Taste of the Week. Cashel Blue

Taste of the Week

Cashel Blue

When I’m looking for a blue cheese, I rarely venture beyond Cashel. Here, the Grubb family are famous for Cashel Blue (cows) and Crozier Blue (sheep). Of course I’ve tried many of the other Irish blues and very good they are too. Some French ones too.

Indeed, it was in France, a few years ago, that I once had reason to fly the Irish flag. In a wine shop in Rasteau, a lady was giving me a tasting of their sweet red wine, recommending I pair it with my Stilton. I couldn't stay quiet on that one and so told her all about our very own Cashel. She was unfazed, started her sales speech again and told me to pair it with Cashel Blue! As if it was all her own idea. We had a good laugh, a very enjoyable visit and left with a few cases of their Cotes du Rhone and a few bottles of the Rasteau vdn.

I was lucky in the days before Christmas to win a cheese hamper from Sheridan's Cheese and the biggest piece in the box was a mature Cashel Blue, our Taste of the Week. Blue for sure but contained in that marvellous irresistible creaminess from the well watered grass of Tipperary. This Cashel Blue Extra Mature "is selected and matured to be creamy and buttery, with perfectly integrated blue flavour". I reckon the Grubbs and the Sheridans have this spot-on!

One of the great blues. No wonder it is so popular in Ireland. Indeed, it is sold all over the world including in dozens of outlets in France (mainly in Paris). Stockists here.

Albarino. Wine of the Celtic Fringe and the Spanish King.

Albariño. Wine of the Celtic Fringe and the Spanish King.

Albariño, from the green lands of Galicia, has become a very popular wine in recent years. Across the River Mino, the Portuguese call it Alvarinho and use it as the major component (sometimes the only grape) in Vinho Verde.

The Rias Baixas wine region of Galicia, where the indented coastline is a major feature of this Celtic fringe of Spain, is the home of Albariño, and there are a number of sub zones. Condado do Tea is the warmest and this is where the Senorio de Rubios comes from, while the Segrel and the Codax are from the cooler and wetter Val do Salnes. O Rosal is another sub zone, to the south west. Here, you could do worse than look out for Terras Gauda.

Hamper!

I was lucky enough to win three of the wines below (the Codax is the exception) in a pre-Christmas online competition run by Food and Wine from Spain (Ireland) and they invited me to drink like a king! The King of Spain chose Albariño wines to celebrate his marriage.

With its aromas of honeysuckle, citrus, ripe melon, peach, pear, among other exotic fruits, it is the perfect drink to enjoy with friends during the summer. But not bad in the middle of winter either, as I found out these past few days.

It pairs well with a wide range of cuisines and Food and Wine from Spain tell me it “works fantastically with Indian, Asian and Mexican food”.

“The hand picked grapes that go into Albariño wines are carefully tended to by the winemakers in Rias Baixas. Over half these winemakers are women, representing the highest figure of female producers in any wine producing region.”

Finest Wines of Rioja (2011) debunked a popular misconception that these wines are meant to be drunk within one year of the vintage. “..a quality Albariño, bottled during the the first spring after harvest, with a balanced structure relying on fresh acidity and  a good mineral character, will be at its best after its second spring and will continue growing in bottle for some years.”

Tetella cheese (DO)

In Grapes and Wines (Oz Clarke & Margaret Rand), Albariño is hailed as the grape that “brings flavour in bucketfuls to the white wines of northwestern Iberia”. And they go on to tell us that Albariño is “by far Spain’s most fashionable white variety, particularly when grown in Rias Baixas..”

The coastal landscape is neatly summed up in the World Atlas of Wine: “..the landscape is exceptional for Spain: irregular Atlantic inlets called rías, which are effectively shallow fjords, lined with hills that are densely forested with local pine and rapacious eucalyptus imported in the 1950s.” The green Spain.

• Did a fair bit of reading from authoritative sources for this post and most seem to agree that three of the top producers are: Fillaboa (imported by Wines Direct), Le Val and Pazo de Senorans (O’Brien’s).

Segrel Ambar Albariño 2014, 12.5%

Bright gold in colour, it has intense aromas (fruity, floral, and definity herbaceous). It is not shy on the palate either. The intense fruit is immediately obvious as is its viscosity. That fruit though is well balanced by the acidity and then it also has a superb elegant finish. A super Albariño and Very Highly Recommended. If you like a “bold” wine go for this one, if you prefer something more restrained then try the Mario Sanzo. You might need to try both to be sure!

Segrel is the name given to a travelling medieval poet and this wine, in its Burgundy bottle, is indeed harmonious, a most pleasant balance of flavour and acidity. May have the edge on the Senorio de Rubios.

Imported by Woods Wines Ltd.

Mario Sanzo Albariño 2014, 12.5%.

Bright in the glass with a pale gold colour. Similar to the Segrel Ambar even if not quite as intense, it has a very pleasant aroma combination of fruit, floral and herbaceous notes. Viscosity feels a bit above average. Full bodied, mineral and fruity, with a stronger acidity at play here, perhaps reflecting the proximity of the vineyard to the bracing Atlantic. Overall, it is very well balanced indeed, a very refreshing wine, restrained and refined and Very Highly Recommended.

Sanzo are hardly a typical Rias Baixas producer in that they produce wines all across Spain, even in Portugal.

SEÑORÍO DE RUBIÓS ALBARIÑO

Señorío De Rubiós Albariño 2013, 12.5%,

Got off to a poor start with this one!

My three bottles were accompanied by a Spanish cows milk cheese, called Tetella, and I paired the two, thinking that since both were from Galicia, they would match well. I thought I was on a winner but it didn't work. Not a win, win! Just the opposite. 

Yet, a quick separation later and I had two winners. The unusually shaped cheese is mild and pleasant to eat. It can be enclosed in the local roasted peppers (there was a jar in the hamper!) or used with a little bit of relish (such as the redcurrant and port wine by Lakeshore).

The wine, with its healthy looking light gold colour (tints of green there too), was superb on its own. It has attractive aromas with both floral and fruit elements. On the palate it is fresh, full of white fruit flavours, terrific structure and viscosity and a long dry minerally finish. Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Seen this at €16.99 online at the Black Pig Dublin

Martin Codax Albariño 2013, 12.5%, €16.70 Karwig Wines

A lovely light gold is the colour here. Aromas are intense, not quite as much as the Segrel though the same elements - floral, fruity, herbaceous - are all present. No shortage of citrus-y fruits on the palate, quite a bracing acidity here and then that long minerally finish. Ideal for those Atlantic shellfish and Highly Recommended.

Below, I have added the winery’s tasting notes. Do you like the names of their three steps?

"The Martin Codax winery, named after one of the most important medieval Galician troubadours, was founded in 1986 thanks to the idea of a group of winegrowers; as a winery made by people for the people. Set up by 270 members, the winery also relies on the collaboration of 300 families whose grapes are supplied to us. As a big family, we work together in order to ensure our wines have the highest possible quality."

TASTING NOTES

VISUAL STEP

Clean, bright lemon yellow with greenish reflections

OLFACTORY STEP

Medium intensity with ripe citrus notes file type and tangerine. Predominant note floral (hawthorn, jasmine and orange blossom) and a herbal background type hay.

GUSTATORY STEP

Envelope, fresh and good balance. The aftertaste reminds the note of ripe citrus.

• 
  

Quelle Fromage! Bradley’s Cheese Board

Quelle Fromage!

Bradley’s Cheese Board

It’s late in the evening and you are supposed to have the cheese board under control. You had this one job and blew it! Maybe not. In a flash of inspiration, you remember that Bradley’s in North Main Street (Cork) are open when the cheese specialists are closed. And, to make it even better, Bradley’s have quite a selection, including Watermelon Rind Pickle (by Passion Preserves) that you won't find everywhere!

You’ve been told not to overdo the number of cheeses, four has even been mentioned as a max. So okay, let's take a look at the shelves here. Maybe start with a soft cheese. It's okay to mix the milks. And you spot the Ardsallagh Goats Cheese from East Cork. Chalk it down. If you think your guests might prefer a cow’s cheese, then Cooleeney is your man (maybe I should say woman!).

Wheels of freshly made cheese at Lonergan's Knockanore farm

Now to pick a semi-soft cheese. The choice is large here and the quality is high. Pick from three West Cork classics: Durrus Og, young Gubbeen or Milleens. Not easy.

Now, we’re onto the harder cheeses and Bradley’s carry various offerings at this level from Knockanore, Bandon Vale and Carrigaline. You’ve been warned not to include flavoured cheeses so that cuts the choice a bit. How about a change of colour here, Leicester from Bandon Vale or Red Cheddar by West Waterford’s Knockanore. Then again, many would be thrilled with Hegarty’s Mature Cheddar.

Can’t have a cheese board without a blue onboard. Many good ones now in Ireland though my favourites are still the Tipperary pair of Cashel (cows) and Crozier (sheep). But neither is available at Bradley’s, but happy to pick the Wicklow Blue. The cow's milk cheese has the rind pierced and the Penicillium roqueforti begins its work. Sheridan’s new book says this type of hybrid blue, moist and soft, “is a great introduction for those who find the traditional blue cheeses a little too strong.”

You’ll also need some bread and crackers. Bradley’s are stockists for Arbutus and their sourdough is a favourite with cheese. No shortage of crackers here either. Among others, you’ll find the Sheridans range, the chunky Gubbeen Cheese Oatcakes and the Carrigaline Cheese Biscuits made by Seymour’s of Bandon.

Chutneys in Bradley’s include:

Sheridan's range (Chutney for Cheese, Onion Marmalade, Chutney for Everything,

Christmas Chutney).

A great range too from Passion Preserved, including a fab Watermelon Rind Pickle, which is great with blue cheese!

Now you have everything you need and the guests are due in about half an hour or so. Where’s the cheese? In the fridge? Get it out, quick - you need to serve it at room temperature. Just before the doorbell starts to ring, cut that cheese (avoids leaving the mess that can happen if everyone cuts their own bits). Cut yours into wedges and strips (making sure the rind is evenly distributed), taking your cue where practical from the original shape.

And remember, when the compliments start coming in, that you got all this in Bradley’s in something of an emergency. Next time, why not consider the North Main Street shop for your cheese even if there is no emergency.

I’ve confined the cheeseboard to Irish products but there are also some international stars available in the venerable shop, founded as a dairy in 1850, including classics such as Mont D’Or (we had fun with that last week…), Parmigiana Reggiana, Stilton, and Manchego.

And cheese is just one of the many Irish artisan products available here and that’s all before you ever hit the off-licence at the back where you have wines from all over the world and beers and spirits (many of them Irish) galore.

The Bradley’s Cheeseboard

1 - Ardsallagh Goats Cheese

2 - Gubbeen (young, unsmoked)

3- Knockanore Vintage Red Cheddar.

4- Wicklow Blue

Seymour’s of Bandon Cheese Biscuits.

Passion Preserved Watermelon Rind Pickle (great with the blue).

Sheridan’s Chutney for Cheese.

Lisanley Honey (also in Bradley’s) for drizzling.

A few grapes and thin slices of apple will also be appreciated.

We’ll leave the wine and the beer, maybe a port, up to you (no shortage of the drinks or indeed advice in Bradley’s)

Mountain Cheese and Oregon Wine. Mont D’Or and Riesling. Divine.

Mountain Cheese and Oregon Wine

Mont D’Or and Riesling. Divine.

Yum!

One 500gram box of Mont D’Or (AOC) cheese from Bradley’s.

One bottle of Kings Ridge Oregon Riesling 2013 (Willamette Valley), 12%, €15.00 (reduced from 19.99) SuperValu Christmas Wines.

Sharing a half kilo of baked cheese is fun on a winter's evening as we found out this week. It is recommended for four but the two of us managed quite well, thank you!

Our cheese came from Bradley’s in North Main Street, Cork, and was the famous Mont D’Or from France (there is also a Swiss version). Like wine, the French version has its own AOC and is a much prized cheese from the Franche-Comté, made with whole cow’s milk, and is generally available only from October to March.

The rind (inedible) can be peeled back and the runny cheese simply spooned out. But baking it, in its box, is the treat. Again, it is not the only cheese that comes in a box. Camembert is another and that too can be baked. Sheridan’s suggest that both Durrus (360g) and Gubbeen (450g) can get the same treatment but they don't have a box so you’ll have to improvise with a sheet of foil.

Indeed, it was a recipe in the new book, Sheridan's Guide to Cheese, that we followed (more or less) with the Mont D’Or. You simple score the top rind, add in a couple of sprigs of thyme and a clove of garlic and a half glass of white wine and bake in a pre-heated oven for ten minutes. For some reason, the ten minutes was totally inadequate and ours needed double that.

It was carefully brought to the table, the rind peeled back and then we dug in with chunky bits of Arbutus Sourdough (bought at Davidson’s, the local butchers). And then we dug in again. And again… You get the picture! All the while sipping from the Oregon Riesling.

That gold coloured wine proved to be a gem and also quite a match for the cheese. White fruits on the nose and also that petrol but reasonably muted. Palate is crisp and fruity, fresh, light and fragrant, no sign of that petrol, good acidity and a decent dry finish. Some of the fruit used comes from one of the oldest vineyards, planted in 1968, and this “adds depth and complexity to our Riesling.” A Very Highly Recommended Riesling indeed.

So there you have it. Quite a treat. And wouldn’t all three, a box of cheese, a bottle of the Riesling and the Sheridan's book be quite a present for that special someone. They might even share!

• Got a tip too from Daniel Emerson of Stonewell Cider. He suggested having the Mont D’Or as a fondue with potatoes. “It is divine.”

Franciscan Well Festival. Beer & Cheese at North Mall

Franciscan Well October Festival

Beer & Cheese at North Mall

Say formaggio!
Try the Fonduta in the bowl.

The annual Franciscan Well October Beer Fest is in full swing at the North Mall. A wide selection of imported Festival beer is available, beer cocktails (with spirits by St Patrick's Distillery), pizza by the tried and tested Pompeii crew, and music is all part of the mix. But this year, they've got cheese, lots of it, from a company called Antica Latteria Bruzolese who are based in Borgone di Susa, close to Turin in the north of Italy.

There are a few dozen exotic beers from Belgium, USA, Germany, New Zealand, Ukraine, even Luxembourg! I didn't get to try them all in a quick tour last night but did get a few. The Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest/Marzen, a collaboration with Augsburg’s Brauhaus Riegele, was one and the Tuatara Aotearoa Pale Ale another. Then there was the Karpat Mustang from Ukraine, an American Pale Ale, and also I enjoyed a glass of the Lagunitas Fusion XXX1, a USA Imperial IPA weighing in at 8.9%. My favourite was perhaps the Aotearoa from New Zealand.

Then I left the ranks of beer taps and called over to the cheese stall and got the low-down there. Bought a plate of the cheese for a fiver and tried it out. The range, all made from milk supplied by small farms in the Piedmonte region, consisted of some fairly fresh cheese to one that was very mature indeed. All were “hard” cheese but, of course, the younger ones were soft and easy to eat, much like Tomme de Savoie the French mountain cheese.

The oldest one was really hard, best grated over your pizza or salad etc. In between, they had a Tometta Onion. That contained six per cent onion - not to everyone's liking! And also a Tometta Tomato.

And if you wanted an instant fondue, they have just the job. Get yourself a jar of the Fonduta (€6.00). All you then have to do is to warm the cheese mix, pop in a breadstick and enjoy. Don't take my word for it! Call over to the Well, get yourself a beer and then go to the cheese stall where they'll offer you a taste of the Fonduta! In fact, I’m told they will have an artisan beer there for the rest of the weekend.

The October Beer Fest reopens today at 2.00pm, same time tomorrow Sunday.

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week
On the Double

Two excellent local products here, each a great taste in its own right. The cheese, from the Farm Shop in the Ballymaloe Cookery School, is creamy and full of flavour, not yet showing the dry flakiness that comes with longer maturing. You don't often see Loganberry jam nowadays but this gorgeous pot, by Follain, is available in Bradley's, North Main Street. 

In the Basque Country in South West France, and probably over the border in Spain as well, they often serve sheep cheese with a cherry jam. So why not put those two together, I thought. And it worked a treat, my Taste of the Week!

East Meets West

East Meets West.
And spices up the cheddar!
Part 1

 

East meets West in Kerry and the results are good, very good. From a mountain village in the Philippines to a coastal village in North Kerry comes Leah. She met husband Billy in London and together in Littor Strand they’ve put their respective food experiences and traditions in the mix and now you can sample some very interesting products indeed.

Billy’s  grandfather William T. Sweeney founded Shannon Vale Creamery in the 1900’s; his father, Rory (Bill), was the General Manager of Cadbury’s Chocolate Factory in Rathmore, Co. Kerry before taking over as General Manager of Rattoo Creamery.  

So dairying and cheese was very much part of Billy’s background and it is not so surprising that cheese is one of the products now produced by Leah’s Gourmet Foods. But cheese with a twist, as Leah has added a touch from the Phillipines, a spicy one!

Leah’s Gourmet Cheese sees the traditional Irish Farm Cheddar get an “injection” of red chillies, garlic and ginger. The initial attack could take you by surprise but you do get used to it quickly.

Many of us Irish look for a cool way to counter the heat of the spices and I’ve got one. Had tried a few relishes, including a Mango (a pretty good match). But the best pairing I came across was with a beautiful jar of red currant jelly made by Toni’s Homemade and bought at Bandon Market. A perfect match between Cork and Kerry.

Next time, we’ll tell you all about Leah’s Black and White puddings. They also do other products including Irish organic smoked salmon and a lovely line of boards and slates.

Just seen that Leah’s Gourmet Foods have been chosen as an "InterTradeIreland Business Ambassador" and have been invited to The Mansion House & Áras an Uachtaráin to meet President Michael D. Higgins, Minister Richard Bruton along with many other TDs & senators, VIPs and leaders of the business community in Ireland.

“We're so looking forward to this event at the beginning of October and so we'll have to dust down the tuxedo's and fancy gowns to get ourselves ready to meet with the great and the good of Ireland's business world!”

Part 2 next week!

Friendly Festival at The Slí Eile Farm

Friendly Festival at The Slí Eile Farm
Harvest Festival in Churchtown

The Slí Eile Farm was the venue for a lively Harvest Festival on Sunday. The Churchtown event had something for everyone: lots of food stalls, advice (on organic growing, men’s sheds), a dog show, entertainment (bouncy castle, pony rides, penalty kicks, archery and more) for the kids, while the adults were entertained with some old fashioned farming, a thatching demo, and music.

No shortage of parking and just as well as there was a great turnabout on a lovely day in North Cork. Our first priority was something to eat and we found it quickly. A rustic restaurant had been set up in the environs of the barn and the smoke was rising from the grill. Soon we were sitting and enjoying a delicious organic burger from the farm itself.

Time then for an enjoyable stroll around the yard of Burton Park where most of the stalls were situated. The farm itself had a stall with vegetables, jams and apple juice and fund raising tickets were on sale as the music and the conversation flowed.

I had missed Bluebell Falls cheese at Killavullen last week and so was glad to get a tasting this time and came home with their lovely Honey, Garlic and Thyme Goats Cheese. The Golden Vale has been the traditional home of Irish cheese and isn't it about time we had an artisan cheesemaker from the area. Well done to all concerned. Be sure to check out their website above for their products and recipes.

Now we were in the kitchen gardens, where all kinds of healthy looking vegetables grew, both outdoors and under the polytunnel. Continued the walk past a collection of vintage vehicles and soon we were in the fields.

And here the beautiful big horses were hard at work. A pair of greys, harnessed to a reaper, were cutting the corn, stopping every now and then for a tasty munch! Behind, the workers were busy making sheaves of the corn. Saw one sheaf tied in the traditional way but most were being secured with a blue twine.

Nearby, another large horse was being guided up and down between the drills and his attached scuffler was uprooting the weeds. Perhaps the guide and driver were needed but that big dark horse showed neat footwork as he worked the narrow spaces without standing on the plants.

What a refreshing change of scenery for a Sunday afternoon! And what a refreshing place Slí Eile is. The aim of the Slí Eile approach to recovery through community living is to provide another way of supporting people to recover from their experience of mental distress. A great afternoon and a great cause. And, those of us, of a certain age, who remember innocent people consigned to the loneliness of dark corners, will surely agree. Check it all out here.

And there will be another festival in Churchtown soon. The local development association hosts the Churchtown Fine Food and Craft Beer Festival on the 8th to the 10th of August. Keep an eye on Facebook for further details.

Taste of the Week: Orchard Cottage Goats Milk Cheese

Taste of the Week

Orchard Cottage Goats Milk Cheese

The Desmond family in Ballinhassig, (County Cork), make a fantastic soft goats cheese, under the Orchard Cottage label, and it is our Taste of the Week. Can't make out how I’ve haven't come across this one until now.

It is beautiful and comes in a jar. There are two different combinations: the round balls of cheese come in a  sunflower oil with sun dried tomatoes, basil and garlic and also in sunflower oil with thyme and garlic. This latter has won a silver medal at the world cheese awards and is the one I’ve tasted. The other one (pictured) is in the fridge - though not for long more!

The cheese flavour is mild and the texture is creamy, milder and creamier than usual, less of a tang. May have something to do with the fact that these goats feed mostly on good grass rather than on a rough hillside or bog. If you haven't liked goats cheese previously, this is worth a try and could well be the one that puts you on the way to liking it.

I got mine from the Fresh from West Cork stall in the English Market but the Orchard Cottage products are widely available including Thursday’s market in Mahon and Saturday’s in the Coal Quay. Read more about the Desmond’s farm here.