Soft and generous, Tanto delivers a lot!

Tanto Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2011 (Italy), 
12.5%, €9.00 - 11.00, Stockists

Colour: Deep red.
Nose: A pleasant wave of red fruit aromas.
Palate: soft and generous with sufficient refinement to belie its youth and to complement the dark fruits (mainly plum, for me). Add in a long smooth finish and this warm juicy delicious wine lives up to its name and delivers a lot. Good value. Highly recommended.

It is generally acknowledged that the generous Montepulciano grape "is hard to foul up". The Tanto producers have not messed up here. Worth keeping an eye out for that colourful label.

* In Italian, Tanto means “a lot”.
** If you head east from Rome through Lazio, cross over the Appenines, you’ll find yourself in Abruzzo with the Adriatic ahead of you.

Top Golf Award for Killarney Royal Hotel

Top Golf Award for Killarney Royal Hotel

Claire and Brian Scally in Fermanagh.

Claire Scally of the Killarney Royal was in great form in Fermanagh this week, delighted that the family run hotel has been awarded the Irish Golf Tour Operators Association’s Boutique Hotel of the Year 2012.

With over 110 years of welcoming golfers from all over the world to Killarney Royal, the hotel has been officially recognised as a forerunner (pun intended!) in Irish golf tourism and the night was one of big celebration for Claire and her team.

The proprietors, Joe & Margaret Scally and family, and all the members of the team at Killarney Royal were overjoyed to receive this prestigious honour at the glamorous awards ceremony held at Lough Erne resort, Fermanagh.  The award was presented to Claire Scally by IGTOA Vice Chairman and Director of Lynchpin Tours, Mr David Hudson, and celebrity presenter, GAA star Peter Canavan.

Read more here

The Killarney Royal Hotel, where I enjoyed a short stay last year, is the little sister of Cork’s Hayfield Manor and the Cork focus for the coming weekend is on the Jazz and they are, in addition to the music, marking it with the annual Gallery Kinsale Jazz Exhibition.

Ken Buckley of the gallery: “Three of our artists have committed to this year’s exhibition including the official Jazz Festival Commemorative artist 'Mia Funk'. Mia's painting "The Cork Jazz Audience" was commissioned by The Jazz Festival Committee last year in recognition of Guinness thirty year sponsorship of the festival and, this Thursday 25th, the painting will be presented by Diageo to the people of Cork at an official unveiling ceremony by Cork's Lord Mayor John Buttimer at Cork International Airport where it will permanently hang in recognition of the important link between Festival and Airport. Mia has reproduced two similar studies for the exhibition in 'Jazz Blue'.

Visit our website to view the exhibition of work including Watercolour sensation Barbara Barrett and West Cork community Arts activist Derdre Keohane.

For those of you who do visit the Hayfield you are in for a musical treat also with one of the most talented and upcoming Jazz artists, A J Brown performing along with resident 'Loungeman' Conor O'Shea Saturday and Sunday.”

Fenn's Quay is the place to be

Fenn's Quay is the place to be

Autumn 2011 - Venison, Pumpkin, Red Cabbage, Brussel sprouts...

Mark November 16th 2012 in your diary. 

Fenn's Quay is the place to be that evening. Head Chef Kate Lawlor tells us why: "On that night, Fenn’s Quay will be inviting Seasons Supper Club to Cork after successful runs in Dublin. Former Master Chef contestants Conal and Richie will be taking over my kitchen for the night to serve up a 4 course menu." 

Modest Kate is one of the leading Head Chefs in Cork, Nash 19's Pamela Kelly is another and the duo will be combining their kitchen skills to come up with surprise extra courses. Cost is €40 for the meal (wine not included) and bookings are to be made via bookings@seasonssupperclub.com

Seasons Supper Club is a nomadic pop-up Supper Club run by Bridin Carey, Conal Markey and Richard Speedie. The three cooks met during filming of Masterchef Ireland in 2011 and all share a love of great food in a relaxed atmosphere, where the focus is on the enjoyment of the evening with friends or family. They try to create an environment where the food is only one aspect of a great night out.

All ingredients are sourced locally where possible, and menus are designed based on the season featuring the great produce to be found in Ireland. The cooks work closely with each venue’s Head Chef to design the menu and ensure a memorable night.

To date there have been three nights; two for Autumn 2011 - hosted at Brasserie Le Pont, and one for Winter 2011 at Eden Restaurant. The nights were all sold out and they have had positive reviews in both the Irish Times and Sunday Times, and on popular food blogs around Dublin.

For Autumn 2012, with Bridin on Maternity leave, Conal and Richard are partnering with No.5 Fenn’s Quay in Cork and are also running 2 nights in Dublin, in Medley, by Andrew Rudd, which will be the first non–restaurant events. Both Dublin nights sold out within two days of announcement and Cork is beginning to sell rapidly too.

You can find pictures, previous menus and details of future events here

You can also find them at:
https://www.facebook.com/SeasonsSupperClub
https://twitter.com/seasons_supper

Perfect Sunday Lunch Experience at Ballymaloe

Perfect Sunday Lunch

 Experience at Ballymaloe 

Ballymaloe seem always to get it just right. The balance is always so perfect. Did you ever try the relaxed Sunday lunch there? You should. The warm welcome, understated class and under bottom comfort, the perfect easy going service, and, of course, the most natural seasonal foods served up with care and love, ensuring that the quality from the farm and garden is carried through to the table.

They do, however, make sure that you arrive on time. This is a buffet and they want you to enjoy it at its best. So do yourself a favour and arrive a few minutes before 1.00pm, the appointed time. That is the end of the “pressure”, the beginning of a relaxing dining experience.

And you never know who you might meet. A family, kids and all, out for a quite celebration, other groups and couples. And I was lucky enough to meet up with Paulo Tullio. Had a nice chat. He told me he had enjoyed his meal in town on the previous evening and was very impressed with the amount of fish on offer in Cork restaurants saying they don’t get it as much on the East Coast.

After the warm welcome, we were guided to our reserved table. Two adjoining high ceilinged rooms, each comfortable with plenty of space between the tables, serves as the dining area with a long table in an adjoining room carrying the buffet.

But first came the soup course. We had a choice of two. One was Pea and Chill while the other, the chosen one, was the Celeriac. This was a superb creamy tasty warming blend, a promising start indeed.

Then we were invited to fill our plates at the long table. Choices, so many I can hardly remember. Salads, pizza slices, quiche slices, cheese croquets, gorgeous temping vegetables, a fish dish and no shortage of seafood (mussels, calamari, etc), roast potatoes (well it was Sunday) and juicy joints of meat.

I made the lamb the centrepiece of my plate but couldn’t resist adding a little bit of the bacon and its special sauce (lots of sauces). The lamb was juicy and tender and indeed the whole plateful was spot on, all helped on the way by a glass of Pena Roble (Ribero del Duero, Spain). If you didn’t get enough food first time, don’t worry, you are welcome to visit that long table again!

But I was happy enough with my amount and relaxed for a while before the dessert trolley was rolled out. Now I was on full alert again! Quite a few choices but settled for some of the Lemon Roulade and the Apple and Blackberry Tart. Quite a contrast here with the sophisticated mix of the roulade and the rustic crusty tart. Both brilliant!

Time then for a coffee or two before heading out into the Autumn sunshine, weak but welcome!

Sunday lunch at Ballymaloe costs €38.00 per person. 

Conference on Food Allergens and Contaminants

The Food Safety Professionals Association (FSPA) will host a National Education Conference on Food Allergens and Contaminants in the overall context of  Food Safety  at The Chapel in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on Friday 2 November 2012 between 10 am & 1pm. This event is FREE to the general public as well as industry experts. Read more here

Four Star Break in Lahinch

Four Star Break in Lahinch

Liscannor

The Lahinch Golf and Leisure Hotel  was our comfortable base for a recent short trip to the northern corner of County Clare. Lahinch is famous for its golf facilities and the other sport that draws big numbers to the Atlantic town is surfing. Both sports are well catered for. But we weren’t there for the sport! Well nothing more strenuous than walking along the lovely beach, just a few yards from the hotel.

We had people to meet in places such as Inagh, Lisdoonvarna and Ballyvaughan and spent a good deal of the time touring. Liscannor is just up the coast road. We arrived there in a peaceful sunny morning, walked along the pier among the currachs and the lobster traps and enjoyed the views.

Doolin ferry

Cliffs of Moher (from Doolin)

 Next stop, after passing the entrance to the Cliffs of Moher, which we visited on a different day, was the pier at Doolin, where ferries leave for the cliffs and the islands. We walked along the flat rocks there and took in the scenery, looking north to the Aran Islands and south to the Cliffs of Moher.

And then there was a bonus for us city dwellers. We heard some people shouting “dolphins” and ran to the water’s edge where we could see four of them dashing through the water, right into the harbour. Indeed, one, maybe two, came right alongside a docked ferryboat, full of tourists. Quite an experience in the Autumn sunshine.

Liscannor

Lisdoonvarna

 We were heading for the Burren and a beautiful drive around the coast to Ballyvaughan via Black Head. As you can see, Lahinch is a really suitable base for the major attractions of the area, namely the cliffs and the Burren. And there is much more to do here and I intend going back and visiting attractions such as Doolin Cave, The Burren Centre (Kilfenore), Ailwee Cave and Birds of Prey, Burren Perfumery, Caherconnell Fort and Dysert O’Dea.

Dolphins at Doolin

Lahinch

 The hotel, which has a large parking area, was very comfortable. Service was top class, very friendly and helpful, exemplified by the two young men in the bar on the Friday night who kept the drinks and the food coming with efficiency and good humour. And reception came to the rescue by lending us, from a decent selection, a suitable charger for a mobile phone! Recommended.

Lahinch

 Also visited: Cliffs of Moher  The Burren Brewery Wild Honey Inn  St Tola Goat Cheese Ballyvaughan Tea and Garden Rooms The Burren

Chateau Bauduc at the Cornstore

Chateau Bauduc at the Cornstore

Thursday turned out to be quite a night at The Cornstore with Bordeaux’s Chateau Bauduc providing the wines for an excellent five course meal. Gavin Quinney (and family) took over this chateau in 1999 and led it from strength to strength. It is quite a story and may be read here.

From Gavin’s earliest vintages, the critics have been

New Season’s Olive Oil & Wines of Tuscany

New Season’s Olive Oil & Wines of Tuscany

 with iconic Italian producers

Thursday 8th November 2012, 7pm, at The Grain Store, Ballymaloe

Enjoy a ‘Taste of Tuscany’ in County Cork, at The Grain Store, Ballymaloe, with the following producers, in association with Liberty Wines.

Beatrice Contini Bonacossi, from Capezzana, Carmignano, Tuscany

Federico Giuntini, Selvapiana, Chianti Rufina

Federico Manetti, Fontodi, Chianti Classico

and Italian expert, David Gleave, Master of Wine, Liberty Wines



Thursday 8th November, 7pm, €24. Advance booking advised.



Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co. Cork

Tel:             021 4652531         res@ballymaloe.ie

More details here http://www.ballymaloe.ie/things-to-do/wine-events





**** Also a reminder that the Sherry event that was postponed (the Sherry event is not taking place 25th October due to unforeseen circumstances) will be rescheduled for early 2013 – dates to follow****

Amuse Bouche

From: A thousand sisters by Lisa J. Shannon.
The author is at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre.

Inside, I walk past walls filled with snapshots of victims....a few details of his or her life are listed:

Francine Murengezi Ingabire
Age:12
Favourite sport: Swimming
Favourite food: Eggs and chips
Favourite drink: Milk and Fanta Tropical
Best Friend: Her elder sister Claudette
Cause of death: Hacked by machete.

Another German Winner

Another German Winner

Would you like a break from the usual Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio? There are some terrific examples of those grapes out there but I had been looking for some alternatives recently and hit the jackpot with the Lorenz at Karwig’s in Carrigaline. And I still have some Riesling and Gruner Veltliner to try from that visit.

Lorenz Bioweingut, Weisser Burgunder, Rheinhessen 2011, 13%, less then €14.85 approx., Karwig Wines

I had to think

Food and Drink Spotting

Food and Drink Spotting
Golds for Gleeson

Gleeson incorporating Gilbey’s, Ireland’s largest wine distributor, scooped a total of eight accolades at the recent National Off-Licence Association (NOffLA) Awards for a variety of their wine brands. These awards include four gold medal awards, one silver medal award and three bronze medal awards.

Gleeson incorporating Gilbeys, who have a major base in Little Island,  had an outstanding night, winning  gold medal accolades in the following categories:

•         New World White under €8         Stony Cape Chenin Blanc, South Africa

•         New World Red under €10          Grant Burge ‘Benchmark’ Shiraz, Australia

•         Old World Red under €8            Canti Negroamaro/Zinfandel, Italy

•         Old World White under €10        B&G Original Sauvignon Blanc, France


They added one silver award and three bronze awards. All of the above listed wines are available in NOffLA’s 330+ independent off licences around the country

No wonder, Sally-Anne Cooney (right), General Manager of Gleeson incorporating Gilbeys, which distributes the above award-winning wines in Ireland, was happy: “This is a fantastic result and we are thrilled that a large variety of our wonderful wine brands have received such high honours at the National Off Licence Association Awards. All of the wines we represent are produced to exceptional quality and as you can see our gold medal winners are all €10 or less, meaning that in these economical times you can still splash out on a beautiful wine as one of life’s little pleasures.”

Hanleys and Jam Go Barmy for Charity this Halloween 
Hanleys of Cork (Garden Centre) and Jam Café are gearing up for another haunting Halloween with limited edition Halloween barmbracks in aid of the Children's Ward at Cork University Hospital.

The artisan barmbracks which will retail at €2.80 will see €1 from each sale going towards the children’s ward at CUH.Bracks will also contain in-baked exclusive prizes including a specially designed ring by Kenmare designer Paul Kelly worth over €500, vouchers to the value of more than €1,000 from Hanleys and a weekend break in the Brook Lane Hotel, Kenmare.

Speaking of the special Halloween barmbrack, James Mulchrone, Jam Café said, “The humble barmbrack is still one of the main Halloween treats that spring to mind around this time of year and is a uniquely Irish tradition. We are giving the old symbols found in the barmbrack a new twist so there will be no such thing as bad luck from a piece of cloth with our bracks. Instead, more than 200 will contain prizes and donate €1 from each brack to a great cause, making everyone a winner!"

Annual Wine Fair
We're really proud to announce that our forthcoming event "The 12th Cork Wine & Craft Beer Fair" will take place on Wednesday 21st November 2012 from 4-9pm in the Rochestown Park Hotel! It's going to be a great night of master classes, tastings and demonstrations and all in aid of Cork Simon Community! Tickets are available from all of our stores and are only €10! Stay tuned for more info...

Fresco Eaterie & Bistro
Brian and Kash (above) are rebels! So much so that they're organising a "Rebel fusion" taster menu in November in association with L'Atitude 51 Wine Bar. They're taking traditional Cork ingredients and turning them into dishes inspired by different countries. We'll let you know when tickets are on sale..we're only allowing 50 places! Should be a great night!

Shorts
Farrukh ‏@implausibleblog  2* Michelin Tasting Menu  video details

The Evolution of Tapas and Culture at El Tapeo by Chef Seamus Mullen and Chef Linton Hopkins on Spanish Ham without Borders. See it all here...

 YoughalOnline.com ‏@youghalonline Black Rabbit Market – Selling 100% Organic Products: The Black Rabbit Market is based outside the Links... http://dlvr.it/2JYzvN  #youghal

Risingtiderestaurant ‏@Risingtidebar “On Fri 2nd Nov, we'll be having our annual Halloween Fancy Dress Party. Champagne on arrival followed by 4-course dinner & live music €25pp We have just booked the band Souled Out for the party!! It'll be a fun night!!”

Chicken And Rabbit Paella

St Tola Goat Cheese

St Tola Goat Cheese

Clockwise, from top right: Crottin, Hard on shelve, Hard cut, original log
filling the logs, eating up, and the Ash log.

The goats, all three hundred of them, at St Tola Cheese  near Inagh in County Clare, are looking forward to a better summer next year. “They don’t like the rain,” said our host Grainne Casey, who looks after Sales and Marketing for the organic farm.

The goats didn’t get out as often as they’d like this year but still they were well looked after. The grass was cut and brought into them. But it’s not only the animals that will be looking for a better 2013. Keeping them indoors for extended periods has added hugely to the farm’s costs, as organic feed is not easy to get and costs three times more than your normal feed.

Grainne introduced us to cheese maker Carmen Gal, who is responsible for all aspects of the production operation. Then we enjoyed a very interesting tour of the facility during our recent visit. Grainne explained how the cheeses are made. There are two major types, the regular soft cheese that most people are familiar with and also a lovely hard cheese.

St Tola, under Siobhan Ní Ghairbhith, who took over the reins in 1999, never stands still and have within the last 12 months or so introduced the distinctive St Tola Ash Log, a beautiful creamy cheese that has an ash like covering (edible charcoal).

One of the little girls!

The hard cheese is weather dependent, made only in summer with surplus milk. In a good year, St Tola make it from May to July/August but this bad summer they were curtailed to making it from June to mid July.

Then it was time to meet the animals and, first of all, Grainne introduced us to the “little girls”, most of them born in April or May of this year. Beautiful friendly creatures and so too were most of their elder relations. We didn’t get too close to the Pucks. Apparently they stink! Not too many males “survive” here but those that do have quite a choice!

St Tola started off with three different breeds originally, the idea being to get a good balance of milk, including a good proportion of the cream that helps give the cheeses it gorgeous texture. When they are not indoors, the herd has some sixty five acres to roam around.

All was quiet in the shed, which has one side partly open to the outdoors, until Petru Gal, the Farm Manager, appeared on the scene. Then the goats created quite a din, perhaps expecting an extra treat. Petru, a skilled herdsman, has been here since 2003.

A prize winning selection

The milking is quite an operation and is done twice a day. The facility is mechanised, the ladies are led in to the parlour, their movement restrained, the reward is a little treat, and the whole operation takes about ninety minutes in the morning and the same in the late afternoon. Two hundred are milking and they’ll let you know if you are late!

After the tour, we sat down with Grainne and enjoyed a cuppa and a cheese tasting. The room was a reminder of how far St Tola has come as it is decorated with many awards, from Ireland, Britain and Europe. The products are widely available and you may see the full list of stockists here.

Two happy pucks

 Also visited: Cliffs of Moher  The Burren Brewery Wild Honey Inn   Lahinch area Ballyvaughan Tea and Garden Rooms The Burren

Cork’s Fab Food Trail

Triskel: Christchurch venue

Cork’s Fab Food Trail
A wee stroll.
A little history. 
Lots of Food!

Nash 19

Even for one who has done more than his fair share of walking (and eating) around the city of Cork, Saturday’s Fab Food Trail proved to be something of an eye opener. Alice, from Galway, was our excellent guide and the other walkers were, surprisingly enough, all from Munster.


The eye opener for me came in the shape of the owners of the food venues, all very professional and absolutely friendly, and all willing to explain how they operated and all rightly proud of their operations and the local input.

O'Conaill's

Met up at the English Market gate and headed first for the Gulpd Cafe at the Triskel whose policy is to buy local.

Enjoyed a macchiato here and that was made from a single estate bean, roasted locally by the Golden Bean in Ballymaloe.  Gulpd's butcher is Eoin O’Mahony in the English Market and he could well feature in the menu when they realise their plans to do Sunday lunch.

Alice took us on a little tour of the restored Christchurch, a Triskel venue for theatre and music. Must go back again soon for the full tour which they do on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  

More history now, Alice explaining briefly about location of the old city as we walked down to the end of South Main Street. The Co-op Cafe in Sullivan’s Quay is a regular stop for this tour but not on this occasion. Crossed back over the river again and headed to Nash 19, no better place! 

Head Chef Pam Kelly took time out to explain their philosophy of supporting local producers. And that philosophy was tastily illustrated when we each received a mini-taster that included Jack McCarthy’s famous Black Pudding and the soon to be famous Lordan's sausages that are regulars on the menus here.

At the Roundy!

Across the road then for some hot chocolate and some nice samples at O’Conaill’s. Great friendly staff there as well and they sent us off with a little gift pack that didn’t last too long!

Wouldn’t be a fab food trail in Cork without a visit to the English Market. The big stop here was at O’Connell’s Fish Stall where we were treated to oysters, mussels and quite  a few other samples.

Had a brief chat with Eoin O’Mahony at his butcher’s stall before we were taken up the Parade and across to the Roundy, where Alice pointed out the city’s development on maps inlaid on seven tables in the bar. Soon though our eyes were on the Irish Whiskeys that were laid before us by owner Frank Bradley and one of the party was delighted to have found a natural venue to watch Munster’s Heineken Cup game late in the afternoon.

Cornstore cheese plate

A few steps later, we landed in the Cornstore and another warm welcome. Mike Kelly then joined us and told us something of the history of the street, including the fact that the building once housed a potato market before becoming a corn market. Local food then and local food now! Mike told us they source locally, getting quite a lot of their meat from, you’ve guessed it, O’Mahony’s.

Fortified by a delicious cheese plate, we headed out into the sunshine and a short stroll down to the Saturday Coal Quay street market. And more food. Here, they had a table laid out with samples from virtually every stall holder.

Really enjoyed those and, then suddenly, that was it. The two and a half hours had flown by and it was time to say goodbye. Very enjoyable morning in Cork that confirmed for me that we have a good thing going on here and what better way to show it to visitors than via the Fab Food Trail. They also run one in Dublin. Check it out!

Rocket Man's salads in the Coal Quay Market