A Cracking Madeira and So Much More at Liberty Tasting

Liberty Tasting

“Before you go, you have to try the Justino’s Madeira Colheita 1996,” she said.

I saw she was serious so, before she’d make a song and dance about it, I thought I’d better try the wine. Oh, it was fabulous. A real star of the wine world, just like Miss Susan Boyle  who gave me the tip! 

There were many stars on view, thanks to Gerry Gunnigan and Liberty Ireland, over 200 wines I think, from well established areas such as France and Italy to newcomers such as Armenia. And there was quite an impressively large attendance as well at Fallon & Byrne yesterday.

Ian Brosnan (left) of ely Wine Bars
with Yours Truly.

Started off with a couple of Grüner Veltliner from Austria. The 2013 Lois was fresh and fruity as you might expect (you’d certainly expect so if you were getting it in one of heurigers on the outskirts of Vienna). But the more serious Loimer 2012 Kamptal, from one estate, was the better of the two.

New Zealand also had a couple of GV’s on show and Tinpot Hut’s 2012 McKee Vineyard effort wasn't a million miles away from the Lois. The Paddler’s 2012 Marlborough was really engaging, loved its fruit and good length.

Now it was time to compare a couple of Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon in what turned out to be a Bordeaux v Margaret River contest. Great to meet Emma Cullen again as she poured her 2011 Mangan River. Just one word here: superb!

France would have to go some here to match that and the Chateau de Rayne Vigneac took up the challenge with its 2012 Le Sec Bordeaux Blanc, a wine new to the Liberty portfolio. There was a distinct aroma of celery, unusual, but it is quite a fine smooth wine and refreshing, though without having quite the same heft as the Cullen bottle.

Emma was also showing a smashing new red, the Margaret River Mangan Vineyard 2012 Malbec/Petit Verdot/Merlot. Malbec has the lead role here with 54% while the Petit Verdot has 29%. It is an exciting blend and an excellent wine. Look out for it!

Bordeaux would come into its own with the reds and we had a few good ones in a row. Started off with the basic Bordeaux Superieur (2011) from Chateau de Mahon Laville, an excellent effort at that level, full of flavours and with a good finish.

The standard raised another notch with the Château Tour de Capet, St Emilion Grand Cru 2010, a superb wine. That got a close run from Clos St Vincent, also a St Emilion Grand Cru, also 2010. This too was very good but my vote goes to Tour de Capet. Must call to one or two of those when I’m in the area in June!

Tried some very good Italians also, including two gorgeous Amarones, but Bordeaux had stolen a march and we left it that. Well, not quite. We sipped happily on the Valdespino NV Manzanilla Deliciosa before ending on another high with that gorgeous Madeira*.

*Gerry told me that Cork readers will find the Madeira at O’Brien’s in Douglas.

My 44 Hours in Dublin. Accommodation, lunch, dinner, more. Details all here

Getting it Light and Oh So Right at Forest Avenue

Getting it Right and Light at Forest Avenue

A cold wind blew on the banks of the Grand Canal as we strode down to the Forest Avenue Restaurant in Sussex Street (Dublin). But soon I felt as if we were sailing away on a summer’s day, such was the gorgeous lunch served up to us, in a light and delightful style.

Here you’ll be fed well without necessarily getting the traditional “great feed”.Quality over quantity! The relatively new restaurant is run by Sandy and John Wyer (who I found out is from Glanmire, the parish next door to my Cork base!).

We got a hint of what was to come with a tasting of their Potato soup (above) with pickled mushroom, and ham, and lovage. Simple ingredients but a superb result. The pricing too is pretty simple: 15 euro for a main course, 20 for two courses and 25 for three. Well worth it! Service, led by Sandy, is friendly, informative and excellent and the place itself is casual and comfortable. Very Highly Recommended. They are open for both dinner and lunch and do remember that menus change quite frequently.

They have an appropriately short wine list but, after a tasting that morning, we were happy to see some craft drinks on the list, including that excellent Stonewell Cider. We shared a bottle and it went very well indeed with the food.

The potato soup was one of the three starters on Wednesday’s menu. I picked the Salt Baked Beets (below), celeriac, hazelnuts, house-made ricotta, pear and house-cured duck pastrami, another great mix of ingredients resulting in lovely combination of textures and flavours. And much the same could be said about the other starter, which CL thoroughly enjoyed. That was the Salad of Grilled Leek (above), soft egg with smoked beef and torn bread.

There were also three choices for mains and mine was the Cod with sprouting broccoli, mussels and horseradish. This was so appealing, both to the eyes and to the palate, a deliciously perfect example of the light style referred to earlier.

Again, the second mains was another collection of simple ingredients but, overall, a superb dish: Chicken Breast, smoked potato, parsnip, onion and kale. CL was delighted: “The chicken was succulent, the kale perfectly cooked, the lightly smoked potato had a beautiful distinctive flavour while  the onion and parsnip also added to the textures and flavours.”

The third mains, by the way, was the House-made cavatelli with squash, olive and capers. Desserts too looked tempting but, on this occasion (it was turning into a packed enjoyable day in Dublin), we reluctantly gave it a skip.

Forest Avenue

8 Sussex Terrace - Dublin 4 - Ph: 01 667 8337

email: sandy@forestavenuerestaurant.ie

Opening Hours:

Closed Monday

Lunch: Tuesday – Friday 12pm– 3pm

Dinner: Wednesday – Saturday 6pm – 9:30pm

Brunch: Sunday 12pm – 3pm

 44 Hours in Dublin. Accommodation, lunch, dinner, more. Details all here

The excellent ely Wine Bar

The excellent ely Wine Bar

When the folks at Dublin’s ely Wine Bars  go home to Clare they collect most of their meat from the family farm and get the lamb from the farm next door on Craggy Island. In Ely Place (Dublin), we had some of that lamb last evening and it was a highlight, slow cooked and superb. And a huge choice of well priced wines to choose from.

We had started with a glass of sherry and were soon into our starters. Mine was a delightful Roast Cauliflower and Parmesan while CL tucked into the family farm beef:  Organic Burren beef carpaccio with artichoke and radish. 

We had been going through the extensive wine and decided on the Chateau Fongaban Puisseguin St Emilion biodynamic and it proved a superb wine and a superb match. The lamb was something else, slow cooked and served with sun-dried tomato pesto, goat cheese mousse, shaved fennel, a big bowl of lovely lamb’s lettuce and jus.

 Amazingly, there was room for dessert. And some pretty amazing desserts, I might add. CL went for the Poached Rhubarb served with vanilla ice cream and ginger crumble and that went down well with the recommended Chateau des Fesles, Bonnezeaux Chenin ‘05.

My pick was the 70% Chocolate Truffle Tart and Raspberry Sorbet. This was divine. Didn't take the recommended Banyuls but was very happy with my choice the Chateau Haut Mayne, Sauternes ‘09.

And that was it, a lovely end to a very satisfactory meal indeed, Time then to walk it off with a round or two (well, half a round really) of Stephen’s Green.

 44 Hours in Dublin. Accommodation, lunch, dinner, more. Details all here

Amuse Bouche

They were extremely poor. The wretched little shop, with its window blocked with packages of Coleman’s Mustard, Cadbury’s Cocoa, etc., did not realize it its stock these splendid advertisements. A few red herrings hung from the ceiling, and a few strings of onions. There was a make believe of two or three gorgeous canisters, on which “Tea” was printed in crimson and gold letters.

From Glenanaar by Canon PA Sheehan.

Now for Level 3: Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits

                                                                                

WSET Level 3: Advanced Certificate in Wines & Spirits (15 weeks)

·       Thursdays 7.00-9.00pm from 6^th March – 19^th June (1 week break midcourse)

This course will run for 15 weeks and is open only to those who have completed Level 2 Certificate in Wines & Spirits

The course is €695 with a payment plan available to those interested.

To register please contact Deirdre - deirdre@odonovansofflicence.com , info@odonovansofflicence.com or 021 4296060

Dinner From Just One Stall. Market Meal #7

One Stall Dinner

Market Meal #7

This is the latest in a series of Market Meals. The difference here is that the meal comes from just one stall and that is the relatively new Fresh from West Cork initiative in the English Market, just opposite the renowned Chicken Inn.

And another difference is that I’ve had a  bit of fun matching the four courses to beers. Since four beers is hardly enough for a growing boy, I’ve done it twice. Match One is with Cork beers while Match Two is with Porterhouse Beers.

Thanks to the ever patient Michael Creedon of Bradley's Off Licence for his knowledgeable help with selecting the beers but the final pick was mine! Don't want you  going into North Main Street and blaming Michael if your local favourite is not on the list.

Back now to Fresh from West Cork. Walter Ryan-Purcell is the face behind this “cooperative” effort from the west and close to forty producers are represented so it wasn't that difficult to get enough for a four course dinner. Indeed there were many options.

It just illustrates that you can do all your food shopping in the English Market. Maybe not all at Fresh from West Cork - they don't do fresh fish, for example - but you’ll be spoilt for choice if you wander around the wider market

Starter: Union Hall Smoked Salmon with Lemon Labneh by McCarthy’s Natural Dairies.

Cork Beer: Green Bullet Ale (Mountain Man).

Porterhouse: Hersbrucker Pilsner.

The smoked salmon, served with a little salad, was quite rich and the creamy Labneh added to the texture. Might have been better served on a Ryvita cracker or similar. Both beers worked well though in different ways. The Ale added more flavour while the Pilsner, not lacking in flavour, provided a nice cutting edge, a contrast against all the creaminess. One up to the Porterhouse team!

Mains: Gubben Traditional Dry Cured Smoked Bacon with vegetables from Peter Ross.

Cork Beer: Blacks Black IPA (Blacks, Kinsale).

Porterhouse: An Brain Blásta Strong Ale.

The Gubbeen bacon, smoked and lightly peppered, was sensational, the star of the night. With its fantastic texture and flavour, it was out on its own. The beers were both good matches; the Black perhaps best taken with bacon on the palate, the PH between bites! An Brain Blásta (even at 7%abv) doesn't mean brain blaster. It is Irish for The Tasty Drop.

Cheese: Loughbeg Farm hard Goat Cheese with Yellow Zucchini Relish also by Loughbeg.

Cork Beer: Friar Weisse (Franciscan Well).

Porterhouse: Red Ale.

The gorgeous crumbly cheese didn't seem to be getting on too well with the spiced up relish. Until the Friar Weisse was introduced. The local wheat beer transformed the potential discord into a very edible treat. A terrific match. Porterhouse don't make a wheat beer and through no fault of its own their Red Ale couldn't quite replicate the feat of the Friar here. Still, it was a nice way to pass the longish interval to dessert. That makes it 1.5 each for the beer teams.

Dessert: Yummy Tummy’s Brownies with Glenilen Clotted Cream.

Cork Beer: Knockmedown Porter (Eight Degrees).

Porterhouse: Oyster Stout.

Let me get this straight. Yummy Tummy’s Brownies are ace. Glenilen Clotted Cream is ace. You're on a winner. Now, add Knockmedown Porter (Eight Degrees) and you have a jackpot combination! Irresistible! That gave the edge to the Cork beer team, 2.5 to 1.5. The Oyster Stout, a gem in its own right, didn't have quite the same impact in the sweet finale to a smashing West Cork dinner.

Cool Cornstore

Cool Cornstore 

It is just past 6.30pm on a Friday evening and Cork’s Cornstore restaurant is already abuzz. But still time for a warm welcome and soon we are at our table studying the various menus. I asked the waiter was he expecting a busy night. “Ah, not too bad,” he said. “About two hundred.” Cool or what? But he and the rest of the Cornstore crew sure know how to run the popular Cornmarket Street venue with equal measures of efficiency and friendliness.

The Cork restaurant, they also have one in Limerick, prides itself on its steaks and seafood. The aged steaks here are top notch but we turned our attention to the fish on Friday night. I went straight to the water with their Haddock Mussels (€10.50), a delectable balance of textures and flavours and a spoon (didn't have to ask!) available to scoop up the sauce.

Meanwhile CL was tucking in, enthusiastically, to a favourite of hers: Goats cheese tart

with fig jam, roast red pepper and sun dried tomato pesto (9.50). The pastry was beautifully crispy, packed with flavours.

From left: Hake, Sea Bass, Cheese.

So we were off and running and getting into the wine. They have something of a “sale” at the moment and we got the Chilean Crucero (Chardonnay) for thirty euro instead of the normal forty. Aromatic, fruity, with refreshing acidity and with a good finish, it turned out to be a very enjoyable bottle indeed.

Of course, if you are at the Cornstore, you  must check out their extensive cocktail menu. We had a couple at the end. Mine was High Society: Beefeater gin, peach schnapps, Campari

and grapefruit juice - light, bright and lovely! CL picked the Balsamicotini (try saying that quickly at the end of the night!) and this serious mix consists of Grey Goose vodka, fresh strawberries, balsamico, fresh basil, fresh lime juice, cranberry juice and strawberry syrup.

By that time, we had dispatched the mains. Hers was the Pan seared seabass on a potato rosti with roast organic pumpkin, spinach, and a carrot and orange reduction (€22.95) while I picked the Oven roast hake on braised fennel, potatoes, pappardelle of carrot, lemon beurre blanc and a prawn oil (€19.95). Both were superb. We didn't quite finish off the plates (you get vegetables on the side as well) but portions are Irish size here!

No dessert as such but we did share a well picked Cheese Platter (including Cashel Blue) with chutney, apple, celery and grapes. Nice and tasty finish. Cocktail time!

Some of the cool crew at the Cornstore (pic by Cornstore)

About the Cornstore

The Cornstore Restaurant offers delicious award-winning menus over 2 floors in a lively, Manhattan style surrounding. We specialise in premium Steaks & quality Seafood, award winning cocktails, new world beers & a vast wine selection.

Location

40a Cornmarket Street , Cork

Phone	(021) 427 4777
Email	cork@cornstore.com
Website	http://www.cornstore.com

Hours

Mon - Sat: 12:00 pm - 10:30 am Sun: 1:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Cahill's Cheese off to Paris with Bord Bia

Cahill's Cheese off to Paris with Bord Bia

A selection of Cahill's cheese

Cahill’s Farm Cheese from Newcastle West, County Limerick, are one of the Irish cheesemakers being hosted by Bord Bia at Salon du Fromage, the leading cheese trade fair.

Helen Cahill is looking forward to the Paris event: “Participation in Salon du Fromage affords us the opportunity to showcase our quality Irish cheeses to international buyers. We have been supplying the renowned Rungis food market, outside Paris, with our Porter and Whiskey cheeses for sometime. We are really looking forward to meeting existing customers, as well as hoping to make new connections during the course of the show.”

It is a first for Bord Bia who will host fourteen Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers. Bord Bia will showcase one of the only two non-French national pavilions at the show by exhibiting up to forty artisan cheeses from the 23rd to the 26th February. The well-established Salon du Fromage,  will be held alongside the Salon de l’Agriculture, the international agricultural show, where more than 170 exhibitors and over 6,000 visitors are expected to attend.

The Irish Farmhouse Cheese sector is a contributor to the dairy industry’s high quality and sustainable reputation, with over 50 farmhouse cheese makers producing in excess of 150 types of cheese. The total Irish artisan cheese sector is currently valued at more than €12 million per annum at farm gate level since growing from a small base in the 1970’s. Exports have become a focus for the sector in recent years due to the upcoming abolition of milk quotas in 2015 which is expected to increase milk supply by up to 50% in Ireland by 2020 and the number of dairy farms adding value on farm in the form of Irish Farmhouse Cheese.

According to Bord Bia’s French Market Manager, Noreen Lanigan, “The recent growth in exports of Irish artisan cheese to approximately €4.5 million is an invaluable endorsement of the quality of Irish artisan cheese internationally. Europe, and of course France, the acclaimed epicenter for cheese, have become a priority for Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers in their export targets.”

She added, “In Ireland, as each cheese is unique to each producer, this allows for innovation and creativity while respecting the values of traditional cheese making. This differs greatly to cheese available on the Continent where they are made by many farms and dairies under strict guidelines to ensure consistent standards such as Camembert. Our European counterparts see it as unique and unusual that each cheese is the result of the passion and dedication of one farm and family.”

List of Participating Irish Farmhouse Cheesemakers:

1.       Ardrahan

2.       Bellingham Blue

3.       Cahill's Cheese                                                            

4.       Carrigaline Farmhouse Cheese

5.       Cashel Blue Cheese     

6.       Cooleeney Farm                                                           

7.       http://www.corleggycheeses.com/

8.       Durrus Cheese

9.       Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese

10.   Milleen's Cheese

11.   Old Irish Creamery

12.   St. Tola

13.   The Little Milk Company                                                

14.   Wicklow Blue

Five Star Night in Bridge Street

 Five Star Night in Bridge Street
Star Anise*****

Clockwise from top left: Duck, Terrine, Turbot, Apple trio.

Six plates presented. Six sent back without a scrap on them. A vote of confidence or what? It is always the same high standard at Star Anise, one of the very best restaurants in Cork. Don't know how Virginie and her team come up with winners all the time. Long may the magic last.

The temptations, for Bridge Street passers-by, start with the lovingly decorated window and the display on the sill. The inside too is full of charm, including art works for sale. And, a warm welcome, of course.

Soon you are at your table, with menus, water and bread and any aperitif you fancy. The A La Carte has about seven starters to consider. On the night, CL choose the Terrine of Chicken and Jack McCarthy’s Black Pudding with Piccalilli and Crostini, a perfect combination of flavours and textures and it didn't look too bad either. Cool on a cold night, but a warmly received winner.

  

My pick was the nicely presented Irish Venison Sausage and, with the classic roasted beetroots and mustard jus, it was a flavoursome delight, intense and delicious. Virginie herself was keeping the tables going on quite a busy Tuesday night but she still had time for a chat now and then and told us the sausages came from O’Flynn’s in Marlboro Street and you know they make them good there!

Now for the main event. I went for the first on a list of seven: Barbary Duck Breast with carrot and cardamom puree, duck risotto croquettes with roast potato and jus. Cooked to perfection, this was another five star dish and those tasty croquettes were a bonus.

Our other mains was the evening’s fish special: Pan Fried Turbot with a saffron cream sauce, crisped potatoes, glazed carrots, parsnips, broccoli and roast potato. Bring out the superlatives again, sublime, divine…. And those potatoes caught the eye and better still kept the taste buds very happy as well. Terrific dish.

Time for dessert now and the eye catcher here was the Trio of Apples (Tarte Tatin, Apple posset and Apple Sorbet). A delight on the palate also. Stylish as well and a great alternative to the ubiquitous apple tart. A lovely sorbet also featured on my special: the Strawberry cheesecake served with a mix of juicy black and red currants.  Happy out!

Star Anise

• 4, Bridge Street
• Cork 021

Phone	(021) 455 1635
Email	staranise@eircom.net
Website	http://www.staranise.ie