August walk on the lovely Knockadoon Peninsula in East Cork

 August walk on the lovely 

Knockadoon Peninsula in East Cork

The old signal tower over 200 years old.
It was built during the Napoleonic wars in response to the threat of a French invasion. There were 81 such towers with line-of-sight visibility from one to the next. 

Ballycotton Lighthouse, in the hazy distance.

Heading west, ocean to the left, cornfields to the right

Weather-beaten. This old post has been here for a long time

Painted Lady (afaik)

Lots of natural colours

Youghal in the distance across the water, with cornfields ripening, above and below

The Lobster Pot on Knockadoon. If you are relying on this you need to check opening hours before you go.

Rocks, slip and pier

Sail away!

Youghal in the distance.

More on the East Cork area, including what to see and where to eat, here

Two short videos from the walk.

Make a Thursday of it at Rock Farm Slane

Make a Thursday of it at Rock Farm Slane

Thursdays are special at Rock Farm Slane and a perfect day out for everyone in the family. Top off a visit to the Farmers Market with a fascinating Rock Farm Tour around the working organic farm on the historic 1500 acre Slane Castle Estate and an exhilarating kayaking session on the River Boyne.  Carina Conyngham and her team at Rock Farm were proud winners of the Irish Food Writers’ Guild Environmental Award 2022.

Rock Farm Tours
Guided tours of Rock Farm are a fascinating insight into this pioneering 90-acre organic farm and ecotourism destination on the historic Slane Castle Estate. Learn about the life of an organic farmer and artisan producer. Walk through the farm that is home to rare breed animals like Dexter cows and Tamworth pigs as well as the happy flock of chickens who provide free range eggs. Tour the organic market garden and see fields filled with the barley used for the whiskey made at Slane Distillery. Learn about eco-tourism, glamping and strawbale buildings. Enjoy sample tastings of produce from the Farmers Market. Guided tours of Rock Farm run on Thursdays at 11am and 2pm. The cost is €15 per person and tours must be pre-booked (info@rockfarmslane.ie). Visitors are encouraged to wear appropriate footwear and dress for the outdoors.

Happy Rock Farm Hogs

Farmers Market
The Thursday Farmers Market is a buzzing hive of activity as local artisan producers converge on the Hay Barn with their delicious produce and craftworkers unpack their creative best.  It’s a lovely community event and a perfect spot to grab a barista coffee or a delicious hot lunch. Standholders include Baska Bakery, an artisan micro bakery based in Oldcastle who specialise in naturally, slow fermented sourdough bread without use of industrial additives or chemicals, The Cider Mill, Lus Aromatherapy, CnS Imagery, Plenitude Ferments, Bee Natural, Lu’s Indian Street Foods, Mullaghbeag Nurseries and Sophie Hunter Millinery. The Rock Farm stall always boasts a tempting display of organic meats, organic free-range eggs and organic vegetables. 

The Farmers Market runs from 11am to 4pm Farmers Market customers are welcome to enjoy the signposted walking trail around Rock Farm free of charge. 

Lucho Diez (left) leads his group

Take to the water
Complete a wonderful day out at Rock Farm Slane with a kayaking trip on the River Boyne which flows through the beautiful village of Slane. Tours run at 10am and 2pm and last 90 minutes. Book through the Rock Farm website with Boyne Voyage.

Rock Farm Slane is an organic farm certified under The Organic Trust which also offers glamping and eco accommodation. Glampers can choose from a broad choice of yurts, shepherd’s huts and bell tents, some of which are open all year round. Self-catering houses include Lime House, Ireland’s biggest straw-bale house, which sleeps 22 people and is popular with groups of friends, for celebrations and for family reunions. An outdoor wooden hot tub and natural swimming pool are just two of the added extras which make Rock Farm a very special destination. Rock Farm is part of the Slane Food Circle. 

media release

Midleton’s Finín’s Up And Running Under New Owners

 Midleton’s Finín’s Up And Running Under New Owners

A lesson on the double from my first visit to Midleton’s Finín’s after its recent takeover, and make-over, by Kinsale’s Blue Haven. In the same way as you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge a dish by how it looks. Even if the dish does look laid as the French say or moche as their teenagers would put it or just plain berk as the more outspoken might emit.

Hardly the most enticing Tiramisu to look at

but it is one of the best!

Toulouse Sausage

Let me start at the end, with the dessert, a Tiramisu. It came in a little bowl and looked like an emoji that had been badly designed. Yet it was superb, one of the best we’ve come across in recent times. Just seemed to have all the correct ingredients and it was sensational on the palate. Perhaps a presentation in a glass would have improved the initial impression but I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

And the other less-than-good-looking dish also provided a very happy outcome. This was the French onion soup (below), looked rather muddy in the bowl, but turned out fantastically well, sweetly delicious, another that was one of the best of its kind tasted on a long long while. A very big thumbs up here or, as the French might say: C’est vraiment très bon or perhaps just Miam! (Yum!).

Not the prettiest to look at but a joy to eat.

Black's KPA

Both dishes came from the specials board on the night and indeed the vast majority of our meal came from that board, though they do have quite a choice on the regular menu. We got a warm welcome and were soon seated downstairs - upstairs will not be ready for a few weeks yet. The bar, with its full length mirror behind, looks inviting and that was even more the case when I saw a tap for Black’s Kinsale Pale Ale, an excellent local beer and a favourite of mine. 

In face they have quite a choice of other craft beers in bottle including Porterhouse, Kinnegar and Galway Bay and also cider by Stonewell from Nohoval. Local producers are also supported when it comes to food and their suppliers include Horizon Farms in Kinsale, Harty's Cheddar, West Cork Olives, Ummera Irish Smokehouse, Cliona Dairy, Gubbeen Smokehouse, Jim Crowley's Butchers & Ballycotton Seafood (just across the street in Midleton).

It was a busy evening but the friendly staff did well, gave us a few tips when we were choosing and all worked out fine. Our other starter was from the regular menu: a deliciously crunchy Tempura of Broccoli, served with basil mayo and crispy Parma Ham and parmesan.

Mains include Wild Mushroom Tagliatelle, Smoked Chicken Caesar salad, and Catch of the Day. We could see from the dishes coming out from the kitchen that their Burger and Fish and Chips are very very popular indeed.

Seafood

On the Specials, we picked the Seafood Salad, Samphire and burnt lemon but our server explained it was more like a seafood medley and immediately the board was changed to a Seafood Selection. That came with a helping of fries and went down well indeed, especially the mussels and also the min-portion of Fish (cod) and Chips.

My choice was the Toulouse Sausage dish, with Thyme mash, roasted parsnip, black pudding and red wine jus. Flavours were excellent though. I had been expecting a heart rustic dish and that was exactly what I got. Fairly priced too at €16.50 as was the Seafood Selection at €18.90.

They were just into their second week after the opening under the new owners but, with many of the staff retained, they were going well, off to a good start. Finín’s will be worth keeping an eye on in the months ahead, especially with an experienced and respected chef as Pat Kiely (ex Les Gourmandises) at the helm.

A Quart of Ale± #117. On the craft journey with Rye River, Galway Bay, newcomers Outer Place, Porterhouse, Wicklow Wolf, Crew Limerick, Hopfully,

 A Quart of Ale± #117

On the craft journey with Rye River, Galway Bay, newcomers Outer Place and Porterhouse, Wicklow Wolf, Crew Limerick, Hopfully,

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Rye River (collab.with Old Street) Die Hundstage Köter Kölsch 5.0% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

This seasonal small batch beer is a collaboration between Rye River and East London’s Old Street Brewery. It has a pleasant light gold colour, tonnes of bubbles and a bubbly white head. Aromatics are fresh and fruity as you’d expect, more or less, from the hops. On the palate, it is crisp and clean, dry, with a sweet shot of fruit. Totally refreshing for sure.

Rye River: “Introducing our paw-some new Rye River Seasonal brew... Die Hundestage Köter Kölsch! A collaboration brew with our good friends over at Old Street Brewery in East London, this Kölsch is *chef's kiss* perfect to knock back on a hot summer's day. This one is for the dog days of summer! …Part of a seasonal range we developed as a way to explore our passion for our craft. Each beer is never like the last..”

Callista and Tango were used for the dry hops. Callista, as you may know, is from Germany and noted for its fruity qualities such as Melon, Strawberry and Apricot.

Tango, also German, is a relative newcomer, and is following in the footsteps of its grandmother “Hallertauer Tradition” while being the pacemaker into the future. It is also very versatile, something of an all-rounder. In kettle hopped beers: hoppy fresh aroma notes similar to Hallertauer Tradition and Perle − in late and dry hopped beers: fresh and fruity aroma (especially passion fruit) − pleasantly mild bitterness − excellent drinkability. What’s not to like?

This collaboration looks like a win win for Rye River though I’m sure they also played a full role in Die Hundestage Köter (The Dogs Days). 

Kölsch is the signature beer of Cologne, Germany, and has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). “At first glance, kölsches seem to be doing a fine pilsner impersonation,” according to the Beer Bible. But there are delicate subtle differences, more yeast, more minerality. If you are drinking at source, The Bible recommends Gaffel, Früh (I got this in Bradleys 2021) and Reissdorf as top Cologne examples.

Otherwise, try the 9 White Deer one (gentle hops and malt character, it is easy-drinking, full flavoured with fruity hints and a crisp and lager style character); Rye themselves make the excellent Grafters Clocking Off Kölsch (available in Dunnes).

Galway Bay Goodbye Blue Monday Oatmeal IPA 6.6% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Goodbye Blue Monday was first brewed in 2013.. in collaboration with Chicago’s Begyle. Galway Bay: “This oatmeal IPA is brewed with Irish Malt and lashings of Irish oats. Hopped continuously in the kettle with Citra and Columbus, then dry hopped several times with more Citra. A fan favourite on both sides of the Atlantic.”

That’s the story behind this trans-Atlantic collaboration. Quite a success story for this hazy light orange coloured IPA. Aromas are modest but, importantly (thanks to the Columbus) firm hints of dankness abound. And those hints are confirmed on the complex palate, lots of it and lots of citrus also, on its smooth journey to a dry and bitter finish. A fully grown up beer. Take heed of their own shout:  Super super stuff this year! Grab some while you can.

Outer Place Interstellar Pale Ale 5% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

Outer Place promote this as “a sip of sunshine in a can”. Colour is a light orange, hazy with a fluffy white head that soon starts to sink. Aromas, of moderate intensity, are of tropical fruits. Mouthfeel is smooth enough but hop reinforced flavours are anything but, so you get intense flavours, deep and refreshing. Not too sure about the “dank weedy goodness” that the producers claim but it is a characteristic of the Strata hops (used in the whirlpool and dry hop).

It is an excellent debut by Outer Place, a new Irish Craft brewery in Kildare, who are focused on hoppy styles of beer. And they began selling their beers in April 2022.“Interstellar is our new Pale Ale. It's a sip of sunshine in a can. Clocking in at a session-able 5% ABV this one is made for sunny days and summer nights. ….. Lashings and lashings of new 2021 crop Cascade and Strata in the whirlpool and dry hop.” 

The story of Outer Place begins at the home of Mark Clarke and Vivien Lough. Mark has home-brewed for years as a hobby and has always dreamed of opening a brewery to satisfy his desire for hoppy beer. Now is the time.

“For now we are going to create beer with friends and collaborators in breweries around Ireland and beyond.

Our vision is to create a destination brewery that is fiercely independent, ethically inclined and sustainable.

Our goal is to create modern, progressive, delicious beers inspired by friends, family, art, music, nature and whatever else takes our fancy along the way.”

Porterhouse Slvr Skin Barrel Aged Coffee Stout 13% ABV, 440 ml can Bradleys

“Our latest collab with the crew in @silverskin_coffee_roasters Is a 13% barrel aged, Imperial Coffee Stout cut with cold Brew coffee for an extra kick…..We don’t add any ‘extras’ – no additives, no enhancing chemicals. Just simple, pure ingredients.”

That’s the intro to Slvr Skin Coffee Stout by Porterhouse. It is a very dark brown verging on black with a tan coffee head that doesn’t hang about. Aromas are rich and coffee dominated, hints of vanilla too. And the same combo get to play on the palate as well, smooth, well rounded, yet with quite a punch (coffee and bourbon) and it lingers sweetly. Boy, does it linger. Terrific stout with amazing balance. Just about 7,000 cans were produced. I’ve got mine. You better get your hand up quickly!

It’s been Barrel Aged in Bourbon casks and the result is claimed as the first “Barrel Aged Imperial Coffee Stout in Ireland made with cold brew”.

The advice from the brewers is to serve it chilled and “savour the rich, distinctive flavour”. After fermentation, the resulting beer was matured for nine months in Dingle Distillery Bourbon casks and following this ageing process a second addition of coffee was made, this time as a cold brew into the conditioning tanks before canning”.

All the hard work and precision yields an increased flavour profile and the result is an imperial stout full of rich flavour. Quite a treat!

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Wicklow Wolf continue on the sustainability trail...

This year we have taken our commitment one step further, we have commissioned the installation of over 120Kw of solar panels, covering the entirety of our 17,000 sq ft brewery roof to become the First Solar Powered Craft Brewery in the Republic of Ireland.

More here. 

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News from Limerick's CREW

The Crew's Ale Talk series continues in August with a representative of Hopfully Brewing coming to share some beers and stories. You might know Hopfully from some of their belters like Inside Out, Boo, and their No Cars gose selection. Limited tickets are available from the bar for €20, which gets you a seat at the event including four cans of delicious Hopfully beer. More at @crewbrewco on Facebook.

A Quart of Ale± #116. On the craft journey but off piste with two Ciders, Ginger Beer and a Belgian Framboise

 A Quart of Ale± #116

On the craft journey but off piste with two Ciders, Ginger Beer and a Belgian Framboise

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Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider 5%, 375ml bottle Le Caveau via Neighbourfood 

In 2016, I wrote that this was “one of the best ciders I have ever tasted”. Glad to report, after a recent tasting, there’s been no change in that opinion of the Cockagee Irish Keeved Cider…

Made in County Meath by Mark Jenkinson, it has a rich amber\gold colour, micro-bubbles constantly rising in the glass. The aromas are impressive too, redolent of the orchard. And on the palate there is a very pleasing concentration of real flavour, layers of the most beautiful flavours, a gentle and complete experience, and then a lovely dry finish as well. This is in a class of its own.

Mark makes it in small batches in his Cider Press in the heart of the Boyne Valley from 100% fresh pressed Irish apples. Each 1000 litre batch is unique and may vary slightly. Serve chilled in a stemmed glass.

Keeving is not the easiest to explain as “it is more intuitive than an exact science”. But Mark gives a good run-down here. Crucially, it preserves the “lovely apple aromas and the rich flavours of the fruit and results in a robust yet smooth cider, complex and full-bodied with a bittersweet twist and a long dry finish.” 

Briefly, Keeving means it is not filtered, not pasteurised, and not sweetened. The fruit sugars are naturally retained as are the intense apple flavours and aromas from the original must. 

Hope that doesn’t sound too complicated. To put it simply, the result is a terrific drink with an ABV of 5% and is very highly recommended.

At one of the Ballymaloe Lit-Fests a few years back, highly respected Food and Drink writer Pete Brown said you can only shake your head with wonder that a process from the 14th or 15th century can still produce a “beautiful natural cider. In a blind tasting, I would class this as Breton and it would be a perfect match with crepes”.

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Armagh Craft Dry Cider 4.5%, 500ml bottle Aldi (Mayfield)

Just poured my golden Armagh cider from Aldi and am watching the many bubbles playfully make their way to the top. Orchard smells abound as you sniff and you notice a certain tartiness there too. It is certainly dry on the palate but there’s no shortage of flavours nor of refreshment. 

This refreshing Armagh dry cider is exclusive to Aldi, is vegan and vegetarian friendly, and the label recommends you serve it chilled. They also make a sweet and medium in this series.

For five generations, the Armagh Cider Company have been growing apples on the Troughton family farm in the orchard county of Armagh. “Our apples are carefully hand-picked and matured before they are pressed and fermented in only the smallest of batches. Our apples don’t leave the farm until they are bottled to complete perfection and we take great pride in bringing delicious authentic cider from blossom to bottle to you!”

They farm in Ballinteggart where the ‘From Blossom to Bottle’ culture has been nurtured for five generations. And to where quite a few awards have made their way.

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Black Castle Fiery Ginger Beer, 330ml bottle, The Granary Midleton.

It has a murky ginger colour, aromas of ginger too. Spicy enough to take your breath away as it gently burns the mouth. But no harm done at all, just a lively and refreshingly spicy drink that is not too sweet. If you are on BBQ duty, have one of these Irish craft sodas at hand!

In general, fiery ginger beer uses fresh ginger for a kick and cinnamon for added sweetness and spice. And it looks as if Dublin based Black Castle have hit on the correct formula with this spicy wake-up call for your taste buds! Note: if you don’t like ginger, you will not like this!

Black Castle: “Our Ginger Beer is packed full of flavour and just the right amount of heat! Made with rich Muscovado sugar, Ginger Root Extract and infused with a blend of warm Cinnamon and Cardamom spices. Lightly carbonated making it the perfect alternative to alcohol on a night out!”

It is “Hand-made in Co. Wicklow, is Non-Alcoholic and Allergen Free Best served over ice with a wedge of lime! Add it to cocktails such as a Moscow Mule or a Dark n Stormy.”

Their other soda is Berry Bramble Sting. We had that in County Clare previously and you can read about it here .

• It is touted as an adult drink and indeed it may be best to keep it away from the kids (and from adults who dislike ginger). It is certainly on the fiery side.

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Lindeman’s Framboise Lambic Beer 2.5%, Dede at The Custom House Baltimore

Pours a raspberry red, with a pink foamy head, and smells like the fruit. Also tastes like raspberry, probably more on the swallow than on the palate. 

Superb as an aperitif as is often recommended. I didn’t have any raspberries but a handful of early loganberries were at hand and the pairing was fine. The brewers recommended pairing with endive salad. 

I picked this beer up at the deli in the Michelin starred Baltimore restaurant Dede at The Custom House where I’d seen it used as part of the wine pairing for the Tasting Menu where it was paired with the various desserts. Think I may get a few more in Bradley's for the garden for the sunny (oh ye of little faith!) weeks ahead.

Must admit I had been expecting something on the sweet side, after all it is flavoured with raspberry concentrate (20%), sugar and natural sweeteners. But I was more than pleasantly surprised to find it is quite tart.

Celebrity Chef, John Torode, Visits Kinsale Mead. TV show airs this Thursday.

media release

Celebrity Chef, John Torode,

Visits Kinsale Mead

 John Torode’s Ireland, a six-part, foodie voyage of discovery, was filmed over a year in 2021 and premiered on The Food Network on 21^st July 22. In Episode 4, this celebrity chef, well known from the popular Masterchef TV series, finally gets to tour, taste and cook in West Cork.

 

““You Irish, honestly, you’re really good at making booze, aren’t you?”

 

“We were excited to have John visit us and to learn about this beautiful drink and of course, taste it,” said Kate Dempsey co-founder of Kinsale Mead.

 

“We had a great afternoon introducing John to mead, this ancient drink made in our modern meadery from honey, water and yeast and berries,”

 

“Great mead is all about great honey, and John sampled honeys from different sources including the orange blossom honey we use to make Atlantic Dry Mead,” said Denis Dempsey, co-founder.

 

They finished up tasting a range of honey, berry and barrel aged meads, enthusiastically received by John.

Denis and Kate onscreen.

 

About the Atlantic Dry Mead John said, “I’ve go to say, I think that’s delicious…It’s slightly sharp rather than being very fruity. And then there’s that lovely, sweet honey that comes in the background as well. Amazing.”

And the Wild Red Mead he said “That would make amazing sorbet – that would be fantastic. I may have to take a few bottles of this back with me.”

 

The episode airs at 9pm on Thursday 11^th August on The Food Network and is repeated over the next few days as well as being available online on Discovery Plus. John Torode’s Ireland is broadcast supported by Tourism Ireland and broadcast in Ireland and the UK. What better reason do you need to visit and discover the flavours and passion of this beautiful country?

 

Web: www.KinsaleMeadCo.ie for online orders, meadery tours and stockists

Email: info@KinsaleMeadCo.ie  

Phone: 021 477 3538

Twitter/Facebook/Instagram: @KinsaleMeadCo

Taste of the Week. East Cork Coffee

Taste of the Week. 

East Cork Coffee

Always on the lookout* for new produce for Taste of the Week and found one recently in the Granary Foodstore in Midleton. It is East Cork Coffee, produced by a well-known local chocolatier.

And it is quite a good one, a medium to dark roast of a Brazilian coffee, our Taste of the Week. 

Unusually, the grind process yields no "fluff" at all. They say: "Exceptional flavour and aroma characteristics. Nutty, semi-sweet, fruit and chocolate." It lives up to its billing for sure and I'll be on the lookout for more of it.

Quite a few coffee roasters in County Cork these days, some better than others, some more expensive than others. 

We're all looking at value nowadays and comparing similar products. Watch out for the different amounts in packets as they all look more or less the same size. The more established roasters, such as the always reliable Golden Bean and Badger & Dodo, have packs that hold 250 grams. Others, like this one, weighs in at 225 while there are a few with just 200grams. All are clearly marked. 

Some, while giving a Best Before date, do not mention the roasting date. Since we are advised to buy coffee as fresh as possible, the roasting info is an essential.

* I usually manage to find a new Taste of the Week on a regular basis but not always. So, if you do have an Irish food (sweet or savoury) or drink product that fits the bill, do please DM me with stockists and I'll go and get one to try.

For more on this product, contact info@EastCorkCoffie.ie