My Dingle Food Experience

My Dingle Food Experience
Festival and Blas na hEireann Awards

Local starter, all local here, at An Canteen:
 chorizo croquetta and ham hock terrine (supplier Jerry Kennedy)

Trucks, tractors, trains, even tourists, may have delayed our arrival in Dingle last Thursday but nothing was keeping us away from the Blas na hEireann Awards or the fantastic Dingle Food Festival.

Artie Clifford and his hard-working Blas committee had all the products - there are well over two thousand in some ninety categories - lined up for the tables of judges in the Skellig Hotel. The food and drink products would be fully tested and so to would the palates of the judges as there were two sessions lasting a combined total of around five hours.

You have no idea of who makes what. It is not a blind tasting as such (no blindfolds!) but the unpackaged products in front of you are “anonymous” for want of a better word. There are up to five on the shortlist for each category and each judge tastes quite a few groups over the morning and afternoon.  My standout category? I thought the standard in blue cheese (winners: Cashel Blue) was top class, with three of the five outstanding. See the full list of winners here.

Not all food. This piece, from recycled tyres,
 created by Mick Davis, is called Ram's Head.

With the judging completed - we still wouldn't know the winners until Saturday afternoon - it was time to check in at our accommodation. The next event was the press opening of the Dingle Food Festival at the Tom Crean Brewery. More food here but, after all the little bites during the day, I opted for a couple pints of the cool and fresh Tom Crean lager.

Lovely chats then with fellow judges and bloggers and all fell silent as Neven Maguire, presented earlier with a special award by Blas, cut the ribbon and opened the festival. Next port of call was the bar in Benners. Tom  Crean available there too of course and a whole selection of Irish craft beers included on the drinks menu.

Neven Maguire at the opening of the
Dingle Cookery School.

Very impressed with that development (Benner’s also have Dingle vodka and gin from the local distillery). Next stop was An Canteen, another huge supporter of craft beers. Here hosts Brian and Niall greeted us and served up a fantastic meal, made with pride and passion and no little skill, from local produce. Even Neven was highly impressed.

Time then, for me at least, to stroll down the lane and head back to the bed. Friday would be another busy and very enjoyable day.

Blas winners on the double:
East Cork's Sandra and Joe Burns.

The rain came down for a while on Friday morning but that didn't stop the punters from turning up in the farmers market to see Neven Maguire signing his new book Fast. He was in great form, chatting and smiling and standing in for photos as the fans queued up to buy the book.

Thanks to Lisa McGee (@Dingle Spirit on Twitter), we had heard that there was a two o’clock tour at the Dingle Distillery so we strolled out to the west of the town and joined an international group for a very interesting 75 minutes or so. See separate post here on this tour.

Fun times at Tom Crean's

On the way back, we called into the Dingle Cookery School opening. Here again, Neven was doing the honours and, as usual, joining in the fun. It is a tremendous facility. Lots of courses are now available, some short, some long. Check out all the details here. Hope to do a separate story on this also.

And still more to do. Next Blas event was the announcement of the winners in the awards given by the local enterprise offices. Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Limerick, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Tipperary and Waterford were among those represented at Benner’s. Delighted to see Beara Seafoods and Joe’s Farm, two small family producers that I've met this year, among the winners.

Dessert at Idás

Friday night found a group of us in Idás, an excellent restaurant more on John Street. Lots of conversation and good food, good wine too, as an enjoyable evening unfolded. Great to meet chef and owner Kevin Murphy who had laid on a special tasting menu for us. Check Idás out if you’re in the town or the area - worth a detour!

The rain, aside from a few showers, held off on Saturday and just as well. First stop was the Blas Producers Networking Event. Buyers were here in their dozens and it was great chance for the producers to show and talk about their produce. Lovely to meet up again with Olivia  from An Olivia Chocolates, a winner last year (and gold again this year), with Sam from Cloudberry Bakery (also a gold this year - see her tasty produce in Brown Thomas in Cork) and with so many more.

On the Taste Trail at Out of the Blue.
Their shark bite (front) was a big hit!

And then it was off to the market which covers most of the central streets of the town. This includes the regular farmers market but it is so much more. Producers who have won in the previous year’s awards had the opportunity to have a stand and so the selection of foods and drinks is huge. The Foods of Athenry, Hartnett’s Oils, Wild Irish Foragers and Blurini Blasta were among the many stops we made.

Soon though we were down to business, on the Taste Trail. With over 80 participants, this must be the biggest and best of its kind in the country (if not, let me know!). Everything, from shark to kangaroo, from ling pie to Dingle Fudge, from wine to craft beers and ciders, available. Purchase with your book of tokens or with cash. Separate post here.

Saturday's special menu at Out of the Blue (OOTB)

All the while the awards were being presented in the cinema and again it was a delight to see many hard working producers that I know get their just rewards.

Just as well our booking for Saturday's dinner was on the late side. It was 9.15 when we arrived at Out of the Blue, the fish specialist restaurant on the waterfront in Dingle. The French chefs had a special multi-course menu for the night, even a special wine menu. It was a terrific meal in a small place with a great atmosphere and a great staff. Highly recommended. Post to follow.

Stamina had run out by the time Sunday morning dawned. There was still much to do, including the Taste Trail and market again, but home called and we headed east with lots of lovely memories and a promise to ourselves to call again.

Slán go fóill.

Amuse Bouche

The main course was not ambrosia but suckling pig, pheasant, and partridge, with artichokes, courgette, cucumber, and rocket leaves. The latter were a sure aphrodisiac, as were the snails and oysters already consumed. In place of nectar, they drank the finest wines of the empire, Falernian and Mamertine, Chian and Lesbian.

from Iron and Rust by Harry Sidebottom

For your Weekend: One White, One Red

For your Weekend: One White, One Red

Vina del Sopie Verdejo DO Rueda 2013, 13.5% abv, €13.95 Karwig Wines

Venture away from the usual white grapes and you'll be richly rewarded. Especially if you try this one which is one hundred per cent Verdejo (pronounced Ver-deko) and all the grapes are from fifty year old vines.

It is yellow in colour with green tones and looks clean and bright. The nose is rather expressive, white fruits combine with floral aromas, for me it was love at first sniff. And the affair intensified when it hit the palate, smooth and round and again those fruits and indeed floral characters, ending in a long and fruity finish.

The Spanish vineyard recommend pairing it with Mediterranean dishes, vegetables, rice and seafood and flavourful fish and I can agree when they say it is exceptional as an aperitif. Quite delicious all round and very highly recommended.

If you’d like to pick up a red while you’re in Karwigs, check out the Caldora Montepulciano and the Caldora Sangiovese. I’ve had these recently and they are two really lovely reds and each is well priced.

Chateau Lezin, Bordeaux Superieur 2011, 13%, €10.00 (down from 19.99), SuperValu.

Merlot (69%) certainly dominates the blend here. Soft and lush on the palate, the fruit flavours and hints of spice are well balanced, tannins are just about noticeable and it all ends with a persistent finalé.

The renovated winery are very happy with this one, describing it as powerful and complex. Not sure I'd go that far but I'd have no hesitation in recommending it as an excellent example of Bordeaux red.

With the French wine sale still on in SuperValu, you might be tempted to get your white here as well and the one I’d recommend is the Michel Lynch Barrel Select Sauvignon blanc 2012 .

Top Posts for Past 12 Months (to end of September ‘14)

Top Posts for Past 12 Months (to end of September ‘14)

Coqbull.

The big change this month sees Coqbull come from nowhere to top the chart. Two other new city centre restaurants, Aroi and Huguenot, also feature. Looks like French Church Street and Carey's Lane is the area to be as all three are within a few steps of one another. Minimum hits for this list is now 800.

1 Cork's Coqbull On An Early Charge

2 The Square Table - Great Addition to Blarney

3 Happy Gaggle of Wine Geese

4 Happy New Beer at The Cotton Ball

5 Electric. Easy to book. Hard to leave.

6 The Chapel Steps Celebrates

7 Aroi. Asian Street Food in Cork City

8 Pride of Ireland Awards 2013/14

9 Dining in Style at Pier 26

10 Huguenot. New French Bistro

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week

Sourdough by Pana

Thanks largely to the pioneering work of Arbutus Breads, many of us are used to getting high quality loaves at markets and shops. If I had to guess, I would say that sourdough is the most popular. This is an excellent example. It is made by Pana (who have a shop in Merchant's Quay) and has won at Blas na hEireann. I bought this at the Coal Quay Market last Saturday from the Clover Wholefood stall and it is Taste of the Week.

Cork International Hotel. You Lunch; Kids Play

Cork International Hotel

Relax. You Lunch. Kids Play

Nice and cool. Your Prawn Cocktail (left)  and more.

Take the kids to lunch and relax. Where? At the Cork International Hotel at the airport.

For the past three weeks, their buffet lunch has been up and running. Kids are catered for on the menu and, when they have wolfed down the food, they can move to the adjacent play room, a large and well equipped area, equipped with everything from soft toys to big screens for games. Parents can relax as the kids can leave the play-room* only through the dining area. It is an excellent set-up.

And the food? They say you eat with your eyes. And you are off to a great start here. Terrific displays of juices caught my eye and then too the serve-yourself Caesar salads, the fruit selection, and the display of breads. CL picked the Housemade chicken liver pate with onion conserve and crusty bread while I choose the Boston prawn cocktail with iceberg and marie rose.

Took those back to our table and enjoyed them. Quite a few family groups among the Sunday diners. It may be largely self-service but there is no shortage of staff here, all friendly and efficient, and they’re at hand if you want a drink from the bar or a top up of your water. Plenty of room between and on the tables and seating is comfortable.

The main event!

Well satisfied with the starters, we headed back for the mains. The chef was serving up traditional roasts (pork and beef last Sunday) and you could help yourself to a Baked Salmon Fillet or Roast Supreme of Chicken or a tempting Indian Style Lamb Curry and more. And, of course, lots of well cooked seasonal vegetables plus mashed potatoes. The chef too was offering roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, and various sauces (horseradish for the beef, apple for the pork and gravy of course!). Very happy with my beef and trimmings!

We had been tipped off about the dessert selection here and indeed had seen the colourful display on each visit to the spacious food area. Now we were choosing for real. Had to refrain from grabbing one of those fruit skewers as I passed the kiddies selection - not that anyone was counting - and we finally picked a slice of Lemon Meringue Pie and a Forest Berry Vanilla Cheesecake, both gorgeous with a cup of top quality coffee.

Go on! Take one. Or Two?

 After your meal why not move to the lounge. Sip an après digestif as you listen to the live piano music. Oh, don't forget to collect the kids afterwards!

Sample menu and contact details below.

Some of the kids' desserts.

Starter Selection

Housemade chicken liver pate with onion conserve and crusty bread

Boston prawn cocktail with iceberg and marie rose

Platter selection of cut melon with balsamic dressing and rocket

Classic Tossed Caesar salad with creamy Caesar dressing

Seasonal soup with selection of breads

From the Chef Station

Traditional Roast Beef with roast potatoes and Yorkshire puddings

Roast Loin of Pork with roast gravy and apple

Vegetarian stir-fry – ala minute

Vegetarian pasta – ala minute

Buffet

Baked Lemon Peppered Salmon fillet

Roasted supreme of chicken with mushroom tarragon sauce

Indian style Lamb curry with steamed basmati rice and poppadoms

Seasonal selection of buttered vegetables

Parsley Boiled Potatoes Perfect Mash

Kids Buffet

Chicken Goujons and fries

Sausage and mash

Macaroni Cheese

Chefs Dessert Buffet

Selection of Pies/Cakes/Sweets

Lemon Meringue Pie

Malteser Honeycomb Chocolate Tart

Forest Berry Vanilla Cheesecake

Tiramisu

Kids Dessert Buffet

Fruit jelly

Fresh fruit skewers

Trifle

Chocolate brownie cake

Beverages

Juice Selection & Freshly Brewed Tea and Coffee*

*Alcoholic beverages are available for an additional cost

• Play-room is a “work in progress”. Not quite fully equipped yet (they are awaiting their X-Box) but almost there.

Sunday Lunch

3 Course Gourmet Buffet Lunch

12:30 - 15:00

Pianist and Childrens play area

Prices: €25 adults and €15 for children

Reservations accepted for group of 10 or more

Tel: +353 21 454 9800 | E: info@corkinternationalhotel.com

Treasures of Fenn’s Quay

Treasures of Fenn’s Quay

Kate's Magic in the Kitchen

Monkfish

In a small kitchen, on the oldest terrace in Cork city, with much perspiration and no little inspiration, Head Chef Kate Lawlor works the magic for her many customers at No. 5 Fenn’s Quay. Both Kate and the building in which she operates are Cork treasures.

And what it is this exotic material that she turns to culinary gold? Nothing exotic at all, in fact. The produce comes from the local farms and seas, much of it via the familiar stalls of the nearby English and Coal Quay Markets. The magic has been acquired through years of hard work, watching and learning and doing, her long hours in the heat and steam often repetitive but sometimes brilliantly illuminated by a flash of inspiration.

There was quite a buzz there when we called in last week, happy customers by the sounds of it. The menu, quickly delivered to the table, and the Specials Blackboard on the wall, told us why, and soon we were reading our way through the offerings, the only problem being that if we choose one gem, another was to be remain untouched!

The 18th century terrace at Fenn's Quay pictured 1986.
The bookshop (far right)
is where the restaurant now stands.

There is a Fish Platter (to share) on the specials but we go for two of the regular starters. Eoin O'Mahony is one of our favourite butchers and is also a favourite at Fenn’s Quay and the  O’Mahony’s Pressed Ham Terrine, Pickled Quail Egg with Celery Salad & Lemon Aioli is a delight, every bit polished off.

The other starter is even better, perhaps the result of one of those magic moments. I absolutely enjoyed every morsel of the Chicken Liver Brûlée with Crozier Blue Cheese Ice Cream & Red Onion Compote. What a combination! It had beautiful textures and flavours, even the toasted bread was conveniently curled to hold the paté. All it lacked was a small spoon to take up the final drops of the Ice Cream.

Despite tempting chicken (O’Sullivan’s), O’Mahony’s feather blade with Ballyhoura mushrooms, and more, we both picked fish specials (from O’Connell’s) for mains.  CL loves her hake but, this being Fenn’s Quay, the dish was somewhat different: Roast Hake and Gubbeen Chorizo, chickpeas and seasonal vegetables in a mild spicy broth (15.95).

The Hake

This was a gorgeous dish and the spice, mild as stated, went well with the hake. And matched too with the wine we picked, the tingly multi-grape Claude Val blanc 2013 (Languedoc). Indeed, the wine was also suitable with my mains: Pan-fried Monkfish and potato rosti, braised leeks, celeriac and king oyster mushrooms in a delightful lemon butter sauce. I could have eaten any part of this on its own but put it all together as Kate did and it is top notch, all the ingredients (including that sauce) so well measured, so well matched.

And could she surprise us with dessert? Could she what? We went for the Mimi’s Cork Dry Gin and Tonic Dessert and the Vanilla Carrageen Moss with Seasonal Fruit. Where else would you get them? Beautiful. Terrific finalé to a very enjoyable meal.

Have to say before I finish that the service was excellent here. Our server was busy but still had time for a brief chat or two and a laugh or three. And she spotted that we were out of water before we had to ask for it. On the ball. Just like her hard-working chef-patron.

Desserts, Carrigeen Moss (left), Gin & Tonic.

Amuse Bouche

‘Don’t throw your talent away,’ she said, placing a hand over mine. The skin of the back of her hand was like lichen.

Michel saved me from further painful exploration of this line of thought by bringing two perfect soufflés to the table. He pierced them and inserted a spoonful of Armagnac with the skill of a surgeon.

‘Ooh, look. They can't stay up for long,’ said Irene, prodding hers with a fork so that it collapsed, ‘like the men in my life, dear, darling Michel.’

from White Lightning by Justin Cartwright

Little Listrac Delivers

Little Listrac Delivers
Excellent Wines from Margins of the Medoc

Listrac is one of the smallest appellations in the Medoc and its wines have often been dismissed as “rustic”. But, in recent years, according to the prestigious World Atlas of Wine, its reputation (and that of its neighbouring village Moulis) has risen. Better winemaking and the planting of more Merlot has led to an increase in reputation and, going by the three wines below, the adjective “rustic” may be consigned to the past.

Chateau Saransot-Dupré, Listrac Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2009.

Saransot-Dupre have long been among the frontrunners in Listrac. They also make a very stylish white. This medium bodied red, their main wine, is produced only from the property’s old vines. The vineyard is planted mainly with Merlot and, contrary to the Medoc practice, Cabernet Franc is more planted here than Cabernet Sauvignon.

Aromas are invitingly fruity. Superb flavours on the palate, fleshy with some spice, tannins present but barely noticeable; the abv is 14.5% but this lovely dry wine is well balanced with a lengthy finish.

Lestage, improving the Listrac image

Chateau Lestage, Listrac Medoc Cru Bourgeois 2008, 13%.

Sixty five per cent Merlot accounts for the fruitiness here; the balance of the blend is 32% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Again it is the first wine of the estate and has spent 18 months in oak barrels (one third of which are replaced each year).

Color is dark red and aromas are of the darker fruits (plum prominent for me). Far from the robust style once associated with Listrac this tends to the slender side but with a supple fruity element, mainly blackberry; softened tannins and no shortage of flavour or freshness, well balanced and with a decent finish.

Chateau Veyrin, Listrac Medoc Selection Chateau 2010, 14%.

Merlot is again the main grape here and its companions are Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Colour is purple and it has an inviting nose of red fruits (Including cherry). On the palate is is ample and so well balanced, and a wee bit spicy with some vanilla notes. All add up to quite a rich wine with a persistent finish.

• Very happy with my little haul from Listrac, all bought at Le Relais de Listrac where we also dined. There is a large shop in the middle of the village where many local producers sell their wines and you might well get them cheaper there but they were closing for lunch as we arrived. To read more on that little day trip (from our base at Arcachon) click here.
  
  
  • I’d have no hesitation about buying Listrac wines again. In Ireland, a quick search on Wine-searcher reveals that you may be able to get them at Mitchell & Sons, From Vineyards Direct Ireland, Bubble Brothers and Greenacres.
   

Taste of the Week

Taste of the Week
Veal Osso Bucco
from O'Mahony Butchers, English Market

I always keep an eye on what O'Mahony Butchers in the English Market are selling. So when I spotted they had veal shins from a Macroom farm, we made a beeline for the Grand Parade entrance and came away with Taste of the Week.

No shortage of recipes to work on and we settled on Pat Whelan's suggestion in his book An Irish Butcher Shop, regularly consulted in this house. Pat's recipe is for beef shin but it worked just as well with the veal. Cooked long and slow,  we enjoyed a beautiful flavoursome dish.