s Fish (who often sell out early), were in place and busy. Got some yeast bread and a terrific Date Slice from the bakery whose stock (it was about 12.30pm), was also diminishing.


Lots of snack stalls, including Green Kiwi (coffee) and the Crepe Man. All active. Plant stalls too and no shortage of free range eggs. Oh yes and there is an apple stall here that doesn't appear at the other main markets (Douglas excepted). Mealagulla Orchards are from Ovens and they do a tasty juice, though €3.50 a bottle is a little dearer than their competitors.


You could buy lots of vegetable plants there too, many in suitably small quantities, ideal for the suburban garden.

Recently, one of the local papers featured a nettle soup recipe by Darina Allen. Well, you can get your nettles here at 2.50 a bag. And wild garlic (also 2.50) and a whole lot more, including rocket. Bought a little bag of Sprouting Broccoli (3.00). All these are available from Caroline’s Home-grown Vegetables.

Get on down and have a “wander” along Cornmarket Street on a Saturday.

Monday, March 1, 2010

COAL QUAY MARKET (in new location)

COAL QUAY MARKET
For most of 2010, you’ll find the Saturday Coal Quay market at a new temporary location in Emmett Place, alongside the Opera House.

Here you will see your usual favourites such as O’Driscoll’s Fish (but be quick, they were sold out by noon yesterday), The Natural Foods Bakery and quite a few other food outlets as well as stalls selling shoes and boots and clothing and so on.
The Cornmarket Street area is being renovated, hence the move to Emmett Place. The new location is also very central and also quite spacious.