Taste of the Week. Aran Islands Goats Cheese

Taste of the Week

Aran Islands Goats Cheese

Gabriel in Donegal

I found this Taste of the Week at A Taste of Donegal where Gabriel (you might know him, as he also does bus tours on Inis Mor, the largest of the islands) had a stand and was handing out samples of his Aran Islands Goats Cheese.

I tasted three in all: the soft cheese, the same soft cheese with Dillisk added, and a Greek Style cheese (not unlike Feta). Each was delicious and I came away with a container of each. These are just some of the range from his herd of Nubian and Saanen goats that graze on the unique pastures of the island.

From Gabriel's gallery

The climate is perfect for the grass and herbs as the island is warmed by the Gulf Stream. The diet of the goats gives the cheese its unique, delicious flavour with a beautiful tang and a gorgeous soft and creamy texture.

Already top chefs from the likes of the Twelve Restaurant in Barna, The Lodge at Ashford, The Ardilaun Hotel Galway, and The Strand Hotel, are using the cheeses. For stockists, check here

Aran Islands Goats Cheese

Oughill

Aran Islands.

Co. Galway

Tel: (087) 2226776 or (087) 8635327

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Aran-islands-goats-cheese-Cáis-Gabhair-Arann-497317160399598/?fref=ts

Web: http://arangoatcheese.com/index.htm

Email: gabriel@arangoatcheese.com

Taste of the Week. Carrigaline Original Cheese

Taste of the Week

Carrigaline Original Cheese

Despite so many new Irish food products appearing on a regular basis, sometimes it's best to go back to the originals. I did just that recently when I picked up a wedge of the Original version of the Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese. This is a semi-hard cheese and is very bit as creamy and mild as ever, a local classic with delicious flavours and our Taste of the Week.

After the original, they developed other versions, including Smoked and a very popular Dillisk Seaweed. You may read all about the range here

“I love the smoked cheese”, declared Padraig O’Farrell during my last visit to Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese. “It is indigenous to Carrigaline. The milk is local, and the wood, old beech, is local. And we smoke it out the back.” And it is not only Padraig that likes it as the Smoked is an award winner.

The Carrigaline story began close to thirty years ago when Ann and Pat, Padraig’s parents, first produced their semi-hard cow’s milk cheese from their own herd, after Pat had undertaken a six month cheese course at UCC.

Carrigaline Cheese is widely available in small shops and big. See the full list of stockists here

Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese

The Rock.

Carrigaline

County Cork

Tel: +353 21 437 2856

Website: http://carrigalinecheese.com/

Taste of the Week. Coffee & Walnut Cake

Taste of the Week

Coffee & Walnut Cake

I’m a reasonably regular caller to Mahon Point Farmers Market and there are three particular stalls, more or less together, that I call to (call to quite a few others too!) when I'm there on a Thursday morning. The Woodside Farm and their free range pig products is one; Lennie and his boxes of granola and dried fruits is another. Sandwiched in between is Clare and Gan Gluten.

Clare, whose sisters run the Farmgates (in the city and in Midleton), sells her cakes, breads and savouries here every Thursday and also sells to restaurants, cafes and delis. Why not check out her stall tomorrow? I might meet you there!

Sometimes, I buy one of her savoury pieces, usually for a convenient and very tasty lunch. Sometimes, I feel like sweet. That was the case recently and we went off home with a large tranche of her Coffee and Walnut Cake.

It didn't last too long. It was moist and delicious, full of all the flavours you’d expect from an expert producer and proved to be our unanimous Taste of the Week. A rather short lived one, though! Short and sweet.

Gan Gluten

Gluten and Wheat Free Tarts, Cakes and Savouries

Unit 9, Riverside Grove, Riverstick, Cork.

Tel: 086 2339519

Taste of the Week. Pecorino Vincenzo

Taste of the Week

Pecorino Vincenzo

I love my sheep’s cheese, from the Cratloe Hills of County Clare to the heights of Ossau Irraty in the Pyrenees, not forgetting the superb Crozier Blue. Now I’ve got a new love all the way from the banks of the River Toon in County Cork.

I’ve had a few brief encounters with this Pecorino Vincenzo over the past few weeks and liked it. But the affair got serious when we met again at a stall in Mahon Point Farmers Market last week. This time, I got really stuck in to this amazing hard cheese, our Taste of the Week.

Pecorino is the general name for sheep’s cheese in Italy. But this beguiling Pecorino is made in Toons Bridge by Vincenzo to a family recipe from his native Marche region and is one of a brilliant bunch of cheeses, including Cacio Cavallo and Scamorza, coming from this little country crossroads not too far from Macroom. Vincenzo has a small herd of sheep nearby.

This is the official dairy description: Pecorino Vincenzo is made from raw milk and is a dry cheese suitable for the table and grating. It is sweet and has a little piccante when aged to its limit. It is best around 6 weeks, but this also depends on the size of the wheel.

All a bit mundane really for a cheese with such complex flavours. This is really classy (and priced accordingly).

These cheeses are generally suitable for grating and cooking and, according to the Retailers Guide to the Fine Cheeses of Europe, are particularly good for fondues, omelettes, sauces, soups and sprinkling over savour dishes. I’m finding it irresistible on its own though.

Toons Bridge Dairy

Toons Bridge

Macroom

County Cork

Email: toonsbridgeshop@therealoliveco.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ToonsBridge/?fref=ts

Twitter: @ToonsBridge

Tel: 087 3457790 (opening hours only)

Cafe: Fri-Sat 12.30-4.00; Sun 12.30-6.00.

Shop: Fri-Sat 11.00-9.00; Sun 11.00-7.00

Taste of the Week. West Cork 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Taste of the Week

West Cork 10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Armed with a gift voucher, I made a quick visit to Dunnes Stores in Cork City recently. Had enough socks and shirt, so headed for the drinks section, looking for something around the thirty euro mark. After a couple of near things, I spotted a bottle of the West Cork 10 Year Old Single Malt, priced at exactly the thirty (a few euro off, I think). Have been enjoying the odd glass since and it’s now our Taste of the Week.

It is an excellent blend of grain and malt whiskey, a smooth and approachable whiskey with a light vanilla finish. This “non-chill filtered whiskey has been matured in first fill, flame charred Bourbon barrels to deliver an exquisite aroma, rich taste and pleasantly lasting finish”. Malty, toffee, treacle notes are to the fore here. And yes, they certainly deliver on the aroma, flavour and finish.

I must admit I've been drinking this on the rocks and that could get me into trouble with Frank McHardy (a very experienced Scottish consultant with West Cork Distillery in Skibbereen). I met Frank a few months back and he cautioned against using ice. “Add a little water - it opens up the whiskey flavours. If you think it is a little cold, heat it up with your hand.” Next time Frank, I’ll take your advice!

West Cork Distillers was born from humble beginnings. From the coming together of a food and drinks engineer and his two fisherman friends it now has become a global business selling in over 35 countries worldwide.  John O’ Connell, Denis McCarthy and Ger McCarthy are the three pioneers. They reckon their use of local spring water (“from 3 kms down the road”) is a key factor as this natural soft water leads to a smoother whiskey.

They have quite a range at this point and you can see all the latest here.
West Cork Distillers are taking part in next month's A Taste of West Cork Festival. Would you like to visit? See details here.

West Cork Distillers

Market Street,

Skibbereen,

Co. Cork,

Ireland

T: + 353 (0)28 22815

E-Mail : info@westcorkdistillers.com

www.westcorkdistillers.com

Taste of the Week. Pear & Vanilla Jam

Taste of the Week

Pear & Vanilla Jam

The Big Red Kitchen are the producers of our current Taste of the Week: Pear and Vanilla Jam. This is their own description: The subtle flavour of the pear is lifted by the Madagascan vanilla in this sweet preserve. Pairs wonderfully with almond scones, or on the side of your cheeseboard. It is spot on; reckon Nicola writes as well as she cooks!

And she cooks a lot in that Big Red Kitchen in County Meath. You’ll find award-winning homemade jams, jellies, marmalades, curds, chutneys and dessert sauces in her portfolio. Check it out here.

And another thing I like about the Big Red Kitchen is that they publish recipes and ideas on their website. I had been thinking of using the Pear & Vanilla on ice-cream and that’s confirmed but Nicola also suggests using it with cheese.

Reckon there’ll be more than one Taste of the Week from County Meath (which, by coincidence, I’ll be visiting next week! Looking forward to it.

The Big Red Kitchen

Cara Tí, Stamullen, Co Meath, Ireland.

Tel: 01-6978092

Mob: 086-1508462

Email: nicola@bigredkitchen.ie

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigRedKitchenIreland

Twitter: @BigRedKitchenIE   

Taste of the Week. From Arbutus Bread

Taste of the Week

From Arbutus Bread

While buying my favourite Medieval sourdough loaf, not the best looking babe in the bakery, from Arbutus Bread at Douglas Market last Saturday, I spotted a knobbly knuckly cake. “What’s that?”

The young assistant quickly replied: “It is made with croissant dough, apple, cinnamon and sultanas.” “Okay. I’ll have one.” And that delicious one is our Taste of the Week.

It costs €4.50 but we got quite a few slices out of it. It is delicious on its own and we found two ways to enhance it.  The first is to serve it with custard or vanilla sauce (as they call it in Vienna, according to Rick Stein on one of his long weekends). This gives you an really high class bread pudding. You can add butter if you like!

And the second is to match it with a rosé. This is the time of the year for the pink. And one of the best is a long standing favourite at Karwig Wines, the Domaine Houchart Côte de Provence (2015). I tried that pairing at Monday’s BBQ and it worked a treat.

Taste of the Week. Seaweed Salad

Taste of the Week
Seaweed Salad

 Seaweed is all around us. All around the coast, obviously.

For a long time, it just grew there, except for the odd picker, acting out of a folk memory, of dillisk and carrageen moss. And then came the odd purposeful forager. Some became authors, spreading the knowledge, among them Prannie Rhatigan, Marie Power and Sally McKenna.

And then the seaweed and plants from the shore began to find their way onto restaurants plates, in all kinds of dishes, from starters to mains to desserts. Food producers too, including bakers such as Arbutus, took it up. Indeed, I enjoyed a gorgeous Nori bread in O’Dowd’s of Roundstone (Connemara) recently.

It looks like the march of plants from the sea and the shore is very much on. Next step is to get it from the plate on the restaurant to the plate in the kitchen at home. And that step will surely be aided by a product I came across at the recent Cork Kerry Food Forum in the Cork City Hall, seaweed salad that is our Taste of the Week.

The company based at the Rubicon Centre, on the CIT Campus, is called Healthy You and the products seem to be aimed at “busy people on the go, the elderly, teenage school children or sports enthusiasts”. At present, they have two products available: Ginger Seaweed Salad and Sesame Seaweed Salad.

For three euro, I bought one of the 100g packs of Sesame Seaweed, after a little tasting of course. These salads may be enjoyed on their own or as a component in a meal with other elements and, helpfully, Healthy You have recipes http://www.seaweedsalads.ie/?page_id=14  on their website.

Indeed, if you use the term seaweed salad recipes, you’ll get a great catch from all over the world. Basically though, we used a salad with big prawns and couscous, cucumber, red onion and roasted red peppers, not exactly the stir-fry on the site. It worked very well indeed, lovely flavours and textures and, especially, a lovely crunch and taste from the seaweed.

For more info, contact Dermot Twomey, see below.

Healthy You

The Rubicon Centre

CIT Campus

Bishopstown

Cork

Tel: (353) 21 4892726

Mob: (353) 87 9600775

Email: dermot@seaweedsalads.ie

Web: www.seaweedsalads.ie

Stockists: http://www.seaweedsalads.ie/?page_id=14

Taste of the Week. Shine’s Wild Irish Tuna

Taste of the Week

Shines Wild Irish Tuna

Shines Wild Irish Tuna comes packed tightly in a jar, packed full of flavour too, and is our Taste of the Week.

Use it with a simple salad, as we did, and you’ll get all that delicious flavour of the amazing Albacore Tuna, moist, succulent and meaty. Or you can move up to Tuna-Garbanzo Salad! What’s that? You may well ask. Well, it’s just one of the recipes that Shines provide on their website. Great to see Irish producers give this recipe service.

Shine’s, with 30 years experience behind them, have brought us “this new taste experience”, “Once tasted, always loved.”

Albacore Tuna is a migratory species.  Always on the move, they come within reach of our fishing fleet for only a short period every year.  At the end of August, this fish is caught in very large numbers. Fresh tuna can be enjoyed for just a few weeks each year. But now, thanks to the Shine’s jar, you can prolong the experience. Enjoy.

Shine’s Seafood

Conlin Road

Killybegs

County Donegal

Email: shinesseafood@gmail.com

Phone

Marianne: +353 863873950

John: +353 86 8164106

Ciara: +353 87 2188021

Home: +353 74 9731758

Twitter: @shinesseafood  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShinesSeafood1