Taste of the Week. Ardsallagh Goats Cheese Cranberry Roulade

Taste of the Week. 

Ardsallagh Goats Cheese Cranberry Roulade 

Ardsallagh soft goats cheese is a white cheese with a creamy texture. This cheese has a gentle flavour as it is made daily from fresh goats milk. That milk has been gently pasteurised. Traditional production methods are used and the cheese is fresh and mild. And very very popular!

And they have a twist on this winner, adding cranberries to make a visually attractive roulade. And the attraction goes beyond the optics as the combination of flavours and textures is something else indeed and now our Taste of the Week.

I bought my roulade from On The Pig's Back (via Neighbourfood) but our Taste of the Week is widely available. Go on treat yourself!

Ardsallagh Goats Cheese

A Quart of Ale± #82. On the craft journey with a session of Eight Degrees, Kinnegar and Brehon Brewhouse.

A Quart of Ale± #82

On the craft journey with a session of Eight Degrees, Kinnegar and Brehon Brewhouse.

Eight Degrees Irish Oak-aged Barleywine 12.2%, 440 ml can

This seasonal Barleywine pours a ruby colour in the glass, great to reflect the lights on the Christmas trees, appropriate too as this beer is deftly produced to accompany you through the festival meals.  

Aromas are malty and complex. The complexity continues on the palate, yet it is not at all over over-intense, a condition that hampers many high abv beers. 

This aromatic and multi-flavoured seasonal special was aged in especially rare Irish whiskey barrels that have been made from native Irish oak. And it is certainly a good fit for the festive season, for the pudding, the cake (think raisins and dried fruit), candied fruit, toffee. While you may get some vanilla during the tasting, the cask input is very nicely judged, there is no sharp whiskey hit at all. Oh, there is certainly cask influence but all’s in balance.

And keep it handy for the cheese course, especially if you have the likes of Cashel or Crozier or Wicklow blue at hand. I enjoyed it with a wee wedge of Crozier and it was quite a match, both the beer and the cheese enhanced by the coming together of the golden liquid and the cream of Cashel.

The blue cheese may not be everybody’s cup of tea but I’m sure you’ll find quite a few other pairings for this superb barleywine, starting with the brewery tasting notes below. I did absolutely enjoy it with the cheese and am really looking forward to trying another can with the cake and pudding on the big day!

Don’t rush this beauty, a sip will go a long way. I remember that tip from César Saldaña, Consejo Regulador Jerez. In 2011, while speaking of sherry at an event in Ballymaloe, he said: When drinking sherry with your meal you should always have a glass of water at hand. When you want to “wash” down the food use the water and then take “a few drops” of the sherry as it goes a long way! The same advice may be applied to quality abv beers like this.

The artwork on the can may have caught your eye. They say: To celebrate ten years of brewing at Eight Degrees, we wanted to showcase Ireland-based artists in our 2021 Original Gravity series. We ran a competition looking for artworks that reflected our Naturally Adventurous values, expressing our desire to explore and roam again. Artist Coireall Carroll Kent ( @coireallcarrollkent ) explains her design: I spent a lot of the pandemic trekking across the Irish countryside, and many of the roads that I took to are shrouded in trees just like these. The knots are naturally rooted in Celtic culture, with the concentric circles representing both the curves of our landscape and the bubbles in a good drink!

Geek Bits

Malt: Pale ale malt, Carapils and Cararoma.

Hops: Nugget and Cascade.

Yeast: US05 yeast.

IBUs: 82

Launch Date: November 2021.

Availability: 440ml cans, limited draught

Style: Irish oak-aged barleywine.

Food pairings

Get those brandy snifters out! You definitely don’t want to hurry this gorgeous beer. Try it with the bluest of the blue cheeses that you can get your hands on as it will happily stand up to any funk that you throw at it. Stilton is the obvious pairing but we like to stick with Irish cheese on our Christmas cheeseboard so Louth’s Bellingham Blue, Young Buck from Northern Ireland and our local Crozier Blue from Cashel are all worthy pairings. It’s also the time of the year when all the flavours of spiced beef need a foil: get the best award-winning spiced beef from Tom Durcan in Cork’s English Market, slice thinly and layer it into a sandwich that also involves some of that blue cheese. Serve with ORIGINAL GRAVITY Irish Oak-Aged Barleywine on the side for a wintertime supper with style. Keep a little beer for the end of the meal and pair it with dark chocolate, dried fruit and nuts – or any bar that combines those flavours. Ireland is blessed with a variety of wonderful bean to bar chocolatiers so seek out the darker chocolate from producers like Exploding Tree, NearyNógs, Bean & Goose and Hazel Mountain Chocolate. Closer to home, chocolatier and pastry chef Norma makes truffles and bars at Praline in Mitchelstown which are worth a try with the barleywine. My pick? The 65% dark chocolate tropical bar with mango, passionfruit and pineapple.

Kinnegar 20÷2 Anniversary Pilsner 5%, 440ml can Bradleys

Pilsner is actually a type of lager, named after the Czech city Plzen. Their most notable differentiating feature is that pilsners tend to have more hop forward flavours and a  different yeast is used.

You notice that “hoppier” element immediately in the aromas, nothing too forward mind you in this clear amber beer from Donegal. There’s an extra degree of oomph on the palate, the crisp and clean lager equipped with a bit of extra muscle, thanks to the noble hops used.

They say: “A once-off of a classic style that played a part in Rick’s personal development as a brewer.” And then they don’t say anymore. Should customers be told the full story? In any event, this excellent simple beer is a good one to celebrate the brewery’s 10th anniversary.

Brehon Brewhouse Crann Beatha Whiskey Aged Imperial Stout 10.0%, 500ml bottle Bradleys

Here’s the Brehon intro to this Imperial Stout: We are proud to present a limited run, not to be repeated: Crann Beatha Whiskey-aged Imperial Stout - Vintage 2019.

Dark as a moonless night, it has (briefly enough) a tan disc as a head. Aromas are vanilla, coffee and caramel, a hint of the whiskey in the dark-roast malt. And the warm and rich palate intensifies the aromas with rich fruit (plum and raisin) also in the flavours. Quite a good balance right to the satisfactory finish.

Brewed and bottled by Brehon in County Monaghan for Gaelic Delight and exclusively for sale in the Netherlands. I got mine in the Republic of Bradley’s. Crann Beatha means Tree of Life. It is a celebration of their 200th brew and the whiskey casks used came from one of the new distillers in Mayo. Of the two cask aged Brehon whiskeys tasted recently, I’m inclined to give the nod to the Oak & Mirrors, though I enjoyed both.

Brehon Brewhouse Stony Grey IPA 6.0%, 440 can Bradleys

This has a close to amber colour, hazy with a foamy white head, altogether attractive. Nice mix in the aromas, floral notes (including rose), spice and pine and hints from the malt. And much the same elements, with a layer of citrus, combine on the palate giving a terrific balance, smooth all the way to the dry finish. A very pleasant beer indeed. A superb beer actually, quite a flavoursome thrust to it and a deep refreshing finish. 

I first enjoyed this in the autumn of 2020 and was the beer that led me to adding the Monaghan brewery to my short list. And where did the brewery name come from? It was inspired by the old Brehon laws that ruled medieval Ireland, which claimed every clan could brew beer for their own family!

They say: Great on its own but just perfect with spicy foods like Indian, Mexican, chicken wings or mild blue cheese, lemon curd cake or key lime pie. Serve around 8 degrees. Our small brewery is housed on the farm, just a short distance from the old homestead.We are set amongst the rolling drumlins of County Monaghan, just a few miles from the birthplace of Patrick Kavanagh, the inspiration for our India Pale Ale –  Stony Grey IPA.

Taste of the Week. Galtee Honey Farm

Taste of the Week. 

Galtee Honey Farm Wildflower Honey

There is some excellent local honey available these days. But this Irish Wildflower Honey from Tipperary's Honey Farm is outstanding with an amazing flavour that just makes you take notice leaving the other side of the table wondering what's going on!

Well, what is going on is some natural magic by the bees of course and also by the producers Aoife and Micheál. All their honey is pure, raw and Irish, produced by our own native Irish bees. I'm not surprised to read this particular honey, our Taste of the Week, is their bestseller.

They say "It consists of honey from a variety of wild flower blossoms in the Irish countryside, including sycamore, horse chestnut, hawthorn, blackberry blossom and white clover. It is collected by the bees in late spring and summer. Every batch can be slightly different in flavour. All-natural good quality honey will eventually crystallise."

If you are in or near Cork City, stockists listed are:

The Roughty Foodie, English Market (Wildflower Honey, Ivy Honey, Comb Honey, Beeswax Candles and Balms)
Bradley’s, North Main St (Wildflower Honey)

On the Pig’s Back, Douglas (Wildflower Honey, Comb Honey)

Nolan’s Butcher’s, Shandon St (Wildflower Honey)

You can check out their website (with the full list of stockists) here. 

Trigon Hotels Raise €11,000 For COPE Foundation

Trigon Hotels Raise €11,000 For COPE Foundation

 

Sean Abbot, CEO, Cope Foundation, left; Kathleen Linehan, Strategic Director of HR Trigon Hotels; Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director, Trigon Hotels and Craig Kelly, Ability@Work, Metropole Hotel, right. Pic. B Lougheed.

This partnership is a continuation of what has been a very successful working relationship between Trigon Hotels and Cope Foundation over the last few years. Trigon Hotels are long-running ambassadors for diversity and inclusivity in the workplace and have supported Cope Foundation's Ability@Work initiative over the last few years. Ability@Work helps people to try and gain paid employment in businesses around Cork. 

Team members at Trigon Hotels have raised €11,000 this year for Cope Foundation and its Ability@Work programme. Trigon Hotels announced at the start of 2021 that Cope Foundation would be their charity partner for 2021. This partnership is also set to continue into 2022.

Trigon Hotel team members participated in and organised several fundraising events over the year, beginning with the 300,000 Step Challenge. Throughout the year team members at Trigon Hotels, which includes the Metropole Hotel and the Cork International Hotel continued to raise money for the charities with events such as the Cork Car Show which raised more than €8,500 and a spinning marathon that raised over €2,000. 

Kathleen Linehan, Strategic Director of Human Resources, said: "We have a strong history of working closely with local charities, and were delighted to carry on this tradition this year by working with Cope Foundation and the Ability@Work team. Cope Foundation does fantastic work, and we are delighted we could offer our support this year through fundraising efforts and various other exciting initiatives. We look forward to raising more money for the charity next year.”

 

Trigon Hotels have provided six employment opportunities in the Metropole Hotel and the Cork International Hotel. Participants are working as waiters, waitresses, concierge, and housekeeping departments. 

Marian Hennessy from Ability@Work said: “Ability@Work is delighted to be part of this wonderful partnership, developing inclusive work placements with Trigon Hotels Group. The people we support are fully integrated as part of the workplace as part of the employment opportunities Trigon provide and are valued members of the team. These opportunities have enabled participants to grow in confidence and become more independent. Having a paid job means more financial security for each person. It is brilliant to see how much their self-esteem has grown. This fundraising will mean so much in providing resources and training materials to enable more people move into employment. We really appreciate the friendship and generosity of all the staff in Trigon, who have helped to create such an inclusive workplace.”

Jo-Anne Higgins from Cope Foundation said: “Our overarching objective with fundraising is to raise funds that will help to empower people, promote independence, and generate opportunities for people we support. Each year, we aim to raise €1 million through fundraising to help our organisation deliver more for people and support people to live ‘Your Life, Your Way’. This money does so much – it helps us to purchase houses so that people can live more independent lives in their community; develop person-centred assistive technology projects which promote independence and choice; fund activities and experiences so that people we support can try new things, visit new places and make connections; as well as purchase much-needed resources and equipment for our day and residential centres.”

 

 

On The Pig's Back. 'Cork Fayre with French Flair'

On The Pig's Back.'Cork Fayre with French Flair' 

Founded in 1992 by Isabelle Sheridan, On The Pig’s Back has a major presence in the Cork and indeed wider food scene, coupling the best of local produce with an undoubted French Flair - Isabelle is French - as is their motto.

No better way to put it to the test than visit the restaurant in Douglas for brunch or lunch. The menu illustrates the motto very well indeed with local produce from Ardsallagh Goats and Jack McCarthy Butchers often highlighted. It is an expansive menu and I for one could happily eat there everyday for a few weeks without repeating a dish.

When I sat down the other day, having had my covid certificate scanned and telephone number recorded, I had quite a bit of reading to do on the long menu. Found it hard enough to make up my mind but, in the end, went for the Croque Madam (no “e” in the Madam, must be a Cork spelling!). You’ll know there is also a Croque Monsieur but without the egg.

So I had Croque Madam on Arbutus Toasted Brioche, with On The Pigs Back Free-Range Glazed Ham, Emmental Cheese and Mornay topped with a Fried Free-Range Egg. Cost, including a small bowl of a superbly-dressed salad, was €12.90, Monsieur (less well endowed) comes in at a euro less. Money well spent I thought; there are pubs in the area who charge much the same for a lack-lustre roast of the day.

It was l’amour at first bite, the delicious ham, the yielding brioche, that super velvety mornay plus the crowning egg and then that mixed salad on the side adding its own texture and the occasional tarty bite of a thin slice of olive. Mornay is an offshoot of the well known Béchamel (widely regarded as one of the five major French sauces, a mother sauce from which others spring) and is distinguished by its cheese element. You get a lot in this dish for your €12.90!

Madame CL also had a choice to make and her pick is a variation on what has become a local classic over the years, beetroot and goats cheese. Full menu title: Oven Roasted Beetroot Salad with Candied Walnuts, Rocket leaves and Crumbled Ardsallagh Goats Cheese.

The description is a bit understated as this was another well executed and lovely dish, again for €12.90. Two different coloured beetroots featured, there was also a beetroot purée an a few beetroot crisps (probably from Joe’s Farm). Never a problem with that excellent Ardsallagh and those walnuts provided the sweetest bite.

The café and deli in Douglas produces a range of delicious food, supporting local food producers, and is also a busy spot for Artisan food shopping, lunch, food tastings and special events, as diverse as art exhibitions, concerts, plays, food festivals & much, much more. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates.

They are of course still going strong in the English Market, Isabelle’s original venture. There is no cafe here but you will find Farmhouse Cheeses, Charcuterie, Fresh Breads, Irish Artisan Food, and French Gourmet Food Specialities and more, including some of their own produce such as award-winning Pâté and Terrines.

Add in wines and their very large cheese business and you’ll see that this operation (retail and wholesale) has hugely expanded from that single stall back in the 90s. Check it out here at the website.

Terrific Festive Atmosphere At The Cornstore. Food's Pretty Good Too!

Terrific Festive Atmosphere At The Cornstore. Food's Pretty Good Too!

Enjoyed my return to the Cornstore on Cork’s Coal Quay the other day. The place was as full as could be under the current regulations and the well-decorated and comfortable venue was all abuzz.

Those regulations included checking our covid certs and that was done at the reception desk, efficiently and quickly, and soon we were seated upstairs. We were in for the Christmas Set Menu. At €55.00 a head, you’d expect a wide choice for the three courses and that was certainly the case. If you want more of a choice, or perhaps you want just two courses, then check out the A La Carte.

As it happened, I had my eye on a Pork Belly mains as I had seen it listed on their website. But  it didn’t show on our printed menu. No bother was the reply from our helpful server. “I’ll arrange  that for you.” And he did, just like that.

And I went on to enjoy it very much indeed: Twelve hour slow roasted pork belly with Gratin potatoes, apple purée, red cabbage, crisp kale and cider jus. Quite a construction on the plate, the pork and Gratin neatly stacked, both sitting on a base of sweet red cabbage and in a wee “pond” of delicious jus. No shortage of that crispy kale scattered around and a generous dollop of apple sauce on top.

Glad I asked about it. Just a tip. Quite a few restaurants are under pressure and their websites, even Facebook pages, may not be updated as frequently as in the past. So if you are unsure about opening times or what menus are available at certain periods, then do make you reservation by phone and ask your question then to avoid any possible disappointment later on.

Anyway, back to the meal. Our other main course was the Confit Duck Leg, with sautéed baby potatoes, chorizo, Pak Choi, red onion marmalade and hoisin sauce. Another packed plateful. And another tip. Most of you will be familiar with the Hoisin which is a sweet, spicy dark red sauce made from soya beans, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and various spices, widely used in southern Chinese cooking. Might be no harm to ask for it on the side, just in case you don’t fancy the variation.

I had started with the Tandoori Monkfish Carpaccio that came with a lightly smoked mussel and lentil salsa, and pickled samphire. A superb combination of taste and texture. The lightly spiced monkfish was a delight, the plump mussels half-hidden in their shells, the vegetable crunch of the samphire. There was nothing at all redundant on the plate that went back with barely a trace of the colour! A dish I haven’t come across before and one I’d have no hesitation in trying again.

CL’s starter came crowned with a hefty piece of goats cheese. The Goats Cheese Crostini looked like a massive starter and the cheese came atop red peppers, fig jam, sundried tomato pesto, rocket and balsamic reduction but, massive or no, that plate was enthusiastically emptied, quite a recommendation!

They don’t note who produced the cheese but they do say: “We are committed to using all local produce, our chefs cook from the heart with a blend of the freshest ingredients as well as free range and organic produce that is in season. We have our own garden in Ballingarry Co. Limerick which provides us with garden to fork produce all year round.”

I was always going to have the Sticky Toffee Christmas Pudding and it hit the spot. Sweet, of course, yet lighter than anticipated. Our other dessert, the Hot Toddy Crème Brûlée, got the better of us and was not quite polished off, close though. Nothing wrong with it at all, very tasty, just a little too much after being so well fed through the other two courses.

* The Cornstore, who also have a restaurant in Limerick, have no shortage of drinks and are well known for their cocktails, it has quite a wine list and the best of spirits. With a full bar, you have quite a choice of beers as well though, disappointingly, the only stout on offer, according to our server, is Guinness.

NEW. Graham Norton West Cork Marmalade Gin lands just in time for Christmas

press release

NEW Graham Norton West Cork Marmalade Gin lands just in time for Christmas

With his Own Irish and Own Pink GiN stacking up awards and accolades, Graham Norton has turned his attention to a taste of nostalgia to launch a brand-new variant, Graham Norton’s Own West Cork Marmalade GiN.

 

Available in store in SuperValu(RRP €39), the West Cork Marmalade GiN is carefully crafted in West Cork with Irish grains, locally sourced botanicals, and Spanish oranges. The perfect balance of premium Seville oranges and classic aromas of botanicals and is a refreshing surprise for all gin lovers. Dry in style, with a citrus twist of marmalade creates a refreshing drink that lingers on after the last drop.

 

On his newest addition, Graham says: “You’ve tried it on toast, now enjoy it as a toast! Spain’s famous Seville oranges give the best marmalade its unique citrus tang; now those same oranges take centre stage in my latest Irish GiN. Starting with Irish grains and locally foraged botanicals, this new variety is infused with marmalade made from premium Seville oranges and made in Ireland.”

 

SERVING SUGGESTION: Pour over ice with a premium tonic, with a twist of orange and a garnish of orange zest.

Brewery Nooze🍺🍻 with Bradley's, 9 White Deer, River Shannon, Wicklow Wolf, Lineman, Beer Cloud, White Hag,

Brewery Nooze🍺🍻

Cidery, Meadery too.. with Bradley's, 9 White Deer, River Shannon, Wicklow Wolf, Lineman, Beer Cloud, White Hag, St Mel's, Yellow Belly, Cotton Ball, Brú 

#211217 

Bradley's Specialist Off-Licence & Foodstore i

 

Wow, really happy with this. Very low carbonation but a beast of a beer. Very rich, velvety & chocolaty. Dark fruits and sweetness from the wine casks with roasted malts shining through. And where’s that 8.5%??

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9 White Deer Brewery

l2

If you’ve been keeping up with the news lately (especially on FFT Magazine ), you might have seen 9 White Deer being mentioned.

That’s because we attended the Freefrom Food Awards Ireland and managed to walk away with not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 4 awards!

So which of our beers managed to catch the eyes of the judges? Well here’s our winners;

Draught Stag Stout

Bottled Stag Kolsch

Bottled Stag Stout

Not only that, but we also got an innovation award for our hard work through the year.

But its all thanks to you for supporting us as much as you do. So these awards are as much yours as they are ours.

Check out the full story here: https://www.fft.ie/9-white-deer-freefrom-food-awards/

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River Shannon Brewery

@RiverSBrewery

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1h

Our new arrival is here . Available locally in Banagher & online http://rivershannonbrewery.com

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The Taproom is open serving pints, cans, growlers and gift packs until the 23rd of December. Shop online and collect your order the same day from the Taproom.
Click here to view our shop!

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Lineman almost there now....

We've almost there now. Sights are on a well deserved Christmas break and to treating ourselves with lots of tasty food and drinks. With this in mind our newsletter is concentrating on our barrel aged beer and some gift ideas for the beer lover in your life or as a treat to yourself.

Last orders ship next Monday 20th December to guarantee arrival in time for Christmas.

Orders after this can be collected at the brewery by appointment. More here

We will be closed from 1pm 24th December - 3rd January.

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Beer Cloud Latest

The Stash - 10% OFF

There's no standing in front of a huge fridge messing with this one. 24 cans of excellent Irish craft beer from breweries all over the country, bundled together and shipped direct to your door so that you're full stocked for Christmas! More here ********* The White Hag Irish Brewing Co. Need a last minute gift idea? We've a selection of our finest Christmas beers, coming complete in a wrapped and tagged festive box! Order by 16th December for Christmas delivery! ********* St. Mel's Brewing Company You asked, we listened! Our brand-new brilliant beer, Dubbel Irish, is a Belgian-style Dubbel inspired by the Trappist breweries of Belgium. Brewed with crystal malts and dark cassonade sugar, this medium-bodied ale has aromas of malt, toast and raisins. Limited availability, get it now: https://www.stmelsbrewing.com/product/dubbel-irish-2/ ******** YellowBelly Beer Christmas is here and it is time to spread that festive cheer. What better way to do so than with a box of YellowBelly Beer. We have lots of tasty beer, awesome merch and gift boxes for you to choose from. Shop now – www.yellowbellybeer.ie Free delivery over €72 ********* The Cotton Ball We have something very special Christmas Week . We will be having a Christmas Celebration on Monday 20th Dec . So pop along and bring your vinyl for a chilled out evening , with Dj Pat on the decks . ********* BRÚ Brewery Have you visited @beertempledublin yet? This new venue in Temple Bar has BRÚ on tap, so well worth checking out! If you're heading out for some festive drinks this week, be sure to pop in and see what all the fuss is about. *********