Seine-sational Night on the River. Cono Sur Blogger Competition Finalé

Seine-sational Night on the River

Cono Sur Blogger Competition Finalé

It is midnight in Paris. We are moored on the left bank and the boat is rocking. No! The boat is moored on the left bank and we are rocking.

Finland’s Johanna Koskiranta has just been announced as the winner of the Cono Sur 2014 Blogger Recipe Competition but the celebrations, led by team Cono Sur, are for everyone, the Chileans, the Finns, the Swedish, the Irish, the English, the French, and more, including at least at least one American.

The private boat trip on the Seine was a surprise. We started more or less at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, cruised under the bridges of Paris, the illuminated buildings adding to the magic. A lovely meal and Cono Sur wines enhanced the pleasure. The focus was very much on three reds this evening: the 20 Barrels Syrah and the 20 Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon and, perhaps my favourite, the Ocio Pinot Noir.

The day had started with a cook-off in L’Atelier Beaubourg (close to the Pompidou) with Clare and myself representing Ireland, Anna for Sweden and Johanna for Finland. Some gentle bubbles to ease us into it - loved that Cono Sur rosé - and, with lots of friendly chats going on, there was no pressure.

Our Irish dish, being plated up.
Includes Truly Irish Rashers and
the magical Irish Shellfish Butter by IASC 

Well, maybe a little when the dishes were presented to the judges: Adolfo Hurtado (MD and winemaker at Cono Sur), Jo Mansell (UK) and Christopher Carpentier, the top Chilean Chef (he is the main man on their Masterchef). Christopher too was enjoying the day, helping the various contestants (he helped us get the scallops out of their shells), and then he laid on a lovely lunch dish (duck, pasta and some of that “lovely Irish bacon”, Truly Irish rashers from our supply!).

You may see details of the three dishes here.

Our first international cap!

We left the cookery school about three o’clock and headed back to the hotel. Quite often in France, we end up at a Brocante event. And there was one on close to the hotel, a huge one, stretching all the way up to the Bastille and back down at the other side of the water (Pt. de Plaisance de Paris Arsenal). But we didn't have the car this time so didn't go browsing for bargains.

Instead we strolled up to the nearby Bastille, now a huge roundabout. And then took a walk in the beautiful Place des Vosges. There are some fascinating art galleries in the covered archway around the old square, amazing work inside. Then onto the Marais before coming back to Bastille via Rue St Antoine, a street full of food: restaurants, takeaways, fruit shops, cheese shops, wine shops, full of people, colours and aromas, a lively place as dusk and drizzle descended together.

Chef Chris concentrates as a contestant gives a summary of the dish.

We also had some free time after arriving on Thursday and used that to take a walk along the left bank, stopping at the riverside book stalls, before ending up at magnificent Notre Dame.

Later, we went out to dinner but the restaurant we had picked wasn't opening until 8.00pm. We were hungry, so settled on the nearby all day Tarmac. We had a very enjoyable meal here. I tucked into the Escargots from Burgundy and a Lamb Tagine, lots of fruit with the lamb, while CL had goats cheese with sun-dried tomato and then Cod with a gorgeous piperade sauce.

Back then to the hotel and a glass of St Emilion, relaxing ahead of the busy Friday. It was a busy enough time on the Friday but very enjoyable, all relaxed and informal throughout. If you want to party, get the Chileans to organise it! And do enter the Cono Sur Bloggers Competition next year!

More Paris pics below.

The birdmen of Notre Dame

L'Escargot at Tarmac

Notre Dame detail

Notre Dame under grey clouds

A wee bit of friendly pressure in the kitchen

Dinner at Tarmac, superb Tagine on right.

Evening in Place des Vosges

rue St Antoine. A cheese shop.

Fun and food on board. Chef Chris with winner Johanna

More frolics.

Arriving in Cork, Sat afternoon.

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week

Spiced Buffalo

 A new stall and a new product for Eoin O'Mahony of the English Market. The new stall is right next door to the existing O'Mahony Butchers and the new product is Spiced Buffalo, a delicious variation on the traditional Spiced Beef and our Taste of the Week. The buffalo comes from the herd at Toonsbridge Dairy and, in the coming weeks, Eoin will have all the different cuts. Not too sure what to do with buffalo meat? Then check out the Toonsbridge recipes here. By the way, the spice used with the buffalo is not the same spice that Eoin uses with his beef!

Paris Preview

Paris Preview

Bags are packed. Truly Irish Rashers and Irish Atlantic Seafood Butter are coming with us and so too are a bundle of nerves! Paris is the destination and the event is the final of the Cono Sur Bloggers and Foodies Recipe Competition that started back on the summer.

I was among the hopefuls that sent in recipes to the Irish leg; the recipes were intended to match with Cono Sur’s Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir. A shortlist was drawn up and then the public voting started on the internet. Our Scallops and Bacon ended up in the top three. These dishes were vetted by top Chilean chef, Christopher Carpentier,  and the Scallops and Bacon was declared the Irish winner.

Meanwhile, the competition was also going on in Finland and in Sweden and the winners from each of these Nordic countries will also be in Paris for the Friday cook-off. You may see the recipes here.

Each finalist will prepare their dish for a panel of judges, including Cono Sur´s General Manager and Chief Winemaker, Adolfo Hurtado, as well as Chef Carpentier Jo Mansell (UK). After what will surely be three savoury dishes, the panel will then choose the blogger with the best pairing, the winner of a trip for two to Chile.

Not too sure how much time we’ll have for tweeting. But Ross Golden-Bannon will be in Paris to document the proceedings, so it may be worth following him on Twitter at @goldenshots.   Win, lose or draw, I’m sure we’ll enjoy the prize-giving dinner on Friday evening.

The Lettercollum Cookbook Local Ingredients. World of Flavours.

The Lettercollum Cookbook

Local Ingredients. World of Flavours

I like the freedom and flexibility afforded by Karen Austin, the author of the just published Lettercollum Cookbook. The book tends to the vegetarian but there is no preaching, no straight lines to follow. Quite the opposite. Plenty of flexibility and there is a chapter on chorizo, another on fish.

Karen and her husband Con have been operating in West Cork for the last thirty years and that remarkable story, progress from a crowded dilapidated old mansion to their own walled garden plus an ever so popular shop in Clonakilty, the Lettercollum Project, is told in a couple of pages early in the book.

Not detailed in the book is the couple's input to a recent Cork/Beirut collaboration. Here, along with Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery, they took part in ‘Make Food Not War’. This included cooking with war widows in Tripoli, helping them create dishes that can be sold in the markets, a step towards freedom.

Author Karen having fun with her two sons, Darren (left) and Ronan
both professional jugglers.

The freedom in the book that I’m talking about is of a different kind. For instance, in talking about a vegetarian Leek, Sweet Potato and Spelt Soup, she says: “If you have a chicken carcass handy, throw it in”. In a Seafood Chowder: “if you don't like mussels, add more fish”. In a Potato and Chorizo Tart you are invited to try Puy Lentils instead of the potatoes. Her recipes are not straightjackets, though the likes of myself would probably do well to pay close attention to the basics!

The book is well laid out, not cluttered, with some terrific photographs of the food (my favourite is not of food though but the spread with the bird nesting boxes). Some beautiful salads in the first section, many of them for the summer time. But some too for these short days, including a Red Cabbage, Celeriac, Apple and Hazelnut Salad. And you also have the Asian Slaw, “equally delicious summer and winter”.

The New Potato and Smoked Mackerel Salad looks tempting. While it is perhaps, as indicated, one for sunny weather, methinks it would do just as well at this time of year, especially if using Fresh Hederman’s fish.

And speaking of freedom and flexibility in the kitchen, there is a Rooty Toot Soup. “This is a bottom of the vegetable basket type soup - just chuck in whatever you have.”

Sometimes, when on holidays in France we buy fish at the market. We don't want to do much cooking, and it usually ends up with cherry tomatoes. And, in the fish section, Karen has a very “quick to make” recipe here: Grilled Cod with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Basil. Just the job, for Ireland or wherever. Think we’ll be trying that soon.

Quite a few recipes for Chorizo and one that caught my eye was the Chorizo and Cabbage Paella. Lots of very good chorizo available locally nowadays.

Karen must be delighted to see the increase in the variety of local produce over the past thirty years and her Linguine with Tomato and Mozzarella, in the vegetarian chapter, would no doubt see many of us using the super fresh Toonsbridge Mozzarella. Here too, the Pindi Channa looks amazing, Karen referring joyfully to the “fresh, sweet explosions of the jewelled pomegranate seeds”.

There are recipes for a string of gorgeous savoury tarts and she details how you can make the Lettercollum savoury pastry (they have had many requests for it over the years). Of course, there is a Sweet Things corner. Recipes that got my attention here are her takes on Crême Brulée and also her Rhubarb Clafoutis.

Recipes too for Summer Fruit Jam, Sweet Pastry, and Peach Bellini. Quite a lot in this book for all seasons. Reckon the one in this house will soon have many dog-eared pages.

The Lettercollum Cookbook (€21.00) is available at bookshops nationwide and also in the UK. Great to see that the book is totally "home-grown". It is edited by Cork journalist Roz Crowley, published by Onstream and printed in Mayo by KPS Colour Print. Well done to all concerned.

New Foodie Recipe Videos from Glenisk

Glenisk Takes the Starring Role

In New Forkful Food Recipe Videos

Glenisk have made it very easy for me. They probably know I'm a little lazy so they sent a sample of a beautiful Orange and Cardamon Granola to try with their versatile range of yoghurts.

Ireland’s award winning organic dairy have collaborated with Forkful TV to create a series of delicious video recipes featuring the full Glenisk range in starring roles, demonstrating the versatility of the Yogurts, Milks, Cream and Crème Fraiche directly on your tablet, laptop or smartphone! And here you'll find out how to make the granola yourself, step by easy step. I might even be tempted to make my own!

The beautifully shot videos are available to view here (this is the YouTube Link ) and will provide both novice and veteran foodies with tips and ideas for a variety of dining occasions; from lazy weekend brunch with friends, and family sit-down meals, to handy lunch options and some sinfully sweet suggestions for desert!

The Forkful videos are the latest additions to Glenisk’s growing selection of recipe suggestions and videos, all available to watch and experiment with on the recipe section.The full Glenisk range is free from artificial or GM ingredients, synthetic chemicals and additives, so are good for nature, and good for you, and are available across retail stores nationwide.

Stay up to date and be in with a chance to win prizes by checking them out on their Facebook page  www.facebook.com/GleniskOrganic or follow www.twitter.com/Glenisk.

Full range of Glenisk recipe videos include:

Breakfast

Orange and Cardamom Granola

Savoury Pancakes

Creme fraîche baked eggs

Lunch/Dinner

Cornbread with chilli con carne

Leftover roast chicken sandwich

Creme fraîche mussels

Dessert

Salted caramel sauce

Rice pudding with vanilla rhubarb

Lemon Cake

Other

Creme Fraîche trio

·  Lime crème fraîche with smoked salmon

·  Lemon Zest crème fraîche frosting

·  Herb and mustard crème fraîche with crudites

Electric Start to Beery Good Night

Electric Start to Beery Good Night
Fish Bar Specials

Mackerel, Bisque and Plaice

You’ve got to hand it to the team at Electric. They got a great idea when deciding to turn the upstairs outside deck into an indoor fish bar. It’s one thing getting the spark but another thing altogether to turn it into a working reality. But that’s just what has happened here. It makes for a lovely visit every single time and I certainly enjoyed my hour or two here last Friday evening.

The menu keeps changing but the cooking and presentation is always good, often excellent, and you just got to love the informal service, smiles, chats and effortlessly efficiency. We sipped a gorgeous José Pariente Reuda Verdejo (used to be the house wine at El Bulli’s) as we studied the specials list.

We each started with a bowl of Lobster Bisque, served with rouille croutons. The bisque was of excellent quality, full of flavours and quite warming on a rather cool evening. By the way, the Fish Bar, despite all those riverside windows, is obviously well insulated (as you’d expect from the Electric team!) and was comfortably warm on the night.

Next we had three dishes to share, each at nine euro. Two were from the specials list: Steamed Mussels (with beer, chilli and lemongrass) and Tandoori marinated plaice fillets (with cucumber, tomato and mint raita). The third, from the regular list, was: Smoked Mackerel and Cherry Tomato Gratin (with Hegarty’s Cheddar, scallions, panko crumb).

Mussels are mussels, some will say, but this was a different treatment. Not that different but the sauce was enough to give a lovely little spicy lift, so much so that it was finished off with the spoon provided! There was some suggestion that the mackerel dish was a little on the salty side but it didn’t bother me as I loved both the textures and the flavours.

There was agreement about the Tandoori plaice fillets, all happy with this delicate and delicious plateful. The mild spice enhanced the fish and indeed, the raita, though excellent, was hardly needed.

At the counter of the Rising Sons

So it was a couple of happy punters that stepped out onto the Mall on the way to checking out some craft beer. First stop was the busy Rising Sons Brewpub on the Coal Quay. I’m afraid to say the average age jumped a fair bit when we entered the big lively space. We got a seat at the counter and ordered a tasting tray each, three small glasses of different beers for four euro.

They have a huge range of craft beers, and others, on draught, but I was interested in their own brews. The three that I got, from the six they produce a few feet away, were their seasonal Porter, the Steeple Hemp amber ale and the Mi Daza stout. The lady serving us gave us lots of helpful information on the beers.

Must say that I'm a fan of the Mi Daza which I’ve tasted in its various forms over the last year or two. Basically, it is a creamy old style Cork stout, “brewed with a traditional rich roasted flavour and hints of dark chocolate, imparted by a four malt extract and thrice hopped, leading to a unique taste and drinking experience”. One to stick with.

The just released seasonal Porter was our first sip and it went down well. It is somewhat lighter in body and flavour compared to the stout but a very pleasant drink indeed. The Steeple Hemp amber ale more or less ambushed the palate with the first sup. “Lots of hops” the lady said and she was right. It’s got a big body too and should be great with food. By the way, the palate soon got used to the hops.

Must go back soon and try their other beers, especially that Handsum IPA. Wonder does it live up to its name?

The Brewery Mezzanine at the Cotton Ball

Lots of good ale around nowadays and one of my favourites is the Kerry Lane Pale Ale available on draught at the Cotton Ball, our final halt of the evening. Started off here with their seasonal, the Indian Summer, which has enjoyed a long run this year. But I finished with the Kerry Lane and the pint just confirmed my already high opinion.

Actually, wouldn't it be great to see a tasting of the Kerry Lane, the Handsum and the Franciscan Well’s Chieftain in the one place? Are they all on tap in any one pub?

Amuse Bouche

..Bryce is genuinely happy: everything he does from sailing boats to eating a bourride - which now arrives in deep earthenware bowls - makes him happy. The bourride is fiercely red with tomatoes and in this unctuous redness two small local rock fish are half submerged along with some mussels and langoustines; crab limbs break the surface. ….. Jean-Loup says there is some turbot in the depths. He speaks conspiratorially: turbot is reserved for the best customers, he seems to be suggesting.

from Other People’s Money by Justin Cartwright

Rising Tide’s Special for Fish

Rising Tide’s Special for Fish

Bream

The Rising Tide’s menu caters for most tastes but, if your taste is for fish, your luck is in at this picturesquely situated Glounthaune venue. You can have your steak, your corn fed chicken, your pasta but do check out the blackboard as the chefs here take a great pride in their specials and more than likely, these will be fish and appropriately so, considering the harbourside location of Sandra Murphy’s bar cum restaurant, a long established favourite for both locals and visitors.

We, both of us with a big grá for fish, were in luck when we called in midweek as the board featured two tempting fish specials, one for each of us! Not that there was any shortage of fish on the general menu. We could have had fish and chips two ways,  and there was also hake, cod and a fish pie, not to mention the regular mussels and oysters dishes.

I went for the Pan-fried King scallops with char-grilled aubergine and fresh salsa. Don't think I’ve ever had the scallop-aubergine combination before but it was a fantastic tasty mix, an appealing pairing by the Rising Tide chefs and so well presented.

Scallops, aubergine

I don't think I really needed anything else with it but there was no shortage on the sides with, between the two of us, salad, vegetables, and french fries all available. CL’s main dish was another well executed gem: Grilled sea-bream fillets set on a basil and goats cheese risotto. The risotto was lovely on its own and also a superb match with the well cooked fish. Big compliments to Head Chef Craig Guiney.

Quite an enticing list of starters here too, including Chowder, Crab, Goat’s Cheese, and Prawns, all sourced locally, as are the ingredients for the main dishes.  

After enjoying the breads and dips, I tucked into my opening dish. This was a delicate delicious starter: Lemongrass and Honey Chicken, cooked in a parma ham cream sauce in a savoury tartlet. CL got a bit more than she bargained for with two big discs of Jack McCarthy Wild Boar Black Pudding. Served with cider apple and seasonal leaves, this was a flavoursome reminder as to why McCarthy’s black pudding is regarded as the best in the country.

Black pudding and, top: Chicken starter (right) and dessert (Lemon & Figs)

By the time the main courses were polished off, a debate started on the desserts and the final agreement was to share the Lemon and Fig Posset and this, so velvety and so smooth, proved to be another little beauty from the Rising Tide kitchen.

Being a full bar, there is a great variety of drinks here. I enjoyed my pint of Rebel Red from the Franciscan Well while CL was very happy with a glass of Santa Sofia Pinot Grigio, billed, rather truthfully,  as “much richer and full bodied than your average Pinot Grigio”.

The Rising Tide

• Glounthaune Village,
• Cork

  Phone	(021) 435 3233
  Email	sandra@therisingtide.ie
  Website	http://www.therisingtide.ie

Reds to Remember

Reds to Remember

A Margaux chateau this summer.

Marques de Riscal Gran Reserva 2001 (150th anniversary edition), 14%, €49.99 Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork.

This was produced to mark the 150th anniversary of Riscal and is rather special, a good choice for a special occasion of your own! It is the normal Rioja blend of Tempranillo (mainly), Graciano and Mazuelo, but from vines older than 30 years. The picking was by hand. Two and a half years in American oak was followed by three years bottle aging.

Dark cherry in colour, it has a complex nose: herbs, oaky fragrances, spicy. It is rounded, at this stage, well balanced with a viscous mouthfeel, no shortage of power or backbone, intense black fruits, supple and with a long silky finish. Superb. I’m sure you'll think of a special occasion. Very Highly Recommended.

By the way, I had a special occasion myself! Normally, I'll be sticking to my usual (flexible!) price range on this site, usually between €12.00 and €22.00.

Domaine de Maucaillou Margaux 2009, 12.5%, €12.00 in Margaux June 2014.

Moved on to this just as I was finishing the Riscal. What a pleasant surprise and a pleasant reminder that price is not always the best indicator of wine quality. This is a beautiful Bordeaux from a good year. Thought it was one of the more expensive of the Margaux that I bought there this summer and, on checking, was surprised to see it was the cheapest.

This is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, has spent 12 months in barriques and is produced in a 2.3 hectare vineyard. Confusingly, there is a Chateau Maucaillou not too far away in Moulis.

Colour is a deep ruby, healthy and bright, and it has a rather delicate fruity nose. On the palate, it has power and attractiveness in equal measures, a big wine indeed from a very small domaine, and a very nice finish as well. Check out your local wine merchant for Margaux. This one, if you come across it, home or away, is Very Highly Recommended.

Aresti Trisquel 2012 Syrah (Chile), 14%, €17.99 Supervalu.

This dark dark red has an intriguing nose: blackcurrants, spices, vanilla, caramel, smoke even. The Syrah (rather than Shiraz) suggests a nod towards the European style and it is indeed close to the more restrained Old World style. Quite complex on the palate, juicy, spicy, darkly fruity and a long pleasing finish. Quite a lot going on in this really stunning wine. Very Highly Recommended.

Moulin de Gassac Albaran 2011, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah Old Vines, 13.5%, €14.49 Curious Wines online.

On the lookout for value? Then you could do worse that check out the Curious Wines website as they give genuine discounts throughout the year. I saved three euro on this one a few weeks back. This is an excellent red for the price, great fruit and flavour, a highly recommended easy drinker from this innovative and well established Herault (Languedoc) vineyard.