West Fork Summer 2017 by southernstarIRL

Summer 2017

Magazine

The Great

WEST CORK

FOOD SURVEY

Plus

! D E L A E V E R S RESULT

• Local culinary couples • Food culture on West Cork’s islands • Coﬀee roasting in Innishannon • Bord Bia CEO Tara McCarthy & lots more

Taste a bit of West Cork Magic Widely acknowledged as the foodie capital of Ireland, West Cork is home to a legion of artisan food producers, creating everything from specialist farmhouse cheeses to organic vegetables; Ireland’s finest smoked fish; free-range eggs; chicken, pork and beef; traditionally cured charcuterie; locally produced honey, preserves & relishes, and much, much more. At the Celtic Ross Hotel our Head Chef, Alex Petit champions that ethos of sustainability and quality across the hotel’s range of dining options. We were recently awarded an AA Rosette for Culinary Excellence so you are guaranteed that all our fare is …

locally sourced, expertly prepared, utterly delicious

Sidney’s

Serving Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Daily in the Kingfisher Bistro Brunch Saturday & Sunday 10-1pm Afternoon Tea daily 2.30-5.30pm

est.1946

BAR AND BRASSERIE

Open Daily from 9am Serving food from 12noon

AA Awarded Rosette Restaurant

Rosscarbery • 023 8848722 • www.celticrosshotel.com Please do contact us on 021 4779900 to reserve a table

Summer is Here Summer BBQ's

Special Occasion

Sunday Lunch

An Chistin Beag

Open Mon-Thurs 9.30-5.30pm Fri-Sat 9.30-9pm Closed Sundays & Bank Holiday Mondays

mp03.5-03.9 sruTh-noM nepO mp9-03.9 taS-irF syadnuS desolC syadnoM yadiloH knaB &

Fine Food Home Cooked Locally Produced

“homecooked locally produced food” 46 Bridge Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork | 028-22019

Actons Hotel, Pier Road, Kinsale

”doof decudorp yllacol dekoocemoh“ 91022-820 | kroC .oC ,neerebbikS ,teertS egdirB 64

Serving Breakfast Lunch & Dinner

021 4779900

Open

Tues & Wed 9:30am - 5pm Thurs, Fri & Sat 9:30am - 9pm for July, August & September The ideal waterfront location for private, corporate and team building. With a reputation for excellent cuisine and an amazing location- your group are sure to find something to whet the appetite and perhaps even quench a thirst! NEW BBQ Menu Now Available

Closed Sunday & Monday

Sidney’s

Actons Hotel, Pier Road, Kinsale | res@actonshotelkinsale.com Tel: 021 4779900

BAR AND BRASSERIE

46 Bridge Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork | 028 22019 est.1946

Open Daily from 9am Serving food from 12noon

Strapline Front centre of house on margin CONTENTS Welcome to the summer 2017 edition of West Fork magazine, Starters............................................................................................5 Chef profiles ...............................................................................6-7 once more packed with news Spotlight on Bantry .................................................................. 10-11 and views about West Cork’s Spice things up at Scally’s ............................................................ 13 Carnivore in Crisis........................................................................ 15 world famous food scene.

No smoke without fire .............................................................16-17 Cork coffee class ........................................................................... 19

We recently ran our inaugural ‘Great West Cork Food Survey’ and participation was fantastic with respondents from all over West Cork, Ireland and overseas. We asked questions about habits and attitudes towards local food purchasing and consumption as well as eating out and what people are looking for in a good dining experience.

The Great West Cork Food Survey .........................................21-24

The results, which you’ll find on pages 21-24 are quite revealing but we’re pleased to report that in general consumers appear happy with West Cork’s local food production and restaurant/cafe scene although they do offer a few pieces of constructive criticism and feedback which may be worth considering by those in the industry.

Deli counter.............................................................................32-33

Bee kind .................................................................................. 26-27 A taste of island life .................................................................... 29 Behind the scenes at Fields bakery ............................................. 31 Natural Rebel with a cause ..........................................................35 Recipe page...................................................................................37 25 years of Organico growth ....................................................... 39 A presidential perspective ........................................................... 41

Also in this edition ... - ‘culinary couples’ working together in our region - food culture on West Cork’s islands - how we can all help the crisis affecting falling bee populations - coffee roasting in Innishannon - Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia provides The Final Word

The Final Word ........................................................................... 42 published by

...and lots, lots more. West Cork’s biggest selling newspaper with 50,000 readers every week and the area’s biggest digital audience across www.southernstar.ie and our social media. Home&Garde

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We’d like to sincerely thank our advertisers for supporting West Fork so well and we would encourage our readers to buy local food and visit local restaurants, hotels and cafes whenever they can as it all contributes to keeping West Cork’s local economy strong and helps maintain the vibrant, eclectic food scene that we’re all so proud of.

Sk Olymibb ro Page 15 pic wers’ bid

cuts oy Prison, or of Mountj new premgovern s House (‘Talk to Tom’ an, former of Lisheen Cullen et Murphy d by Ray , Margar . John Lonerg at the launch Murphy Kearns Gibson) een, watche the ribbon For Andy some time the village of TD, Noreen and Mick Skibber (Photo: ises in d), Jim Daly l Collins TD Ballinadee, which is nestled Wexfor ny TD, Michae in the heart of the countryside O’Maho

Members of the community women living in rural areas. It was tough for a variety of contributed to the cost, therereasons, such as the lack of by becoming shareholders in between Kinsale and Bandon, household utilities and mobil- the building. Shareholders, or has been witnessing its own ity, so when Muintir na Tire stakeholders, is a term that’s decline. Community life there was established the people of very much in vogue today as had dwindled ... until now. Ballinadee wholeheartedly an indicator that people have The people of Ballinadee embraced it as a way of rais- a vested interest, and that is have decided to take action. At a meeting on March 16th last, they agreed to make the ne- ‘The reason the members of the community glected community hall their are doing this is because they know the village first priority and breathe new needs a focal point and the re-opening of the life into it. Usage of Ballinadee Hall hall is the first step in getting the village up and had fallen off so much over the years that it stood as almost as running again’ an external representation , are of support very much the case here. the decline this small out. rural ing peoples’ living standards. on andofrolled Ballinadee Hall was built community. Muintir na Tire was a moveeducati y being , which curA lotservice of people turned up for ment for improvement. Tom on the land of local farmer, ent currentl N CRONIN The community no governm that meeting and Hales, the War of Independ- Daniel McCarthy, and O’Brien s d the full By SIOBHá receives rently it was clear from the energy of Lisheen three ence veteran and politician Builders from Bandon were , was promise tion funding offices Cork’s and the enthusiasm of West allexpressed attended – was instrumental in setting contracted to build it. From THE newSuicide Preven opened backing that it would not be long be- up the group in Ballinadee and the very start the hall was a TDs, who House were officially sitting fore the hall would once again Friday. here,’ from the outset they were de- success. Centre een last which will be a fraud ad- termined to provide the comIt became a hive of activanevent. important a bit offocal point in n, the in Skibber ‘I feel TD Jim Daly,‘I was munity with a hall – a place for ity; a place where regular The centre,ing, educatio , village life. e. FG services counsell audienc said Ballinadee Hall was built thereinwas communal and developmental meetings were held, as well house and support print dressing the – a timethis thatser-meetings, as well as a place as classes and, from time to to discover training in the formern Star the early 1950s to given time, dramatic productions. It wasshocked particularly tough for where they could socialise. is located The Souther ly of no funding ‘sincere room being vice.’ that he able to offices. communication He added would be s, ling, the With he for Lisheenes good counselbeing con- hoped’ funding key to ’s past, also nication, secure his Dail colleagu endeavbuildingwith commu number a and that him in that voice in nected ed by g former join be your would was mention Lon- our. ‘We will s, includin r John he said. of speaker y governo the event. that Skibber Dublin,’ k’ of Mountjo opened ed by He added a ‘hat-tric ents who ergan, s was co-found Mur- een now had achievem the to Noreen Lisheen nity-up woman her own hus- commu Ludgate hub, LishBantry years – from the rowers, to lost een phy, whosuicide some from arSkibber to he Kearns t band Mick eens House. the momen he felt ago, and way. similar From the offices, weld on a to Dunman at great d d – Talk by rived h and a It is modelle delighte in Wexfor set up ‘warmt and he was had service which was spoke at which come’, room Tom – who also . A num- to see that a Ray Cullen opening across P8 services same last Friday’s UED ON n other the grandso ber of , using through CONTIN winning to the ing the country c medal- waves night. of counsell model her Olympi left: Paul Monday Doab with on. Above, een onJervis & Pat Mantle) afterno of Skibber y Mary Ballindee Hall, because of its central location, is a focal point for the whole community. Mondaythe streets Minihane, Emma EST GRANN Club on on D’S PROUD 10,000, (Photos: Anne een Rowing y at over IRELAN

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he prin and e is with a real sense of nostalgia . will bley locaCon mom tswhe l or Hou e to Ban brin hero Pos spor that some older members of ent ters glorfrom n he ts riha don g the day ‘I watc that the community remembered ava this capthisto ne (25) Trop y in hom girlf even hed I’ll Unit ilab hy the e aine ry last mad the dancehall days, especially from rien ing the neve ed lefina John d Barn Sund gam r forg lived Lon d, at hom e at Weml the ‘pioneer socials.’ e on et. afte fromNot only agai ston sley ay to it, don, r e thril beh But as people became more bley nst e’s Pain to ing be hon I got and we with Monbeca ling inddid Barn. got Oxfo t my som mom est. a mobile they started to move whe man me seco to rd expe ethin ent It bit emo n back in a to the nd half,win sley com I furtherCr afield rien g that and was on and travelled tion re3-2 cup capt first Pag LeagWhi ce agai I feelian ama al, his towns in toto frequent but in e to nearby famiWha final ain a Wes You e day ue le Barn n.’ reall ng. zwinn t Conor a fam ly t mad at Wem y wan It’s the biggerfirs dance halls, such21as Con bea for and One sley e it ing Cor t Cir tackle form ous and frien cele or uty! t to mer the cont actio retu Bandon swee bley team k Ge Town Hall. star’ er stad Barn Con , afterplay inue n this rn . cuwas not, thelowingbratHou t in s greaBan ium ds wereter is Ballinadee Hall es rihane, sley ant or will the -offs thei Satu to it don to that with from capt real.‘The test AFC hom John lookseas , in watc at however,tou neglected. For a Fina Johnhis side r rry Capwho mom Weml aga ston ’s the e to ston to on hasthe push ch a focal point h the Ban ain sum time, it became that at Wemtainile day ent.unde the (Pho bley inst e’s vict trop : Co thin‘In the Wes e’s brin ende don rage pen I neve bleyng a was Pain ory hy foland gs , for the younger members sumt CorkPain g the d, nta of to: Dan StadOxford team very ily to me r t Tropduri roun the have mer . t Trop giwas ng Mulla ium Unit surct the community and served The enou in thought som to victo mak ds hy cup quie -tim the n/G last ed hy Sout gh my care wou ethin the e thesand as a venue for basketball and etty Sun at has tene e whe bley‘It’s fanthernit has, er ld the sp happ ques e Imag day hap- g dond dow n badminton. walk but ort astic Star ’ Conbut luck We’ ens tion few tours es) . e n sd up to capt to this or It was also used for Macra tic ll or – butweeks, it has the the win wee told - wou to see, esk not, stepain the at k. brin but whe I’ll to field days, and fashion shows, ic Barnld be g it wouI don’ ther ask on s was teamWem and concerts during the 1980s, • Rea specit to ld t know it 02 a spec and the d sley captial,’ Ban be fant 8 212 but the real change – in socidon. . page ial Con cha asain the ety and the usage of the hall 00 jers or nce 17 for saidtalis That ey. Hou to mor . man| em – came in the 1990s. riha win e PLU ail ne a sign Over the last quarter of a S : sp Bar century, the building has nsle ed ort stood quietly, biding its time. Members of Ballinadee Community Hall@s Committee – back, from left: Yvonne Lynch, Stephen Harrington, Gill Good. y ou But soon, very soon, it will Front: Edel Corcoran, Caroline Gallagher, Brendan Tha the O’Connell.Con t winn once again be a safe space for rns or Hou ing feel the young, the old, and those tar riha ing: .ie in between. On any given day, there is a the village, and maybe even ne | fin cele Ash school population of 144 pu- create new services. brat ley d us Flet e with pils within sightline of the hall Despite being under-used cher on (Pho the , Ada and an estimated 78 families for years, the actual building to: tw Tonytrop m itt Ham passing through the village on itself is in good repair. NeverJohnhy at er: a daily basis. The plan is that theless, funds will be needed son/ Wemmill and @K York bley they will have no need to travel for this reinvigoration proier shire . an out to other towns because all gramme. Post Mc ) the activities they could posA committee has been set C_ SS sibly require will be provided up with Caroline Gallagher in the hall. as chairperson, Stephen The reason the members Harrington, as vice-chair, of the community are doing Edel Corcoran as secretary, this is because they know the Brendan O’Connell as treasurvillage needs a focal point and er and Gill Good and Yvonne the re-opening of the hall is Lynch as press officers. the first step in getting the Their first fundraising event village up and running again. will take place on Sunday, Like the members of the June 19th at 2pm. They have community from the 1950s, organised a 5k walk on a ring they know that working to- route that will start and end at gether will promote positivity Ballinadee Hall. There will be and create a happier commu- a community celebration too nity. with teas and coffees and food It will keep people wanting and music and maybe even to live in Ballinadee, support some dancing ... if anyone has long-standing businesses in the energy. The main space in Ballinadee Community Hall.

For all enquiries please call 028 21200 or advertising@southernstar.ie or www.southernstar.ie Skibberestimated , Gary at huge crowds

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West Fork is distributed as follows : - 12,000 copies inserted in The Southern Star newspaper on Thursday, July 6th. - 10,000 copies distributed throughout July, August to hotels, cafes, restaurants, tourist offices, B&Bs, supermarkets, holiday homes and whole host of tourist related ‘pick up’ points across West Cork. - via the Magazine section of southernstar.ie and heavily promoted via The Southern Star newspaper, southernstar.ie and our extensive social media.

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Message on a bottle! Healy’s superValu Dunmanway now offer personalised wine and champagne labels which are proving very popular for special occasions. Andrew Healy explains: ‘We design a label for a special occasion, we remove the back label off a bottle of wine or champagne, and replace with our personalised label. It gets displayed in a gift bag, gift box or a hamper basket with cellophane and ribbon included. It’s essentially like designing a greeting card and putting it onto a bottle.’ These are popular gifts for occasions like birthdays, engagements, weddings, new babies, spot prizes, corporate gifts, golf prizes, house warming gifts etc. Generic labels are readily available while personalised messages generally have a one day turnaround. Price is very important here and with gifts starting from as little as €15, not only do you get value for money but you also get a fantastic and unique gift. Further pictures of the gifts are available on the SuperValu Dunmanway Facebook page, and further information can be got by calling into the store or by contacting Andrew on 086-8038320.

Main St, Dunmanway, Co. Cork (023) 884 5778

ealy

Andrew H

Dunmanway

Personalised Wine & Champagne Gifts A great opportunity to give a friend or relation a fantastic unique gift. We are delighted to offer you our new service, personalised wine and champagne labels! A special label is designed and placed on the back of the bottle of wine or champagne and is displayed in a gift bag, gift box or a hamper basket with cellophane and ribbon included. Price starting from as little as €15. For more information please call into the store or contact Andrew on 086 8038320

Park, Dine and Relax at the Quality Hotel, Clonakilty

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Strapline Forcentre starters on margin Picnics and books During the lazy, hazy days of summer

there’s nothing like packing a picnic and heading oﬀ to your favourite West Cork spot. Why not also catch up on some of the reading you’ve promised yourself this year. Pop into Cathal O’Donovan’s book shop in skibbereen and choose from a range of cookbooks, bestsellers and children’s titles. Popular titles include ‘Holding’ by West Cork’s very own Graham Norton, ‘A Doctor’s Sword’ by Bob Jackson, poetry book ‘After the storm’ by local author John Riordan, ‘30 years at Ballymaloe’ by Darina Allen, ‘Cooking for Family & Friends’ by Joe Wicks, ‘A Taste of West Cork Food Festival Artisan Food Guide’ and many more. Find Cathal O’Donovan’s on Facebook.

Seymours take the biscuit

seymours Biscuits in Bandon have just marked 10 years in business. The West Cork biscuit company started out on the farm kitchen table before moving to a custom fitted bakery on the outskirts of town in 2008. Two interesting orders of late were to retail customers in Japan and Saudi Arabia. Owned by Philip O’Connor, the small operation continues to establish the Seymours biscuit brand as synonymous with West Cork and fine food. Locally they are stocked in Field’s Skibbereen, Scallys Clonakilty, Urru and Caulfields Bandon, Rohu’s Innishannon and Smith’s Kinsale.

Bantry’s Bia going down well

There’s a new ﬂavour in Bantry town – the recently-opened Bia restaurant in the The Bantry Bay, Wolfe Tone Square. It’s the latest addition to the landmark building which has re-established itself in the heart of the town since re-opening in September 2015. The restaurant has been completely revamped and the comfortable surroundings in purple and gold create a cosy ambiance in what was the Red lounge (in the original O’Callaghan Hotel of the 60s and 70s). Bia fuses the mouthwatering tastes of great quality West Cork meats, seafood and produce with the French ﬂair of Head Chef Gilles Eynaud.

New brew from Clon!

Clonakilty Brewing Company have been making their delicious beers since summer 2016 under the watchful eye of head brewer ‘Thirsty Frank’. They are very proud to make Clonakilty ‘the brewery town’ once again and be part of the great food and drink culture in West Cork. In addition to existing brews such as Tojo (a pale ale named after a local celebrity monkey) and the award-winning Smuggler Porter they have recently introduced Inchydoney Blond for those looking to try something diﬀerent, but still with that great local twist. Frank and the Brewery team are only too happy to talk about their work and story, so why not take a brewery tour and learn all about Clonakilty Brewing Company. See www.clonakiltybrew.ie.

Brewing up new coffee house O’Neill Coﬀee is due to open later this month in Skibbereen with a new cof-

fee shop in Mrs O’Neill’s much loved grocery shop on Townshend St, across from the Ludgate Hub. ‘People are looking for better quality coffee and O’Neill Coffee wants to meet that demand, all while using local producers and suppliers. Locally, people are being offered better quality coffee and now with the likes of Tony Speight at West Cork Coffee they can enjoy coffee that has been roasted here locally. People will also get to enjoy sweet and savoury treats here with their take away/sit in flat white or cup of tea,’ said Colm Crowley of O’Neill Coffee.

, It s hot in

Mews Restaurant Baltimore

‘Restaurants like this don’t happen very often. Go now’

Ahmet Dede

- Catherine Cleary, Irish Times

Ahmet is the chef at Baltimore’s Mews restaurant. A native of Turkey, who has worked previously in other fine dining establishments, he wants his dishes to have beauty in their simplicity … How did you get into the food and restaurant business? My family have a seaside restaurant in Turkey. I grew up in a restaurant environment. I really started my career in fine-dining establishments when I started working at Chapter One in Dublin in 2010. Since then, I have worked for Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud in Dublin, Maaemo in Sweden and, before moving to West Cork, I was the sous-chef at The Greenhouse in Dublin. What influences your choice of menus? I allow the ingredients of the season to lead what goes on my menu. We source the very best local ingredients available each day and I construct a tasting menu, which emphasises the integral flavour of each ingredient. The idea is to give an honest flavour of time and place. Tell us about your style of cooking: My style is flavour-forward and decorative. I want my dishes to have beauty in their simplicity. Sometimes, an entire dish might be constructed from just one or two ingredients, but those ingredients will have been used in multiple ways. I’m always trying to concentrate flavours for that wow-factor on the palate. Have you seen any changes in customers’ tastes and eating habits over the years? We are at the beginning of a food revolution in Ireland. Customer tastes are changing. I have found that people are open to, and interested in, trying new things. There is a greater appreciation for ingredients and cookery and people will travel for a good meal. I expect Ireland to become more and more renowned for its gastronomy as more chefs turn to local ingredients and flavours. The future is bright for Irish cookery. What do you think has been the most important factor in the success of your business? Hard work and dedication, with a focus on the customer. Everybody at Mews works long hours and it is instilled in us to make sure each and every customer is comfortable and happy. We’re still in the early stages of a fledgling business, but we have big ambitions! What advice would you give to any young, aspiring chefs reading this? Work, work, work! Listen to those with experience and absorb as much as you can. Practice makes perfect!

Opening Times: Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm Early Evening menu available before 6.30pm.

Celebrities who have eaten at your restaurant? Celebrities have eaten here, but each and every customer is equally important in our eyes!

Mews Restaurant, Baltimore, Co. Cork 028 20572 • www.mewsrestaurant.ie

What do you think about the future? Who knows? If we have a good attitude to our work and to our customers, success will come in time. Right now, I’m thinking about tonight’s service!

the kitchen!

Experience a real flavour of West Cork Dillon’s is a place to savour the best of modern Irish cooking in one of Ireland’s loveliest places.

Richard Milnes

Richard, of Dillon’s Restaurant in Timoleague, believes that it is important to offer his customers a unique dining experience that reflects his personality …

Award Winning Food

served up in a cosy restaurant. An established destination for fans of fine dining from around Ireland and beyond.

How did you get into the food and restaurant business? My mother’s creativity and love of good food, cooking for us throughout my childhood was a huge inspiration and education; a passion which was honed during my first experience working a summer job at Blairscove Restaurant in West Cork. What influences your choice of menus? The seasons and my mood definitely have an influence when I create dishes. It is important to me to be able to offer my customers a unique dining experience, reflecting my personality. Tell us about your style of cooking: I like to be creative and free in style when I cook, relying on classical techniques to achieve those ideas. Have you seen any changes in customers’ tastes and eating habits over the years? The diners are much more knowledgeable and critical about what is presented to them. Their awareness of food is more open and they are looking for something exciting and different when they eat out. What do you think has been the most important factor in the success of your business? I try to be genuine, honest and aim to stay true to who I am – it is the support of my customers that I would attribute the success to.

OPENING TIMES Friday & Saturday: 6-9pm

What advice would you give to any young, aspiring chefs reading this? Send me your CV, haha! Work hard at your craft, respect your ingredients and never stop learning.

Sunday: 12-8pm Monday & Tuesday: 6-9pm

Celebrities who have eaten at your restaurant? I like to respect the discretion of my customers.

Dillon’s Restaurant Mill Street, Timoleague, Co. Cork Tel: 023 88 69609 - 086 3434234

What do you think about the future? I think the future is what we make of it. So it is our responsibility to support each other with integrity; protect our communities, the next generation and the environment.

Strapline Culinary centre couples on margin Emma Connolly spoke to three dynamic duos of the West Cork food scene recently to find out about the pros and cons of mixing work and family life

It takes two! Twenty years a-growing for Siobhan and Anthony!

Anthony Boyle and Siobhan O’Callaghan of Kalbo’s in Skibbereen.

SIOBHAN O’Callaghan’s alarm clock goes off at 3am every Saturday, and 5am every other morning, except for Sundays when she lies in until 6am. If you thought you were busy, you might want to reconsider when you read about the powerhouse behind Kalbo’s Bistro on North Street, Skibbereen and the café at Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre, who has her finger in lots of other pies including markets, events and outside catering. This year Siobhan and her husband Anthony Boyle are celebrating 20 years in business in Kalbos on North Street. 2010 saw them invest in their market trailer and begin attending markets and events while in 2015 they expanded to what is now their hugely popular café at Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre in the centre of Skibbereen. Backtracking a little, Siobhan met Anthony aged 17 when they were working in a bar/restaurant in Cork city - Siobhan was a commis chef and he was a junior barman. ‘We worked together for a while then I went to college to train as a chef and we worked in different establishments. After a few years we decided to set up in business together and searched around for a suitable premises to rent – which is how we ended up in Skibbereen 20 years ago when we opened Kalbo’s Bistro.’ The name was inspired by their surnames and is a mix of O’Callaghan and Boyle, with the ‘c’ swapped out for a ‘k’. Anthony works full time at organic gardening and as well as supplying their own businesses he supplies other shops and restaurants in West Cork with salad leaves, strawberries, new potatoes and vegetables. They have a good dynamic worked out as Siobhan explains: ‘Anthony spends the early part of the season working full time gardening and when the summer season hits he does his gardening before the sun comes up and then works in Kalbos@Uillinn. On Saturdays we both work at the market and somewhere in between all that we spend time with our one child Oisin (14) when he’s not too busy rowing with Skibbereen Rowing Club or playing with Skibbereen Rugby Club.’ Siobhan feels working with her husband is a positive. ‘We work well together – or at least I think we do – even though we are very different. Anthony has to be organised all the time and I probably fly by the seat of my pants a lot of the time! Anthony enjoys working out front but also helps me sometimes with baking, I prefer being in the kitchen but will work at all aspects of the business, you could say chief cook and bottle washer!’ The couple employ two full-time staff and several part-timers: ‘We have some very loyal staff members that have worked with us from the start and we couldn’t operate without their loyalty. ‘The market is a very busy aspect to our business and a vital part for meeting our customers, marketing our business and also sourcing produce to use back at the restaurants. We enjoy the fun aspect at the market with the banter between other stall holders and our customers.’ But Siobhan is honest about the work involved in running the stall at Skibbereen Farmers’ Market every Saturday: ‘It’s a very tough day’s work, starting at 3am when I get up to bake, we then head to the market around 6am to set up. We need to be ready to start trading by 8.30am and it is full on then until around 1pm when it starts to wind down. Then it’s back to base to work at the cafes until close.’ Downtime is scarce for the couple but Siobhan enjoys running, swimming and cycling while Anthony enjoys watching sports of all kinds. ‘I like to have a challenge in my sights like a marathon or a long swim to keep me focused on my training. It’s good to clear my head and to relax from work.’ The couple have no immediate plans for expansion but admit they ‘find it hard to sit still.’ ‘We both love to keep busy and get great satisfaction out of coming up with an idea and seeing it flourish.’

‘We both love to keep busy and get great satisfaction out of coming up with an ide a and seeing it ﬂourish’ They used to open for evening meals which Siobhan thoroughly enjoyed – and says it’s a case of ‘never say never’ as regards reintroducing this element. ‘We both feel that you get out what you put in and if you believe in what you do and give it 100%, it will work.’

Sisters doing it for themselves in Castletownbere THE commute from Dublin to Castletownbere wasn’t enough to put Eileen Quill off her dream of running a restaurant with her sister. She and sis Mairead O’Driscoll had long spoken about taking the plunge and this summer made it happen with Ocean Wild opening in the coastal village. Mairead is head chef and Eileen is head honcho when it comes to finances and front of house and together they say it’s working really well. Máiréad says: ‘It is absolutely amazing to work with my sister. She was instrumental in bringing my dream to a reality. I never could have done it without her.’ The mum of three returned home 10 years ago having worked in France and the US where she cooked for pop stars, tennis stars, as well as famous names in the financial and political world and while Eileen, also a mum of three, is based in Dublin with her grown-up family, she says the journey to Castletownbere to work in the restaurant for half the week, ‘doesn’t knock a feather out of her.’ Their dad Kieran was involved in the fishing industry since he came to Castletownbere from Sherkin with his brothers back in the 1960s. They were key figures in setting up the Castletownbere Fisherman’s Coop and he was chairman of the Irish Fisherman’s Organisation in the 1970s. He married local woman Kitty Dudley who passed away 15 years ago and the girls are only sorry their mum, an

avid and talented cook, never saw their restaurant. ‘Our heritage in the fishing industry runs deep,’ said eileen. and their location is the inspiration for their menu: ‘We live in a spectacular part of the island of Ireland – a busy fishing port in a beautiful sheltered harbour. The local fishing fleet bring ashore the fish to the local Fishermens Co-Op. We are also lucky enough to have local shellfish producers Shellfish de la Mer who supply our crab and scallops. A local family recently launched a new prawn fishing trawler here in Castletownbere and this trawler supplies the Co-op with the stunning, delicious prawns we use in our pil-pil dish.’ The vision behind the restaurant and adjoining tapas bar was to create a place locals and visitors will want to spend time and enjoy fresh food lovingly prepared. They employ a team of eight waiting staff and Máiréad’s son works in the kitchen with her together with a second chef for the busy summer season. The girls feel the Beara Peninsula has loads to offer food wise – ‘a beautiful hotel, the Beara Coast; loads of fabulous B&Bs and loads of other eateries in and around the town. another famous landmark MacCarthy’s Bar is on the square and Twomey’s, O’Donoghues and O’shea’s are great spots for a drop of the black stuff !’

‘It is absolutely amazing to work with my sister. She was instrumental in bringing my dream to a reality. I never could have done it without her’

Sisters Eileen Quill and Mairead O’Driscoll of the recently opened Ocean Wild restaurant in Castletownbere.

A labour of love for Michelle and Gavin WHeN Michelle O’Mahony and Gavin Moore opened Monk’s lane in Timoleague almost three years ago, they admit they had very modest expectations. Certainly the couple never imagined that almost immediately they’d be included in highly regarded food guides, earn accolades for their wine/beer lists and have a customer base from all over Cork. But that’s exactly what the hard working and popular pair, who also managed to fit in getting married last year – have achieved. Michelle from Kilcoe, near Ballydehob studied hospitality in CIT and cut her teeth in a range of local establishments including Casey’s in Baltimore. she managed a bar-restaurant in Innishannon for a year and worked in the legendary Deasy’s in Ring for four years. Gavin, a musician of some renown, was born in Kildare, grew up in Cork city and moved to West Cork – which he now considers home – at 19. The pair met, on what Michelle describes as a ‘magical night out eight years ago and it’s been bliss since!’ They married last October in Doolin in Co Clare after another incredibly busy season, fitting in their honeymoon in January when the pair enjoy some well earned, annual rest and relaxation. ‘Opening our own place came about quite suddenly,’ Michelle explains. ‘We hadn’t been planning or looking that hard but we knew we should try something before too long as we had lots of experience and passion for food and drink. Then out of the blue in February 2014 my Dad heard about a pub in Timoleague coming on the market and he brought us down to see it. The rest is history! We got the keys mid-May and opened the doors five and a half crazy weeks later – we’re coming to our third birthday already. ‘We had very modest ambitions starting out and no idea what to expect but it’s been well beyond our expectations. I think we opened with five staff members and shot up to 18 within a year. We are really lucky with the staff – they are fantastic. We have been quite overwhelmed by the support locally and from surrounding areas. We settled into Timoleague very quickly and really love living here.’ Monks Lane’s menu reflects the wealth of ingredients the area has to offer. ‘We are blessed living in West Cork with the quality of produce and suppliers we have locally. We’re very passionate about using local produce and supporting local,’ said Michelle who says working with her new husband is fantastic. ‘Working together has been amazing – difficult at times though (Gav is grumpy in the morning!) – but very rewarding as you can take pride in achieving things together. I work in the kitchen mostly and Gavin is out front which works well for us.’ The couple have just added a new private dining room and ‘Parlour’ Gin Bar which has an impressive menu of up to 40 gins as well as several cocktails and its own organ thrown in for good measure. With the couple’s signature style, the intimate space is proving hugely popular with hen parties, birthdays and the like. ‘We have also hosted a few weddings recently as well which is always a lovely

Michelle O’Mahony and

Gavin Moore of Monk’s Lan

e in Timoleague

‘Working together has been amazing – difficult at times though ... but very rewarding as you can take pride in achieving things together’ occasion. We really enjoy working with the couples to make a unique day for them.’ They do admit however, that the hospitality business can be a challenging one, but they describe Monk’s lane as a labour of love. ‘I don’t think we’d last long if we didn’t have the enthusiasm for what we do and enjoy our jobs. But there are big problems in the sector with chef shortages (which has become a crisis), VAT rates and general lack of support for new businesses. It really is a major challenge and risk starting a new business and it should be encouraged and incentivised by government rather than discouraged and punished, which is how it seems now.’ like any couple who work for themselves and in hospitality, downtime is rare but when they do get some they like to eat out with family and friends. ‘We also like to take a spin out west along and just being outside on a fine day and going to gigs. Gav loves swimming and surfing and enjoys a dip in the sea when he can. West Cork is a wonderful place.’

Strapline Spotlight centre on Bantry on margin

A sea change in Bantry A world of opportunities is about to open up in the town following the completion of its new marina, and not least for its myriad food businesses, writes Jackie Keogh THe €9 million investment has already brought its own rewards as more than 30 people have worked on the project for the last 12 months. In addition to the economic spin off to the town that the work crews provided, the second most obvious benefit is that an area that once looked rather dilapidated has been transformed and is now clearly an asset to this coastal community. Now, as visitors drive into town, they see a busy port working sideby-side with an attractive yachting marina. The fact that 40,000 cubic-metres of dredged material was taken out of the inner harbour means there will, at all times, be three metres of water at the yacht berths, and four metres at the pier, and this will enhance the visual appearance of the inner harbour. eileen O’shea, who is the chairperson of the Bantry Development and Tourism association, calls it ‘the wow factor.’ she said: ‘There are towns all over the country that would give their eye teeth to have a location as beautiful as Bantry’s. ‘The fact that Wolfe Tone square is located right next to Bantry Bay is something that we will be able to capitalise on and, over time, create a seaside amenity that others will come to admire.’ according to eileen, as well as those of a seafaring disposition who will visit and make use of the new marina, walkers who either take the town-adjacent coastal route, or take to the hills, will be in need of sustenance when they return. and, in Bantry, she said, they will find only the finest food in the town’s numerous award-winning cafes, restaurants and hotels. ‘There’s nothing like exercise and sea air to sharpen the appetite and, in that regard, I believe there is tremendous potential for our Friday market to become a showcase for local artisan food producers especially now that they have a completely new audience right on the seafront.’ Fionnbar Walsh, the manager of the Maritime Hotel, said: ‘The marina will benefit us because it will be right on our door, but I think it will be particularly good for the restaurant trade – ours and others – because visitors will be looking to dine out when they come to Bantry.’ Mr Walsh also confirmed that the Maritime Hotel has agreed a deal with the Port of Cork Company to provide

Plans for the completed marina and overall harbour development in Bantry.

‘I believe there is tremendous potential for our Friday market to become a

showcase for local artisan food producers’

– Eileen O’Shea, chairperson,

Bantry Dev. & Tourism Assoc. concessionary rates for maritime visitors who would like to use the hotel’s leisure facilities. ‘It is a service we are happy to provide because we believe it will be good for everyone. It’s like they say: a rising tide lifts all boats.’ Pat Gill, the manager of the Westlodge Hotel, is also looking forward to the launch of the new marina. He said: ‘It is going to bring in tourists from all over the world and they will be delighted to ﬁnd premium artisan produce available not just on restau-

rant menus but in local shops too. ‘They may be surprised,’ he added, ‘to ﬁnd produce, such as Durrus Cheese – the kind they are used to buying in Neal’s yard Dairy in london – is available in local supermarkets and is actually produced out the road.’ an added bonus is the decision by local property developer, Murnane & O’shea, to remove the blue hoarding around their nearby quay-side site to create a public amenity. a spokesperson for the company said: ‘With the launch of the new marina on august 11th imminent, it was an ideal time for the company to improve the appearance of the site and make it a natural extension to the new €9 million marina.’ Another major beneﬁt, in the shortterm, is that the launch of the new 40-berth marina is scheduled to be one of the highlights of a three-day Bantry Regatta and BBQ Festival. There are other encouraging signs too. Take for example the fact that local man, aaron O’sullivan, has recently established a new company, Bantry Bay Boat Hire. The new company will create sustainable part-time employment, and will, no doubt, become a great local amenity. aaron said: ‘The harbour in Bantry is not being used as much as it could be, but with the new marina in place I believe that water-based activities will

really take oﬀ.’ Another obvious beneﬁt of investing €9 million in a community and creating a safe harbour for 40 or more vessels is that Bantry’s season will extend beyond the summer’s end. ‘Usually, by the end of september our summer is gone,’ said local Cllr Danny Collins, ‘but people will now be coming to Bantry for the weekends and our tourism season will be extended.’

‘It is going to bring in tourists from all over the world and

they will be delighted to ﬁnd

premium artisan produce available not just on restaurant

menus but in local shops too’ – Pat Gill, manager, Westlodge Hotel

Captain Paul O’Regan, harbour master of both Bantry and Cork ports, pointed out that the extension of the town pier will improve berthage for larger marine vessels, as well as facilitate existing activities, such as the ferry to Whiddy Island, and the local ﬁshing industry. Captain O’Regan said: ‘The main objective is to support the local industry and to create a marine leisure hub strategically placed between Kinsale and Dingle.’ The harbour master said the new marina will be a vital support to visiting cruise liners, and provide passengers with safe access to Bantry town. On both sides of the new marina there are other opportunities opening up. A reclaimed one-acre site near the Beicin Walk – the ownership of which will be transferred to Cork County Council – will be put to good use for the beneﬁt of the community. Meanwhile on the other side of the

bay, the newly extended town pier will have the capacity for up to 50 parking spaces – all of which makes the walk to The Abbey more accessible. Over the years, Cork County Council has not been found wanting. It put in the groundwork by investing in projects such as the roll on roll off facilities at The Abbey and on Whiddy Island, as well as Bantry’s much-used pontoon. A spokesperson for Cork County Council said the local authority would continue to work on developing and promoting the best that each of the region’s towns have to offer, and the launch of the new marina on August 11th next will be of major significance for Bantry. Cllr Collins described the marina as ‘the biggest investment in the town in a long time.’ He said: ‘It is going to be brilliant for everything – not just the local shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels – but for locals too.’

‘The main objective is to support the local

industry and to create a marine leisure hub strategically placed between Kinsale and Dingle’

– Capt Paul O’Regan, harbourmaster

Bantry market, already a great attraction for visitors, will be of great interest to those coming into the town via the new marina.

Extende d hou during W rs est Cork C hamber Music F estival

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Best in Fresh 2016 Winner for Best Seafood 12

Strapline Broadening centre foodonhorizons margin

Spice it up at Scally’s souk! Typically a souk is a marketplace in Middle Eastern and North African cities, noted for the large range of foods – particularly spices and herbs – on offer. Now you need go no further than Clonakilty to experience the fabulously fresh tastes and smells of these exotic places writes Emma Connolly THe forward thinking crew in scally’s superValu in Clonakilty – a favourite with all discerning food shoppers in the area – has introduced what is probably the country’s first spice bar offering an incredible range of 106 spices and herbs as well as 25 varieties of pulses and rice. eoghan scally explains: ‘We realised quite a long time ago that there was an opportunity to start sourcing spices, herbs, dried fruits and nuts ourselves and bring these new products to our customers. Initially we started out with six spices on display in addition to various pulses, to gauge customer interest and obtain feedback. after a 12 month trial period and with people showing interest in the products, the decision was made to expand the offering so the new bespoke spice bar – The souk – was developed.’ as part of their research a team travelled to the Netherlands to experience first-hand the spice stalls and markets of Rotterdam. ‘We began importing our spices, herbs, nuts and fruits from the Netherlands. Our spices are milled to order, ensuring the freshest possible product when it arrives in West Cork.’ Initially they worked with the team they had in the store – Michael Walsh the fresh food manager and Don Cul-

len, head of the Deli Department. ‘But as time advanced,’ eoghan added, ‘we realised we needed people with an even greater knowledge of using all of the various spices and herbs and so we went on to hire two chefs, in addition to people who were passionate about cooking and using spices. Of note, three of these new team members come from syria. Their knowledge

ties are endless.’ Dishes are also cooked at the bar to showcase what can be made from the range of spices and these range from falafels with mint riatha to pan-fried salmon with roast vegetable giant couscous; roast vegetable Thai green curry to spiced bean and vegetable casserole. and not content to rest on their laurels

the team at scally’s are also working on a new range of vegetarian meals prepared in-store and they eventually hope to produce a small cookbook of simple meals that people can enjoy. ‘By being innovative and bringing these new concepts to West Cork we hope to keep the passion for cooking at home alive and well,’ concluded eoghan.

‘Our spices are milled to order, ensuring the freshest possible product when it arrives in West Cork.’ of spices is incredible and they love to share that knowledge with anyone that’s interested. In all we have six people that work at the bar and hopefully we will continue to grow that number. ‘The great thing about The souk is the versatility of the spices Clonakilty that we have on of oﬀer there. They can be added to ﬁsh, meat or vegetables; used in baking, or Nisreen, from Syria, who is one of the souk team members at Scally’s of Clonakilty. simply added to chips – the possibili-

Scally’s

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StraplineOpinion centre on margin

A carnivore

in crisis

Food blogger Kate Ryan ponders the difficulties in trying to reduce, or remove completely, all meat and animal-based foodstuffs from her diet yOU know how it is: the more you try to avoid doing something, the more unavoidable that thing seems to become? Like the first day of a new diet when all you can think about is chocolate. Nowadays I find I enter a similar existential crisis every time I look at the bacon sandwich I’m about to sink my teeth into. I flirt with a notion that maybe I could convert to veganism. I recognise this as an almost impossible task. I am a carnivore in crisis. For a while my awareness of how I consume food from animals, the quantity I consume and how it is produced has been growing, but I’ve not been enjoying this particular journey of discovery. I have been defensively reticent to one acquaintance telling me I couldn’t possibly be an animal lover if I eat meat; or an ongoing in-joke with a friend about her turning me vegan and me turning her into a raging carnivore. I have watched Food Inc and Cowspiracy; I read Michael Pollan and Joanna Blythman; I subscribe to the newsletter of Bitesize Vegan and I bought my ticket for Cork’s first ever vegan festival in May. But with every new piece of information that strengthens my resolve to do better by the animals raised for agriculture, the more meat, dairy and fish I seem to consume. It’s a paradox that does absolutely nothing to dampen the fires of my personal food crisis! So engrained is my habit of eating animal products that sometimes I forget its prevalence in food, even when trying to avoid it. On a recent meal out, I consciously chose a ‘super food’ salad, because it was vegetarian, and a cup of chowder. Only after the food started to arrive that I realised my mistake: butter, cream and fish in the chowder; brown soda bread made with buttermilk and butter served with it; feta cheese in my super food salad. An epic fail by vegan standards. Right there, in two courses, my crisis was laid bare in front of me. For the first time, I had a realisation that

‘... avoiding animal products in the food we eat is really, really hard – especially here in Ireland where our history and traditions are so closely connected with animal agriculture’ avoiding animal products in the food we eat is really, REALLY hard – especially here in Ireland where our history and traditions are so closely connected with animal agriculture. It isn’t a coincidence that the rise in veganism is linked with the increased promulgation of information about animal agriculture practices and the laws in place that aim to quell our fears about the ethics of animal agriculture with animal welfare a key pillar. But at minimum these laws still allow for practices such as castration and dehorning of bulls without anaesthetic; tail-docking, incisor removal and castration of piglets again without anaesthetic; and painful euthanasia practices such as gassing of pigs, live maceration of male chicks of egg lay-

ing hens and slaughter of retired dairy cows whilst pregnant, birthing and killing calves simultaneously.* Policy changes such as the removal of the cap in dairy production, and new/growing international markets requiring live export of animals to countries that fall short of even the basic welfare laws of the EU, are also unhappy bedfellows. Why? On the one hand, these developments help to enable our farmers to keep farms alive as sustainable businesses, but on the other the need to consolidate land and assets means that farmers who prefer to farm on a smaller scale will be under increasing pressure to compete. The losers in all of this are the animals and us – you and me. New markets, increased opportunities to export

and greater potential income will inevitably lead to an increase in intensive farming practices, a reduction in quality of life for animals and their welfare, increased use in antibiotics to control diseases that are a direct result of intensive farming practices, increased use of grain to feed a growing animal agriculture population and all the inherent problems created through greater production of monocultures and GMOs to produce that feed. It is all so tightly linked and so much closer to happening than we may realise. As consumers, we have the power to decide how our food is produced and make the mind-set shift that raising animals for food is an expensive practice and one for which the farmer, and the animal, should be properly compensated. If giving up eating food from animals is not something you can, are able, or ready for you can still make a huge diﬀerence by changing the way you source, shop and consume it. Befriend your local craft butcher – preferably one who has their own land, herd, abattoir and practises nose-totail craft butchery. Choose rare breed, non-intensively reared pork and chicken meat, eggs from farms that are truly free range where chickens are free to scratch and forage in the fresh air amongst lush grass. And of course, choose to eat a little less meat. I’ll leave you with two quotes that I hope will help you to start thinking about your own consumption of food from animals:

‘Remove the notion that farmers do not care for animals so much as they are carrying out maintenance of their commodities.’ – Emily Moran Barwick ‘Eat food, not too much, mostly – Michael Pollan plants.’ * The Best We Have To Oﬀer? Inside Ireland’s ‘Humane’ Farming (2017) by Emily Moran Barwick

Strapline Delicious centreDIY on margin

No smoke without fire! Smoking is in vogue again – but this time it’s all about food, writes Brian Moore FOR millennia, man has used smoke as a way of preserving food and while smoked salmon, mackerel or trout have long since been popular, there is no limit to what can acquire that earthy ﬂavour. Fantastic fare is supplied by some of West Cork’s expert smokers such as Fingal Ferguson with his delicious smoked meats from Gubbeen or the delicately smoked salmon, duck and chicken supplied by anthony Creswell and his team at Ummera smoke house. But trying your hand at smoking your own freshly caught mackerel, a chicken breast, or even some sausages isn’t as complicated as you might think. Matt O’Connor, who supplies The Bank House on Whiddy Island with its famous smoked mussels, made his ﬁrst smoker out of a biscuit tin. ‘you can make a smoker as big or as small as you like,’ Matt said. ‘The type of smoking I do is called pressure smoking. I use a small smoke box, which concentrates the smoke and

Matt O’Connor with his smoke box which he uses to ‘pressure smoke’ mussels.

makes the whole process a lot quicker.’ The idea is simple. There is hot or cold smoking and it all depends on

whether you want to add heat to the food you are preparing or not. For example, if you decide on hot

smoking you would place smouldering sawdust into the smoke box with your fish or meat. as your sawdust smoulders away there will be a small amount of heat generated as well. These hot smokers can be fashioned out of anything, old wardrobes, fridges, a disused metal drum or in Matt’s case a biscuit tin. Jamie Olivier has one he made from an old phone box and if you look on youtube you’ll see a smoker made out of a large cardboard box with an empty toilet roll tube as a chimney. Of course, you can also use a conventional dome BBQ as well. For those who like to eat what they catch there is a huge range of portable smoke boxes which come complete with all you need to smoke your fish anywhere you want. ‘This is why I got interested in smoking fish,’ Matt said. ‘There is nothing like fresh mackerel, but when you end up with more than you can eat after a day out fishing, smoking them is an excellent way to keep the flavour and

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‘... when you end up with more than you can eat after a day out fishing, smoking is an excellent way to keep the flavour and to preserve the fish ...’ to preserve the fish for a long time.’ If you prefer the idea of cold smoking, the idea is to keep the heat away from the food and just introduce smoke to a confined space. ‘again, ‘Again, you can have any size smoke box, ‘Matt continued. ‘You’ll need two boxes with a tube or a pipe running between them. This time the sawdust is smouldering away in the smoke box and only the smoke is surrounding the food.’ Once again there are dozens of examples of cold smoking to choose from. From the wooden box with an old dryer hose attached to it, leading to a wardrobe where the other end of the hose supplies the smoke to the fish, cheese or meat. Remember the bigger the smoke box the longer the process takes and the degree of ‘doneness’ is all a matter of taste and experimentation. as As for the sawdust, Matt prefers oak but there is a multitude of untreated

natural woods to choose from. Imagine smoking chicken or duck breasts with apple wood sawdust or a piece bacon with maple wood? These and many more are available online, at BBQ centres or angling stores. It’s all about experimentation - from fish and meat to cheese and shellfish (smoked mussels and clams are delicious) to smoked butter or chillies. The world is your oyster (you can smoke oysters as well by the way) when it comes to smoking food at home. ‘It is an ideal way, not only to preserve food but to add flavour as well,’ Matt said. ‘Anyone can do this and I would suggest you start with mackerel and experiment after that. It’s a great hobby and delicious as well.’ as As Matt will tell you, if he didn’t experiment he would never have discovered that smoked water is an ideal accompaniment to the odd glass of whiskey at the end of a day’s work.

Above: Mussels are just one of any number of already tasty foods, the ﬂavour of which can really be enhanced using the smoking process. Inset: All sorts of items can be used to make a home smoke box, including the humble biscuit tin!

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Strapline Coffee centre culture on margin

Cork coffee class!

Tony Speight with his recently acquired Giesen coﬀee roaster.

When Tony Speight of West Cork Coffee hand built his first coffee roaster in 2004, whether he knew it or not, he had turned a corner from enthusiastic hobbyist to a seriously passionate artisan coffee roaster, writes Kate Ryan THe timing, it seems, couldn’t have been better for setting down an early foundation of what would become West Cork’s first commercial micro coffee roastery in 2016. after years of slow, organic growth and a burgeoning cult status amongst his loyal fans, Speight’s coffee started to garner the attention of a small number of local food businesses with an appreciation of excellent coffee looking for their own signature roasts. suddenly interest in Tony’s endeavours started to surge, along with demand. West Cork Coffee recently moved into its first proper commercial premises. ‘All of a sudden, orders for my coffee just started to sky rocket. I couldn’t keep up with the demand with the space and kit that I had.’ sooner than he anticipated, Tony was upscaling his business in a major way with his, and West Cork’s, first commercial roastery at The Old Forge in Innishannon, West Cork. The size of the scale-up is impressive. The roasting machine Tony was using for all his roasts up until a couple of months ago was a small but perfectly formed machine that had a capacity to roast 1kg of beans at a time. Now his new Giesen roaster, custom-built in The Netherlands, has capacity to roast up to 6kg’s of beans at a time – and he’s still planning ahead: ‘I made sure I have plenty of room to fit a second Giesen when the time comes.’ Coffee roasting is a quick process – just 10-12 minutes for the perfect roast Tony says, with the flavours only really developing in the final two minutes of roasting. ‘Checking

Tony hand selects the beans he wants to roast from small, independent coﬀee growers in Africa and South America, and he places great emphasis on traceability.

the coffee at all stages of the roasting process is vital to see how things are going. There are lots of factors that can alter the roasting process: from the beans themselves, to the humidity and environmental temperature – even the quality of the gas that is used to fire the roaster.’ Every element of Tony’s coffee is tightly controlled. He is hand selecting the beans he wants to roast from small, independent coffee growers in Rwanda, ethiopia, Brazil and Colombia to name a few and roasting depending on his needs and the needs of his customers. Having full control over the roast means that a little tweak here and

there on temperature, humidity, time, maturation process can completely alter the flavour profile of the coffee: the same bean roasted, matured and brewed in a hundred different ways each producing a different result. After Tony roasts his coffee beans they are left to rest and mature for up to seven days in drums, taking a few beans every day and brewing a cup of coffee to check when the beans are absolutely perfect. Tony is keen to share his enthusiasm for roasting and helping people learn about coffee appreciation. ‘Coffee education is something I hope to promote. To be able to teach people about how

much variety there is in coffee is absolutely key. Coffee should taste fruity as well as carrying deep rich flavours like chocolate, caramel and nuts. It shouldn’t just taste burnt and bitter – usually a sign that the coffee has been over-roasted to disguise the flavour of poor quality beans.’ Having control over the roasting process enables Tony to roast beans for as short or as long a period of time as needed to uncover the full flavour potential of the bean. From a light-medium roast for a fruitier, more complex flavour profile to a dark roast for a richer, headier flavour profile – whatever works for the individual characteristics of any given bean to shine through. There are exciting times ahead as more outlets start stocking and brewing Tony’s coffee right across Cork county, including a blooming relationship with Dukes Coffee Co in Cork city and a signature roast especially for Food Depot in West Cork. Warren Allen in Bandon showcases Tony’s coffee on a rotating basis and Revel Coffee & Cycle in Glengarriff, just opened for the summer, is seeing the coffee fly out from their camper-van-coffee-pod. There is an increasingly impressive list of independent speciality food shops stocking bags of beautifully roasted beans for those who are serious about good coffee at home, (most recent addition is The Olive Branch in Clonakilty), or grab yourself a bag or two of beans from West Cork Coffee’s online shop. www.westcorkcoffee.ie Twitter: @WestCorkCoffee

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03/07/2017 12:34

TheStrapline Great West centre CorkonFood margin Survey

Much to satisfy local food businesses in survey results West Cork food has been given a healthy vote of approval from the Great West Cork Food Survey respondents, writes Siobhán Cronin THeRe was an overwhelming response to our inaugural week-long online and postal Great West Cork Food survey, conducted in June for West Fork via The southern star and surveymonkey.com. The survey was heavily promoted in our newspaper, on southernstar.ie and our social media. 640 people took the time to respond, either online or by post, to our 20-question survey about buying local food, and eating out. The vast majority (83%) of the respondents were female, reﬂecting the fact that in most family units, the mother is the main purchaser of food items. The age group which responded the most was the 35-44 year-olds, closely followed by 45-54 age group, and 25-34 year-olds. The 55-64 age bracket accounted for 17% of respondents. Just 4% of respondents were aged 18-24 and 6% were 65 and over. From a geographical point of view, the majority (77%) were living in West Cork, with 20% living outside the region, but in Ireland, and just 3% living outside Ireland.

Buying local food

The first section of the survey related to purchasing food in shops, markets and supermarkets. Interestingly, eggs were the food item most likely to be bought weekly, followed by dairy and then poultry with baked/confectionary products the most popular item – 43% buy this item more than once a week. Jam is the product least likely to be bought from a local producer – so there may be a gap in market here for more locally-produced jams. Most people eat between 4-7 meals a week that would include a West Cork product, and the majority of respondents spend between 21% and 40% of their weekly food budget on West Cork produce – they say this equates to up to €30 a week. 74% spend on average between €0 and €60 per week with just 2.7% of respondents – or 17 people out of 640 – spending a whopping €121 or more on West Cork produce very week. 64% of people say they are willing to spend up to 10% more on West Cork produce, with just 10.2% saying they wouldn’t be willing to spend anything extra. Just under 6% said they would pay more than 20% for a West Cork product, compared with a product from outside the region. A not-insignificant 70% of people say they always look at labels in shops to see where their food is from, 68% people do this in farmers’ markets, and 45% check the menu in restaurants to see where their food is from. Nearly 98% of respondents said that knowing where their food comes from would always or sometimes affect their decision to purchase it, while just over half of all respondents said that knowing where their food comes from would affect their decision to purchase it, while just 2% say they would never consider the origins of food as a reason for buying.

Magazine

The Great

WEST CORK

FOOD SURVEY

Local economy

The importance of farmers’ markets is evident from the survey results, which show that almost one in four people buy their West Cork produce there. However, supermarkets are still the predominant location for the purchase of local food, accounting for 60% of purchases, with speciality food stores accounting for just under 4.5% of purchases. It’s encouraging for West Cork businesses to know that ‘supporting the local economy’ was the second most important reason why two thirds of all respondents buy local food. Quality was the most important reason for most people, followed by a need to support local agriculture, while ‘environmental’ issues were of concern to

a third of respondents. What will be very encouraging for local producers – and helps to cement West Cork’s reputation for food – is the finding that two thirds of respondents agreed with the statement: ‘local food tastes better’. Over half of the respondents also agreed that buying local was better for the environment. Just one fifth of respondents felt local food was more expensive than other foods – which will also reassure producers that they, largely, have their costs and pricing right. Just one respondent felt local food didn’t ‘taste better’! But quite a substantial number of people did feel it was ‘difficult’ to feed a family every day using only local foods.

Read on >>

TheStrapline Great West centC

Key findings ... at a glance 0.5% 6%

10%

11.1%

How much extra would you be willing to pay for locally produced West Cork food compared to what you would pay for non-locally produced food?

20%

26%

64%

6.8% 21.8%

How much are you willing to spend per person on a typical evening meal at a restaurant/café?

33.8%

22.1% Does clear labelling on where food has been produced affect your decision to purchase?

47%

51%

What is your preferred way to book a restaurant?

4% 4.5% 2.2%

67.2%

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each statement about West Cork foods

24.8%

61.1%

It’s difﬁcult to feed a family every day using all local foods

It’s not practical for a society/country to just consume local foods

Local food tastes better

4.6%

9.5%

On average where do you tend to purchase/consume West Cork produced food mostly?

Cork tre onFood margin Survey

Eating out still an important part of West Cork’s social diet Almost 90% of respondents said prices were either ‘about right’, or ‘expensive but worth it’, writes Siobhán Cronin

0.5%

IT may be an indication of an improving economy because most of the people who responded to a question about eating out said they do so about ‘once a fortnight’ (32%). a slightly lower number (29%) said they would eat out ‘regularly’ – ie on average, once a week. Just 2% eat out five times, or more, each week. The most popular meal taken outside of the home is lunch (52%) with 45% saying they mostly eat out for dinner. Just 2.2% said they eat breakfast away from home. The vast majority of respondents – 76% – eat out mostly at weekends and over half of those who replied say they would spend up to €15 per person each on a daytime meal. One in five spend €10 or less on lunch or breakfast. Between €21 and €25 is the most likely amount to be spent on an evening meal (34% agreed), followed by 26% saying they would spend between €26 and €30. Roughly one in five say they would spend €16 to €20 each on the same meal and, interestingly, 11% say they spend over €30 each on evening meals. When asked to indicate the top four reasons for choosing a particular restaurant, almost everyone said food quality was the priority, followed by ‘good service/friendly staff ’, ‘variety on the menu’, with ‘value for money’ and ‘local ingredients’ tying for fourth place. Yet almost a fifth of respondents also thought a ‘family friendly’ menu was important, but just 8% said that deals and offers would influence their decision. When it came to reasons for not choosing a restaurant, inconsistent or poor food quality was the main turn-off, followed by poor service, and poor value for money. ‘Overpriced/expensive drinks’ was the third most likely reason for not choosing a restaurant followed by ‘poor menu variety’ in fourth place, and the ‘family friendly’ menu concerned almost a fifth of respondents. Most restaurant customers prefer to make phone reservations, followed by a ‘walk-in’ but – somewhat surprisingly – just under 7% of customers who responded to our survey make their bookings by email (2.2%) or other online (4.5%). When it came to the all-important question on West Cork prices, over half of the respondents said prices were ‘about right’, while a further 40% said West Cork restaurants were ‘expensive but worth it’. Just 8% classed local restaurants as ‘very expensive’ and even less, 0.5% described them as being ‘cheap’. There was also good news for our restaurants, with 60% describing service in local restaurants as ‘generally good’ with a quarter describing it as ‘very good’. Almost 10% described it as ‘average’ and just 4.5% described it as needing ‘room for improvement’. In fact, just one person described service in local eateries as ‘poor’!

40.8%

0.2%

25.5%

How do you rate ‘waiting service/ customer service’ in West Cork restaurants in general?

60.1%

What are your top four reasons for choosing a restaurant?

Magazin

The Great

Family friendly (good kids’ menu, relaxed with kids etc)

Good reviews

Good options for allergy sufferers/ people with special dietary needs

WEST COR K

Good service and friendly staff

9.8%

4.5%

Deals and offers

50.7%

How do you rate prices in West Cork restaurants in general?

FOOD

SURVEY

More on page 24 >>

TheStrapline Great West centre CorkonFood margin Survey

Have your say! AT the end of our survey we invited respondents to give us any other comments they thought important. You’re a responsive bunch as we received over 200 comments and while the majority were very positive, there was plenty of constructive criticism and some interesting suggestions too.

Are products bein g labeled ‘artisan’ so they can charge more?

I’m from Cork city and would love to see more West Cork produce on city menus.

We recently moved to West Cork from France – and we’re eating a lot better here!

You should SHOUT more about the ﬁsh – it’s so fresh

I worked in a local supermarket and it opened my eyes about how much great local food was available in the region.

There should be more vouchers and deals available for West Cork locations.

Why is there a lack of cafés open after 6pm?

There are some am azing gems and people who put their heart and so ul into their menus

Prices are too clo se to Dublin’s and I’d expect them to be less as surely the over heads in West Cork are less than in the capital.

We’re ‘blow-ins from London’ and were delighted to see how food had progressed in the last few years. When we came ﬁrst, everything was imported in packets, and restaurants were not great. Now it’s smashing local food oﬀered in almost all of the shops and restaurants. Long may it last!’

of There is a lack s, on ti op gluten-free od fo r he and ot intolerances

Local ﬁsh is great but organic chicken, or even free range, is hard to get.

My husband is ‘dairy-free’ and would like more options for him on menus.

Some eateries never change their ‘tired old’ menus ‘year after year’ and I refuse to return to restaurants that refuse to change!

There is poor wheelchair access to some venues

There are very few quality restaurants in West Cork and the region is overrated

I’m a regular visito r from the US and I’m delighted to see ho w local food has im proved in the last 20 year s

The original ethos of farmers’ markets was to ‘cut out the middle man’ but they seem to have ended up more expensive

Key ‘take outs’ for West Cork food businesses The results from our inaugural ‘Great West Cork Food Survey’ indicate that West Cork’s local food production and consumption is in good health. In addition respondents seem broadly pleased with local restuarants, hotels and cafes when it comes to dining out experiences. However, based on the survey findings here are a few suggestions and questions that those involved in West Cork’s food industry may want to consider further ...we hope they’re helpful: • The vast majority of respondents to our survey were female so it’s important to keep marketing to this group but how can you influence more male consumers? • One fifth of respondents were from outside of West Cork. This is a significant percentage who are eating

out when they visit West Cork and/ or buying local produce. It shows the importance of building repeat customers for life and spreading the word about West Cork food beyond our boundaries. • Clear labeling showing where food originates from is vital to consumers in making choices in shops or restaurants, get it right on your products or menu and you could be onto a winner. • Most respondents said they are willing to spend up to 10% extra on West Cork produce but bear in mind that many felt restaurants were already priced ‘about right’ or ‘expensive but worth it’ so maybe any price increases should be approached carefully. • Supermarkets are still the predominant location for the purchase of

local food so important that these businesses keep marketing and communicating to consumers their commitment to supplying local food and to supporting local suppliers/the local economy. • 75% said they eat out mostly at weekends so important for restaurants/hotels/cafes to communicate to consumers/potential consumers at a time close to the weekend when they are thinking about going out (for example think about using The Southern Star newspaper which is read on Thurs/Fri/Sat or other local media). • Menu variety was an important reason for choosing a place to eat and lack of variety was up there as a reason for not choosing a place. Is there a balance to strike between maintaining the tried and tested

favourite dishes but adding new options regularly? • Customer service/waiting service came out as a key factor in choosing a place to eat out (assuming the food is good of course) so important that eateries take the time to train staff (especially younger, inexperienced staff ) in the key basics of good service. • A high percentage of respondents still like to make restaurant reservations by phone so vital there is someone to take a call and has an efficient and polite manner. If an answering machine is used there should be a clear message and the booking should be confirmed back to the customer as soon as possible.

Strapline Foodcentre education on margin UCC taking applications for food diplomas UCC’s Food Industry Training Unit (FITU) provides a range of part-time diploma and continuing professional development courses across food and agri-related areas. These include food science and technology, speciality food production, business and manufacturing management and corporate direction (food business). since 1993 the unit has been committed to developing and delivering programmes which satisfy the evolving needs of the Irish food and drinks sector. applications are now being taken for two long running part-time programmes: The Diploma in speciality Food Production, and the Diploma in Food science and Technology, both of which will commence in september. The Diploma in Food science and Technology has been running since 1993 and gives participants an opportunity to gain an understanding and knowledge of food science, and microbiology, food processing technology, nutrition and food business and facilitates career development. This diploma has proven to be very beneficial to the development, success and progression of the graduates and their food industry employers. The Diploma in Speciality Food Production was first offered in 2005, and since then UCC has provided education and training to more than 200 people working in the artisan and speciality food sector. In recognition of the importance of the sector the Department of agriculture, Food and the Marine will provide funding for students on the next cycle of this Diploma. UCC for its part provides this specialist education by drawing on the expertise of both internal and external educators, professionals and practitioners. Many graduates of the Diploma in speciality Food Production have gone on the develop food businesses including Phillip O’Connor (seymours Biscuits), Norma Dinneen (Bo Rua Cheese) and many more. Visit www.ucc.ie/en/fitu for more information.

The fee for the diploma is €2800 and up to 64% of the fee is available for eligible applicants, through a Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine bursary scheme.

PART-TIME DIPLOMA IN FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Mature Student Information Evening

DIPLOMA IN SPECIALITY FOOD PRODUCTION

from 14.00 - 20.00 and from 9.00 - 16.00 on Saturday. The Diploma course gives participants an opportunity to gain an understanding and knowledge of food science and microbiology, food processing technology, nutrition, food business and facilitates career development.

We are now taking applications for An application form and more The Diploma in Food Science and UCC Diploma in Speciality Food Technology will commence in UCC information can be obtained from: Production. The fee for the diploma is €2800 per year and on October 6th 2017. Dr Angela Sheehan, Programme Manager, Devere Hall, Student Centre, UCC The diploma starts on 19th September 2017 and will run on a part-time basis until May 2018. The programme is typically delivered every three to four weeks, over mostly two day sessions (Tuesday and Wednesday) and consists of lectures in conjunction with practicals, case studies, site visits and workshops.

Students with David Waldron, Senior Technical Officer, in the Food Processing Hall, UCC

a.sheehan@ucc.ie or by visiting www.ucc.ie/en/fitu The closing date is 1st September.

It is a two-year part-time course that is run over eleven Friday/Saturday sessions from October to May each year. The scheduling of the sessions at weekends allows for industry participants from around the country to attend without impacting too heavily on work commitments. Each session is held in UCC on Friday

November 22 , 6pm – 8:30pm nd

• Talk to Staff and current students about our FULL TIME Diploma in Food Science & Technology class of 2016/2017 in UCC quad Class of 2016/2017 with HACCP certificates undergraduate degree programmes. • Discover how to finance your education in UCC. 25

• Presentation by the Student Budgetary Advisor at 6pm. • Meet the Mature Student Office Team.

some funding may be available for eligible applicants from Taste4Success Skillnet. An application form and further information can be obtained from: Maura Conway, Programme Manager, 021 4903114 , m.conway@ucc.ie or at www.ucc.ie/en/fitu

Class of 2016/2017 Getting ready for a practical laboratory session with Paddy O’Reilly, UCC

Strapline Focus on centre our environment on margin

Bee kind ... The global bee population is in serious decline, but we can take steps, even at local community level, to tackle the problem, writes Kate Ryan aT this time of year, you may be forgiven for thinking that there is no such thing as a bee crisis. Between bees, wasps, flies and other flying insects we spend the summer waving our hands in front of our faces and lighting citronella candles to fend them away during al fresco dinners. But of course, you would be wrong. Between disease, pesticide use and reductions in where bees can find plentiful food, all bee populations are under threat and diminishing, and the most vulnerable of all is the humble honey bee. National Biodiversity Ireland states that although there are 97 bee species in Ireland, there is just one species of honey bee here – the Northern european dark honey bee (Apis mellifera). Everything else that is buzzing around you on a summer afternoon is from a mix of ‘20 species of bumblebee and 76 species of solitary bee.’ But of course, honey bees don’t exist

just for the sole purpose of producing delicious honey for us to eat. Honey is a food source for the bees also. To produce it, they need to forage for pollen. As the bees move from plant to plant and ﬂower to ﬂower collecting vital pollen, they are also carrying out one of the most important roles in nature – pollination. According to the National Resources Defense Council, New York, 87 out of 115 of the world’s global food crops can only be grown with the aid of animal pollinators, such as bees. Aside from the fact that all plant agriculture boils down to just a limited 115 crop types, should the world’s population of bees collapse not only would delicious honey disappear but also apples, avocados, onions, berries etc. What would be left over are plants that either selfpollinate or cross-pollinate using the wind (wheat, rice and corn). Two major reasons to keep bee populations high and, most importantly,

healthy: honey and plant agriculture. But what has that got to do with you or me? It cannot be ignored that bee populations are on the decline. Loss of habitat; use of controversial pesticides, diseases and mite infections all contribute to the demise of hive populations and can spread quickly if not treated.

So what can we do?

Increase the quality and quantity of available bee food. • Garden, grow and farm as organically as possible. If you must use a pesticide, do the research and find one that tackles the one problem you have, is organic, eco-friendly and biodegradable. • Sow some bee-friendly seeds. It costs hardly anything and takes even less time to scatter a packet of bee friendly wild flower seeds around your garden or even in a pot if space is an issue. Plants that would flower in June would be particularly helpful as, despite being the middle of summer, June is a drought month for bees at a time when they need to keep their

production high – important for sustaining them through their winter hibernation. • Create your own beehive. Whether you live in an urban or rural setting, your local environment and the plants and flowers that grow, will benefit from the development of a healthy beehive. • Costs for establishing your first hive from scratch are around €500 for hive boxes, frames, bee colonies and a queen, suits, smokers, disease control and beekeeping classes – essential for beginners with costs reducing for subsequent hives. So why not pitch in together and build a community hive? It will benefit your local community, children will get to learn new skills and important knowledge about the necessity of beekeeping. Plus everyone gets a share of the honey collected from your hives.

Bee products

Remember that bees produce so much more than just honey. Royal Jelly, bee pollen, beeswax and propolis (anti-fungal, anti-microbial often used in the production of cosmetics) can all be collected from hives and utilised to make food and other products for use or sale. Apart from honey, bees are responsible for various other products including propolis and beeswax, both of which are used in the making of skincare and cosmetic products.

Beekeepers’ responsibility Wild they may be, but bees are living beings requiring a helping hand sometimes. If you are considering setting up a hive, here are some basics that you’ll need to keep in mind:

• Health check the hive:

Disease can spread very quickly through a beehive if undetected and untreated.

• Inspect the colony size:

A growing colony is a sign of a healthy, happy one, but an overcrowded hive is at risk of swarming. Prevent this by establishing a new hive with a new brood box and transferring some of the bees from one to the other.

• Space

Adding additional honey supers will allow worker bees to produce more honey. If honey supplies for their winter hibernation are low, top up with sugar syrup. Bees do die off in the winter – that’s normal, but if too many die from starvation (lack of over-winter supplies, or over-harvesting of honey), then the colony will be at risk of collapse.

• Location

Select a sheltered spot with the hive entrance south-westerly to face the sun for the majority of the day. Space to approach the hive from the rear will prevent the bees reacting to a perceived threat of attack.

<– Outer cover <– Inner cover <– Honey super <– Queen excluder <– Brood chamber

<– Bottom board

Kate Ryan getting some hands-on experience of beekeeping at Coolmore Bees near Carrigaline.

<– Hive stand

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Strapline Hands centre acrosson themargin sea

A taste of island life

Blackberries have featured as a very important seasonal addition to West Cork island diets, while carrageen moss (below) as well as other types of seaweed, remains a commonly used ingredient.

Brian Moore goes island-hopping to find out about food in some of West Cork’s more isolated locations IT has been said that st Ciaran, who was born on Cape Clear more than 1,600 years ago, survived on barley bread and just two fronds of seaweed per day. While that might have been sufficient for the hardy saint, nowadays the foods that are produced and enjoyed on West Cork’s islands make for a treasure trove of wonderful tastes. While seaweed is still foraged and bread is still baked, these staples are but a small sample of what you can expect when you step ashore on Heir, sherkin, Whiddy, Cape Clear or Bere Island. Cape Clear, the largest of West Cork’s islands, has been known down through the centuries for the quality of its cattle and pigs, the arrival of which was much anticipated at markets in Cork, Dublin and london. However it is also known for its fine early season vegetables and especially potatoes. ‘The environment on Cape Clear is very special,’ says goat farmer and longtime resident ed Harper. ‘Cape has some of the best quality land of any of the islands along the West coast. It is ideal for our goats and especially for the meat and milk they produce.’ ed produces goat’s cheese, burgers and sausages, which you can only sample if you take a trip to Cape Clear. Island life can be hard and while most of the inhabitants would have relied on potatoes and milk back through the years just as their mainland cousins did, seaweeds and shellfish played an important part in supplementing their diet. However, the humble blackberry also features as a very important seasonal addition to island diets. ‘Blackberry season was a time when families

‘We like to have smoked mussels on the menu as well as smoked water for whiskey. It’s a unique way of serving the mussels but we only have them on the menu for special occasions as we can’t keep up with the demand.’ While much of the food culture on West Cork’s islands has for generations, centred on rearing cattle, shellfish, growing potatoes and gathering seaweed, historically Bere Island’s inhabitants were uniquely positioned to enjoy and explore a much more exotic and delicious food experience compared to their neighbours on the mainland. ‘Bere has always been known for its scallop fishing and this industry still goes on today,’ John Walsh says. ‘But back in the 18th century the islanders enjoyed spices and curries, which they were introduced to by the sailors returning from voyages to India and the far east. There was a British naval base on the island and the sailors would barter with the locals for vegetables and meat and in exchange they would give them exotic spices gathered from their time in India.’ so whichever West Cork island you choose to visit next, not only will you be amazed and delighted by the scenery, but you can be certain of finding deliciously fresh island food to enjoy.

from across the island would savour and collect as much fruit as possible,’ says John Walsh of Bere Island. ‘In fact, during the Taste of West Cork festival (in september) we will be organising a blackberry event when, after you enjoy a day collecting your berries you can learn how to make jams and tarts before you head home.’ Patrick Ryan, a lawyer-turned-chef, and now a baker, runs the Firehouse Bakery on Heir Island, where he and his partner laura Moore welcome all those who want a truly unique experience on the little island, which is just a five minute boat trip from the mainland. ‘The island is a perfect place to come, relax and learn about baking real bread,’ he says. ‘There is something about the atmosphere and the tranquillity on Heir Island that adds to the whole experience.’ On sherkin, another island with a history of producing much soughtafter cattle and early potatoes, Deirdre Youell of the Jolly Roger pub and restaurant says that island food is all about home cooking. ‘Of course, when you’re surrounded by water, looking out on Roaringwater Bay, there is no excuse when it comes to the freshest local fish. add to this our island potatoes and fresh salads and sherkin ticks all the boxes when it comes to good food.’ Of course, when you live on an island in Bantry Bay, shellfish and especially mussels, must play an important part when it comes to cuisine. Proprietor of the Bank House on Whiddy Island, Tim O’leary, who says he was reared on a pudding made from carrageen moss seaweed, has a unique approach when it comes to serving the local shellfish.

Whiddy Island Carrageen Moss Pudding Tip: You can use dried carrageen seaweed if necessary (available in good supermarkets and health food shops) Ingredients • Five grams of carrageen seaweed. • 850ml milk. • Half a teaspoon of vanilla essence (not extract) or one vanilla pod. • 50 grams sugar. • 1 egg, separated.

Whiddy Isl.

Dursey Isl.

RY BANT

John Walsh (top) remembers blackberry season as being signiﬁcant on Bere Island, while goat farmerEd Harper believes that the environment on Cape Clear is ‘very special’.

BAY

Bere Isl.

Method • Soak the dried carrageen in cold water for 10 minutes and then add it to a saucepan with the milk and the vanilla. • Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for about 15 minutes making sure that the pot is semicovered with a lid. • Then pour the liquid through a ﬁne sieve into a mixing bowl. • Beat in the egg yolk and after whisking the egg white stiﬄy fold this gently into the mixing bowl. • Transfer the mixture to serving bowls, chill and enjoy.

Heir Isl. Sherkin Cape Clear

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The Glandore Inn

www.fieldsofskibbereen.ie

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Serving the people of West Cork for 80 years

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Online shopping & home delivery Fresh bread & confectionery every day Stocking the best of local West Cork produce Full catering service Try our delicious fresh sandwiches in ‘The Coffee Shop’

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Baking Big time on abaking big scale

Outstanding in their own ...

Bakery manager Kevin O’Regan (third from right) with some of the staﬀ of Fields Bakery.

Fields Bakery in Skibbereen has a long and proud history of supplying quality products to the people of West Cork. Emma Connolly took a closer look at this large-scale operation recently FIelDs bakery has been in operation in one form or another since before the Great Famine of the 1840s. Jeremiah Cullinane operated a foodstore and bakery at the premises at 26 Main street. During those bleak years, as famine stalked the land, he won a special place in the hearts of the local people by allowing them each day to use his bakery to make bread after he had ﬁnished baking his own. Nowadays the main bakery (there is also an in-store bakery in Fields superValu on Main st) is a purpose-built unit on the Castletownshend Road in skibbereen, which opened some years back following major investment. Previous to that the bakery was situated on Townshend street in the old cinema building that is now the ludgate Hub. Barry Dempsey of Fields explains: ‘We are both bakers and confectioners so we currently make well over 100 diﬀerent products. A lot of these have been around for years but we are always trying new things and more recently we have started making a lough Hyne fruit cake which uses whiskey from the local West Cork Distillers. We also produce a large number of birthday cakes every week and have had requests for all sizes ranging from six inches to six feet in size. We do a lot of wedding cakes as well. Basically our message to customers is that we can make anything they want.

‘Best sellers are our white sliced loaf, brown seed loaf, brown soda bread, our apple tart and at this time of year our burger buns. ‘Customers still love all the old favourites although recently they have been willing to try and taste new products, especially some of the spelt, gluten-free and sourdough breads.’

The bakery manager is Kevin O’Regan from Coronea, skibbereen, and he has been baking for Fields for 31 years. Kevin is especially proud of their preservative free white bread which, he says, people travel for. He said they are also very aware of trying to showcase local produce in their goods with things like their

lough Hyne cake and a West Cork Whiskey cake. His own favourite, however, are their Danish pastries. Kevin’s brother Barry is the night baking manager and he has been working in Fields for around 14 years, while another long-time staﬀ member is Mary O’Regan from Union Hall, who has been there for around 30 years.

Facts & figures The next time you’re enjoying something tasty and satisfying from Field’s bakery in Skibbereen try and digest some of the following: • You’re eating one of 100 products they make ranging from their famous white sliced pan, apple tarts, sausage rolls, jam doughnuts, seed loaf and cream buns to a newly introduced lough Hyne fruit cake. • Around 1,200 white sliced pans are produced every day using the same recipe, without preservatives, since they started business. • They make ﬁve types of sliced brown bread, including breakfast, wholemeal and traditional; and four types of brown cake including soda and seed. • They use approximately 10 tonnes of ﬂour every week in the bakery. • They also go through 140kg of eggs weekly (around 2,333 individual eggs!) and about 100kg of butter/margarine. • The bakery operates 24-hours a day, over three shifts to keep up with demand. • Work starts in the instore bakery at 5am and continues until around 3pm.

• There are 30 people employed in the diﬀerent aspects of their bakery, this includes the bakery itself, scratch bakery in the shop and the delivery drivers (part time and full time ). 200 people work in the store overall. • They use four commercial ovens, three in the bakery and one in the shop. • They deliver bread to over 90 shops and restaurants in West Cork.

ery week eggs are used ev In excess of 2,300 d cakes! licious bread an to make Fields de

Strapline Deli centre counter on margin Enjoy great food, music and plays at beautiful Glebe Gardens this summer

Glebe Gardens, Baltimore has always been well know for it’s beautiful gardens, scrumptious contemporary dining and relaxed cafe culture. But that’s not all. Why not enjoy concerts featuring the following musicians this summer including One Horse Pony, Booka Brass Band, Lisa Hannigan and the The Hothouse Flowers. There will also be a performance of Around the World in 80 Days. Whether you are a garden enthusiast, foodie or looking for an idyllic place for a cup of coffee, the Glebe has something for everyone. For more info on dining, all events or to book tickets visit www.glebegardens.com

Walk the Sheep’s Head Way & work up an appetite for The Old Creamery

The Old Creamery, Kilchrohane is the perfect destination for hungry ramblers or cyclists enjoying the delights of the stunning Sheep’s Head Way. Serving great locally sourced meats, ﬁsh and vegetable dishes, you can even hire a bike from here too plus the Sheep’s Head Producers’ Market and Shop is right next door for a bit of local craft shopping. A great day out! see www.livingthesheepsheadway.com/the-old-creamery

Lots to digest at Kerr’s!

Kerr’s Bookshop, Clonakilty, run by the delightful and welcoming Trish Kerr, stocks a tasty blend of cook books to suit every taste, Among their favourite local authors is the ever popular Rachel Allen of the Ballymaloe cookery dynasty who has a ‘mouth-watering’ selection of books to her name. Her latest – Recipes from My Mother – is a gem. Trish Deseine has chosen West Cork as her home now, though she lived in France for 25 years. Her wonderful cookery books combine a mixture of her Irish and French inﬂuence. And closer to home in Clonakilty is the ‘Lettercollum Kitchen Project’ with Karen Austin’s eclectic and healthy cookbook at the top of their ‘must read list.’ They have a great range of kids’ and teens books too! Find Kerr’s on Facebook.

New flavour from West Cork based snack food company

Skibbereen food firm Scratch My Pork is celebrating three years in business. And to mark the occasion, chef and owner Matthew Brownie’s No Nonsense Food Company and national distributor Ampersand have recently launched a new flavour to their line-up of snacks. Salt & Vinegar flavour has been added to the range of two flavours that hit the Irish market in May of this year. Matthew said: ‘The team are very excited that the new flavour will create even more happy customers. The Salt & Vinegar flavour is gluten and dairy-free and high in protein, so we have kept the profile of our snack range open to most allergen and dietary snacking consumers.’

Don’t forget! ember 8th to 17th pt se – AL iv sT fe oD fo rk Co T A TAsTe of Wes www.atasteofwestcork.com 32

Strapline Deli centre counter on margin

Spar, Skibbereen is ideal ‘stop off’

Already already a popular and busy destination for fuel, groceries and newspapers there’s now another reason to pop into Connolly’s Spar, spar, Cork Road, skibbereen Skibbereen with the installment of their new stylish deli-counter and seating area. Serving serving a wide range of freshly made sandwiches, baguettes and other tasty treats it’s the ideal place to grab a bit to eat whether you’re on the go, fancy taking a breather or need to feed a car full of hungry kids after a day out!

Good mood food at Boka

Make every meal a stylish one If you are looking to add a touch of elegance and colour to your dining table or

Family run Boka is a casual haunt located along the Wild atlantic Atlantic Way in the heart of Kenmare. It’s a place to sit back and relax in a brightly coloured, eye catching restaurant and enjoy contemporary, eclectic and tempting “Good Mood Food.” It’s open six days a week for breakfast, lunch, desserts, full coﬀee and tea menu as well as a wine license. All all tastes are catered for with their famous black and white pudding burger to delicious Greek style lamb kebabs, fresh homemade soups, salads and gourmet sandwiches including plenty of gluten free and vegetarian options.

for a great gift idea, look no further than the beautiful serving dishes and platters from Nicholas Mosse Handcrafted Irish Table and Giftware Pottery. His pottery bowls and platters come in a variety of cheerful patterns and are perfect for serving tasty treats and will make every occasion a special one. This versatile pottery range is an asset to any table setting and are durable enough to add beauty to your every day. Nicholas Mosse Pottery is available from Designs Craft Shop, shop, Main Street, street, Skibbereen, skibbereen, Tel: 028-21221. www.designsskibbereen.com

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See you there! 34

Strapline Focus on centre a healthier on margin diet

Natural Rebel ... with a cause April Danann is on a mission to educate the people of West Cork and beyond about the health benefits of, amongst other things, apple cider vinegar, writes Emma Connolly eVeRyONe should be taking apple cider vinegar daily – its powers are life changing. That’s according to nutritionist and food scientist april Danann who produces her own vinegar which she sells from her Natural Rebel market stall and in health shops throughout the area. living just outside skibbereen she says: ‘apple cider vinegar (acv) has been life changing for me. I take it for everything - colds, coughs, sore throats. I use it on my hair, my skin and even when I had shingles a few months ago, it cleared all gently. I love making it and using it because it’s one of nature’s pure medicinals. I’ve found so many uses for it and have heard so many stories over the years, I could not help but try it.’ lots of people regard acv as particularly difficult to stomach, however april insists because she gently hand makes her mixtures they are far easier to take. ‘I tend to steep some of my vinegars in herbs, roots, shoots and berries right now I have about five or six different types of acv on offer, these change with the seasons. My two most popular ones are turmeric and ginger and my fire tonic.’ she advises people to take a spoon of it morning and evening. ‘I think it works wonders overnight. Take it neat or in a little cool water,’ she says. ‘I like to think my vinegars are tastier because they are made the old fashioned way and I age them in whiskey barrels.’ she says there’s a big demand for the product in the area. ‘We are beginning to get our own little vinegar culture going here. West Cork people tend to be a little more health conscious than other places,

so, they know about it and seek it out. People are looking for better quality products that support their health care goals.’ april produces plenty more besides cider vinegar. ‘I do lots of fermenting – my herbal Kombucha is very popular. It’s a fermented herbal tea which tastes delicious with a meal and provides natural probiotics similar to the apple cider vinegar. I have a good range of natural herbs useful for fermenting and great tasting teas, as well as my own comfrey ointments and so on. My market stall reflects my kitchen and my life - I forage for what’s in season, so right now for instance, I have elderflower cordials and my own spinach in our frozen bean burger mix.’ Her top advice for living a healthier life would be to find a source of clean water (chemical free) and drink that daily. ‘Cook with it, brush your teeth with it and wash with it if you can. We are about 70% water and I think we often underestimate how important it is to our health. In terms of protecting our gut microbes – clean water is necessary.’ • Her products are available from several health foods stores in West Cork and beyond as well as from her market stall in skibbereen and Dun laoghaire. locally in For Goodness sake in skibbereen and Dunmanway, in Organico in Bantry and Olive Branch in Clonakilty, Hudson’s Wholefoods in Ballydehob, loop de loop in Castletownbere and at aprildannann.com.

Nutritionist and food scientist April Danann at her Natural Rebel market stall.

Adding value to your life ... naturally

Natural Rebel

Apple Cider Vinegars & Herbal Kombuchas Naturally fermented apple cider vinegar made with spring fed well water, Irish apples and an apple cider vinegar mother captured outside in a herb garden in West Cork, gently aged with old whiskey barrels and time.

Purchase at Skibbereen or Dun Laoghaire Farmers’ markets or visit aprildanann.com Also available at selected Health Food stores

Fermentation Specialist • Classes & Courses • Medical Intuitive Consultations A selection of April’s apple cider vinegars, some of which have been infused with diﬀerent spices and berries.

087 236 1616 • aprildanann.com • info@aprildanann.com 35

THERE IS A NEW FLAVOUR IN TOWN

Newly opened at The Bantry Bay, Wolfe Tone Square, Bantry

027 55789 | www.thebantrybay.ie

BIA Restaurant’s Head Chef Gilles Eynaud is delighted to host a WEST CORK FOOD & CRAFT BEER PAIRING EVENING

Thursday 14th September 2017 at 7.30pm as part of the 2017 A Taste of West Cork Food Festival Featuring Gubbeen Meats, Bantry Bay Mussels, Scallops and Lobster, Skeaghanore Duck and locally produced chocolate. The tasting menu will be paired with a delicious selection of beers & ciders. Come along for an enjoyable evening meeting food producers, tasting their produce and sampling the best beers that West Cork has to offer! Tickets €35 per person: Limited Spaces Call 027 55789 to book your place today.

FOR THE BEST TEA & COFFEE EXPERIENCE ALONG THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY. FOLLOW THE Killorglin Cahersiveen Portmagee Valentia Is.

Serving great food all made on site or sourced locally, some of which is either reared or grown on our organic farm. We are members of Good Food Ireland and have been recommended by Bridgestone Guide, Georgina Campbell guides and Food & Wine magazine.

Bandon Ballinskelligs Leap

Winner of ‘Best Cafe in Cork’, Irish Restaurant Awards 2016 Winner of Good Food Ireland Cafe of the Year 2013/2014

Glandore

Winner of Today FM 'Best Brunch in Ireland' 2015

Open Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm serving breakfast until 11:30 am Lunch 12pm - 4:30pm 26 North Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork | 028 21515 | kalbos@eircom.net

Uillinn West Cork Arts Centre

Tuesday - Saturday serving our great cakes, soups and sandwiches

StraplineRecipes centre on margin

Delicious fish made simple! Lar McCarthy’s Fresh Fish Shop in Bandon has hooked a former 5-star hotel chef and former Happy Pear chef to come on board. Sean McNamara and Matt Williamson are cooking up a storm with enticing options like Amsterdam kibbelling, fish tacos, mouthwatering prawn salads and other creative seafood dishes. Sean who lives in Bandon with his young family, joined Lar’s team from the world famous Hayfield Manor. He works in the store making ready meals and lunches and said: ‘I’ve always been passionate about cooking fish and when Lar opened up the shop and started doing lunches and doing something a little bit different to the usual fish shops, I couldn’t resist jumping on board. We have so many ideas and there’s so much potential. The possibilities of what we can do with this place are endless.’ Meanwhile Matt - who set up the Happy Pear’s evening restaurant in Wicklow a number of years ago was also itching to make his mark in the kitchen. He’s involved in demos and cookery lessons and said: ‘It was great helping to perfect the recipes for favourites like chowder, the pies and the fish cakes - we really nailed it. And I adore doing the cookery classes. People don’t realise how easy it is to cook fish and it’s been brilliant showing people the different tasty dishes that you can create in minutes.’ Here are some of their ‘Fish Made Simple’ recipes to try yourself….

Moules Marinere

Ingredients: 2 tbsp oil 1 small white onion or banana shallot, ﬁnely diced. 2 cloves garlic, crushed, or ﬁnely chopped. 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves picked 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped Glass of white wine 100ml cream 1 kg mussels, rinsed and de-bearded Cooking instructions 1. Heat and he oil in a pan on a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and thyme and fry for two minutes until soft. 2. Turn up the heat for a minute, stirring to prevent catching, then add the wine. Add the mussels, discarding any that are open, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Stir to ensure that all the mussels have opened. Discard any that do not. 3. Add cream and bring to just under boiling point. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and serve in bowls with warm crusty bread or skinny fries, moules frites style.

Fried Prawns

Ingredients 250g defrosted or fresh prawns, shelled and with tract removed 1 small white onion or 1 banana shallot, finely diced 1 clove garlic, finely chopped or crushed 2 spring onions, chopped 2 tbsp soya sauce Juice of 1 lime 1/2 tbsp caster sugar 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped 2 tbsp oil Cooking instructions 1. Place the ginger, garlic, onion or shallot, sugar, soya sauce and lime juice into a blender and blitz down. Add the spring onions and oil, stir and pour over the prawns. Leave at room temperature for at least 20 minutes 2. Heat a pan over a high heat. Add the prawns and fry for 45 seconds to a minute then turn. Fry for another 45 seconds or so. The prawns should be an opaque pink and white and firm. Serve on toast, noodles or rice.

Sean (left) and Matt with Lar at front in the Fresh Fish Shop in Bandon.

Pan fried sole with beurre noisette Ingredients 2 sole ﬁllets per person 1 tablespoon capers 1lemon A large handful of parsley 50g butter per person 2tbsp oil

Cooking instructions 1. Pour oil into a smoking hot pan. Carefully add the sole fillets by gently rolling the fish into the pan away from yourself, skin side down. Shake the pan to prevent sticking. Add pressure with a fish slice to keep the fish flat in the pan. Season with salt and pepper. After a minute carefully turn the fish, shake and season. 2. Once all the fillets are cooked through, remove and add the butter to the pan with the capers. When the butter has melted and begins to foam, add the parsley and stir, keeping an eye on the butter. When it has browned, remove from the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice and swirl everything around the pan. 3. Pour over the fishing serve with mash or new potatoes and some green beans.

Pan roasted Cajun blackened salmon with salsa vierge Ingredients 200g ﬁllet of salmon, pinned 2 tsp Cajun spice mix 1/2 lime 1 knob of butter 2 tbsp oil

For the salsa vierge 100g cherry tomatoes 1 banana shallot, finely diced Juice of half a lemon 1 tsp capers 100 ml extra virgin olive oil Handful basil leaves, torn to roughly chopped Cooking instructions 1. Heat a pan to smoking hot. Season the salmon skin with half the Cajun spice. Add oil to the pan and carefully place the salmon fillet into the hot pan by gently rolling it away from you, skin side down. 2. Shake the pan to prevent sticking, season and fry for 45 seconds to a minute. Add a knob of butter and the juice of half a lime. 3. Turn the salmon using a fish slice, shake, season then place into a preheated oven (180/200) for 4-5 minutes until the fish is firm and cooked through. 4. Add the tomatoes, capers, shallot, lemon juice and oil into a cool pan. Gently warm the sauce for two minutes then stir in the basil leaves, retaining some to serve. 5. Plate the salmon with new potatoes, spoon on the salsa and garnish with remaining basil leaves.

Award-winning Cork Dairy Products

Clóna Dairy Products Ltd., Sand Quay, Clonakilty, Co. Cork P: 023-8833324 | E: Info@clona.ie | W: www.clona.ie

Clóna Dairy Products Ltd., Sand Quay, Clonakilty, Co. Cork P: 023-8833324 | E: Info@clona.ie | W: www.clona.ie Restaurant Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 12.00-8.30 Sunday 12.00-6.30

RETAIL SHOP OF THE YEAR McKenna’s Guides

Kirbys Korner Bar & Restaurant, Ballinhassig. Award winning family run business Traditional, warm, friendly & welcoming ambience. Diverse range of superb food sourced locally and available on a daily basis. Child friendly, romantic & can accommodate groups, special occasions and private functions.

Ballinhassig

Telephone :+353 (0)21-488-5282 Email: kirbyskornerbar@gmail.com Website: www.kirbyskornerbar.com

3 Glengarriff Road, Bantry www.organico.ie | 027 51391 38

Strapline Focus on family centre onbusiness margin

25 years of Organico growth! A veritable institution on the West Cork food scene, Organico in Bantry is celebrating a quarter of a century trading this year. Hannah Dare, one of the proprietors, has put pen to paper to tell the story of this remarkable business WHeN my father alan opened Organico I was 16, my sister Rachel was 13, aoife was 10 and Jaime was only 7. We all absolutely loved playing shop, and we took to working saturdays and school holidays like ducks to water. Thankfully, 25 years later Rachel and I still love it and this month we are celebrating Organico’s 25th birthday and having a big celebration to say a huge ‘thank you’ to all our friends, customers and suppliers. Our parents, alan and Caroline Dare, were involved in a wholefood café and community centre in Brighton before they moved to West Cork so you could say Organico was a continuation of that. alan loved tracking down odd and unusual foods and remedies. He was known for recommending cider vinegar and molasses to nearly everyone he met and to be fair this remedy was well tried and tested on his family for years before he went into business He loved selling remedies that had an element of ‘make and do’ to them. Research was his strong point and he would delve into a health issue and find out what people were doing in other countries and cultures, and this was way before the internet. When the shop first opened Alan stocked it with short dated products which our supplier was happy to get rid of. This is now a huge trend in the UK and the Us but back in the 1990s it was considered pretty off the wall. His theory was, quite rightly, that most foods do not go ‘off ’’ immediately. after a few years of business, alan left Rachel and I in charge of Organico while he went off to explore India. We were 18 and 21 respectively and to say it was a crash course in business would be an understatement. When he reappeared some months later we both ran screaming for the hills! I ended up in University studying sociology and Rachel went to Ballymaloe Cookery school. Our mother Caroline stepped into the breach and took over the business from alan. she began the bakery as she realised that people were crying out for real bread. all through our childhood she had baked her own bread each week, so she had the recipes, she just needed to work out how to make them on a bigger scale. she hired elizabeth ewing, who had years of healthfood retail experience, to manage the shop.

Clockwise from main: Hannah and Rachel Dare; the late Alan and Caroline Dare; the exterior of the Organico shop and café on the Glengarriﬀ Road in Bantry.

she was a long-time family friend and she brought her love of life and her enthusiasm to Organico and the shop ﬂourished under her leadership. We were very happy to have her by our side through the challenging time when we lost ﬁrst Mum, then Dad, and at the same time had to manage a growing business during the boom times, and then during the bust. 16 years on elizabeth is still with us in Organico. Caroline was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and passed away in 2004. at that point Rachel and I discovered that we really did want to be involved and decided to see what we could make of Organico. It’s fantastic working with your sister (most of the time!) and we now have an amazing

team of approximately 30 people (with even more in the summer) which makes for a vibrant and entertaining workplace! In 2014 we undertook a signiﬁcant expansion of the business. We took over the entire building and moved our kitchen out of the shop basement and into the cafe where we now have an open kitchen. Rachel and her partner Keith Hurley planned, designed and actually did the refurbishment. The new shiny café was great, however it showed up some of the shortcomings in the shop and so in 2016 we refurbished that too. We improved the layout and created a space that is both a pleasure to work in and more relaxing to shop in. We tried not to expand

our product range too much – we have over 4000 products – but despite our best eﬀorts, new products seem to keep creeping in! In 2016 we won Retail shop of the year from John and Sally McKenna – a high point for us. looking forward, we are incredibly happy to be where we are, working together as sisters, with lots of help from the rest of our family and friends and with a wonderful team. We love living in West Cork, and love what we do. We have a lot more to do in Organico – this year will see many more cookery demos hosted by people from all over Ireland, and we are constantly working on organico.ie which allows us to spread the love for healthy food far and wide!

Strapline Quick centre recipe on margin

Chicken Tikka Wrap Using Irish Yogurts Fat Free Natural Yogurt If you have leftovers from a Sunday roast chicken, you’ll be set for lunches or suppers for days afterwards with this quick yet delicious recipe! Ingredients (serves two people) 1 tbsp. Chutney 1 drop lemon Juice 4 tbsp. of Irish yogurts Fat Free Natural yogurt 1 handful Baby spinach 200g Free Range Whole Chicken 1 tbsp. Fresh Coriander (optional) 0.5 tsp Tikka Curry Powder 2 x Wholemeal Wrap Method 1. Place the Fat Free Natural yogurt, mango chutney, curry powder and lemon juice in a medium-sized bowl and mix together until thoroughly combined. add the chicken and stir until it’s evenly coated in the Fat Free Natural yogurt. Place a wrap on a cutting board and spread the chicken over it. scatter over some baby spinach leaves and a few fresh coriander leaves, if using. Roll up tightly and cut in half on the diagonal, then pack into an airtight container or ziplock bag for lunch. 2. Pack the wrap with fresh fruit, such as a sliced apple, a peeled and segmented clementine, a small banana or a handful of grapes, a yogurt pot for the dairy element of the lunch and a bottle of cold water or unsweetened fruit juice.

High quality and delicious Traditional Churn Made Yogurt

Established in 1994 by Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Irish Yogurts’ aim was to produce high quality and delicious Traditional Churn Made Yogurt. The company has grown from a small one person operation in 1994 to a multi award winning, highly successful internationally recognised food company located in Clonakilty, West Cork employing 200 people locally. Following the recent commissioning of a brand new, purpose built factory in Clonakilty, Irish Yogurts’ customers can look forward to a new and exciting range of products in the coming months.

Choose from a range of Wholesome Meals, Homemade Cakes and Desserts or Coffees & Teas

Irish Yogurts, Clonakilty Tel: 023-8834745 Fax: 023-8835791 E-mail: info@irish-yogurts.ie

www.irish-yogurts.ie

New St., Bantry, Co. Cork | Tel (027) 55809 40

Strapline A presidential centreperspective on margin

‘We have a lot to offer’

Kinsale restaurateur Liam Edwards tells Kieran O’Mahony about his role as President of Restaurant Association of Ireland (RAI) and how he believes that restaurants in Kinsale and West Cork generally have plenty to offer to discerning diners, but that the impact of Brexit is already being felt THE shortage of qualiﬁed chefs has been singled out as something that needs to be addressed – so says Kinsale’s Liam Edwards in his new role as President of the Restaurant Association of Ireland. Owner of the well-known and family-owned Jim Edwards restaurant, bar and guesthouse in the gourmet town, Liam is in fact only the second president of the organisation to be based outside of Dublin. He took up the role at the RAI’s 46th AGM in March after his predecessor, Sligo man Anthony Gray asked if he would be interested in the position. ‘Obviously there’s a lot of commitment to being president and I’m learning as I go along but I am enjoying it, especially going out and meeting other people in the trade and doing a bit of networking,’ said Liam, who is also the Chairman of the Kinsale Good Food Circle, which celebrated its 40th birthday last year. ‘It’s good to meet other restaurateurs and talk about various issues that are aﬀecting them. The role of president is for a year but there is an option of two years if I want to take that up.’ As the owner of a restaurant in the gourmet capital of Ireland, Liam feels that Kinsale is doing well generally and that it’s on a par with last year. ‘There are a lot of restaurants here but there’s also a lot of diversity with some new restaurants opening recently. Everyone is serving top quality food and this isn’t just in Kinsale but across

West Cork with some great restaurants all doing well. The thing is that people shouldn’t be surprised with the quality of food in Cork restaurants in general.’ It’s all about serving local produce and chefs who are interested in getting local produce for their menus, although Liam admits that they face challenges in some aspects. ‘It’s a vibrant industry but also tough. The industry is crying out for qualified chefs as there are not enough being trained for the demand that we have. The CERT training finished about 15 years ago and the government have no plans to revive it,’ added Liam. ‘It’s frightening really that there is no national body to oversee the training of chefs and we as restaurants want to hire staff who have been trained on the ground level.’ With Brexit talks still looming and the uncertainty about the implications of what will happen up in the air, it has in some regard already hit the hospitality industry. ‘We’ve definitely felt it in the off season as British tourists stayed away as the value for them is gone. Thankfully during the peak summer season we tend to get a lot more American tourists than British but we certainly felt it since it was voted on last year.’ Like everyone else involved in business, Liam sees it as a waiting game because no one is quite sure how it will pan out. For now he is getting ready for a busy season at his restaurant while also serving the needs of RAI members.

Strapline The Final centreWord on margin

‘A deep and unparalleled challenge’ Tara McCarthy, CEO of Bord Bia and a proud West Cork woman, talks about the implications for Ireland 12 months on from the Brexit vote IN the year since the UK made the historic decision to chart its future outside the eU, much ink has been spilled on fathoming the political and economic implications for Ireland and the food and drink industry in particular. The UK is by far our largest food and drink export market, worth over €4 billion in 2016, and while our trading relationship predates the eU and the single european Market, it has flourished to an exceptional degree within the framework of both. This relationship is very much a two-way street: Ireland is also the UK’s most important food and drink export market, with imports from our nearest neighbour valued in the region of €4bn last year. While geographical proximity and a finely matched profile of supply and demand underpin this relationship, so too do shared cultural values and complementary world views: we are uniquely well suited to support and meet each other’s food needs. It is against this backdrop that Brexit, and particularly the variant that puts the UK not only outside the eU but also the european economic area and the Customs Union, presents itself as a deep and unparalleled challenge. Bord Bia laid the preparatory groundwork for addressing the challenge of Brexit in advance of the June referendum and, notwithstanding the fact that, a year later, no greater clarity has emerged on the ultimate form departure will take, our response has evolved into a strategy and series of supports that takes into account likely short, medium and long-term impacts. In early 2017, we launched the Brexit Barometer, an analytic tool developed in conjunction with PwC Ireland and designed to help individual companies assess specific risk areas associated with Brexit – routes to market, customs and tax, supply chain, trade, currency and human resources. an expression of our commitment to provide supports that are based on facts and data rather than speculation or anecdote, the barometer is designed to give individual, tailored feedback to companies with regard to their risks and vulnerabilities, and to flag those areas where pre-emptive action can and should be taken. The development of the barometer is further underscored by recognition that, while Brexit remains, in a granular sense, a series of unknowns, there are many ways to prepare for its eventuality and to mitigate the

‘... we are uniquely well suited to support and meet each other’s food needs’

Above: Tara McCarthy, CEO, Bord Bia.

Right: Tara, then the CEO of BIM, with Sean Mahon, managing director of The Southern Star, Siobhan Cronin, news editor and Con Downing, editor, when she was guest speaker at the West Fork business breakfast during the A Taste of West Cork Food Festival last September.

risks that will come from its possible permutations. among these permutations, few raise more concern than the possibility of a hard Brexit, where punitive WTO tariﬀs could conceivably shut out our dairy and beef trade from our oldest and largest market. While no eventuality can yet be ruled out, there are several reasons why this ‘doomsday scenario’ should not assume undue prominence in our preparations for what lies ahead. Firstly, to allow it to do so would feed into the incorrect, and highly counterproductive, assumption that planning for Brexit is simply a matter of awaiting and responding to a tariﬀ and customs regime, whatever that might ultimately be. secondly, it ignores the more fundamental question as to what alternative trade relationship could

meaningfully supplant that which currently prevails between Ireland and the UK, as well as our peers in the eU. The UK is a country that proudly claims some of the highest retail and food safety standards in the world. To willingly expose itself to the massive operational and reputational risks that would come from routing entire supply chains outside the eU would be, to say the least, politically and economically unprecedented. It would test the concept of food security in a modern industrial nation to its limit. None of this is to take from the fact that a new and daunting reality is about to unfold. Brexit will demand a nuanced and concerted response from every level of the food industry. It will require new skills, new approaches and new thinking. It is a battle that will not be fought on one front but

on many, and it will demand a deep immersion in the areas of risk mitigation, diversification, customs and tariff management, currency hedging and relationship building. We will need to be agile, informed and prepared as never before. These are demands that will be made on Bord Bia as much as the industry we represent, and we are currently engaged in a comprehensive review of our structures and positioning to ensure that we perform to the level required of us in this changing and challenging environment. To talk of the impact of Brexit, it is well to note, is not simply to speculate on future scenarios. Currency fluctuations in the aftermath of the June referendum quickly brought home the cost of the decision to Irish food and drink exporters, as it reduced the value of exports to the UK by €570 million over the course of 2016. against this, however, must be set the counterweight of market diversification, which contributed to an overall picture of export growth of 2% in the same year. The record €11.15 billion achieved by Irish food and drink exporters in 2016 was built in no small part on strengthening performances in continental europe and the international market. emblematic of this is the fact that China is now Ireland’s second largest dairy export market, a position directly attributable to our high quality supply base, our world class R&D and our strengthening investment in marketing. Ireland’s food and drink industry has weathered significant challenges in the past. It has done so demonstrating a firm conviction that our best response is a collective one. as we await the first evidence of how Brexit will take form, neither Bord Bia nor the industry will observe passively. The global context in which Ireland has set out to be a premium supplier of quality food remains a positive one, while our actions in sustainability, through the Origin Green programme, confirm Ireland’s ability to provide international leadership on the future direction of the food and drink industry. an enduring commitment to be the source of the highest quality food and drink and to develop trade relationships built on trust and responsiveness have been the platform on which our industry’s success has been built to date. This is one certainty that will not change as we embrace and manage the challenge ahead.

The Leap Inn Tel: 028 33668

Specialising In Succulent Steaks & Local Seafood @Boxoffrogs

BOX of FROGS

Bridewell Lane, Bantry, Co.Cork • 083 1561766 • info@boxoffrogs.ie

SIMPLY BETTER WINES, BEERS & SPIRITS .......................................... Skibbereen 028 23872 .......................................... Bantry 027 56729 .......................................... Mark Maguire 086 0801896 .......................................... maguiresofflicences@live.ie ..........................................

Midday Specials served daily from 12.30 onwards Traditional Sunday Lunch À La Carte Menu available 7 nights a week Music sessions on weekends

WIN a Sunday Lunch for 2 on

etiti Comp

The Square Kenmare Co. Kerry

If you would like more information on any of our suppliers please ask a member of staff who will be happy to help.” “Fresh meat is supplied by local butcher, William Walsh and Dave Louks of Sheehymore Free Range Farm, supplies our chicken and eggs. Fish and seafood are sourced from The Fish Station in Skibbereen and Ted Browne of De Brun Iasc Teo in Dingle. Additional suppliers include Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery for her smoked fish; the Ferguson family of Gubbeen Farmhouse for their Gubbeen cheeses and cured

with a glass of wine each

Sunday Roast Lunch will be served from 1-6pm beginning on Sunday 23rd July

producers. We do not microwave. Only the best is good enough. We are The Good Things Cafe

We use organic four, rice, corn, extra virgin olive oil, sugar, nuts, seeds and

meats and the Kingstons of Glenilen Farm for their country butter, creme fraiche, clotted cream and yoghurts. Local fruit & vegetable suppliers include Steve and Aly of Grá Farm, Radical Roots of Bandon, grower Phil Walsh, Gubbeen Greens from Gubbeen House Gardens and Tim York of Lisheen Organics in Skibbereen.” “The supplier list is a who’s who of great West Cork and other Irish producers and food and drink suppliers,”

GOOD THINGS @ DILLON’S CORNER

commented Georgina Campbell. “Simplicity and fresh flavours are the essence of the cooking style - it’s the kind of place where even the most demanding know that they 2017 areWINNER in safe hands.” www.thegoodthingscafe.com Restaurant Cookery School & Wine Bar

up coming classes

Dinner: 6-9pm

The 2 day kitchen miracle programme November 6th Christmas cookery class November 12th

Question: Where is the Good Things Cafe located? The hands on vegetarian class Winter October 9th quickies in a day Simply answer the question, fill in your details and get your entriesOpening to: Good Times Things Competition,Dozen c/oOctober The Southern 15th Thurs - Sat man class Star, Ilen St, Skibbereen, Co Cork by close of business on WednesdayLunch: next, July 12th. T&Cs apply The practical October 22nd 12-3pm

Name:

at Good Things we make a priority of locally sourcing the best ingredients possible. Below is a list of our wonderful suppliers that help us every day to do just that, from our local supermarket to the potter who makes our plates.

Email:

Contact No:

To make a booking please get in touch by either E: info@thegoodthingscafe.com or T: +353 (0)28 51948

Address:

Dillon’s Corner, 68 Bridge Street, Skibbereen, Co Cork, Ireland

own seaweed and seabeet. We support our local dairies and small cheese

Answer:

Please tick here if you do not want us to contact you by electronic means (e-mail or SMS) with information about Southern Star offers, competitions and promotions and services which we feel may be of interest to you.

spices. We buy local organic vegetables, organic fruit, shellfsh, fsh and meat. We pick our

Good Things @ Dillon’s Corner in Skibbereen, Co. Cork has been awarded Just Ask Restaurant of the Month for June. The original Good Things Café opened in 2003 and recently relocated to a beautiful two-storey premises in the centre of Skibbereen. The move has given the gifted and very determined food aficionado and owner, Carmel Somers, a magical setting to develop her national reputation as a leader in the local food revolution. Currently in its eighth year, the Just Ask campaign has been wholeheartedly embraced by the restaurant trade. The campaign encourages diners to look for information on where food on their plate comes from and encourages chefs to profile their local suppliers on menus. Selected by renowned food writer Georgina Campbell in collaboration with Bord Bia, the Just Ask Restaurant of the Month rewards eateries across Ireland that exhibit best practice in showing transparency in the sourcing of the food on their menus. At Good Things @ Dillon’s Corner, Carmel continues her mission to promote local produce. Fresh, seasonal and where possible, organic, is the fundamental ethos in both the restaurant and cookery school. Carmel’s suppliers list says it all: “Good ingredients make good food. Therefore,

Dubliner Vintage Cheese Jalapeño Poppers Ingredients:

• 12 fresh jalapeño peppers • 1 x 200g Dubliner Vintage Block, grated • 1 tsp Tabasco • Salt and black pepper • 100g breadcrumbs • 2 tsp dried oregano • 3 eggs, beaten • Vegetable oil, for frying

To Service:

• Tomato salsa • Sour cream

Serves 12

Method:

1. Cut a lengthwise slit down each jalapeño. Make a crosswise incision at the stem end, forming a ‘T’, and open the jalapeño. Use a small knife or teaspoon to scrape out the seeds. 2. Stir together the grated Dubliner Vintage Block, Tabasco and a pinch of salt and black pepper. 3. Fill the jalapeños with the mixture and press the seams closed so it retains its shape.

Dubliner Vintage Cheese Jalapeño Popper s

NEW Try our lices S Vintage

4. Stir together the breadcrumbs, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Place the eggs in a separate bowl and the flour in another. 5. Dip the jalapeños in the flour, then the egg, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Repeat the egg and breadcrumbs for each jalapeño to form a second layer. Place in the fridge to chill for at least an hour, but up to 8 hours ahead would be preferable. 6. Heat enough oil to come 5cm up the sides of a saucepan over a medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, fry the jalapeños in batches for 5-7 minutes until brown and crispy. Drain on plates lined with kitchen paper and serve with salsa and sour cream to dip.

Tip:

You are likely to find a variety of sizes of jalapeño peppers in your local supermarket or green grocers. For this dish, it is best to opt for thicker jalapeño peppers, as they are more suitable for stuffing. Jalapeños also vary in heat so make sure and let your guests know that some may be hotter than others!

www.dublinercheese.ie

For more details on the Dubliner or Carbery Cheese range, contact Carbery today: Phone: (023) 882220044 | Email: dublinercheese@carbery.com