AISHLING MOORE OF GOLDIE WINS 'IRELAND'S BEST CHEF 2024' AT RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND (RAI) AWARDS

press release

AISHLING MOORE OF GOLDIE WINS 'IRELAND'S BEST CHEF 2024' 

AT RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND (RAI) AWARDS

The ultimate accolade for a chef in Ireland has been awarded to Aishling Moore of Goldie Restaurant in Cork, who was named ‘Best Chef Ireland 2024’ at the Restaurant Association of Ireland’s Annual Awards which were announced last night, Monday 20 May 2024, to a packed house of industry colleagues. 

For this Cork-born and bred 29-year-old, it is the pinnacle of a roller coaster year, which saw her release her first book ‘Whole Catch’, hailed as a “masterpiece”, as well as win a Failte Ireland Employer Excellence Award, all in the past month alone.

“I am so honoured and proud to get this national recognition from the RAI” says a thrilled Moore.  “It is a testament to the whole Goldie team who make it all happen every week. I am also delighted to see so many well-deserved awards across Cork. Congratulations to fellow restauranteurs at Custom House and in particular to our sister restaurant Elbow Lane” (who took Best Restaurant 2024 and Best Casual Dining Munster respectively).

Harrison and Ronan Sharpe, Head Chef and Restaurant Manager
 of Elbow Lane Restaurant and Brewery.
Elbow Lane enjoyed a Munster double at the awards.

Moore is undoubtedly one of the country’s most exciting young chefs and is rapidly becoming the foremost proponent of sustainable fish cuisine in both Ireland and the UK. Her restaurant, Goldie, in Cork’s city centre, pioneered gill-to-fin cooking in this country, while producing some of the best, most intriguing and dynamic modern Irish food.

Sustainability is at the heart of Moore’s operation both in and out of the kitchen, where a ‘whole catch’ approach to the local fishing boats ensures a good deal for the fishermen, less fish waste and a daily changing menu showcasing the diversity of Irish seafood for visitors.  

Her book called ‘Whole Catch” is an extension of this philosophy and is a must-have for those who want to cook more fish at home.  It is full of delicious accessible recipes and invaluable hints and tips on how to select, prepare and cook a wide variety of Irish fish and shellfish.

Goldie achieved Bib Gourmand status in 2021 and has been recommended as one of the very best restaurants in Ireland in the Sunday Times Best Restaurants and the Business Post 101 Best Restaurants lists 2024. 

Moore’s first cookery book, Whole Catch, is published by Blasta Books and is available in bookshops nationwide as well as https://blastabooks.com/products/blasta-books-10-whole-catch and goldie.ie.

Goldie and Elbow Lane Brewery & Smokehouse are part of the multi-award-winning Market Lane Group of owner-operated restaurants in Cork, which also includes Market Lane, ORSO and Blackrock Castle Café restaurants.

Elbow Lane is celebrating a decade in business this year and continues to evolve its offering with tutored beer tastings and has added a fermentary to the already successful nano-brewery and restaurant.

Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico. The soul of our terroir.

Dievole Petrignano Chianti Classico (DOCG) 2019, 14% ABV.

RRP €38.95 Stockists: Wineonline.ie

More more than just a wine. The soul of our terroir.

This organic Chianti Classico from Dievole is more than just a wine; it's the "soul of our terroir," the producers proudly proclaim.  Living up to the name, this single-vineyard Sangiovese boasts a mid-to-dark ruby robe while the nose is alive with ripe red cherry and blackberry, hinting at the juicy fruit flavours to come.

The palate delivers on that promise delightfully, bursting with those same dark fruits balanced by a welcome streak of fresh acidity. Fine tannins lend structure, leading to a very satisfying finish.  This full-bodied wine with a touch of spice is a perfect partner at the table or picnic.

Food Pairings:  Wine Folly suggests a plate of sliced prosciutto or pasta al pomodoro would be a classic match. Feeling adventurous?  Try Jane Anson's recommendation of grilled red peppers and chorizo soaked in olive oil.

A Storied Vineyard:  The name Dievole (meaning "God willing") dates back to 1090. Purchased by Alejandro Bulgheroni in 2012, the estate became certified organic in 2017. The Petrignano is made entirely from Sangiovese, their most widely planted grape.  After fermentation, the wine spends 13 months in large French oak barrels followed by 3 months in bottle before release.

Check out  our Top Wines 2024 list (with stockists and short reviews) here 

Looking for better value? All under 20 euro. Click here

Pic via Dievole

High-Altitude Terroir:  The well-named Petrignano, a stony area with mineral-rich soils and limestone outcrops, sits at 335 meters above sea level. The producers clearly appreciate the unique character these elements impart to the grapes, resulting in a wine that truly embodies the soul of their terroir.

* This post is part of a series of Italian wines produced by usually small or medium-sized wineries, which are organic and made from native grapes. 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 

Beer of the Week. Jigsaw DDH IPL by Rye River , with help from Yakima Chief Hops

Beer of the Week. Rye River with help from Yakima Chief Hops

Rye River Jigsaw DDH IPL 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

In your glass you see a beautiful pale gold colour with millions of little bubbles racing towards the soft white top. “Piecing together what we love about lager and IPA”, say Rye River, very happy with this collaboration with Yakima Chief Hops. It is, as you’d expect, quite a hoppy beer, more so on the palate than on the nose. But this hybrid (between IPA and lager) is never hop dominated, just well balanced.

Rye River: “Our new DDH (double dry hopped) Indian Pale Lager is a light and crisp masterpiece, dry-hopped with Mosaic hops. Thanks to YCH, we’ve combined three Mosaic products for a perfect fit. 🧩 Get ready to solve your beer puzzle!” With the vibrant verve of a lager and the handshake of hops, this is very pleasing overall and an immediate candidate for Beer of the Week.

What did Yakima Chief actually bring to the party? YCH 701 & 702 Trial extracts and classic T90 Mosaic is the hoppy answer.

Yakima Chief is a 100% grower-owned network of family hop farms in the Northwest (Washington) of the US. They are uniquely positioned to establish strong relationships between the growers who supply quality hops and the brewing customers who utilize the products in their beers.

“Operating for more than 30 years, we have become more than a hop supplier. We are a resource for brewers…. We are advocates of sustainability and meaningful social causes, working to support the environment and communities around us.”

Geek Bits

Malts: Wheat Malt, Pilsner Malt.

Hops: Cascade, Herkules, MOsaic, Tradition.

Yeast: German Bock Yeast.

Blarney Castle Gardens

 Blarney Castle Gardens

20th May 2024

Giant Allium

Laburnum

Allium

Colour by Wisteria

On the Himalayan walk

Allium, with snail

Laburnum

In the Poison Garden

Queue for the castle

Barley and Grape Rag in Ballymaloe Drinks Theatre. Rory Gallagher on the road.

Barley and Grape Rag. 

Rory Gallagher on the road.

“When I'm walking down mainstreet, feeling no pain,

Along comes a cop, he can take my name,

And explain to me what a federal case is,

I'm mixing the barley with the grape again.”

“The road is a dangerous place” said Robbie Robinson of The Band in The Last Waltz. And anyone who saw the recent film 27: Gone Too Soon will have seen why.

The mid-day chat though at the Ballymaloe Drinks Theatre was more on the light-hearted side with Rory’s brother Dónal heading a panel that also included wine importer and music lover Pascal Rossignol, wine writer John Wilson and Lee Tiernan (a chef whose Black Axe Mangal restaurant in London has been called “the Sex Pistols of the culinary arts” by the McKennas).

Before it all started, we enjoyed a sup of cider, the unreal Cockagee from the Slane Cider Mill, produced with the traditional “keeving” method  by Mark Jenkinson. If you haven’t tried this, you should!

Pascal introduced this and also the first wine, the Ciape, a gorgeous Piemonte white made from the Cortese grape. More grape to follow as the session began in earnest, including the story that Dónal Gallagher once won his weight in wine in a raffle.

John Wilson, who did a stint on pirate radio, told us that the first album in their house was by Rory and bought by John’s sister. The wine writer also mentioned that he has seen music used in a very different way in a few vineyards around the world, employed to put the vines at ease and improve the final outcome.

A good few years back, again at Ballymaloe, Skillogalee winemaker Dave Palmer told a yarn. He was having trouble with the kangaroos helping themselves to the young vines and tried a few counter-measures. Nothing worked until he rigged up a few radios (weather-protected) and when they played, the roos stayed away. But what did Dave play? We were thinking heavy metal. “No,” said Dave, “Current affairs.”

Dónal Gallagher

On the previous evening, Lee and Kate from Black Axe Mangal - FKABAM and West Cork’s own Fingal Ferguson from Gubbeen (Lee once worked on the Ferguson’s farm) presented a meal in the Woodshed at Ballymaloe, a fantastic experience according to some attendees that I met.

Lee remarked on Rory’s remarkable energy, saying he had a great interaction with the crowd. “He invested heavily in his audience and they gave it back”.” I’d seen that myself at Shandon Boat Club in the 60s. Rory’s gigs were supposed to be over at a certain time but that hour was rarely honoured as Rory and the fans were enjoying themselves so much.

He got the action, he got the motion
Rory sculpture in Ballyshannon,
his birthplace

Pascal told us about our first red as it was poured, the Terre de Feu, light, fresh and vibrant. It was truly excellent and now on my wish list! It is a light blend of Carignan and Grenache Noir and produced in the Languedoc by the rebels of Les Foulards Rouges.

The opening lines (top) are from Rory’s Barley and Grape Rag, a favourite song of Ronnie Drew’s. “Rory and Ronnie became great friends,” said Dónal as he continued through his memories of touring the world with his brother.

I just wonder how many spotted this talent in Rory’s early days. My first memory of him was at a secondary school competition where a question time was followed by a talent show. Rory was a crew-cut competitor with his acoustic guitar and played If I had a Hammer.

In a year or two, the brothers persuaded neighbour Michael Crowley (who had a music shop in MacCurtain Street) to sell them a one hundred pound Fender Stratocaster guitar and “hid” it under Dónal’s bed. But Mr Crowley met Mrs Gallagher and asked how Rory was doing with the guitar. The game was up but the Stratocaster stayed. 

MC Colm McCann introduces the Barley & Grape panel (l to r): Pascal Rossignol,
John Wilson, Lee Tiernan and Dónal Gallagher.

It vanished temporarily though when stolen but, thanks to an appeal on Garda Patrol, they got it back. Indeed around this time, long-haired Rory was appearing on TV on the Showband Show with a group called the Fontana. Here he learned the craft of a touring musician and eventually led the band in a new bluesey direction and the rest is history.

Our final red wine was another gem,  from Burgundy, home of Pascal. Lively, precise and a real thirst quencher. Irresistible! And the final drink was right up my street as the John Lane whiskey by Power’s is one of my favourites! 

And so ended another enjoyable visit to the fantastic Drinks Theatre, in the capable hands of Colm McCan and his support team, who always keep the show going!

Calling all music buffs to the Rory Gallagher Music Library

Come along to the Rory Gallagher Music Library for Albert’s ‘Listen Back’ session, this time enjoying Dr. Strangely Strange’s 1969 album ‘Kip of the Serenes’.

Join us on Wednesday 22 May at 11.00 am when the album will be introduced in person by band member Ivan Peter Pawle, who will talk us through his most formative record!  

Followed by teas, coffees & chat. 

All welcome!

INTRODUCING METHOD AND MADNESS AMBURANA WOOD EDITION. A NEW DIMENSION OF WOOD INNOVATION IN IRISH WHISKEY

 INTRODUCING METHOD AND MADNESS AMBURANA WOOD EDITION

A NEW DIMENSION OF WOOD INNOVATION IN IRISH WHISKEY

Irish Distillers, maker of some of the world’s most well-known and enjoyed Irish whiskeys, is proud to introduce the latest whiskey expression from its innovative Micro Distillery, METHOD AND MADNESS Amburana Wood Edition. The first single pot still Irish whiskey aged in casks made from selectively sourced Amburana Wood, usually reserved for spicy-sweet Brazilian spirit Cachaça, this latest release from METHOD AND MADNESS offers a completely revolutionary flavour profile.  

Set to captivate both whiskey enthusiasts and discoverers, METHOD AND MADNESS Amburana Wood Edition is priced at a RRP of €95 and bottled at 46% ABV, with the latest cask experimentation contributing additional notes of marzipan, cardamom and vanilla.

Since 2017, the Micro Distillery has served as the copper canvas for experimentation, combining the wealth of knowledge of the Masters with the inquisitive minds of the Apprentices of Midleton Distillery, to create exceptional innovations that offer something completely unique to the Irish whiskey category. Exploring two primary routes of innovation: distillate creativity and unusual cask sourcing, this latest release celebrates the latter, transforming single pot still whiskey from the Midleton Micro Distillery with a finish in Amburana wood casks that ranges from 4 - 7 months.  

METHOD AND MADNESS Amburana Wood Edition was created from triple distilled single pot still whiskey made using malted and unmalted barley, originally distilled in 2018 and matured in ex-American whiskey oak barrels. This whiskey then finished its journey in South American Amburana wood casks, until it was deemed a whiskey par excellence by the pioneering METHOD AND MADNESS team.

Upon first sip, METHOD AND MADNESS Amburana Wood Edition captivates the taste buds with scents of cardamom, marzipan, and demerara sugar. As the liquid unfolds, a harmonious interplay of clove, cinnamon and heather honey delights the palate. The finish lingers with woodland spice, hazelnut syrup and raw vanilla bean.

Speaking about the whiskey, Barrett Stapleton, Head Distiller at Irish Distillers’ Micro Distillery, said: "We’re delighted to launch METHOD AND MADNESS Amburana Wood Edition, an exciting expression crafted at the Micro Distillery in Midleton. Having trialled a variety of wood finishes, the team felt it was the optimum time to showcase the unique and interesting flavour profile of Amburana wood. This expression pushes the boundaries by using innovative wood, unlocking new flavours and yielding a truly distinctive character in the resulting whiskey."

METHOD AND MADNESS is the pioneering Irish whiskey brand renowned for pushing the boundaries of traditional distilling. The brand is designed to reflect a next generation Irish spirit with a measure of curiosity and intrigue (MADNESS), while honouring the tradition grounded in the generations of expertise at Midleton Distillery (METHOD).

METHOD AND MADNESS Amburana Finish will be available from 17th May exclusively in-store at The Barry Group Off Licences nation wide and on-line at https://www.carryout.ie/ and at Midleton Distillery Collection
 

Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cardamom, Marzipan, Demerara Sugar
Taste: Clove, Cinnamon, Heather Honey
Finish: Woodland Spice, Hazelnut Syrup, Vanilla
Shop online:  Midleton Distillery Collection or at carryout.ie

press release

Looking for Chianti Classico? Look no further. This Ormanni Chianti Classico (DOCG) 2019 is elegant, powerful and beautifully balanced.

Ormanni Chianti Classico (DOCG) 2019, 14.5% ABV 

€25.00 Bubble Brothers 

If you're looking for Chianti Classico, look no further. Elegant, powerful and beautifully balanced.

This organic Ormanni has a light bright red ruby colour. The fragrance is intense, cherry leading the way. Beautiful red fruits on the palate, hints of liquorice, and a touch of light spice add to its amazing drinkability. The fruit factor is high but the power is balanced, and this light and elegant wine progresses smoothly to a lingering finish.

A superb Classico and Very Highly Recommended. Pair with cured meats, pasta with gravy, stewed and grilled meat and Tuscan cheese (or a wedge of Durrus!). And dishes with tomato sauce!

While Sangiovese was always the basis for the Classico, it was blended with many other grapes, including international reds and white grapes over the years. The adulteration didn’t help its reputation and Chianti became just another mass-produced wine. 

According to VINO, “in the last twenty years, more and more growers have been awakening to the capacity of a 100 per cent single variety Chianti Classico… others have returned to the classic combination of Sangiovese for character, Canailo for comfort, and Colorino for colour to make outstanding Chianti.”

The estate was founded by the Ormanni family in the XIII century - check it out in Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy (see quote at end). It is owned by the Brini family since 1818.  Paolo Brini Batecchi together with his daughter Paola run the winery today.

This Chianti Classico is produced with Sangiovese from their vineyards in the Municipality of Barberino Tavernelle. The wine is made principally from Sangiovese grapes, with ten per cent of Canaiolo, all estate grown, and aged for twelve months in oak barrels and casks.

Geek Bits for the Sangiovese fan.

Sangiovese means blood of Jove and is called after the Roman god known for playing around with thunderbolts.

Sangiovese has high acidity and as a result, matches well with “all manner of spicy foods”, according to Wine Folly who concludes “it will not get lost when paired with tomato sauce.”

The black cockerel badge on this, and other Chianti Classico, is celebrating 100 years. In 1924,  33 vineyard owners combined to form the original consorzio for the defence of Chianti. The cockerel (Gallo Nero) is now world-famous. Source: Tuscany Fine Wine Editions.

The vast majority of Sangiovese is grown in Italy. But it has many names here including Rosso di Montalcino, Carmignano, Montefalco Rossi, Morellino di Scansano, Rosso Conero, Torgiano Rosso and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. We’ll meet some of them in this series.

• This post is part of a series of Italian wines produced by usually small or medium-sized organic wineries made from native grapes. 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
• ““so that it should not seem remarkable when I speak of the noble Florentines, whose fame is buried by time. I have seen the Ughi, seen the Catellini, the Filippi, Grechi, Ormanni and Alberichi, illustrious families already on the wane”. ”

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) – Divine Comedy, Paradise Canto XVI