Taste of the Week. Coolea Irish Farmhouse Cheese

Taste of the Week

Coolea Irish Farmhouse Cheese

In 1979, Helena Willems, longing for the cheese she'd known at home in Holland as she couldn't find anything like it here at their new home in Ireland, took out a little pot and began experimenting in the kitchen.

Encouraged, she took it a bit further and now Coolea cheese is a big name and much of the output is sold at the famous Neal's Yard in London while in Ireland Sheridan’s are the major customer.

The cheese was to be called Milleens after the local townland but that was knocked on the head as the Steeles, further west on the Beara peninsula and living in a townland of the same name, had just started making a cheese called Milleens. And so the Coolea brand was born.

It is firm and smooth, a pressed uncooked Gouda style cheese. Early on the flavours are caramel, nutty and floral but they become more robust as time goes on, sweeter if anything and still carrying traces of its delicate youth. A gorgeous cheese and well worth watching out for. Very suitable for cooking and indeed is ideal for melting

I am enjoying a wedge of Coolea at the moment. This is matured, is sweeter than in its young mild and creamy phase, and it is Taste of the Week. Was part of my order to Margo Ann in the English Market's Roughty Foodie and delivered to the door with a lot of other great Irish produce.

Trading through testing times. The English Market Traders continue to serve the people of Cork

Trading through testing times

The English Market Traders continue to serve the people of Cork 

The English Market has served the people of Cork since 1788 in the face of famine, flood, war and multiple recessions. As many of the English Market tenants continue to trade, it is almost certain that ‘global pandemic’ will soon be added to its list of triumphant battles.

Many of the food entrepreneurs and family businesses within the English Market have stepped up to recent challenges by diversifying and adapting from the traditional approach, to help support their communities, keep supply chains moving and ensure the viable continuity of their businesses. 

The English Market remains open for business in the heart of Cork City Centre as the traders today as in 1788, are as focussed as ever on “Serving the City”.

In addition, many of the innovative English Market Traders have recently introduced home delivery and order and collect services to support their customers who may be cocooning or unable to visit the Market during these times.

There is approximately 30 independent food retailers within the English Market open, providing a full supply of the very best of Irish produce including, freshly caught local fish and seafood, fresh fruit and vegetables, local farm reared meat and poultry, as well as some of Ireland’s best cheese, wine and preserve options - among a host of other foodie delights from both near and far. 

For customers visiting the English Market, there is the added advantage of free parking throughout the city and many social distancing, safety and security measures in place in the Market to keep shoppers and traders safe.

The English Market is open Monday to Saturday, 8am-6pm (although some traders are operating reduced opening hours), for further information please visit www.englishmarketcork.ie. To keep up to date with individual Trader information and regular updates visit @theenglishmarketcork on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Please find below the current detailed list of Traders open in the Market - with those offering click and collect or delivery services highlighted.

Company Name	Tenant	Details
Alternate Bread Company	Sheila Fitzpatrick	The Alternative Bread Company was established in 1997 by Sheila Fitzpatrick and sells a large range of handmade bread and baked goods, including a range of 100% organic sourdoughs, traditional Irish soda bread, syrian flatbread and a wide variety of gluten free, wheat free, dairy free and sugar free products. The Alternative Bread Company is open for business, operating during 8am -4pm. Offering a call and collect service and also offering a delivery service for elderly people - To place an order phone the shop on (021) 425 1347.
Ballycotton Seafood Ltd.	Adrian Walsh / Diane	Ballycotton Seafood is a family owned business, established in 1985, Ballycotton Seafood is open business as usual in the market with a full selection of superb fresh fish and seafood available. Also offering free local Cork delivery service (minimum order value €20) to place your order phone 021 4613122. Also offering call and collect service - phone the market stall on 021-4272093.
Best Meats	Paul / John Boyling	This traditional butchers was established in 1976 and now has had three generations of family preparing the “Best Meat” for the people of Cork since opening! Best Meats produces a range of fresh quality beef, lamb, pork and chicken. Their best selling product is their top quality beef. Business as usual. Slight change in hours - now operating 9am-5pm. Offering call and collect service from 021 4270563, pay over the phone available.
Bresnan Meats	Michael Bresnan	Bresnan’s Butchers was established in 1898 and is now a 4th generation butchers offering a high quality range of locally sourced meat. Bresnan’s is the family with the longest unbroken presence in the English Market which ensures a high level of care and custom in its service. Bresnan meats offer the best of home grown farm to fork, beef, lamb and pork from their Market stall business as usual from 9am-6pm Monday to Saturday.
Bubble Brothers	Billy Forrester	Bubble Brothers offer a carefully selected range of affordable, interesting wines and champagnes from around the world, alongside a variety of Cuban cigars.Open for business as usual in the market. Also offering free delivery for all orders of more than €100, to any address nationwide. Visit www.bubblebrothers.ie to place your order.
Café Marius	Sebastian Antoine	Cafe Marius take pride in offering local products, working exclusively with County Cork farmers and traders at the market to promote the importance of shopping local and supporting other traders. They have a selection of cakes, teas and coffees available. Open for takeaway only from their market stall.
Coffee Central	Mary Rose Daly	This family-run stall was established in 2000 and is on its second generation of management. Coffee Central offers a range of organic gourmet coffee and specialty loose leaf teas. Open in the market for takeaway only from Thursday to Saturday, 9am-5pm.
The Chicken Inn	Tim Mulcahy	Tim Mulcahy of The Chicken Inn, a third generation family business that is best known for providing quality and fresh poultry, pork and bacon, has recently launched their “Poultry in Motion” local delivery service offering customers free local Cork home delivery on orders €30 and above . Open For business in the market. To order, send an email to chickfoods.acc@gmail.com with your order, full name, address and telephone number.
Chocolate Stall	Rosemary Daly	The Chocolate Shop opened in 2000 as a specialist chocolate shop: unique in Ireland, it is independent of any manufacturer or franchise and therefore free to source only the best quality chocolate from the best artisan chocolatiers throughout the world. The Chocolate Shop is available for home delivery and click and collect from their website www.chocolate.ie
Coughlan Meats	Paul / Alan Murphy	Coughlan meats are a fifth generation family butchers serving the people of Cork for over half a century. Alan and the team pride themselves on having all locally sourced products. This butchers specialises in providing a range of quality beef, lamb, pork and poultry products. Open business as usual in the market and also offering click and collect service of from www.coughlanmeats.com
Durcans	Tom Durcan	Tom Durcan Meats specialise in sourcing and selling the finest quality local meats from dry aged Irish beef, succulent Irish spring lamb, locally produced fresh Irish pork and the freshest homemade speciality sausages. Tom Durcan Meats are open in the market and also offering order and collect and a free local delivery service. Order online on tomdurcanmeats.ie or phone the shop on 021 427 9141 to place your order. They will even add items from other stalls to your order on request!
Hassetts Bakery	Michael Hassett	Hassetts Bakery offers a wide range of products including artisan breads and confectionery. Open for business and have recently launched an order online service from www.hassettsbakery.com. You can order your freshly baked bread, pastries & confectionery and they will have your order ready for next day collection once ordered before 12.30pm.
Heavens Cakes	Joe Hegarty	Heaven’s Cakes is run by husband and wife team Team Joe & Barbara Hegarty. Both are classically trained chefs specialising in Cakes and Pastries. All produce at Heaven’s Cakes is handmade, using local ingredients wherever possible. Open in the market on Friday and Saturday only from 9.30-6pm.
Hederman's	Frank Hederman & Caroline Workman	Hederman Smoked Salmon is a first generation artisan producer of smoked wild and organic salmon, which they have been producing in Ireland’s only authentic timber smokehouse for nearly forty years. Hedermans is open business as usual in the market, have just launched a new Click and Collect service in addition to their delivery service, available to order from their website www.frankhederman.com.
K O'Connell's	Pat O'Connell	K O’Connell’s was established in 1962 and has been a thriving business since its opening nearly 60 years ago. O’Connell’s pride themselves on their customer service, the freshness of their products and their ability to source exotic fish for their customers. Their best sellers include salmon, cod, hake and prawns. Open for business from the market offering an amazing selection of fresh local seafood. Also offering a newly introduced  home delivery service - to place an order phone 021 427 6380 or email freshfish@eircom.net. Please specify which way you would like your fish prepared and the team will have it ready just the way you like it!
Landons Bacon	Stephen Landon	After farming for generations the Landon family established this stall in the English Market in 1990. They pride themselves on selling only the best and freshest of Irish pork and bacon. All of their products are prepared in house and all produce is locally sourced. Their rashers and bacon are highly acclaimed and are very popular among the people of Cork. Open for business as usual, Offering delivery to elderly vulnerable people during this time - contact Stephen on 086 862 0077 to place your order.
My Goodness	Virginia & Donal O'Gara	My Goodness was established in 2015 by Dónal and Virginia O’Gara. My Goodness is an award-winning ethical health focused business that specialises in vegan, raw, sugar free, gluten free and fermented probiotic products. All ingredients are sourced from local and organic suppliers where possible. My Goodness foods are open business as usual in the market and available for Click and Collect and home delivery through Neighbourfoods.ie .
Noonan's	Kathleen Noonan	This stall was established in 1955 by Kathleen Noonan and is now managed by Pauline Noonan as the second generation to run the family business. Noonan butchers specialises in pork with best sellers including the skirts and kidneys, bodice, crubeens and offal. All produce is sourced from Irish local producers with traditional old fashioned curing. They can do a delivery service - if needed, just to ring her on her mobile. They have their full product range available everyday and new hours during this time are 9.30-4pm.
O'Mahony Family Butchers	Eoin & Katherine O'Mahony	O’ Mahony’s was established in 1974 by Katherine O’Mahony. At this Stall you will find the very best, locally sourced meat such as specialist cuts of dry aged beef, Ballea Farm Lamb, rose veal, buffalo and venison. Open for business Tuesday-Saturday 9am-2.30pm . Offering click and collect from www.omahonysbutchers.com and will drop your order to the boot of your car.
O'Reilly's	Donagh O'Reilly	A O'Reilly is now a third generation family butcher. O'Reilly's continue to serve traditional Tripe and Drisheen to the people of Cork, as they have for the past 100 years. Call ahead to place your order on 021 427 0925 and collect, or one of the team will kindly drop it out to your car.
O'Sullivans Poultry	Glenys Landon	O’Sullivans began the business by rearing free range turkeys and chickens on their own farm in Cork. They moved into trading in the English Market in 1990. You can expect to find a variety of options available from free range chicken to wild Irish game. Open for business as usual in the market.
O'Sullivans	Tim O'Sullivan	Tim O’Sullivan Meats was established in 1939. Now Tim O’Sullivan is the 3rd generation butcher to lead the company and provides quality and fresh meats to local customers. This butcher sells beef, lamb, pork and poultry products and is best known for providing a large range of ready-made stir fry marinated products.
On the pigs back	Isabelle Sheridan	On the Pigs Back was established by 1992 by Isabelle Sheridan, a French native. This stall prides itself on its passion for Farmhouse Cheeses, Homemade Pates & Terrines made from family recipes. On the Pigs Back stock a full range of Irish Farmhouse Cheese as well as daily fresh Arbutus Bread. Open business as usual in the Market and also offer a nationwide delivery service from www.onthepigsback.ie and available to order through neighbourfood.ie.
Pots n Pans	Michael McBarron	Pots N Pans was established in 2004 and sells a range of household, kitchen and crockery supplies. Open business as usual in the market with social distancing practices in place.
Moynihan's Poultry	Noel O'Callaghan	Moynihan’s Poultry provides a variety of fresh Irish poultry products and eggs. The brand is proud to provide all shoppers with locally sourced poultry products which come from 100% approved Bord Bia farms. Moynihan’s poultry range of poultry cuts, eggs and value-added products ensures that each customer has a wide variety of options to choose from. Open for business as usual in the market.
Super Fruit	Michael Corrigan	Superfruit was established in 1969 by Michael Corrigan. This family business sells fresh fruit and vegetables from its popular market stall. This is worth a visit if you are looking for guaranteed farm to fork freshness. Open for business as usual, trading as normal with all welcome.
The Good Food Shop	Marc O'Mahony	The Good Food Shop is a certified organic trader and sells a wonderful selection of top quality fresh, organic fruit and vegetables as well as household staples and a vast range of specialty food items. Open for business as usual, with the normal opening times 9am-6pm. Delivery service available - email or phone in marcomahony@hotmail.com Possibly the only shop in Cork(Potentially Ireland) with yeast available - to bake bread. Fresh yeast and dried yeast delivery on saturday morning.
The Meat Centre	Ken Barrett	The Meat Centre was originally established in 1980 by first generation butcher Ken Barrett. A wide variety of fresh meats are on offer such as beef, lamb, pork and bacon. All produce are of the finest quality and are fully traceable from farm to fork. Open for business as usual in the market.
The Real Olive Company	Jenny Rose & Tobias Simmonds	The Real Olive Company was established in 1993 by Toby Simmonds and was the first olive stall in the country. Starting with just a few barrels of olives and growing now to include about 40 varieties of olives along with an extensive range of other Mediterranean produce, such as fresh pesto, hummus, tapenade and extra virgin olive oil as well as their own dairy -Toons Bridge Dairy. The Real Olive Co. deliver nationwide from their online shop www.therealoliveco.com
The Roughty Foodie	Margo Ann Murphy	The Roughty Foodie is now a third generation family run business. You can expect to find local and fresh real honest ingredients when visiting this market stall - they provide non perishable food gifts, seasonal fruits, local raw honeys, homemade jams and Irish crafts. The Roughty Foodie is open for business as usual and also providing a free local delivery service within the city limits, of their delicious 'Cocooning Food Hamper' filled with local produce for just €70! Call Margo on 087 635 2415 to place your order.
Toonsbridge Dairy	Jenny Rose & Tobias Simmonds	Toonsbridge was established in 2009, when The Real Olive Company recognised a high demand for Mediterranean cheeses that were imported and being sold to accompany their olive selection. Jenny-Rose Clarke of The Real Olive Co. took this as an opportunity to create a range of locally hand-made Mediterranean style cheeses, which has since become an award-winning stand alone brand of its own. Toonsbridge Dairy and The Sandwich Stall are open for business in the market. They are also offering an order and collect service. To place an order, call (021) 4806500 .

Susan’s Award-winning ‘Jewelled Christmas Cake’ Is A Festival Gem

Susan’s Award-winning

 ‘Jewelled Christmas Cake’ Is A Festival Gem

Great excitement for Susan Robbins Fehilly when her Christmas cake was declared the overall winner at the recent Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards. I could say it was the icing on the cake but there’s no icing on this champion, just a crown of preserved fruits and nuts. 

The “Jewelled Christmas Cake” is indeed a winner as I found out when I sampled it last weekend. I spoke to Susan who recalled the night of triumph: “What a fantastic night it was at the Irish Quality Food Awards 2019! Winning not only the Christmas cakes and pudding category, but also the overall Christmas Q award. Of course, not forgetting our Chocolate and Raspberry cake which won the Good Choice cakes and biscuit category!”  Wildberry is a regular award winner but this was something special.

And that cake is something special. Once I got it home, a small slice was extracted and I sat down in anticipation with an Americano at hand. It is absolutely delicious. The fruit cake itself is superb, wonderful textures and flavours and the fruit and nuts from the crown add an extra individual flavour as you take a nibble from the top of your slice every now and then. Easy to see why the judges went for this one, Wildberry’s first attempt at the Christmas Cake market.

The Wildberry bakery is located in the village of Ballineen, West Cork. It has both a Gluten Free & a Floury unit. Their complete focus is on taste and quality. All cakes are handmade to taste perfection using only the best ingredients. For instance, Clonakilty free range eggs and Bandon butter are used in the Christmas cake, no preservatives, no additives. Susan’s ethos is to create great flavours and textures, particularly in her Gluten Free Range. Her influences are French but her passion is for Irish ingredients and the excellence of Irish food.

It also looks stunning, with that necklace of preserved fruits and nuts on top instead of traditional icing. And a little tip. All you need here is a small slice, such is the concentration of flavour. It’s a bit like sipping a very fine wine as against a run of the mill bottle -  a little goes on long way. At an rrp of €15 for an 800g cake, this would be a welcome gift in any home, especially your own!

It is available in in the following Dunnes stores, at the ABC Bread concessions: Cornelscourt, Rathmines, Naas, Bishopscourt [ Bandon Rd ] Cork, Jetland [ Limerick].

The 800g [€15] and the 1600g [ €25] are also available at ABC in the English Market.

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.

A Little Night Magic in English Market. The Farmgate Supper Special

A Little Night Magic in English Market

 The Farmgate Supper Special

“If they were on every Friday night, I’d be here every Friday night,’ declared a delighted customer at the end of last Friday’s Farmgate Supper. And she was roundly applauded by the long table.

Even before the day softly and slowly turns to night, the Farmgate has much going for it, including an amazing wide-ranging larder from the market underneath, and the expertise of the kitchen. Then, when darkness shuffles into the corners of the city, the magic of the upstairs venue is enhanced, especially on the run-up to Christmas. Add in next the conviviality of the communal table and you have a winning hand of four aces. 

It’s a relaxed start; a glass or two of bubbles and an amuse bouche or two on the balcony. Soon we are being led into the famous restaurant, this year celebrating its 25th anniversary. And indeed, this series of suppers is part celebration of the 25th. There are still three nights more to come, all with the winning formula. Take your pick from 29/11; 6/12; or 13/12. Just letting you know before the lady from the other evening and her friends book them all up!

We nibble on soda bread and butter as the staff fill all the drinks orders, everything from excellent European wines, Irish beers to their own Elderflower Cordial. The initial small plate of Organic Beetroot, Ardsallagh Goats Cheese, Hazelnuts, a classic combination of local ingredients, gets this part evening underway as people introduce themselves across the table.

Frank Hederman, whose fish stall is downstairs, was among the company and so it was entirely appropriate that his smoked salmon (mussels too) was on the next plate. In 2000, the New York Times said of Frank (as well as labelling him “droll”): “Mr. Hederman smokes fish, which is a little like saying Steinway makes pianos.” Not much one can add to that except perhaps to say that Frank (like his now veteran smokehouse which is increasingly more than a passive player in the process), has improved in the 21st century. By the way, another refreshing taste of the sea, in the form of a dressed oyster, came with the fish plate.

Back to Terra Firma and the next treat, from Chef Pam Kelly and her team in the kitchen, was Featherblade of Beef (from butcher Eoin O’Mahony downstairs) with Artichoke and Potato Dauphinoise. Featherblade has been a favourite around Cork over the last decade or so and this rendition, perfect in both quality and quantity, won’t have harmed its reputation in any way whatsoever.

Someone asked the following day if we had had music. We didn’t but the music of the animated conversations around the table was all that was needed. The next course was chocolate, a luscious Dark Chocolate Marquise, Brandy and Shortbread Biscuit. Actually that dessert did stop the conversation flow for a short spell. The finalé, a rather splendid (and local of course) one, soon followed: Milleens Cheese with fig compote.

Soon we were leaving in happy dribs and drabs. It’s cold outside, someone warned, but we were pretty well warmed at this point, happy too or happy out as we are inclined to say in these parts. In fact, we felt as if we were i gcorplár an tsamhraidh, the name of Cormac Mehegan’s 2012 painting reproduced on the cover of the menu card.

Inside the card, the producers and suppliers were acknowledged and here they are: Glenilen Farm, Kilbrack Farm, Ardsallagh Cheese, On the Pig’s Back, Hederman’s, O’Connell’s Fish, O’Mahony’s Butchers, Longueville House Apple Brandy, and Roughty Foodie.

Goldie. Where Fish Reigns

Goldie. Where The Fish Reigns

Sardines

It’s new and cool. Check out those white tiles with black designs opposite the counter. Ease yourself into those comfortable low-backed chairs and, if someone to the side talks to you, just swing round a few degrees and go face to face. But most of all, Goldie is all about the fish.

Crumpet

The clue of course is in the name. Most natives and many visitors will know that the big fish that forever swims at the top of the tower in Shandon has forever been nick-named Goldie. And the city loves its fish both in sentiment and in tasty reality. And Goldies makes that reality even more flavoursome.

Prawn cocktail crisps

The restaurant takes the ‘whole catch’ from the Ballycotton small day boats (so they take whatever is caught on the day, regardless of the quantity and species) ensuring a daily changing menu featuring the freshest produce available. They also buy in the English Market. 

Goldie operates a ‘gill to tail approach’, using as much of the fish as possible. So you’ll see some surprises on the menu, not just the species on offer but also the parts. Anyone for crunchy fish spines?

Lemon Sole

We were prepared to be surprised when we visited the other day. Front of house is very friendly and on the ball here. There’s an immediate welcome, help with the menu if need be and a chat or two over the evening. We were in early and it filled up quickly enough. Another upstairs room is being readied even as the confident new restaurant takes its first accomplished steps.

The window, more or less facing the “parent” Market Lane, shows the words Fish and Ale under the main title. And the beers come from the Elbow Lane Micro Brewery, also across the street. Brewers Russell and Davide have specially formulated the ales to suit food and, as customers of Market Lane and Elbow Lane itself will tell you, they have been very successful in that regard. 

I enjoyed a pint of the Jawbone Pale Ale with my fish. It is on draught as are the others: Angel Stout, Elbow Lager and Wisdom Ale, all named after Cork lanes.

Gurnard

Jawbone

The menu is divided into four sections. Inexpensive options come under Snacks. Next step is Small Plates, followed by Mains, and Desserts (no fish but they do use sea salt!). A quartet of sides available also including Sea Salt Shoestring Chips, Crushed baby potatoes (with scallion and seaweed), Roast Cauliflower (with hazelnut brown butter), and Sea Vegetable kimchi salad (with squid).

There were five snacks on the Friday we called and we enjoyed the Golden Crumpet and seaweed butter and enjoyed, even more, the Prawn cocktail crisps with cultured cream and seaweed, each priced at €2.50.

Harty’s Oyster feature on the small plates but our choices were the Salt Fish brandade, seaweed cracker and pickled celery, a very tasty combination indeed (7.5). The similarly priced Seared devilled sardines with pickled celeriac were superb, so good I thought briefly (it was raining outside) I was back in the old town of Albufeira enjoying a plateful in the hot sun with a glass of wine. By the way, they have a wine list with most of the whites very well suited to the fish.

Panna Cotta

The superb mains were yet to come. I’m a sucker for Gurnard but rarely come across it when eating out. The Pan fried Gurnard here (21.50), with bok choi and lasooni butter, is a delight. Simply delicious, especially with the sauce.

And the chicken butter sauce with the Pan Fried Lemon Sole (22.50) was also a winner. There was a decent chunk of swede (how often do you come across that veg in restaurants?) on the plate as well. We could have had sides but resisted the temptation as we were determined to go through all three courses.

Budino

As it turned out, the strategy worked very well indeed. We completed the three and felt good for the fourth! Just a short list of sweets but two were enough for us. The Pom ‘O apple port Panna Cotta with caramelised apple and crumble and the Achill Island Sea Salt and caramel pudding with hazelnut biscotti were each that bit different to the usual dessert and a lovely finalé to a superb fish dinner.

Goldie is the result of an exciting collaboration between Aishling Moore (25), former head chef of Elbow Lane, and Stephen Kehoe, (39) executive chef of the Market Lane Group.