Ocean Sands Enniscrone introduce Chef’s Signature Tasting Menu

 Ocean Sands Enniscrone introduce

Chef’s Signature Tasting Menu

Lobster from Killala Bay

The Ocean Sands Hotel in the seaside town of Enniscrone, Co. Sligo introduces their new nine-course Chef’s Signature Tasting Menu on Thursday 9 June. It’s the latest fine dining development from executive head chef Marcin Szczodrowski since his appointment at the beginning of the year. The Chef’s Tasting Menu will be available on Thursdays and Fridays only. Overlooking the magnificent 5 kilometre sandy beach the newly refurbished hotel deservedly achieved four star status this season.

Marcin Szczodrowski has made quite an impact on the Irish culinary scene since he moved here from his native Poland 15 years ago. At award-winning Eala Bhán Restaurant in Sligo Town he built a stellar reputation winning both the Yes Chef Rising Star and Best Chef in Connaught awards along the way. He’s harnessed all his fine dining flair in developing this tasting menu which is very much based on his twin passions of local and seasonal products. The quality of Irish ingredients consistently amazes Marcin, who revels in working with them. He is strongly committed to working with seasonal products and detests the jarring impact of out-of-season elements on menus.

Chef Marcin

“This menu is really close to my heart. I wanted to showcase both top quality produce and the skills of my kitchen team”, says Marcin Szczodrowski, “I’m really excited about bringing a completely new, fine dining menu to the Ocean Sands and I’m looking forward to guests enjoying this intimate dining experience”.

 

The menu will vary regularly but will always consist of nine finely balanced courses including enticing dishes such as Duck Liver Brûlée served with a Balsamic Gel and Hula Hoop Crisp, Lobster Ravioli celebrating the freshest lobster from Killala Bay or Grilled Fillet of Monkfish wrapped in Pistachio and local Seaweed accentuated with a Lime Foam and Green Vegetables. Equally, the menu will showcase top class pastry chef skills with a deft and light hand.

Those same pastry skills have made the recently introduced Afternoon Tea by the Sea a resounding success with residents and visitors alike. It is served on weekdays in the conservatory or Atlantic Room.

The Ocean Sands Hotel comprises 50 generous bedrooms including 20 family rooms and an impressive bridal suite complete with sea view balcony. Directly behind the hotel are 13 beautifully appointed and roomy apartments with easy beach access. It’s ideal for family holidays with a safe attractive playground beside outdoor tables. It’s pet friendly, allowing dogs in selected hotel rooms and apartments. The Ocean Sands is an acclaimed wedding venue.

Monkfish

The nine-course Chef’s Signature Tasting Menu costs €68 per person and must be booked in advance as numbers are limited (Tel: 096 26700). A vegetarian option is available by prior request. A tasting menu with wine pairings will be introduced shortly in conjunction with a new wine menu.

Bed and breakfast rates at the Ocean Sands Hotel start at €119 for a double room.

Electric Restaurant Marks 120th Anniversary Of The 1902 Cork International Exhibition With Tom Spalding Talk & Cocktails Of The Time

Electric Restaurant Marks 120th Anniversary 

Of The 1902 Cork International Exhibition

 With Tom Spalding Talk & Cocktails Of The Time

Dr Tom Spalding, in period clobber. Pic @corkbilly

Dressed in your Sunday finery, feathered bonnets and top hats included, the good people of Cork paid their pennies and stepped into a car that was hauled up the ramp. The passengers, full of anticipation and perhaps not a little trepidation, stepped from the cars into a small boat at a height of 70 feet. 

Ready for action (l-to-r): mixologists Caolann McNeill, Dan Cronin & Cian Daly
Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell 

No safety belts, just holding tight on to one another, as the boat began its rapid descent of the chute towards the waters of the River Lee. There were nervous screams as the boat thudded onto the surface of the river, splashing water as it did so, and then it slowly lost momentum before the thrilled passengers were taken back to the banks as the crowds cheered. All the fun of the fair at the 1902 Cork International Exhibition at the Mardyke.

Whiskey Sour. Pic: @corkbilly

No chute these days nor on last Thursday night week when a group of invitees gathered in the South Mall to hear historian Dr Tom Spalding give us his take on the Exhibition while our kind hosts Electric Restaurant served up a series of cocktails from the original 1902 menu, cocktails made by the Waldorf Astoria bartenders on their visit to the Mardyke. We were, of course, in Electric’s new cocktail bar, Ohm.

Tom told us how the exhibition came about and indeed how it lasted a year longer than originally planned. The then Lord Mayor Edward Fitzgerald was a driving force behind it and eventually the venue or at least, part of it, was named in his honour, Fitzgerald's Park.

Stevie G (Red FM) & Lisa Grainger. Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell 

Hundreds of thousands came, from near and far, to visit the exhibits. And the organisers had laid on plenty of entertainment for their visitors and indeed Tom said these entertainments brought in the money and led to the Exhibition making a profit. The highlight of course was the huge water chute that was erected near where the Shaky Bridge now stands.

Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell 

Food and drink was also an essential and there was no shortage of dining venues, scattered around the grounds, serving everything from freebies (samples of confectionery and bread in the Industrial Hall) to top notch cuisine at The Chalet restaurant. In between, there a few teahouses and a Temperance Restaurant.

So successful was the exhibition that a second year was added on and they began again in May 1903. That year, the royal couple King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra came to see what the fuss was. They too were well fed of course and there was wine (and more). 

Margaret & Carmel Best. Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell

Tom had the list:

Sherry - Garvey’s Amontillado.

Hock - Liebfraumilch.

Champagne - Perrier Jouet’s**.

——

Moselle Cup (a cocktail, methinks!)

____

Gran Marnier Cordon Rouge

Green Chartreuse

Kummel (a Caraway liquor apparently).

Pas Mal!

Cocktail "Corpse Reviver". Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell

So what cocktails were we drinking? Well, the busy and energetic Electric bartenders, paying tribute to the visitors from the Waldorf Astoria,  had recreated the four below from the original 1902 event.

We had a choice of:

Mint Julep (Bourbon, Mint, Ango);

Gin Sling (Gin, Lemon, Sugar, Soda);

Corpse Reviver (Tequila Blanco, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, Lemon, Absinthe);

Whiskey Sour (Bourbon, Lemon, Sugar, Whites, Ango).

That sour was my favourite. Ango, I presume, is bartender speak for angostura bitters.

I’m sure the Ohm team can rustle up any of that quartet for you if you walk in off the street but they may just prefer to see you trying  something from the current  menu, original cocktails and quite often original names.

Electric welcome from Emer
 O'Mahony. Pic: Shaunagh O'Connell

How about Green Yoke? This is a mix of Absolut Vodka, Melon, Cointreau, Turbo, pineapple.

Fancy Rose of the Lee? Glendalough Rose Gin with Lychee, Prosecco and Soda.

Then there’s Sound Man Brendan. Havana Maestros Rum, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Beamish and Banana.

One for the road? Try the Jungle Beour, a melange of Rum, Campari, Pineapple, Ginger, etc.

And they have quite a few more.

*  For much more info on this amazing Exhibition, get your hands on  The Cork International Exhibition 1902-1903: A Snapshot of Edwardian Cork by Daniel Breen & Tom Spalding. Also check out footage from the Mitchell and Kenyon Collection: Panorama of Cork Exhibition Grounds (1902) – YouTube

** If you take a look at Electric’s current wine list you’ll note they have a couple of different bottles of Perrier Jouet in their sparkling wine section. 

Glasshouse Chef Alan Fitzmaurice takes on the world

 Glasshouse Chef Alan Fitzmaurice takes on the world

 

Well-known chef Alan Fitzmaurice has spearheaded the award winning kitchen at The Glasshouse Sligo for the last decade. No stranger to international competition, he is testing himself against the best next week at The Global Chef Challenge in Abu Dhabi. Alan and his commis chef, GMIT student Chelsea Esquivel, are bringing the best of Irish produce to the highest table, competing against the best in the world.

 

The Global Chef Challenge takes place every four years and is run by the influential World Chefs Association. As with the FIFA World Cup, finalists come from regional qualifiers around the globe. Alan is representing Northern Europe and will compete against 11 other chefs from all five continents. The winner will be announced at a Gala Dinner which is the culmination of the Worldchefs Congress & Expo event. 

 

“This is an incredible opportunity to showcase Irish produce as the best in the world”, said Alan Fitzmaurice, “It’s been an intense preparation for Chelsea and myself perfecting our menu. We are very happy with the dishes and we’re going to give it our best in Abu Dhabi”. Leaving nothing to chance, Alan’s luggage consists more of kitchen equipment than shirts and socks.

 

The competition takes place on Wednesday 1^st June with limited preparation in a separate kitchen permitted on the previous day. Its’ a six hour intensive cooking marathon on the day itself, when four separate and perfect dishes must be served to an expert judging team of 12 people. The judging criteria are stringent, and sustainability is an important consideration. “We’re very aware that 50% of the marks go on taste. There is no room for style over substance. Every dish must positively explode with flavour.”, explains Alan, “The dishes are carefully planned to avoid waste almost completely. We’ve put a lot of effort into using every part of the halibut we are using for example, the bones for stock and trimmings for a tartlet as well as the show-stopper pan fried fillet. It’s all about attention to detail”.

 

Alan is fiercely proud of the Irish culinary heritage which he believes is still not as well appreciated as it should be. With this in mind he’s bringing an updated version of the farmhouse classic Boxty to the table, using beetroot as a novel twist. It’s a carefully chosen opportunity to highlight Irish dairy products which Alan believes are the best in the world.

 

Chelsea Esquivel is a young chef from Belize who is studying culinary Arts in GMIT. who is blazing a trail as a pastry chef. She won a gold medal for Afternoon Tea in the Chef Irish National Culinary Championships in 2021.

 

Castlerea born Alan Fitzmaurice has a trophy cabinet positively groaning with awards and honours. He is an evangelical supporter of Irish food and is committed to bringing on and assisting young chefs. He is Executive Chef at The Glasshouse Sligo and has just been appointed President of the Panel of Chefs of Ireland.

 

The Glasshouse is a chic four-star hotel in the heart of Sligo town, overlooking the Garavogue River. Its striking architectural exterior design is well matched with funky contemporary interiors, including the award winning Kitchen Restaurant.

press release

A Quart of Ale± #106. On the craft journey with Rye River Brewing

A Quart of Ale± #106

On the craft journey with Rye River Brewing

******

Rye River Celebrate Extended Core Range.

And that is where you’ll find McGargles. In bottles!

Rye River, the independent craft brewery have extend their core range to include their number one selling McGargles (with the new name of course). And more good news for McG fans is that they can still get the same beer and another plus is that it will be in bottles! 

A new name - look out for the Kingfisher - but the same popular beer. Rye River have assured their fans that while the name has changed, "the beer recipes are staying exactly as they are!" And Rye River have very much enjoyed their first ten years. "We have grown to become Ireland's #1 retail brand and for two years in a row, we are also the world's most awarded brewery".

Rye River is an independent Irish craft brewery in Celbridge, Co. Kildare and home to Rye River Seasonal, The Crafty Brewing Co., Grafters and Solas. 

"New name for McGargles, same great beer!" Below are my thoughts on three samples of the extended Rye River range.

Rye River Dam Buster Double IPA 8.00%, 500 ml bottle

This Dam Buster DIPA comes in a hazy gold robe with a soft white head that hangs about a bit (having been poured from the bottle). Pine and grapefruit lead the aromas. And those flavours are also prominent with some tropical accompaniment also on the palate and a supple bitterness always a contributor. No real sign of the alcohol as this well balanced beer goes about its pleasurable business right through to the refreshing finalé (as Sean Kelly might say. By the way when is Le Tour starting?).

They say: Dam Buster Double IPA is not one to be taken lightly! This big beer weighs in at 8.00%. It also has a bundle of amazing hops including Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Chinook and Mosaic. The taste is perfectly balanced between pine bitterness and biscuity malt. It's a whopper of a beer!

Geek Bits:

Malts: Maris Otter, Vienna Malt, Wheat.

Hops: Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Chinook and Mosaic, all American.

Rye River Big Bangin’ IPA 7.1%, 500 ml bottle

This was a very popular bottled beer under the McGargle’s label and now it is part of the Rye River core and, of course, in a bottle.

It has got a bright mid-gold colour…. bubbles galore…has been hopped to hell and you get that first via the aromas as the typical tropical fruits appear. And that exotic assault, with an alcohol powered extra edge, also appears on the palate where the Maris Otter malt also shows up well. A fruity yet dry finish follows. Quite a good finish actually, quite a good beer but do note that high alcohol count that smoothly powers it along. It’s not called Big Bangin’ for nothing. 

They say: “A long standing favourite, Big Bangin' IPA is the same great beer you know and love… but now with a bangin' new look!” Just so you’ll know, it’s the one in the white and navy bottle!

They say: Our take on the US West Coast IPA style, using only the finest Maris Otter barley and heavily hopped with tropical aromatic hope varieties.

Geek Bits:

Characteristics: Bitter and strong, tropical fruits.

Malts: Maris Otter.

Hops: Columbus, Mosaic, Simcoe, 

Rye River Backwaters American Wheat 6.2%, 500 ml bottle

Light orange colour, white head that stays around.  Mild aromas of passion fruit and citrus, a hint of pine perhaps. The immediate impression on the palate is crisp and clean and you’re inclined to think lager rather than wheat beer. Wheat though is included in the ingredients and this is pretty well packed with refreshing flavours including passionfruit, citrus, melon and grapefruit. 

No sign of the banana or clove in this American style wheat that you get on regular European wheatbeers (where special strains of yeast are used that produce notes of banana and clove as by-products of fermentation).

The hops used are both from the US, the well-known Cascade and the newer Strata. Strata has been described as “Passion fruit meets pot” and has been increasingly popular with brewers since its official release in 2018.

The brewers say: “Our Backwaters American Wheat is a crisp and clean easy sipper featuring Strata and Cascade hops. Perfect for those lazy summer days in the sun with friends”. Here’s to the sun and to the friends!

By the way. the malts used here are Carapils, Vienna Malt, Wheat and Ale Malt.

A pair of gems from the north of Spain, Graciano from the northwest, Xarel-lo from the northeast

A pair of gems from northern Spain

Graciano from the northwest

Xarel-lo from the northeast

Ruiz Jimenez Valcaliente Rioja (DOC) Graciano  2013

12.5%, €27.00, Restaurants mainly and Mary Pawle

Think Rioja reds and you think Tempranillo. Not in this case. This organic wine by Ruiz Jimenez is one hundred per cent Graciano, a tough-skinned grape with good acidity that accounts for only a tiny minority of the harvest in Rioja.

Graciano is a tough one to grow (it doesn’t handle stress well, is susceptible to mildew) but, according to Grapes and Vines, “that doesn’t stop the good guys from trying”. And Ruiz Jimenez is one of those good guys if this bottle is anything to go by.

It has intense purple colour. Intense aromas too, with black fruits leading, hints of vanilla, blossom also. Power and balance in the juicy palate where the varietal’s acidity stands out, oak is well integrated and there’s a fine finish as well. Very Highly Recommended.

Importer Mary Pawle fills us in: Graciano grapes, Malolactic fermentation in French oak barrels for 4 months and another 4 months in a concrete egg...… A suitable match for smoked meats or charcuterie and semi-hard cheese.

Ruiz Jimenez: We grow our vines and fields with the greatest combination of climate, soil composition, and organic matter. It is the product of more than 30 years of organic agriculture.... A special wine, which can accompany an appetizer such as cured and semi-cured cheeses, black olives, smoked tapas, sausages and especially suitable for game birds and red meat.

Found these suggestions online: Chorizo and lentil stew with Morcilla (Spanish blood sausage); Lamb-stuffed bell peppers; Seared kangaroo with raspberry glaze.

Entre Vinyes Oníric Brisat 2020, 11.5%

€16.75 Organico, Bantry, Lettercollum Kitchen in Clonakilty, Little Green Grocer, Kilkenny, Quay Co-Op, Urru, Bandon, various restaurants and Cafes, and MaryPawleWines

From old bush vines (in poor quality soil) fallen into disrepair and now rehabilitated, amongst forest land that provides the area with a rich biodiversity, comes this wonderful white wine, aromatic and flavourful.

Colour of this organic Penedes is a light orange and it has a slight haze. Apple and citrus notes in the aromas.  The assertive palate is packed with tangy lemon notes and there is more than a salty hint of Sherry through to the fresh and savoury finish “coming from 6 months ageing in amphora on the lees”. Soft and very drinkable, this is an orange wine for everybody. The grape is Xarel·lo which, as you know, is one of the main grapes used in Cava. Very Highly Recommended.

Importer Mary Pawle: “Entre Vinyes is a personal project of Maria Barrena (Azul y Garanza in Navarra) and this Penedes white is a lovely expression of the local grape variety.” She also suggests that it is the perfect introduction to orange wine.

The producers: “With an average age of 60 years, these vineyards of Xarel·lo, Macabeu and Parellada are in the natural environment of Foix, surrounded by oak and pine forest, under a dry climate and on a porous soil (which swallows the water) and limestone, very poor and shallow, with hardly any organic matter. The great biodiversity present creates a unique ecosystem that naturally regulates the balance of the vineyard.”

The grape juice is left in contact with the skins for about 12-14 days and then kept in clay Amphora and steel tanks. It is unfiltered and unfined, low sulphur and low alcohol.

Managers and winemakers of the Entre Vinyes de l'Arboç Winery (Baix Penedès) are Maria and Josep who started from scratch in 2012 after taking over a set of very old parcels from Josep's father, and have slowly seen their dreams realised. Appropriately, the word “ONÍRIC” is relative or pertaining to a dream”.

We have reviewed a few of the ONÍRIC wines recently, one here  and their impressive Pét-Nat here .

Taste of the Week. Cully & Sully's Tempting Tomato Risotto

Taste of the Week

Cully & Sully's Tempting Tomato Risotto

Lots of good things to eat at the weekend's Ballymaloe Grainstore's May Fair. No surprise with that and no surprise either that we found our current Taste of the Week at the Cully & Sully stall.

Of course, they had their famous soups on display but we were directed, in the best possible manner, to try their range of risottos: Tempting Tomato, Charming Chicken and Moreish Mushroom.

To make a long story short, we arrived home with a bagful and, having tasted a couple in Ballymaloe, were keen to try one in earnest and in full. 

We had eaten well around the Fair so didn't need a full dinner. So we made the Tempting Tomato the centrepiece of our supper, adding a variety of leaves from the garden, some artichoke globe quarters container bought from Olives West Cork via Neighbourfood, and some superb sourdough from the Grumpy Bakers (also bought at the May Fair). Some EVOO was added as was some of Hegarty's new Ballinvarrig cheese (we had no Parmesan in the house!) was grated (very finely) on top.

As expected, the Risotto was a winner and instantly declared our Taste of the Week. Now looking forward to trying out the Mushroom and Chicken.

Lots more info and recipes from Cully & Sully here.

* One pack of the risotto makes a meal for one, or if shared, a meal for two with the addition of other bits and pieces such as detailed above.

Very Enjoyable Outing To Grainstore's Ballymaloe May Fair

 Very Enjoyable Outing To Grainstore's Ballymaloe May Fair

Very much enjoyed my few hours at the May Fair organised by the Grainstore at Ballymaloe at the weekend. The first person I met was none other than Colm McCan who is delighted that the Pop-up Wine Shop is to open every afternoon (2.00 - 5.00pm) for the year ahead. I got a sneak peek inside and that pour illustration above may bring back memories to a few of you of great days and evenings at the Ballymaloe Pop-up Wine Shop in Brown Thomas. Colm has wine from a selection of suppliers in Ballymaloe. Not just wine though: Ballymaloe Cider and their House Gin are also available here in bottle.

Quite a few stalls in the Grainstore itself, including jewelry, clothing and more. It was here that I bought some beautifully crafted soaps from Clarkes of Dublin.              

We were also on the lookout for Massaman curry paste at the Malay Kitchen Stall and we found the two ladies from the Malay Kitchen in the Big Shed. Had a lovely chat, plus a little tasting, and came away with a kit that included the Massaman.

On the way in, we had bought a superb sourdough from the Grumpy Bakers and on the way out we got a few of their very tempting pastries. All these were destined for the home table but the beautiful treat from Yum Gelato, especially the Mango, was consumed on a nearby table in the sun. Yum! 

In between, we had another delicious tasting, this of the Cully & Sully Risotto range, very impressive indeed. Couldn't wait when we got home and, for supper, enjoyed their Tempting Tomato and that will feature as Taste of the Week very soon!

Our "main course" was just around the corner, at one of the many outdoor stalls serving hot food. Gidi's menu featured a traditional Yemenite and Moroccan family recipe with the traditional Cork title of "The Whole Shebang." 

The finest Kinsale beef and lamb, spiced and barbequed, along with a salad of green leaves, tomatoes and basil dressed with mint, yogurt and zhoug, all packed into a pitta, with a hint of chilli. Delicious, quite a dish for a tenner, and went down well with a glass of juicy ale from the nearby Wicklow Wolf Brewery stand.

More drinks stalls in the area included Blackwater Distillery (Peter Mulryan told me they have settled well into their new distillery and are planning on doing tours fairly soon). Denis from Kinsale Mead was enjoying a deadly Charcoal mint stracciatella from Yum Gelato while Valentia Vermouth were quite busy at the time.

Denis, and the early afternoon sun, had put me in the humour for a gelato and we were heading that way when I spotted Beardy Dave at the Dingle Gin and Porterhouse stall. He had a quartet of cans on offer for a tenner and they too went into the bag. In fact there was no room in the bags but Dave had a Porterhouse tote on hand!

So, after that final call to Yum and the Grumpy Baker, we were on our way, looking forward to getting through all the food and drink in the bags.

Take a walk in Garryvoe.

 Take a walk in Garryvoe

Fog was shortlived!

Pics taken 14.05.2022

Foraging

Garryvoe Hotel on left

Sand, sea and lighthouse, with wisps of fog

Man and child

No fog now!