Taste of the Week. From Gan Gluten

Taste of the Week. 
From Gan Gluten

Potato and Onion Tart

If you're at the Mahon Point Farmers Market this Thursday, you'll find our delicious Taste of the Week at Clare O'Brien's Gan Gluten stall. Gan Gluten are makers, bakers, and home caterers of Gluten and Wheat free foods. This is one of our favourites and can be a standalone lunch. Could even be the basis of a more substantial meal, if you add a salad for instance. Either way, it is well worth a try. Clare will be delighted to advise you on this and her other foods.

California Wines Charity event in Galway!

High-end Burgundy Wines at Zamora Evening. Excellent Matching Food As Well

High-end Burgundy Wines at Zamora Evening

Excellent Food As Well

Edouard Leach (left) and Billy Forrester.

Zamora got its wine events off to a great start with a superb Burgundy tasting event at the new Academy Street venue last Monday.

The top end wines, three white and three red, came via Bubble Brothers and Maison Francoise Chauvenet who were ably represented by Edouard Leach. And Edouard’s task of showcasing the marvellous Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of the region was made all the easier by the matching food served up by the Zamora kitchen under the direction of Pat Browne of Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Burgundy, unlike Bordeaux, is a land of small plots. There are some 3,500 growers with an average 6 hectares. Once it was the the negociants who dominated but now 1000 growers bottle themselves. As the growers go for more control at the end of the operation, so the negociants seek more control towards the start.

In the meantime, Maison Francoise Chauvenet brings together grapes from various parcels and makes some brilliant wines and those on show at Zamora were made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

First up was the Marguerite de Bourgogne Chardonnay (2013). This is the signature house blend of wine from four Cotes de Beaune vineyards. Edouard said it sets the style and is drinking perfectly now. This was matched with A salad of Jerusalem Artichokes with smoked almonds and preserved lemon dressing. Simple, but an excellent match. We were off to a very good  start indeed.

And it got better. The kitchen delivered their Carrigcleena Duck Liver Paté with crostini to pair with the Pouilly-Fuisse 2013. Edouard: “This is considerable step-up. The fruit is more concentrated and it goes well with the paté.” Chauvenet themselves say this is the undoubted king of the Maconnais region and Edouard emphasised that the quality here is down to a very deliberate low yield policy.

Fish

Our next visit was to the small village of Puligny-Montrachet, one of the places in the famous triangle near Beaune. “There is a huge demand for the triangle wines”,  Edouard said. “This 2012 is slowly opening up and, in two or three years time, it will be even better, will have attained full complexity.” Not bad as it was though and a serious partner with the House smoked Salmon and Hake, served with seasonal greens, roasted red and yellow peppers and a black garlic aioli.

Now we were on to the reds. Would they match up? Would they what? Billy Forrester of Bubble Brothers introduced the first, the entry level Marguerite de Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2013. He was very proud of it: “A wonderful old world Pinot Noir. Delicious.” He must have been proud too of the matching dish: Boeuf Bourguignon with Kale and scallion champ potato. We could have been in Lyon!

Boeuf Bourguignon

Edouard was somewhat puzzled by the fact that the next wine, the Mercurey 1er Cru (2013), was not so popular in Ireland. Mercurey is the best red wine village in the Cote Chalonnaise, between Beaune and Macon and “this is a huge seller in France, Belgium and Holland. It is quite soft, nice and generous.” And went well with the soft and mild Buche de Chevre.

Both the kitchen and the wine company came up with a terrific finalé. Zamora’s final contribution was an Organic Rhubarb Bread and Butter Pudding, with compote and softly whipped cream. A dessert delight.

And the final wine was a very serious one: Nuits-Saint-Georges 2011. Edouard advised: “This needs time. It is still relatively closed, needs more age”. And speaking of age, he had some advice if you are thinking of keeping a few bottles of this. “Pinot Noir is very fragile, can lose everything if kept too long. If you have a case, use one bottle every year!”.

Though, nowadays, quite a few areas around the world are making excellent Chardonnay and  far fewer areas Pinot Noir, you will still hear that Burgundy is the spiritual home of both. Don't think there were too many arguing with that after this particular evening.

Cheese

The partnership between Bubble Bros and Maison Chauvet is a relatively recent one but is has started well with the promise of other excellent wines to come. Currently, there is ten per cent off the Chauvenet wines. So do keep an eye on their website for all the latest news from Burgundy. And also for news of further wine evenings at Zamora.

• By the way, I always thought that Cotes d’Or meant golden slope or golden hillside. But I just read in The Finest Wines of Burgundy by Bill Nanson that it is actually  a contraction of Cote d’Orient - East-facing Hillside. I could have asked Edouard had I read that before the evening!

Dessert

Islands in the Sun. Ferries and Food in West Cork

Islands in the Sun

Ferries and Food in West Cork

 It was sunshine all the way for last week's two day excursion to West Cork. It looks as if there is no shortage of sunshine this week either.

Once we knew the weather was “settled” we determined to re-visit two islands, Garnish near Glengarriff and Sherkin near Baltimore. West Cork of course has many more islands and most have a ferry service. Check here for island and ferry details and do look out also for the Ten Island Tour.

Our base was the Celtic Ross in Rosscarbery but Garnish was our first destination so we took the R585 via Crookstown and headed off down on the old Bantry line. On reaching Kealkil, where our road joins the R584 from Macroom, we felt the need for a quick pit-stop as we did have a specific time for the boat from Glengarriff.

Italian Garden on Garnish

At the junction we spotted a board saying Cully & Sully Soup and Brown Bread for three euro. The Gala shop, also the Post Office, is right there and, within minutes, on the seats outside, we were tucking in to a tasty lunch, great value too.

On then to Glengarriff where we caught the ferry (€10.00) from the Blue Pool to Garnish. But first there were a couple of stops to see the many seals basking on the rocks around Seal Island. Lots of close-ups taken!

Garnish (€4.00 entrance) is an amazing mixture of gardens, arboretums, clock tower, Italianate buildings, even a Martello tower and will look even better in the weeks and months ahead as the trees, shrubs and flowers put on their summer show. Great views too over the bay and mountains.

Dessert at the Clonakilty Hotel

Back then on the ferry, and again a stop, this to say goodbye to the seals. Next call was to Manning's Emporium for a cool drink and a chat with Andrew. Manning’s will of course feed you, and feed you well, but we had a dinner date that evening. Soon we were making our way through Bantry and Skibbereen and then we got a lovely warm welcome as we checked into the spick and span Celtic Ross.

That evening’s dinner was in the restaurant of the Clonakilty Hotel, very enjoyable too. Afterwards we spent a hour or so in the Celtic Ross bar sipping a pint or two of Franciscan Well’s Rebel Red, available on draught.

After a hearty breakfast we were off on another island trip, making the short journey to Baltimore to connect with the ferry (€10.00) to Sherkin Island. We thought we'd be the only passengers until a large bus parked up and some forty Italian students joined us. You’d be hard pressed to find a more well mannered, well behaved bunch.

Horses graze on Sherkin.

 Like Garnish, Sherkin is noted for its peace and quiet. Some good walks too that we enjoyed though again the place will look better in a month or so when the fuchsias are in full bloom. We made our way back towards the ferry point as lunch time approached and called up to the nearby Islander’s Rest where we got one (well two) of the best fish and chips ever. Hake was used and it was so well cooked.

I don't know how many of you know about the pirate raid on Baltimore by Algerian pirates in June 1631 when 107 locals were taken away to be sold into slavery and never seen again. You can read all about it and indeed see some artifacts of the time in the newly restored Baltimore Castle (also known as Dún na Séad). More history too in this recently restored building that started life in the 13th century. An interesting visit (€4.00) and from the top you get terrific views over the town and the harbour.

Beach on Sherkin

Off then towards Rosscarbery again, this time via the villages of Glandore and Union Hall (where you see from the memorial to those drowned at sea that it isn't always as nice as it had been to us these two sunny days).

Dinner that evening was taken in the hotel dining room. With chefs of the calibre of Graeme Campbell and Alex Petit, we were expecting good things and that’s exactly what we got. The highlight was my main course of local pork belly served with a White Bean and Chorizo cassoulet. The pork comes from the Allshire’s nearby and is only available here. Well worth a detour.

Fish & Chips at Islander's Rest

 Indeed, our final visit on the following day was to Caherbeg to see the free-range pigs and have a chat with Avril about her busy life in food. It turned out to be a lovely visit, memorable for many things, including a lunch of her special Black-pudding lasagna! And the sun was still shining as we headed east and back to the city.

Somebody's shopping arriving on Sherkin!

The Clonakilty Hotel’s Copperpot Restaurant

The Clonakilty Hotel’s Copperpot Restaurant

Goats Cheese

Glad I followed up a recommendation from a friend the other day and called to the Copperpot Restaurant in Clonakilty for an evening meal. The restaurant is part of the Clonakilty Hotel but has its own entrance as well on the corner of Wolfe Tone Street and College Street.

It has an Early Bird menu - two courses for 19.95, three for 24.95 - but we were at our leisure and went for the A La Carte. This is also fairly priced and is available from 3.00pm. Starters included Soup of the Day, Chowder, Chicken and Bacon salad, a Chicken Liver Pate and also Fried Scampi.

Sea-Bass

You regularly see Deep-fried Brie as a starter but they came up with a Golden Fried Goats Cheese, Crumbed and deep-fried and served with a red onion and mixed pepper jam. This was a terrific starter, very flavoursome, for €6.95.

While I was studying the menu I was tempted by the Mussels Thai Style (6.95). I remembered a dish they used do at the former Thai restaurant in Bridge Street in the city where they served very large mussels. But the Copperpot used local mussels with a hint of chilli and ginger and served with crispy baguette. This was a great change to the usual Moules Mariniere, indeed a delightful one. I was very happy with that choice and would pick it again without hesitation.

Pork

So we were off to a good start. How would the main courses measure up? No problem here either. There is a quite a choice on the regular menu but we picked two from the specials board. Mine was Pork Fillet served with a Mushroom Sauce (11.95). A great piece of pork, tender and delicious and enhanced no end by the sauce.

CL went for the Sea-Bass with its Chilli Cream Sauce (16.50), another perfectly executed plateful, a satisfying combination of flavours with the sauce a well judged addition rather than an overpowering mask. The side vegetables were perfectly cooked as well.

All the while I was sipping away at my Stonewell medium dry cider and that really came into its with the pork. Hopefully the cider is the first of local craft drinks to appear on the menu.

It had been a long time since a quickly snatched lunch so this time we had room for dessert. CL picked the Poached Pear in a Cinnamon Syrup and with Vanilla Ice-cream. Very impressive! I hadn't heard of Glenowen ice-creams so I said I’d try the Selection of Glenowen Farm Hand-made ice creams from Middleton(?). It came in three delicious flavours. Still not sure though who makes it, haven't been able to find anything on the internet. Have any of you heard of it?

Overall though this was a very satisfying meal indeed and you can add the Copperpot to your Clonakilty list.

Pears

Amuse Bouche

His favourites were oysters, which he slurped down several dozen at a time, plovers’ eggs, caviar, sole poached in Chablis, chicken in aspic, and any game birds that were available - pheasant, grouse, partridge, snipe, woodcock, quail; all of them prepared in thick creamy sauces. Quails he preferred stuffed with foie gras. His favourite style of lunch and dinner was a meal during which he could gobble as much as possible while being amused by gossiping friends or the coy chatter of a pretty woman.

from Dirty Bertie by Stephen Clare

Dungarvan Wrap-Up. West Waterford Festival of Food

Dungarvan Market Wrap-Up

West Waterford Festival of Food

Pesky wind!

The wind was rising and bringing with it reminders that rain was not too far away. Yet the hardy market stall holders were setting up in Grattan Square, Dungarvan, last Sunday morning for the final big event of the marvellous West Waterford Festival of Food. I was up early(-ish!) and took a walk around as the likes of Badger & Dodo and Boeuf A Lolo prepared for the long day ahead.

We had met some of the West Waterford producers on a Bus Bia tour on Saturday morning and met a few more in the Emerging Producers Tent that afternoon. Here we got some lovely honey from Glenmore organic farm and enjoyed a taste of the various apple juices - they had different sweet/sour make-ups - from Crinnaghtaun, whose orchards are in the Cappoquin Estate.

The people will be fed!

The shopping bags were with us again on Sunday as we left our excellent centrally located base at Lawlor's Hotel and we made our rounds - no point in going to a market unless you bring bags! Great to meet up again with Joe and Sandra Burns from East Cork who were selling their innovative vegetable crisps.

Is it shelter or that excellent coffee they want?

The couple have a vegetable stall at Mahon Point and indeed there were quite a few from Mahon in Dungarvan including Cloud Confectionary with their big selection of delicious mallows. Local drinks, gin and beer, were included in some but my favourites were the Blueberry & Lemon and the Strawberry & Champagne.

Sweet!

Have often seen Annie’s Roasts at markets and festivals but this time we had a chat as we waited for a couple of her delicious burgers. While we spoke, her ten year old daughter took over the stall and took it over impressively! We carried the burgers to the big tent where we found a seat and we enjoyed our lunch!

It wasn't all for immediate consumption of course. Picked up a tasty sourdough and a cake or two from the excellent Seagull Bakery stand. Great then to meet up with the lads from Piedmontese Beef. We had enjoyed one of their steaks in the Fairways (near Nenagh) not so long ago, so were glad to be able to bring a couple of the steaks home for Sunday dinner. And a delicious dinner it was!

Happy Nuns.

Neither was the market all about food. There was a big stage and entertainment galore. Some hardy entertainers too, though I suppose the lively Sister Act were well wrapped up in their habits and also kept themselves warm with their all action style. Felt sorry though for the solo singer that followed. She can't have been that warm, Still, the show went on.

And not just in the square. Talks and discussions on food topics were being held in venues all around the town, just as had been the case over the previous days. It is overall a marvellous festival, well run and with something for everyone! Take a note for next year.

See also: A Tour of West Waterford Producers on the Bus Bia

See also: The Tannery Kitchen Supper.

See also: Craft Cider’s Challenges. More Like Wine Than Beer
See also: From Power with Love. Persian Dinner. Gorgeous. Generous.

Great beef! Healthy fast food.

Spring Time at The Cornstore

Spring Time at The Cornstore.

Day and Night Delights

Aged beef and amazing béarnaise sauce

The Cornstore has marked the coming of Spring with a trio of new menus: new Cocktails, a new Lunch line-up and a stunning Early Bird which gives you quality at an excellent price.

I sampled the Early Bird in mid-week and was very happy with it. No shortage of choice here. You have five starters to pick from, six main courses and four desserts. It is available Monday to Saturday and the three course menu will cost you a very reasonable twenty five euro but do get in before the cut-off time of 6.30pm.

Both the starters were perfect. CL’s was Buffalo Mozzarella and Beef Tomato Salad (Toonsbridge mozzarella, pea shoot and balsamic). The cheese was so fresh, hard to beat unless maybe you go to the dairy itself. My Duck Parfait, served with their own award winning Fig Whiskey Chutney and Sourdough Toast, was another perfectly judged gem.

Cornstore always have their eye on the season and wild Garlic featured in CL’s delicious mains: Roast Cod on a Wild Garlic Risotto with tomato vinaigrette. Here were aromas and flavours to beat the band, a top notch combination.

Starters

And so was mine, though it carries a modest three euro supplement. The Cornstore are renowned for their aged beef and so I couldn't resist the Aged Beef Fillet Medallions with Caesar dressed leaves, home cut fries and béarnaise sauce. Oh my! I could have eaten each element on its own, nothing else, and been happy. But put them all together like this and my palate was beyond happy!

Good variation on the mains on offer. Also available were: Brazed Flat Iron Steak, Oven Roast Chicken, Truffle Burger (this is mega!), and Thai Green Vegetable Curry. Other starters on the night were Soup of the Day, Quinoa Salad and Peppered Calamari.

And the seasonal theme continued as we moved to dessert. My delightful choice was the Rhubarb and Lime Posset with Madeline biscuit while CL enjoyed her Fruit Salad with a Raspberry Sorbet.

There are Lite Bites, To Share plates, and a long list of mains on the Lunch Menu. But the section that caught my eye was the Set Lunch. Here you may have 2 courses for just 15 euro, picking from five starters and five mains (including that Truffle Burger). Three course come to twenty euro.

The Cornstore cocktails aren't just a fast drink. Did you know that preparations can take up to 14 days! Didn't get a chance to sample the new mixes but Cornstore’s Mags O’Connor is enthusiastic: “The final exclusive menu, just launched, will delight everyone from the cocktail connoisseur, to the person taking their first ever sip of the clever creations”.   

“Vodka, gin, whiskey and rum are infused with various fruits and vegetable based elixirs for up to 14 days. Time works its magic to create infusions that are at their ultimate flavoursome peak. Think vodka infused with chilli, gin infused with Earl Grey tea, lemon and peel, whiskey infused with plums or rum infused with dried apricots.”

Desserts

From Power With Love. A Persian Dinner. Gorgeous. Generous

From Power With Love

A Persian Dinner. Gorgeous. Generous

Chicken Pastilla

From Persia With Love was the title for a magnificent dinner by local internationally known chef Eunice Power in the Tennis Club (Dungarvan) at the weekend and it turned out to be one of the highlights of the West Waterford Festival of Food.

The Saturday event was sold out very quickly and luckily I had booked my two tickets early on. Tables were communal. We didn't know anyone of the other eight at our table but, by the end, we knew them all and indeed found a relationship with one of families!

But back to the food, all from the Middle East. How would this pan out? Which starter to pick? Which mains to choose? That was no problem - you got them all! All the plates were for sharing and Eunice erred on the side of generosity so there was plenty to go around. Just as well, as every little bit was delicious! Besides, some well priced wine, by the local Wine Buff, helped the food go down and inhibitions go away.

Lavash Bread at the bottom and, on top, Lebanese Sausages (left) and Turkish Cheese Cake.

Let us start at the start, the Spring Mezze in three variations. Firstly, crispy Lavash Bread served with Tabbouleh, Hummus, and Moutabel. We were up and running. Then came the Turkish Cheese Cake, one of the highlights of this stage. This was made with goat and sheep cheese with tomatoes and pine nuts.

And another highlight soon joined the table: the slightly spicy rustic Lebanese Sausages, with pomegranate molasses and sesame seeds. Time now for a break and Eunice had wisely allowed for a good one.

Courgette, mint, and crumbled feta salad

The mains were all outstanding, all arriving more or less together, just like the starters. My early favourite was the Monkfish with Saffron Rice. But another soon emerged as I tucked into the Lamb Sinah, spiced lamb and cauliflower baked in tahini and yogurt crust.

And then I got around to another delicious offering: Chicken Pastilla, chicken in filo pastry. And alongside all three there were bowls of Fattoush with spring tomatoes, crispy pita, and also courgette, mint, crumbled feta salad. So much, so very very good.

Another sos (break) followed. There was no humming and hawing about dessert on this occasion. We all wanted it! And what we got was Pistachio Ice cream and Date Cake, each a treat in its own right but put the two together in your mouth and you had palate paradiso!

Monkfish with saffron rice

Lamb Sinah

 Finished off with an impressive Cardamom Coffee; always a little wary of coffees and teas from the Maghreb and Levant (not that I have that much experience) but this was excellent. Time then to say goodbye to our new found friends, all of us still talking about the fabulous feast we had just enjoyed together. Think we’ll be talking about it for some time to come!

شكرا (pronounced as shukran) Eunice!

See also: A Tour of West Waterford Producers on the Bus Bia

See also: The Tannery Kitchen Supper.
See also:

Craft Cider’s Challenges. More Like Wine Than Beer

See also: 

Dungarvan Wrap-Up. West Waterford Festival of Food

Tea in Vintage Bone China. And Much More in The Workshop.

Tea in Vintage Bone China.

And Much More in The Workshop.

Soups and Arbutus bread

On the way to The Workshop from the roundabout outside Cork Airport, you’ll see Tea Rooms emphasied on the direction signs to the Ballygarvan venue. You’ll also see pink bicycles. But tea is the thing here. Loads of different varieties and, yes, it is all served in beautiful vintage bone china.

You may have the Workshop Cream (contains coffee and has a “pleasant Bailey’s taste”). Some of us might rush for the Ginkgo anti-aging tea or maybe the Elixir of Life. There is the Green Tea China Gunpowder (refers to the shape!) and the aromatic Blood Orange. A dozen or so of intriguing mixes and then, of course, there’s always Barry’s.

Not a tea-drinker? They’ve got top class coffee for you as their supplier is Badger & Dodo and the friendly efficient staff here will let you have anything from an Americano to a Mocha.

It is not tea and coffee and cakes here all the time, though they have huge range of tempting cakes and pastries too.

It gets a bit more serious as lunch-time looms. We started recently with two massive bowls of soup - they had two specials on that day. I enjoyed the Carrot and Cumin while CL had the Roast Red Pepper and Sweet Potato combination. Actually there is a very good deal here: cup of soup and any sandwich for just €7.50.

A Pair of Pies, again with Arbutus bread

They offer a good selection of sandwiches and if you are looking for something even more substantial why not try one of their pies. These vary from day to day but they had two on during our visit, one beef, one chicken, and we were well pleased with them.

Indeed we were pretty full but no way were we going to leave without trying some of the sweet stuff even if we had to share their gorgeous Rhubarb Meringue Cake.

The china is not the only vintage stuff here in the Workshop. There is much more for people to browse through and even buy. Don't think they'll be selling the old looking phone by the desk. It is a replica and in use as their land-line! But you’ll also see stand-on weighing scales, binoculars, books, and more. You’ll hear the music from the old record player.

Oh, on your way out, be sure and say hello to their hens. They, the hens, will be insulted if you don’t as, after all, they are prize-winners, their rosettes on display on the restaurant.

And where did the Workshop get its name? Well, the father of the current owners originally used the building as a carpentry workshop. Much more to see and eat out there, so do pay a visit

Cake!