Showing posts with label Glenmar Shellfish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Glenmar Shellfish. Show all posts

Monday, September 12, 2022

Tour de Gastronomie. Greene's Kitchen Skilfully Manage The Bounties Of The Seasons .

Tour de Gastronomie


 

Greenes Kitchen Skilfully Manage The Bounties Of The Seasons

It’s early on a September Friday evening and the courtyard between Greenes Restaurant and her now grown-up sister Cask is abuzz with diners. We make our way through to the waterfall and turn right into the restaurant and there’s a warm welcome from sommelier Frank* who combine(s)d his wine duties with restaurant manager. 

We were in early, early enough for their excellent value Early Bird (5-6pm). Other choices also available, including Prix Fixe, A La Carte and Tasting Menu. After a fair bit of “reading” and double checking, we settle on the Prix Fixe (55 euro a head) and we will not be at all disappointed. Au contraire!



The excellence here begins in the fields, the seas and the forests, with farmers, growers, foragers and fishermen, in Cork and in the region generally. It is meticulously maintained and cooked and presented by the team in Greene’s kitchen. And it is served with accuracy and smiles by the front of house team. 


We’ve made our choices and our wines have been brought to the table. A glass of Grüner Veltliner (Steiniger, Kamptal, Austria), light, fruity and with crisp acidity, for her; a glass of Lingenfelder Fox Label (Pfalz, Germany), deliciously juicy with ripe fruits by the German family for me. Both glasses are 175ml by the way, as large as you’ll get anywhere in Ireland.



Then there’s a surprise unlisted set of snacks, salmon sushi style, a creamy apple-topped soup and a pork belly croquette. Super bites and signs of the goodness to come. Delicious breads on the table also.





I started with a colourful and wonderful plate of Glenmar Salmon Gravlax, Toasted Almond Milk, Parsley, Pickled Red Onion, Crispy Capers. The salmon and the toothsome red onion were the main duo and the milky sauce helped it all on its delightful way.



My second choice (from five) would have been the Heirloom Tomato, with Basil Yogurt, Grapefruit, Vanilla, Sunflower Seeds, Tomato Water and CL loved it. There was a bit of sharing going on, there always is. I enjoyed my bits no end, as did she. Next time, we’ll have to swap courses!



Then it was on to Market Chicken (from Twomey’s of Macroom) and, as always here, the breast meat was soft, tender, succulent, moreish! Especially with the Coconut and Lemon Grass, Sweet potato, Bok Choi, Crispy Chickpeas.


 

Again, we had five choices and my pick was a favourite, the Skeaghanore Duck Breast (medium rare), with Carrot, Braised Endives, and Jus and more. Tasty and toothsome, this consistently satisfying dish is a must if you like duck. By the way, all main courses come with a side of vegetables and potatoes to share. Needless to say, these were spot-on.


Desserts can often be a letdown in restaurants. Quite often the lemon posset is no great shakes. But it is a different story, different class, here and the Lemon Posset and Raspberries, Oatmeal Lace Biscuit, Raspberry Sorbet is highly recommended by CL. And I can honestly give a major thumbs up to my Dark Chocolate and Hazelnuts Torte, Praline Caramel, Barley Ice Cream. 


* Suppliers, just to give you an idea of the provenance here, include: Waterfall Farm, Ballyhoura Mountain Mushrooms, Scup Gelato, Glenmar Shellfish, Ballycotton Seafood, Skeaghanore Duck, McCarthys of Kanturk, Michael Twomey (Macroom), Ardsallagh Goats, and Bushby Strawberries. Just a few names, list changes by the season.

* Frank Schiltcamp, who told me last week, publicly announced on Twitter on Sunday last that he was leaving: 
After 7 amazing years, today was my last day in It's been an absolute pleasure working with such talented people throughout the years but now it's time for a little sabbatical. Thank you guys, you've been nothing short of legendary!

Best of luck Frank and enjoy!!! And best wishes also to Head Chef Veronica and to new manager Noel.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Local Food Companies Shortlisted for Bord Bia Awards

Local Food Companies Shortlisted for Bord Bia Awards
Margaret (Founder) & DJ Kelleher (MD)
Riverview Eggs, Glenmar Shellfish, Irish Atlantic Salt and Irish Distillers are the four Cork based food and drink companies who have been shortlisted in Bord Bia’s Food and Drink Awards (2013). The awars recognise excellence in export development; branding; innovation; sustainability; entrepreneurship, success on the domestic market and use of consumer research.

·         Irish Distillers’ Jameson Irish Whiskey, with an expanding and renowned distillery in Midleton, has been shortlisted for two awards; the Export Award and the Innovation Award. Jameson reached the milestone of 4 million cases sold globally in 2012 and is the No. 1 Irish whiskey in the world sold in 108 markets. In terms of innovation, the Yellow Spot 12 Year Old, within the Single Pot Still Whiskeys of the Midleton range, is unique to Ireland and to the Midleton Distillery in particular. The whiskey is produced annually in batches of 500 cases, making it a true collectors item and is available in limited quantities in Ireland, France, the UK and Germany.

·         Alongside Jameson, Union Hall’s Glenmar Shellfish have also been shortlisted for the Export Award. The company is currently exporting 550 tons to markets such as China, Hong Kong, Korea, Italy, Spain, France and Croatia.

Irish Atlantic Salt - Michael and Aileen O'Neill
·         Watergrasshill based, Riverview Eggs, have been shortlisted for the Consumer Insight Award for their use of consumer research to develop the Amazing Egg brand. Faced with the challenge of innovating in a competitive and commoditized category, the company invested in extensive category research from which they use the insights to inform their strategy. The result of which is that the Riverview brand is now the second largest brand by market share in the Irish egg market (Kantar, July 2013).

·         Irish Atlantic Sea Salt, located on the Beara Peninsula, has been shortlisted for the Entrepreneurial Award. The O'Neill family developed this range of organic, gourmet Irish sea salt products, using the highest quality waters surrounding the Peninsula to create the only Irish-made white sea salt products available.



Visit profile interviews with the companies here: www.bordbia.ie/awards

This year’s awards will be presented at Bord Bia’s Annual Brand Forum end of year event taking place in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on Thursday, 14th November. Paul Duffy, Chairman and CEO of The Absolut Company, will be the keynote speaker on the night and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D. will present the awards. RTE presenter Keelin Shanley will be MC for the evening. 

In total, Bord Bia received over 150 entries across the seven categories. The three shortlisted companies under each category are as follows: