You may take this Little Beauty anywhere..

Little Beauty's Fleur McCree with
Maurice O'Mahony of importers Wine Alliance

You may take this Little Beauty anywhere, but she's a star in Asia.

 Little Beauty, Pinot Gris 2010 (Limited Edition), Marlborough (New Zealand), 14% abv, €19-21 various stockists countrywide.

You may take this Little Beauty anywhere but she shines in Asia as I found out more by accident than design.

Colour is just about present in the tasting sample in the glass, just pale hints of gold, grey and green. Nose is tempting; aromatic and musky notes draw you in. On the palate it is fruity and dry with an excellent finish. Orange zest and apricots, some would say, according to her cheeky label. She is a little forward but I wouldn’t disagree.

It is full, almost creamy, a really delightful example of the grape’s potential and, as I found out, excellent with Asian Cuisine. Have you been following Rachel Allen’s Easy Meals on RTE TV? I have and last weekend matched Little Beauty with her Thai style Pan-fried Chicken with Mango Salsa and also with her Grilled Squid starter. Little Beauty handled both without a bother. QED.

For more on the wine and her equally attractive cousins (including Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir) check here www.littlebeauty.co.nz

Pleased to meet you. Tempranillo, under another name!

Tempranillo, under yet another name!

MuseumReal Reserva 2004 (Cigales, Spain), 14%, €20.55, Karwig Wines.

The historic Cigales area has been producing wines for centuries and this, with its distinctive pewter label, is one of the good ones!

Grape variety is listed as Tinta del Pais, another name for Tempranillo, and the fruit comes from some of the oldest vines in the region (between 60 and 100 years old).

Colour is dark cherry, almost black, and the nose has that cherry, also plum, also hints of oak and spice, even herbs. The fruits and flavours are expertly combined to give a smooth sophisticated wine, concentrated, with moderate tannins and fine acidity leading to a long dry finish. A great match for red meat in general and for lamb in particular.

Down on the farm

Down on the farm

With so many farmers coming to town to man their market stalls, I did the trip in reverse last week and visited a farm shop, the one at Waterfall Farms which is situated in Ballyshoneen, Waterfall. 

Sounds deep in the country, yet it’s just 15 minutes or so from the city centre, very convenient to Bishopstown and Ballincollig. And you won’t get lost if you follow this map and directions! 

It is a pleasant trip through the country roads and there is a warm welcome, especially from the woman of the house who, by the way, bakes a smashing health loaf. That welcome continues, even though nowadays much of the business is done direct with shops and restaurants such as Nash 19. 

Having met the friendly dogs in the yard, we headed into the shop and the great selection of vegetables: parsnips, turnips, carrots (including yellow ones), broccoli, kale, onions and so much more.

But not just vegetables. Hen and duck eggs and great to see the top notch juices from Cahir’s Apple Farm on sale here.

And before you go, don't forget to take a look at the selection of second-hand books there. All the proceeds go to charity.

Food and Drink Spotting

Food and Drink Spotting

Tempting West Cork Break

In June, West Cork Food have a fantastic Food Break lined up for you or for your friends and relations who might be coming for a holiday. You will meet some of the area’s top producers, see how they operate and sample the top class products. You’ll find all the details here. 

Macroom’s Castle Hotel is Trip Advisor’s “Best family hotel”

Congrats to Macroom’s CastleHotel  who last week announced they “had beaten off stiff competition and was voted best family hotel by Trip Advisor in its annual Trip Advisor Travellers’ Family Hotel Choice Awards.”

Owner Don Buckley: “We are delighted to receive a second Trip advisor accolade and to be voted by the travellers themselves is what it’s all about at the end of the day. This award is quiet timely as we recently celebrated our Guaranteed Irish status.” 

Marketing Manager, Rachael Kohler: “Only 1% of all hotels on Trip Advisor receive awards, so to have two is a fantastic achievement.” 

Garden Talk Elke of Bia Sásta is a busy lady and she has a great gardening evening lined up for 25th April. “Kitty Scully of RTE's 'How to create a Garden' will be joining us for an evening on Kitchen Gardening. Everything you always wanted to know. This is your event. We will learn all about seeds, how to care for them, store them and plant them. What vegetables to plant when and how to 'feed' them. Make sure you book your ticket soon as this is an event not to be missed. Ticket per person €15 which includes information material and tea/coffee with homemade scones. Email biasasta@hotmail.com to book your ticket.”

New Lager, wine date

Eight Degrees Brewing have just launched their Czech style Barefoot Bohemian Pilsner. Scott tells me it has a subtle biscuit malt base balanced by a generous lashing of Czech hops giving a nice spicy hop aroma.

”We stored it for 2 months in our conditioning tanks to give a nice crisp finish. Like always: no chemicals, additives and preservatives.” If you the Czech lagers, such as Staropramen and 1795, you’ll like this. I picked up a few bottles from Bradley’s at the weekend and enjoyed them very much indeed!

The Côtes de Provence, how I loved my wine trips down there last summer, comes to The Twelve, Bearna, Galway. Check it out here. 

Shorts

Very disappointing to find that an English Market stall put their price label across the use by date label on a packet of rocket that cost 2.99. I bought it on the 13^th and the expiry date was the 11^th. Opened it on the 14^th and the rocket, as you’d expect, wasn’t exactly at its best.  It stank. It was then that I peeled off the top label and saw the expiry date. Not nice.

Springtime salads, courtesy of All Recipes UK and Ireland
			Springtime lettuces and greens like rocket, spinach and watercress are at their best – time to enjoy fresh tossed salads for a lovely light lunch or dinner! Check them all out here

Market Meal #2, thanks to Rachel

Easy meal, thanks to Rachel. By the way, the leaf on the rice is not Lemon Balm (variegated) but  Ginger Mint.

This edition of Market Meal owes much to Rachel Allen as all three dishes are based on her RTE series Easy Meals. The starter and mains were on last week's programme. 

The starter is a spicy squid salad and we got most of the ingredients in the English Market, the squid from O'Connell's Fish. Had a bit of a problem with the rocket though as the stall, deliberately or otherwise, had put their price label across the use by date label. I bought it on the 13^th and the expiry date was the 11^th. Opened it on the 14^th and the rocket, as you’d expect, wasn’t exactly at its best. It was then we peeled back the top label. Rushed up to the local Supervalu and got a mixed bag of leaves (including rocket) in tip top condition.

No problem with the ingredients for the Pan Fried Chicken and Mango Salsa main course. The chicken breasts, which were absolutely superb, came from O'Sullivan's Poultry stall, in the English Market. Must say that all the dishes were easy to cook and all were superb, light and tasty yet filling enough.

With some Mango on hand, we decided to skip last week's suggested Chocolate Dessert and instead choose an earlier Mango and Raspberry Mess by Rachel. Once again, it was a cinch to assemble. And easier still to eat. Just three letters needed to describe this: Yum.

Had to make up my own mind on the wine and struck the jackpot with Little Beauty's Pinot Gris, Limited Edition 2010, from Marlborough, New Zealand. They recommend it on their notes for Asian Cuisine and it turned out to be just perfect. Distributed here by Wine Alliance and available at stockists nationwide. 

Links to Recipes
Squid starter: http://www.rte.ie/food/2012/0328/spicysquidsalad.html
Chicken mains: http://www.rte.ie/food/2012/0328/chickenmangosalsa.html
Mango dessert: http://www.rte.ie/food/2011/1130/mangoraspberrymess.html
See Rachel do it on the player: http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=1144760

Coal Quay Revival

Coal Quay Revival

May be it was the spring sunshine. Maybe it was the band. Maybe it was the street entertainer guy who used plasticine to cover his face with a Devil Mask. Maybe it was the chirpy Easter chick.

Can’t quite put my finger on it but, for the first time in a while, I left the Saturday Coal Quay Market with a good feeling, some unexpected purchases and an expectation that I would be back.

The food section is, unfortunately, situated at the far end of Cornmarket Street, but it had the crowd last  Saturday and there seemed to be more stalls than usual. Regulars at other markets, such as Natural Food Bakery and O'Driscoll’s Fish (who often sell out early), were in place and busy. Got some yeast bread and a terrific Date Slice from the bakery whose stock (it was about 12.30pm), was also diminishing.


Lots of snack stalls, including Green Kiwi (coffee) and the Crepe Man. All active. Plant stalls too and no shortage of free range eggs. Oh yes and there is an apple stall here that doesn't appear at the other main markets (Douglas excepted). Mealagulla Orchards are from Ovens and they do a tasty juice, though €3.50 a bottle is a little dearer than their competitors.

You could buy lots of vegetable plants there too, many in suitably small quantities, ideal for the suburban garden.

Recently, one of the local papers featured a nettle soup recipe by Darina Allen. Well, you can get your nettles here at 2.50 a bag. And wild garlic (also 2.50) and a whole lot more, including rocket. Bought a little bag of Sprouting Broccoli (3.00). All these are available from Caroline’s Home-grown Vegetables.

Get on down and have a “wander” along Cornmarket Street on a Saturday.

Amuse Bouche

“In Oak Ridge, Tennessee, that Autumn (1951), police seized a youth on suspicion of possessing narcotics when he was found with some peculiar brown powder, but he was released when it was shown that it was a new powder called instant coffee.”

-       From Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson.

Chardonnay and a compatible partner

Chardonnay and a compatible partner

Adega de Pegoes, Chardonnay Arinto 2010, Portugal, 13%, €14.00-16.00 stockists.

Colour is a light straw and the nose is aromatic, vibrant and fruity. On the palate, it is vivacious, dry with nicely rounded tropical fruit with a persistent dry finish.

This well made blend, Adega de Pegoes, comes from the Setubal Peninsula and is a fifty partnership between the well accomplished international traveller Chardonnay and the versatile native grape Arinto. Unusually, for the Spanish/Portuguese area, it comes with a cork closure. A good wine at a good price. Highly recommended.

·         Many of you will be glad to hear that the Californian Wine Tasting is back in Cork again this year. The consumer event will be held on the evening of Monday April 30^th, from 6 - 7.30pm, in conjunction with Easy Food Magazine.

Dream football trip for all the family!

Not exactly food and drink, though the Big Boys in Green enjoyed their cuppa here. Thought you'd like to know about this dream family trip. Miss Cork Susan Brosnan with Tony Cascarino and Pakie Bonner at the launch of the Supervalu Trip of a Lifetime to Euro 2012. More details (and pics) on my football blog here.

A wander through the market...

A Wander In Mahon Point Farmers Market

“Have a nice wander” was the parting shot from a twitter buddy as I headed off to the Thursday Farmers Market in Mahon Point. “A wander” I questioned silently.

But the word was fairly apt, even if the market stretches hardly a 100 yards and back again of course with a detour in the middle. But is does turn into a wander. No rush as you stroll and stop and shop, time galore to ask a question, talk about the weather, the new lambs, the new salad and so much more.

Of course the more you get to know the stall holders the more the chance of a chat (great paté
 and fantastic patter from Barry Tyner) and of course Mahon is not unique in that respect. True, but still these are generally friendly folk, always ready to talk. I met one lady stall holder for the first time Thursday, a really cold day, and she immediately confided that she had so many layers of cloths on that she was unable to bend!

O’Driscoll’s from West Cork has to be the most popular stand here. Every time, there is a queue for their fantastic fresh fish; good service and a good price too. Must admit I have a few regular stops: Woodside Farm, Flynn’s Kitchen, Arbutus Breads, Gubbeen, Glenilen, and more.

Go not just to talk but to buy as well. I start with a full wallet and empty bags; end with the reverse being true. And no regrets. Great stuff there: apples and mushrooms from Ballyhoura, chickens and beef from East Cork, tasty sushi, two farmers from East Cork also with great selections of vegetables and also Organic Republic with a big selection of fruit and veg.

Coffee stops, the olive stand, fish also from Ballycotton, a cheese stall, jams and relishes from Una Poynton and an award winning range of pies from Una’s Pies, not to mention Buttevant’s Old Millbank for smoked salmon and other goodies.

And something nice to finish with? No bother. Why not call to Midleton’s Bite-Size (love their carrot cake), Cookies with Character, or the Natural Food Bakery (they also do a smashing carrot cake as well as my favourite white yeast loaf).

I know I have left some out. You may see the full list here.  And don’t forget, if you don’t; make it to Mahon, that many of these will be selling their fares at Midleton and Douglas on Saturdays. So give that wallet an airing and bring a few large bags.

Market Meal (greenfly included!)

Market Meal #1

Are you like me?

Sometimes I head off to the market, without a clue and end up buying willy nilly. Later, have some sorting out to do. Eat this at lunch, this at dinner. Or are you all organised? Head off with a list?

Either way, you can have fun but perhaps we do need some idea as to what to buy. And, to be honest, I usually do, even if a rather vague one!. The market, whether the various farmers markets or the English Market, are great places to fill a menu. Just like this unplanned one that we did this week.

Market Meal #1

Starter: Paté (Barry Tyner).

Mains: Pork Steak (Woodside Farm)

Cheese: Gubbeen

Dessert: Date Cake (Natural Food Bakery).

Date slices

Let us fill that in a bit. Barry (left) does a great Cognac and Garlic Paté but this time we went for the creamy Chicken with Caramelised Onion one. Served it up with toasted White Yeast Loaf (Natural Food Bakery) and a salad.

That salad featured lettuce from Organic Republic. Quite a bit of greenfly on it – suppose that proved it was organic! Shook it up and washed it off and looked okay. In any event, I’d prefer to eat a few tiny aphids than some unseen pesticide!

Martin of Woodside Farm has quite a presence at Farmers Markets; you’ll find him (or wife Noreen) at Mahon, Cobh, Midleton and Douglas. His free range pork steaks, tender and super tasty, are just the job. We did a Paprika Pork recipe (top picture), a simple pan fry, enriched with caramelised onions and crème fraiche (pictured).

It was served with rice and green vegetables. The greens, beans and broccoli, came from the organic section in a nearby Dunne’s Stores. Supermarkets have their uses too!

Gubbeen are regulars in Mahon and the cheese was their gorgeous smoked mature. Two relishes were used (same as with the paté), a Baxter’s Redcurrant Jelly and a Mango Chutney from Aldi.

The Natural Food Bakery have a stall in Mahon and also include the Coal Quay in their itinerary. Besides, they have a shop/cafe at the Daunt’s Square end of Paul Street. I bought the Date Slice* in the Coal Quay and that, plus a cup of Badger and Dodo coffee, provided a fitting end to this Market Meal!

Have you put a Market Meal together? I’m sure you have. Let us know!
 
* The date slice consisted of layers of oaty crumble with sunflower seeds and a hint of ginger and sweet stewed dates. Wheat free, sugar free and dairy free.

Food and Drink Spotting

My Food and Drink Weekly

Have been resisting that relatively new Macaroon stand in the English Market for a while. But no longer. Just succumbed. What flavours. A brilliant sensation in the mouth, “a light mix between crunch and smooth” as they say themselves. My favourite was the Lavender and Honey but there are so many to try.

Themselves are Cameron Macaroonry, a family business who make all their macaroons in West Cork. “We also do macaroon towers for weddings and other occasions.... Our macaroons make a lovely dessert or gift!”

Just a couple of items on the local Slow Food agenda. If you want to know more, why not check out the website http://www.slowfoodireland.com/. Where you may also subscribe to the regular newsletter.

Tuesday 17 April at 7pm - Cork City Convivium will have a blind tasting at Fenn's Quay - eat your meal whilst blindfolded and guess what you're eating - a true sensory meal.

COST: Slow Food members €25 per head, non members €30.

BOOKING: corkcity@slowfoodireland.com

Tuesday 24 April at 7pm - East Cork Convivium with OOOBY - Out of Your Own BackYard - Mike and Suzie Cahn will talk on this local food initiative which supports local fresh organic produce, local food suppliers and offers educational and community initiatives at Ballymaloe Cookery School. All proceeds to the East Cork Slow Food Educational Project.

MORE DETAILS: slowfoodeastcork@gmail.com

Wine

Tindal Wine Merchants are holding a Barolo Master Class with Luigi Piacenti, Gemma, Piemonte, between 3-5pm Wednesday 25th April in the Cliff Town House, St. Stephen’s Green. Details here. http://www.tindalwine.com/

The Strand Hotel (Limerick) http://www.strandhotellimerick.ie will hold a French Wine & Local Artisan Producers Evening on Wednesday April 18th. ( 7:30pm). The Tasting Experience will showcase the finest in local Artisan produce matched with amazing wines by Gregory Barbet of
Loron et Fils in Beaujolais, France. The 7 Course Gourmet Dinner including Wine costs
€55.00 per person. Reservations Essential. T: 061 421800 E: info@strandlimerick.ie

On the home front, I have been concentrating on the Rhone area, more or less. Some fantastic wines in this region. You’ll be familiar no doubt with Gigondas and Vacqueyras but do you know the wines of Mas de la Dame?

From organically grown vines, the two ladies here make a brilliant blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. I thoroughly enjoyed their 2006 La Stele Rouge (Les Baux de Provence). The Vacqueyras was a top notch Cuvee des Saint Papes 2008 while the excellent 2007 Gigondas, Cuvee Vieilles Vignes, was produced by Domaine du Grand Montmirail.

Both of these were bought in the villages of the same name but I’m pretty sure you can find something similar here. The Wine Store http://www.thewinestore.ie who specialise in Rhone wines, would be a good bet.

Shorts

From the most recent edition of Cook with Avonmore comes this Apple and Rhubarb Crumble by Oliver Dunne, Michelin Star Chef (Bon Appétit) Get the recipe here


Food Safety Authority of Ireland
 Seven Closure Orders Served in March
Click here to read the press release: http://www.fsai.ie/news_centre/press_releases/marchenforcements05032012.html

Vista Bar And Grill, Hotel Montenotte

Vista Bar And Grill

Hotel Montenotte

I’ve been using some of those better than half price deal vouchers and the most recent was this week when I called to one of my local hotels, the Hotel Montenotte. The Groupon voucher promised a couple of cocktails and a main course each for €25.00.

Hadn’t been to the Montenotte for quite a while but it turned out to be quite an enjoyable experience. The voucher mentioned the Vista Bar and Grill but we were directed to the adjoining restaurant section; both enjoy the same views over the city.

The hotel and dining room looked brilliant. Service was low key, courteous and efficient. The cocktails didn’t materialise. Instead we were served with a glass each of a rosé Prosecco, quite dry and tasty. No quibbles there; only bubbles. There were supplements on the various steaks but again this had been flagged to some extent by Groupon.

We checked out the well worn menus as we sipped the bubbly. CL decided to go for the Poached Darne of Atlantic Salmon (C), priced at €16.75. This turned out to be quite a pleasant surprise. It was served, unusually, on baby potatoes with a fresh mussel and winter vegetable broth, with a side dish of spot-on vegetables. A little different and a very pleasing main course indeed.

Didn’t expect any problems with my sirloin and none materialised. It was done just as requested and I really enjoyed the creamy mushroom sauce and my little bucket of French fries (nice touch!).

Had a look at the desserts but, after two sizeable platefuls (and the fact the Champions League was about to start on telly!), decided to finish off with coffee. Again, this was well up to standard, Bewley's I believe.

There are some other items on the menu worth exploring and you can see the lot here. If you'd like to see more local deals from Groupon click here.