Winter 2018
OUR MICHELIN MEN! 1
Dedicated to Improving Business Performance in the Irish Seafood Sector
www.bim.ie 7944 BIM West Fork full page ad.indd 1
2
09/10/2018 15:11
published by
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.
Contents For Starters ............................................................................ 5 Industry professionals profiled ........................................ 6-7 A ‘toast’ of West Cork ....................................................... 8-9 Branching out in Clonakilty ............................................10-11 The vegan revolution ...................................................... 14-15
For all enquiries please call 028 21200 or advertising@southernstar.ie or www.southernstar.ie Publisher Editorial/Layouts Ad Design Advertising Sales
Cover story – Our Michelin Men.................................... 17-21
The Southern Star Niall O’Driscoll Irene Paradisi, Muireann Brady, Michael Stephens Donnchadh Crowley, Brian McCarthy, Anne Kelleher, Jennifer Barron, Sue Ryan
Guest chefs at ATOWC .................................................. 22-23 Business Focus – Goodness Me! ......................................... 27
For all design and publishing enquiries please call 028 21200
Competition ........................................................................28
design | publishing | digital | print
The Final Word ...................................................................30
Make It A Christmas To Remember
Festive Celebrations at the Celtic Ross Hotel
Christmas Party Nights
Saturday 8th and Saturday 15th December Our superb Christmas party nights include the following West Cork Gin Reception at 7pm • 4 Course Dinner • Music: Dr Feelgood & The Electric Mayhem with all your favourite hits • Late night nibbles €33pp | 7pm till late! - Party & Stay €75 (based on two people sharing)
Over 55’s Christmas Lunch Tuesday 4th December, 12.30pm | €24pp
Join us for an afternoon of Christmas cheer, dancing, delicious food & catching up with friends! Mulled wine reception in the Tower Gallery Festive Four Course Lunch with all the Trimmings Spot prizes Live music with Ger Deasy Mince Pies & Tea served at 5pm
One complimentary place with group bookings of 20 people or more
For all Festive Bookings email info@celticross.com or call 023 8848722 www.celticross.com Rosscarbery, Co.Cork
3
Pie
Open 8am - 6pm Mon - Sat Glengarriff Rd, Bantry For daily specials Call 02750975
Special Occasion Specialists Lunches & Bar Food served daily Afternoon Tea Pie is a new deli speciliasing in Pies of all sorts using local, West Cork Products We have breakfast and lunch all wrapped up......in pastry. Everything from the classical traditional pie to new funky, savoury & sweet pies. Quiches, salads, breads, sandwiches & baguettes all produced in house also available, together with freshly ground coffee, pastries & dessert pies We cater for all events, big and small.
4* hotel Picturesq Histor Give a gift that youViews know of Mic birth they will enjoy
Fernhill House Hotel & Gardens offers Gift Vouchers allowing your family, friends, employees or clients the freedom of choice to enjoy Clonakilty, 4*ahotel -Local food romantic break, celebrate aWest Cork www.fernhillhousehotel.com, 02 Picturesque gardens birthday or anniversary, or just simply to get away from it all and Historic house be pampered. Views of Michael Collins S R E H C Just choose the voucher value U birthplace VO and leave the rest up to us!
Fernhill House Hotel &
Come and visit us - you’ll be spoilt for choice!
GIFT
Fernhill House Hotel & Gardens
www.piedeli.ie
Clonakilty, West Cork www.fernhillhousehotel.com, 023 8833258
DELICIOUS HANDMADE
BISCUITS
086 6001625
OF TRUE CHARACTER
Reverse Osmosis Water Filters
Supports fermented food production
Filtered water for cafes and restaurants (USP) Amazing shower filter that protects coloured
FINE IRISH INGREDIENTS are at the heart of our biscuits: Irish butter, local free-range eggs and top-quality Irish oats, all complemented by other great products like finest Belgian chocolate, unrefined sugar, fruit and nuts from around the world.
highlights in hair and also stops greening Heating + Plumbing Installation
Renewables
Oil Boiler Servicing +
Eco Plumbing Products
Regale Biscuit Company Underhill, Dunmanway, Co Cork t: +353 (0)23 889 5155 e: admin@regale.ie www.regale.ie
www.ecoplumb.ie 4
For centre Starter Strapline on smargin West Cork companies represent in Paris
Try some Pie
‘Pie’ is a new deli on the Glengarriff Road in Bantry which specialises in pies made using the best of West Cork produce. Working closely with local farmers, growers and other suppliers, the Pie team insists on the highest standards in terms of quality, safety, environment and animal welfare, right through from the sourcing of ingredients to the serving of their pies. They have everything from the classic traditional pie to the new and funky, savoury and sweet – including pork pies using Twomey’s meats and homemade hot crust pastry to their steak and gravy, chicken Balti and apple pies. They also sell Clonakilty Pudding Scotch eggs and wonderful Quiche Lorraine and Gubbeen Chorizo Chicken & Leek pies, using the best of local ingredients. Pie has recently received a wine licence so they can marry a tasty wine with a great pie. You can also get freshly ground coffee produced by Stone Valley Coffee Roasters and there is a sandwich deli using homecooked local meats alongside homemade salads. There is even a range of ‘Piescream’ desserts and sweet treats! Catering for all sorts of big and small events is another great service on offer. See www.piedeli.ie or call 027-50975 for more information.
Five Cork exporters attended the SIAL International Food Fair in Paris from October 21st to 25th. This is the biggest business-tobusiness (B2B) trade event in the world this -Local food year and Ireland was also represented by que gardens the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine, Andrew ric house Doyle TD, along with the Chairman (Dan chaelMacSweeney) Collins and CEO (West Cork’s Tara McCarthy, pictured) of Bord Bia, who led a hplace record 35 Irish food companies in total. The Cork companies in attendance included Dairy Concepts and Coolmore Foods, both from Bandon; Hassett’s Bakery and Virginia Health Foods, both from Carrigaline, and Folláin Foods from Ballyvourney SIAL took on increased importance this year given the uncertainty surrounding the UK’s future relationship with the EU. While Brexit impacts on all food and drink sectors, exporters from the Prepared Consumer 23 8833258 Foods (PCF) category are particularly exposed and, not surprisingly account for 30% of the Irish companies at SIAL, with eight of them participating for the first time.
Gardens
Wildberry winners
Gin award
The prestigious Irish Quality Food Awards, which reward and recognise the best food and drink products on sale in Ireland, has presented The Wildberry Bakery from Ballineen with the Dunnes Stores Simply Better Small Producer Award at a function held in the Clayton Hotel in Dublin on October 18th. Winning this prize means a listing in Dunnes Stores as part of the Simply Better range, initially in 50 stores. The winner will also get advice around packaging and other elements of the product to make it ready for sale in a retail environment and on a bigger scale. The Wildberry is an award-winning bakery, situated in the village of Ballineen, West Cork. It was set up by Susan Robbins Fehily and her husband Tom. Susan’s ethos is to create great flavours and textures particularly in her Gluten Free Range.
Lidl’s Distilled Irish Gin took a much soughtafter gold award at the The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards in Dublin recently as well. This award is of special interest to West Cork food and drink aficionados as the tasty tipple is distilled in Skibbereen by West Cork Distillers. Beara Ocean Gin also got special mention in what is a highly-competitive category.
Guest chef
Michelin-starred chef Danni Barry – familiar to local foodies through her visits for the A Taste of West Cork food festival – makes a welcome return to Skibbereen to cook at the Glebe restaurant on the evenings of Friday and Saturday, November 2nd and 3rd. She will also cook a very special Sunday lunch on November 4th. Tables are filling up fast, call 028-20579 for more.
Diarmuid Murphy, Simply Better at Dunne’s Stores, Susan and Tom Fehily, The Wildberry Bakery, Shona Walsh and Daragh Lawless from Simply Better at Dunne’s Stores.
5
Manager profile Mark Golden Beara Coast Hotel
Who are you? Mark Golden, general manager and director of the Beara Coast Hotel which I run with my husband Mark Johnston and the hard working team we have in place.
Together is a wonderful place to be
How did you decide that you wanted to be a hotel manager? Honestly it just happened by natural progression, hospitality is an industry I love, and I worked hard through the years to be where I am.
West Cork’s Beara Coast Hotel is the perfect venue for Weddings, Conferences and Banqueting, providing three individual suites catering for up to 350 guests.
What challenges have you experienced along the way? I managed a business through the start of the recession for someone else – that was tough scaling back weekly. Then we set up our first hotel in 2012 which was educational and tough – starting a business from scratch in rural Ireland comes with many challenges.
Dining at The Beara Coast, guests have a choice of dining experiences, from the Arches Bar, The Coastal Restaurant or The Berehaven Suite. • • • •
Have there been any crucial turning points in your career? There have been a few but when we decided to take on our first venture in January 2012 that was the biggest risk, but over time it paid off. Once you’re in it with the right people such as our co-directors Margaret, Larry and Donal it makes it all the better.
Food served daily in The Arches Bar from 12.30-9pm Coastal Restaurant open nightly from 6-9pm Sunday Lunch served from 12-3pm Afternoon Tea available on request
How has the hospitality industry changed over the years? People’s expectations have grown, and so has the requirement on our side to be the best we can be on a daily basis.
Castletownbere a wonderful scenic setting for your West Cork
What do you love most about your job? I love meeting people on a daily basis, it’s the interesting side to this job.
Wedding waterside at The Beara Coast Hotel. PACKAGES FROM €49PP
What’s your least favourite part of the job? Sometimes the fact that it is impossible to switch off but its par for the course. Describe a typical day at work: There is no such thing as a typical day in a hotel – you go from days catering for weddings to retirement parties to christenings to anniversary parties, so you have to be on the ball at all times. What qualities are important in a hotel manager? Patience (which I lack sometimes), understanding, and above all else you have to love being around people. Do you enjoy staying in hotels yourself or is it too close to work? I love visiting other hotels and restaurants as it gives you insights and ideas you might not otherwise see.
To the Water, to the Wild
Any advice for anyone who wants a career in the hospitality industry? If you like people and like bringing enjoyment to others and you are not afraid of work, then the possibilities are endless.
Bookings: 027 71446 sarahjane@bearacoast.com
What’s your favourite dish from the hotel kitchen? Thankfully there are lots of nice dishes on the menu! But the Monkfish Risotto is my favourite.
www.bearacoast.com 6
Producer profile Hayley Milthorpe The Cultured Food Co. Skibbereen
live fe rmented foods
Who are you? My name is Hayley Milthorpe, founder and owner of The Cultured Food Company, mother to four daughters and passionate fermentation revivalist.
Reviving the ancient tradition of hand crafted live fermented foods
Have you always had an interest in the food industry? After qualifying as a nutritional therapist, I left college with a passion for using food as a medicine. I wanted to understand how our ancestors stayed healthy, generation after generation, and free from the modern diseases that we are plagued with today. It was whilst reading about ancient traditional diets that I discovered fermented foods. Fermentation is an ancient method of food preservation, it’s how we used to preserve our vegetables through the winter. Fermented foods are naturally rich in beneficial bacteria – also called probiotics. As a nutritionist, I fully understood the value and importance of supporting one’s own colony of gut bacteria and the crucial role they play in digestion and the immune system. What led you to the particular area of the industry that you’re in now? I began creating many forms of fermented food, yoghurt, crème fraiche, kefir, kombucha, sourdough breads, sour pickles and of course sauerkraut and kimchi! Being a stay-at-home mother I spent many hours in my kitchen and loved to create foods which nourished my growing family to keep them strong and healthy. In 2014, after realising there was a gap in the Irish market for live fermented foods I decided to launch my range of raw, unpasteurised sauerkrauts. Sauerkraut is shredded cabbage mixed with sea salt and fermented in barrels for several months. It has a sour flavour and is an incredibly versatile condiment which can be enjoyed with any meal. What (if any) have been the challenges you’ve experienced along the way? Teaching myself the ‘ancient art of fermentation’ has been rather challenging at times! Wild fermentation – harnessing the naturally occurring bacteria on the vegetables and within the environment – can sometimes yield an unpredicted outcome. Let’s just say we’ve encountered bubbly leaking jars on more than one occasion. Thankfully, over the years as I have deepened my knowledge these incidents are few and far between. Prior to setting up The Cultured Food Company I had no knowledge of business so I taught myself the ropes as I went along. Challenging at times but also incredibly rewarding, and a real character-building experience.
Fermented for several months, all our sauerkrauts are naturally rich in probiotics, live enzymes and 100% organic.
What do you love most about your job? I love the variety in my working week. I am involved in all aspects of running my business – sales, marketing, product development, accounts and bookkeeping. I’m also happy to roll up my sleeves and get stuck in with production if needs be! I love doing food shows and in-store tastings as it’s a great opportunity to talk to consumers. I’m incredibly grateful for the team who work in my company – they are a very dedicated, hardworking bunch and a real asset to my business. Any advice for anyone who wants to get involved in the food industry? Start selling your product at a local farmers’ market – that way you can gather some unbiased feedback. I would also recommend starting on a small scale, and slowly building your business up at a rate which you are comfortable with. Remember you should be able to enjoy what you are doing – I do!
Skibbereen, West Cork, Ireland
What sets West Cork apart as such a great place for food producers? Being in Cork – the food capital of Ireland – I could not be in a better place. I am surrounded by some of the best food producers in the country and everyone is always on hand to offer advice and support. I have many plans for my company – it really is an incredibly exciting time.
tel: +353 86 1922696 email: theculturedfoodco@gmail.com web: www.theculturedfoodco.com find us on
7
Gettingcentre in theonspir it Strapline margin
A ‘toast’ of West Cork! WEST Cork has developed a thriving brewing and distilling industry in recent years, with a number of the producers launching successfully on the export market. Building on this, and with new products coming onstream, it looks like exciting times ahead for West Cork drinks companies. Emma Connolly takes a whistle stop tour through the area to catch up with the main players Kinsale Mead Company
Clonakilty Brewery
Frank Fredriksen is a Norwegian who moved to Clonakilty in September 2013 with a love for beer and fledgling knowledge about how to craft the drink. He met Joan Harrington, a Clonakilty native, the following year. With the help and support of family and friends, this partnership evolved into Clonakilty Brewing Company, which officially started trading in 2016. Frank is now the head brewer and known as ‘Thirsty Frank’ and the brewing has evolved from his kitchen to a garage nano-brewery to a brewhouse in Clogheen Industrial Estate, complete with its own newlyrevamped tasting room. The company now employs two people and has a core range of three beers which are all brewed, bottled and conditioned in-house; ‘Tojo’ American Pale Ale, ‘Inchydoney Blond’ Belgian Wit and award-winning ‘Smuggler’ Irish Porter. The connection with the local area, community and high-quality West Cork food scene is very important for the brewery which sources as many ingredients as possible from the area. The brewery also produces a range of special brews and can personalise beers for weddings, corporate events etc. Their tasting room is available for use by private groups and parties over the winter. See clonakiltybrew.ie
Beara Distillery
Kinsale Mead Co was founded in August 2016 by husband and wife team Kate and Denis Dempsey to rediscover the ancient art of mead making. One year later, they sold their first bottle. They mix the raw honey and fruit with local water and then sit back to let nature and time turn it into their delicious mead. They have one member of staff who is not related to them and often call on family to help out in the meadery or at events around Ireland. Their tours at the meadery cover the history of mead, honey tasting, an overview of the process ending with a tutored tasting of meads. Kinsale Mead Co make meads that are light and refreshing, handcrafted in small batches using carefully sourced, natural ingredients. In March they won the Gold Medal for their traditional style Atlantic Dry Mead in the prestigious International Mazer Cup. Then at the Irish Free From Food Awards, both their Atlantic Dry Mead and their Wild Red Mead were awarded Gold in the Special Choice Award. The icing on the cake was at the recent Blas na hÉireann where they won a Gold award for their Wild Red Mead and a silver for their Atlantic Dry Mead. See kinsalemeadco.ie
West Cork Distillers
West Cork Distillers, Skibbereen, was founded in 2003 by lifelong friends, John O’Connell and cousins Denis and Ger McCarthy. Inspired by West Cork’s proud history in artisan food and beverage production the trio set about establishing a distillery to produce quality spirits and provide sustainable employment in the area. They say that the distillery’s southerly location in the Atlantic Archipelago provides a unique microclimate ideal for the maturation of Irish whiskey. WCD triple distils all its whiskey in Pot Stills and uses only Irish-grown grain and local spring water in the production of its whiskey. Garinish Island Gin is one of the latest releases from the distillery where Kinsale Gin is also made, along with a selection of uniquely finished single malts as well as their rums and other premium spirits. The team at West Cork Distillers has grown steadily since its inception to encompass the famous ‘can do’ West Cork spirit and with a new distillery and visitor centre on the horizon in Skibbereen it looks to the future with enthusiasm. See westcorkdistillers.com
Clonakilty Distillery
casual atmosphere, a quality menu featuring locally sourced produce for both daytime and evening dining. Founded by the Scully family, Clonakilty Distillery grows its own grain by the Galley Head lighthouse, and matures its whiskey on the family farm at its Atlantic Ocean warehouse. It is here that it specialises in finishing its mature whiskey in a range of premium selected casks. The company will employ over 30 people and is currently hiring in all areas.
After major renovations, Clonakilty Distillery and Visitor Centre is due to open on Saturday, December 8th. Bookings will shortly be taken for tours of the working distillery, to include product tastings, and a retail shop open to the general public. For gin lovers there will be separate Gin Tours and a Gin School where visitors can make their own gin using small, individual stills. The adjoining Whale’s Tail Bistro and café, will offer, in a
8
The Beara Distillery has just marked its first year in business having been founded by siblings John Power and Eileen Brennan in September 2017. John has a background in fisheries and wanted to create a spirit that reflects his love for the sea. They hand craft and hand bottle Beara Ocean Gin and Beara Pink Ocean Gin (which has cranberry and rosewater) at their distillery in Castletownbere. Their team of four create a unique spirit infused with Atlantic salt water, Ventry harbor Sugar Kelp seaweed and hand picked Beara peninsula fuchsia. Their gins are available in Ireland in selected SuperValus, O’Donovan’s off-licences, O’Brien’s off-licences and a number of online stores and also increasingly in export markets across Europe. They have received numerous awards including Gold in the Spirits Business Masters, Gold in the Chinese Wine & Spirits Awards, Silver in the International Wine and Spirits Awards. See bearadistillery.ie
The current product range includes Minke Irish Gin – with locally harvested rock samphire which gives a distinctive flavour with notes of citrus and aniseed. There’s also Clonakilty Port Cask and Single Batch Whiskey – these have been just launched on the market and are blended from hand selected casks of mature triple distilled whiskey and finished in port casks and virgin oak on the family farm by the Galley Head lighthouse. See clonakiltydistillery.ie
Cape Clear Island Distillery
West Cork Brewing Co
Blacks Brewery and Distillery
Cape Clear Island Distillery was the brainchild of entrepreneur Adrian Fitzgibbon, owner of nearby Horse Island who passed it, with his blessing, to members of the island community, who through Comharchumann Chléire Teo achieved full planning permission in 2016 and Cape Clear Island Distillery Ltd was set up. Since then they’ve acquired an outstanding dedicated water source, created and trademarked new whiskey and gin brands, opened a display cottage and gained EII status (tax relief for investors). The focus has now moved to actually building the distillery with a goal of gin production by next summer. Recently a premises has been leased and renovations have started. Local shareholders have already invested over €150,000 and another €250,000 is needed to complete Phases 1 & 2. With €100,000 of this already committed by them a drive will soon begin to attract more local investors who would like to see these phases achieved towards the goal of actual whiskey production at a later stage. Readers can also keep up to date with the progress by following the FB page Cape Clear Distillery Supporters Page or at capecleardistillery.com
Blacks Brewery was started in 2013 in Kinsale, with the addition of the distillery in 2015. They have the distinction of being Ireland’s first colocated Micro-Brewery and Distillery, and are the first Micro Brewery and Distillery on the Wild Atlantic Way. Owned and run by husband and wife team Sam and Maudeline Black, with a team of seven, they make a range of boutique spirits including poitin and moonshine as well as Blacks Irish Gin, which includes 13 carefully selected botanicals and heather flowers which they source around West Cork. This year’s heather flowers were picked in Rosscarbery and Dunmanway. They also make Blacks Spiced Irish Rum, the first and only rum ever made in Ireland which they ferment, distill and age in oak barrels in Kinsale. Whiskey production is the next step and the plan is to start in 2019. Products are available nationwide and they export to seven countries. The facility is also open for tours during the summer months each year. See blacksbrewery.com
9 White Deer
9 White Deer is a craft brewery based in the Gaeltacht area of Baile Bhuirne, and founded by former marine engineer, Gordon Lucey and publican, Don O’Leary in 2014. Today it employs eight people, and has brewing capabilities of 500,000 litres per year and a bottling capacity of 6,000 litres per day. Capable of multi-step mashing and decoction mashing, the brewery uses steam-fired wort boilers, producing high quality beers. The company now has five out of eight of its beers glutenfree, including the gluten-free ‘Stag’ stout which breaks new ground in brewing technology. The ingredients used are very traditional with local barley, malted barley and oats. See 9whitedeer.ie
West Cork Brewing Co (WCBC), Baltimore launched in December 2014 and is co-owned by Dominic Casey, Henry Thornhill and Kevin Waugh. At its core is a project based on friendship, as the three men have known each other for over 25 years. They wanted to combine their mutual love of craft beer with a business opportunity which would involve working and spending time together again. They started off brewing in the basement of Casey’s Hotel in Baltimore (run by Dominic) where they still operate from. Everything runs out of the basement – from brewing to bottling and filling kegs. They currently have two full-time employees but hope to add to this in the future. Their range includes four core beers: Sherkin Lass, Roaring Ruby, The Rapids Rye Ale and StoutxStoutwest. A strong aspect of their product apart from the beer is their brand – West Cork – and their bottles which are oval shaped and sourced from a small producer in Italy. They say people love them so much they return them for reuse instead of recycling. See westcorkbrewingco.ie
BAILE BHUIRNE • 9 White Deer Brewery
MACROOM
BANDON BANTRY DUNMANWAY
• Beara Distillery
CLONAKILTY SKIBBEREEN • West Cork Distillers
BALTIMORE • West Cork Brewing Co • Cape Clear Island Distillery
KINSALE • Kinsale Mead • Black’s Brewery & Distillery
CASTLETOWNBERE
SCHULL
CORK CITY
9
• Clonakilty Brewery • Clonakilty Distillery
Environmental conmargin cerns Strapline centre on
Branching out in Clonakilty A new ‘refill store’ in Clonakilty – the second of its kind in Ireland – is encouraging customers to reduce waste, with a particular emphasis on cutting out single-use plastics, writes Emma Connolly THE battle against plastics starts in your own kitchen. Stop thinking of it as a global issue and make it a home one. That’s the message from Olive Finn of Twig Refill Shop, which opened two months ago on Clonakilty’s Spillers Lane, and which is already causing people to rethink traditional shopping habits and face up to the issue of single-use plastic. ‘It can be a slow process,’ says Olive. ‘At the beginning we had some concerns how one small business could make a difference, but it has. What I’m most struck by is the difference it’s made to our own home, our kitchen, our bathroom. This is much more than just a business, it’s a movement.’ Olive has run The Olive Branch Health Food Emporium (located directly across the lane from Twig) with her partner Andy Beattie for the past 14 years, where they always offered a small refill service but they wanted to take it to a different level. So when the perfect space became available they opened Twig Refill, which is now run by their two sons Al and Corry. The concept is simple: you bring
‘... we all have to work together to address the issue of single-use plastic ... the key thing to keep in mind is to reuse what you have and reduce what you have’
Corry Beattie of Twig using the in-store water refill station.
reuseable female sanitary requirements which are locally-made. ‘It’s a straightforward system but people need to get a feel for how it all operates, and figure out how to work it for themselves,’ said Olive, who added: ‘It took me two to three weeks to get organised in my own kitchen before I did my first proper Twig shop, but the
your own clean container or purchase one in store and refill every time using the wall of food dispensers containing grains, pulses, cereals, nuts, seeds and dried fruits. On the counter is a water refill service, and there’s also organic and chemical-free skincare items including a range of dental hygiene products, all in glass containers, and
10
message is not to feel intimidated, we are here to help and show you how it works.’ She continued: ‘These days everyone has such busy lives that convenience shopping is the quick fix, but we now know we all have to work together to address the issue of single-use plastic. Shopping at Twig takes more thought and organisation on behalf of the customer, but the key thing to keep in mind is to reuse what you have and reduce what you have. ‘At Twig, you can buy only what you need, how much you fill is up to you. Recycling is no longer the answer, we encourage people to look around their homes to see what can be reused, e.g. plastic shampoo bottles, jam jars, cotton bags, wine bottles etc. ‘We are seeing lots and lots of young people coming in and asking us to get things they have researched themselves.’ Twig Refill also sells olives, Kombucha, West Cork slow-filtered batch coffee and locally-made fresh spelt sourdough bread delivered daily. Prices are comparative, in fact in lots of ways this way of buying is cheaper.
Twig also has a studio space overhead, which is used for pilates and taichi, while the recent Clonakilty Guitar Festival used it as a venue. This business, Olive hopes, will also help address much more than environmental issues. ‘It’s also about the beautiful town centre of Clonakilty and small family-run independent town centre shops which are what gives a town its personality. In this day and age our towns are being suffocated
by massive corporate chains.’ Olive was born and bred in Clonakilty in Mick Finn’s Pub and has a passion for the town that Clonakilty has become. ‘Twig is the first of its kind in Cork and the second in the country – the other being in Ennis Co Clare. We are hoping other towns will follow suit and we can all make positive change together. But remember, it starts in the home,’ she concluded.
Above: the exterior of Twig in Spillers Lane in Clonakilty. Right: Proprietor Olive Finn demonstrating how the ‘refill’ system works in the shop.
CHRISTMAS GIFTS WORLDWIDE SERVICE
Visit www.ummera.com to see our wide selection of gourmet foods and to order online
CAROLINE MURPHY, THE HAPPY HEN LOVER ROSSCARBERY, WEST CORK, COUNTY CORK EGG LOVERS DIAL 086 6017677 INFO@WESTCORKEGGS.IE
Ummera Smoked Products Ltd. Inchybridge, Timoleague, Co.Cork | info@ummera.com | 023 8846644 11
Find your local stockist at www.thebearadistillery.ie |Ph: 027-70861 | E: sales@thebearadistillery.ie
@BearaDistillery
Atlantic Salt Water Infused Gin At the WCC Roastery, Tony Speight specialises in roasting high quality, single origin coffee. West Cork Coffee supply multiple artisan & sustainable cafes and restaurants such as Good Day Deli, O’Neill’s Coffee House, TWIG, Food Depot and newly awarded Michelin Star, Ichigo Ichie.
Apple Cider Vinegar Herbucha Herbal Teas & Coffee
WCC have now launched a very popular coffee subscription service. You can receive a 6 or 12 month supply of specialty coffee, roasted & delivered to your door. Free postage in the ROI.
shop clinic training Come find me in Skibbereen & Dun Laoghaire farmers markets each week Look for my products in your local health food store
Wild fermentation in wooden barrels, using pure mountain water & natural ingredients in West Cork Ireland www.aprildanann.com 02848387 info@aprildanann.com
For more information visit www.westcorkcoffee.ie 12
Our Chicken is sourced from Shannon Vale in Clonakilty.
ADVERTORIAL
Innovative, Organic, Local Local great tasting food at Dunmore House Hotel
Clonakilty, West Cork
Combined with this are a range of beautiful herbs, salad leaves and edible flowers, which they use to prepare their dishes and are all grown on the premises at Dunmore House Hotel. Louise Deasy their gardener supplies the chefs from the polytunnels in their garden with seasonal produce and garnishes every morning and these are incorporated into their dishes of the day. ‘It’s just a few footsteps from the garden to the table’ said Louise. ‘We grow everything from seed here’ she continued ‘We use Brown Envelope Seeds from Skibbereen and local seaweed for fertiliser as well. Louise is an advocate of permaculture which utilises the patterns and systems of features observed in natural ecosystems and at Dunmore House Hotel you can be sure that your salads are chemical free.
Our Team, Your Food Innovative, Organic, Local
By: Aisling Meath unmore House Hotel encapsulates all that makes West Cork so special. Run by the O’Donovan family since 1948, now four generations on, the family continue to provide great hospitality and delicious food to locals and tourists alike at their stunning location situated on the shores of Clonakilty Bay. Their restaurant ‘Adrift’ offers fabulous views over the Atlantic Ocean, and the hotel is a wonderful relaxing venue in which to enjoy fine dining, lunch, is Irishtea.Hereford greatAll barour foodbeef or afternoon Theirwhich menu reflects theirfor commitment to using is aged 30 days. locally sourced and seasonal ingredients combined Chicken sourced from with Our the talents of theirisgreat chefs, Sean O’Sullivan, Richard Bradfield, Maureen Crowley, Shannon Vale in Clonakilty. Nurul Islam, Manuel Canapini, Charlotte Bradfield and Oliver O’Connor.
D
Clonakilty, West Cork
A sense of place by the sea
All their seafood and shellfish is sourced down the finest offrom rawSally materials the using road at Union Hall and Barnes Woodcock Smokery near Castletownshend. The fromofWest & CountyareCork. freshness these ingredients used to create their mouthwatering fish dishes, such as monkfish with handmade oyster mushroom tagliatelle or mussels with Gubeen chorizo. ‘All of our seafood is caught within Irish water, we never use imported fish’ said Kevin Aherne their consultant chef, who owns ‘Sage’ restaurant in Midleton. Kevin devised the menu along with Carol Barrett, owner of Dunmore House Hotel, and is passionate about using ‘micro-local’ ingredients. The menu at Dunmore House Hotel reflects this, perfectly showcasing the high quality of local produce, as well as minimising food miles. Their relationship between their chefs and the local suppliers ensures the traceability of the ingredients used. This not only promotes sustainability and food packed with high nutritional value, but guarantees absolute freshness and taste sensation as well. Bar Menu 12 to 9pm daily. Among the other local suppliers to the hotel are SundayDuck lunch 1 to 3pm.Gloun Cross Skeaghanore in Ballydehob, Dairy in Dunmanway, Declan Walsh Free Range Afternoon Tea 2 to 4.30pm. Eggs, Clonakilty, strawberries from Bushby’s in Rosscarbery, and meat from the craft butchers in Clonakilty, as well as seasonal vegetables from Radical Roots farm in Leap.
Peter Barrett is the fourth generation of the family and varied barvision toAn runinteresting the hotel and he shares the same asmenu his parents Carol and Richard to continue offering crisp salads, providing the freshest ingredients from source to fresh sandwiches, seafood, table for all their customerslocal whether it’s a snack at the bar or fine dining. the most tender steaks, ‘We are delighted to have such great food available all within a short distance of the hotel and many more choices. and we are totally committed to continue providing the best by using the freshest ingredients and consulting with the great local food producers which ensure that all our customers enjoy organic and bio-dynamic food here at Dunmore House Hotel ’ he said Dunmore House also has an extensive wine list that is carefully put together by co-owner Richard Barrett. ‘We work closely with our wine suppliers Le Caveau and Christy’s to provide customers with the best varied and interesting choice from many different wine regions’.
Clonakilty, West Cork. tel 023 883 3352 www.dhh.ie
13
cd
Clonakilty, W
Embracing Strapline centrechange on margin
The vegan revolution Veganism has gone mainstream in Ireland, and in West Cork there are plenty of choices available for those who have embraced this lifestyle – including many local restaurants, hotels and cafés which are offering vegan menu options, writes Aisling Meath WITH no official figures released in Ireland yet, the UK’s Vegan Society has declared the number of vegans there has tripled in the last decade. This trend seems to be increasing worldwide due to growing concerns about the environment, general health and animal rights, which are the main reasons why more people are choosing to stop consuming not just meat, but dairy-based foods as well. It is not so difficult or indeed marginal to be a vegan these days and many local supermarkets across the region stock vegan products and alternative dairy products, e.g. almond soy or oat milk. The health food shops across West Cork are a fantastic resource to explore alternatives. Staff offer great nutritional advice, not just to people who are giving up dairy due to lactose intolerance, but also to many vegetarians who are making the transition towards being fully vegan. Being a vegan means that you don’t consume any product which has been derived from animals or fish, and this includes eggs and all dairy products such as milk and cheese, with many vegans even avoiding honey. A large number of vegans won’t wear leather with some who won’t even use feather pillows or down duvets. Many well-known established
Donald Watson, founder of the Vegan Society in the UK, coined the term ‘vegan’ in 1944.
‘Animal rights are still amongst the main concerns for people who choose to be vegan but there are also many people who have food intolerances, and find that avoiding dairy and eating a more plant-based diet helps their condition’ brands are responding to this growing demand and providing alternatives. For example, the Doc Marten footwear company now makes vegan boots, and even Guinness have phased out the practice of using isinglass (dried fish bladders) to filter out yeast so if you enjoy the ‘black stuff ’- all bottles, cans and draughts are now completely vegan.
Donald Watson, who founded the Vegan Society with his wife Dorothy, coined the word vegan in 1944. An animal rights activist from South Yorkshire, Watson became a vegetarian at 14 after he had witnessed his uncle slaughtering a pig on the family farm. He recalls his view of farm life changing from then on and some 18 years later he gave up all dairy products as
14
well, citing his motivation as ethical concern for sentient animals. Animal rights are still one of the main concerns for people who choose to be vegan but there are also many people who have food intolerances, and find that avoiding dairy and eating a more plant-based diet helps their condition. ‘I’d say about 50% of my friends are vegan,’ said Emma Fleury from Schull who is 26 and owns ‘The Little Chickpea Company’ – a regular fixture at the Skibbereen Farmers’ Market. ‘Some are vegan for emotional reasons to do with animal welfare while others follow a flexitarian diet.’ she explained. The flexitarian diet – semi-vegetarian or eating meat in moderation – is a solution based on recent findings that in order to keep climate change under two degrees Celsius, a shift towards this type of diet is necessary. This would mean that the average world citizen would need to eat 75% less beef, 90% less pork and half the number of eggs, while tripling their consumption of beans and pulses and quadrupling their consumption of nuts and seeds. All of these endeavors would halve emissions from livestock researchers have said. Food choices are very personal and behaviour can be difficult to change, but Emma has found that her vegan
foods – both savoury and sweet – have proven to be very popular. She makes delicious and healthy food from scratch using chickpea flour in many of her recipes, and her range includes chickpea burgers and tasty chocolate brownies. ‘Chickpeas are packed full of protein, fibre and minerals, with one cup of chickpeas providing 50% of your daily fibre and 30% of your daily protein,’ she said. Niamh O’Reilly from Clonakilty and her partner Mark Stewart run the ‘Hungry Crow’ – a regular feature at the markets in West Cork, selling their delicious vegan chocolate treats, which are also available in local health food shops. They were awarded Best Emerging Artisan Food Product for their ‘Coconut Caramel’ at the Listowel Food festival in 2016, and since then are busy producing their range of vegan chocolates such as ‘After 9s’ – made using probiotics, cashews and peppermint oil – from their specialised commercial kitchen located close to the birthplace of Michael Collins at Woodfield. Skibbereen will soon get its very own fully vegan bistro. Nicola Smyth who runs the Time Traveller’s Bookshop with her husband Holger, discovered her love of vegan food through her
daughters Shawn and Madlyn many years ago. This ‘foodie’ family will open a new bistro in December, providing vegan food, tea specialties and rare books – a wonderful addition to the town and especially for those pursuing a vegan or lactose-free diet. ‘When I switched to a vegan diet myself a few years ago my energy levels really increased’ said Nicola. ‘I love the feeling of eating “clean” food.’ she said.
Nicola Smyth (centre) pictured with her daughters Madlyn and Shawn, believes that her energy levels have improved considerably since she changed to a vegan diet a number of years ago. Right: Vegan burger with buckwheat, tomato, onion, vegan mayonnaise and spinach on a fresh bun with flax seeds and sesame.
Christmas
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
PARTY NIGHT
syadnuS desolC syadnoM yadiloH knaB &
DECEMBER 14TH €39pp Drinks Reception on arrival 3 Course meal followed by DJ Trevor Fitz
Fine Food Home Cooked Locally Produced
“homecooked locally produced food” 46 Bridge Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork | 028-22019
”doof decudorp yllacol dekoocemoh“ 91022-820 | kroC .oC ,neerebbikS ,teertS egdirB 64
Festive Dining FESTIVE LUNCH MENUS €29pp
Serving Breakfast Lunch & Dinner
WEST CORK
Christmas Experience
Open
Skibbereen, Co.Cork Tel: 028 21277 info@westcorkhotel.com www.westcorkhotel.com
Tue, Wed & Thur 9:30am - 5pm Fri & Sat 9:30am - 9pm Closed Sunday & Monday
46 Bridge Street, Skibbereen, Co. Cork | 028 22019 15
FESTIVE DINNER MENUS €35pp Bookings of 10 people or more, pre booking essential
Gift Vouchers Available
Special Events, Private Dining & Family Occasions
4 COURSE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION DINNER
The Trident Hotel is the ideal backdrop for your special occasion....
only €30 per person (Includes Christmas Favours)
3 COURSE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION LUNCH
€20
only per person
Christmas Parties
Stayover from only €30pps Room Only Food Options from only €9.50 per person
For further information or to discuss celebrating an occasion with us, please contact by telephone 021 4779 300 or by email at cb@tridenthotel.com The Maritime Hotel, The Quay, Bantry, Co. Cork 027 54700 | info@themaritime.ie | www.themaritime.ie
www.tridenthotel.com
O’Donovan’s Centra, Enniskeane | Tel 023 88 47303
TridentHotelKinsaleCork
@TridentHotel
Deasy’s Harbour Bar & Seafood Restaurant
Award Winning Store And Off Licence
Ring Village, Clonakilty Tel: 023 8835741
Check out our Facebook page for offers
OPENING HOURS
Dinner Served Wed - Sat 6.00-9.30 Early Bird 6.00-6.45 Sunday Lunch 1.00-3.00 Light Lunches served Wed-Sat 12.30-3.00
Winter Opening Hours:
OPENINGtoHOURS Wednesday Saturday night 6pm - 9.30pm
Dinner Served Wed - Sat 6.00-9.30 Early Bird 6pm - 6.45pm Early Bird 6.00-6.45 Sunday Lunch 1.00-3.00 Light Lunch served on Saturday 12.30pm Light Lunches served Wed-Sat 12.30-3.00
- 3pm
Sunday Lunch 1pm - 3pm Complimentary bus available from Clonakilty hourly 16
Cover Story
Our Michelin men! Since the beginning of October, Cork is proud home to three new Michelin Star restaurants, two of which are right here in West Cork – Mews in Baltimore and Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob. The third went to Ichigo Ichie in Cork city. We meet the three star chefs, and identify a common thread in their success – quality local ingredients
Ahmet Dede of Mews Restaurant, Baltimore; Rob Krawczyk of Restaurant Chestnut, Ballydehob and Takashi Miyazaki of Ichigo Ichie, Cork. (Photos: Anne Minihane, Andy Gibson and Provision)
Not the first time West Cork has made the grade By BRIAN MOORE THERE are two new culinary stars in the West Cork sky these days but the region’s history of fine dining and the restaurant industry’s highest accolade – the Michelin Star – goes back long before the Chestnut in Ballydehob or the Mews in Baltimore. In fact, West Cork food was recognised by the travelling inspectors just a year after the first of the modern-day Michelin guides appeared on the bookshelves around the world. When the first modern Michelin Guide to Ireland and the British Isles
was published back in 1974, Cork and indeed Ireland were not mentioned at all. But, by 1975, Ireland had three Michelin Stars and all of them were in Cork. One was awarded in the city, to Arbutus Lodge, one in East Cork at the famous Ballymaloe House, and one in West Cork at Ballylickey House just outside Bantry. The following year, West Cork’s star was gone and didn’t shine again for 21 years – 1996 to be precise – when a small, 18-seat Japanese restaurant in Ahakista called Shiro brought the Michelin inspectors back with a bang and the foodies rushing for reserva-
tions on the Sheep’s Head peninsula. But then after 2001, when Shiro closed, there was no sign of a Michelin-starred restaurant in West Cork or indeed anywhere in the county. It was not until this year that Cork bounced back with not one, but three stars and two of these went West to Ballydehob and Baltimore. But the question remains, why did it take so long for West Cork to regain its rightful place in the Michelin Guide? Well, as one local chef put it: ‘We’ve always known we had the best produce, the talented chefs and delicious food. Maybe Michelin just forgot?’
17
WHAT THE STARS MEAN:
A very good restaurant in its category
Excellent cooking, worth a detour
Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey
Mews Restaurant
Chef Ahmet Dede with proprietors Robert Collender and James Ellis of Mews Restaurant.
A special connection Chef Ahmet Dede talks to Brian Moore about the part West Cork producers and produce play in Baltimore’s Mews restaurant Michelin Star status ‘WEST Cork has one of the best larders a chef could possibly want,’ newly crowned Michelin Star chef, Ahmet Dede of the Mews in Baltimore, said as he paused in his kitchen to tell West Fork, just what he discovered when he first arrived at the seaside village. ‘I didn’t know where Baltimore was but something told me I could be happy and create something very special here,’ Ahmed continued. ‘I am very lucky to have such a fantastic team here in the restaurant but it is the availability, all within a few miles of us here, of some of the best produce and producers anywhere that makes the difference.’ Ahmed, who is originally from Turkey, decided to become a chef back in 2009 when he first came to Ireland. ‘When I arrived, I didn’t know what I was going to do,’ Ahmed said. ‘I got a job in a pizzeria and after six months I decided that I wanted to be a chef, so I went to the Dublin Institute of Technology at Cathal Brugha Street, part-time.’ After just a month Ahmed decided that he wanted to know more about fine dining and so after a
Google search, and the help of another Michelin-starred chef and Cork man, Ross Lewis at Chapter One in Dublin, Ahmed set out on his own journey towards the Mews, Baltimore and his own Michelin Star. ‘I just called to Chapter One and asked Ross if I could work for him, for
produce and the people supporting us and I told the Michelin guy, when he was here, that this is our only philosophy here.’ ‘I gave him an example,’ Ahmed continued. ‘This asparagus for example, comes from Cape Clear. I call the farmer at eight in the morning, she
‘... there is so much produce, especially from April to September, that you would need 10 restaurants to do justice to all that West Cork has to offer’ free, one day a week,’ Ahmed said. ‘He agreed and after a few months of this, he offered me a job.’ And so began a winding path that took Ahmed to working with Michelin-starred chefs from Dublin to Amsterdam to Oslo and finally to West Cork. ‘When I first arrived here, I felt confident that we could achieve a Michelin Star,’ Ahmed said. ‘I decided that we would never cook with anything outside our region – it’s just not going to happen. We have a very good team here and we are blessed with the
picks the asparagus, puts it on a ferry, I go to the harbor (a short walk from the restaurant) to collect it and it is cooked and served that evening in the restaurant. A lot of restaurants would never have access to, or a connection with, such great produce, or the people that work so hard and with such passion to produce such delicious raw materials – be it strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, salads, or of course the fish and the meat.’ It is this special connection with the producers, the farmers, fishermen and
18
indeed the foragers, who arrive at the kitchen door with seaweeds, mushrooms, wild berries and herbs or what ever is good and in season, that allows Ahmed and his team at the Mews to work with the confidence of knowing that they are serving their customers only the best. ‘There is so much here, there is so much produce, especially from April to September, that you would need 10 restaurants to do justice to all that West Cork has to offer,’ Ahmed said. ‘It has been a dream come through for me, the Michelin Star. And it’s not just about me, it’s about the incredible team here at the Mews, it’s about producers, the farmers, the fishermen, the cheesemakers and the fantastic people of West Cork. I truly believe that there is no limit to what we can achieve here and I am looking forward to the future. When I think about it, and how far we can go with this, I believe we can go further. I am chasing two stars and then three stars. I know it can happen and I am not ashamed to say that I will get there. I have a good team and great produce, the future is very bright. West Cork is very special.’
Restaurant Chestnut
Elaine Fleming and chef Rob Krawczyk of Restaurant Chestnut.
Key ingredients Chef Rob Krawczyk of Michelin Star Restaurant Chestnut explains to Brian Moore why great local food make his job so much easier ‘FOR a chef, in West Cork, there are very few ingredients you can’t get,’ Rob Krawczyk said sitting at one of the tables at his now Michelin-starred Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob. Rob and his partner Elaine Fleming took on the challenge of taking a rundown village pub and creating a restaurant serving incredible, locally sourced, delicious food, just six months ago. That’s six months from an old and tired, but full of character, rural pub to a small, 18 seats, but perfectly formed restaurant with a Michelin Star. ‘It’s been a bit of a whirlwind really,’ Rob said. ‘One minute, the Michelin inspectors are here, then we hear nothing until we get an email inviting us to the award ceremony in London, it was incredible and we’re still getting used to it.’ Rob, who grew up just a few miles away near Dereenatra, on the road to Schull, began his cooking career after he finished art college, with fellow Irish chef Richard Corrigan at his restaurant , Bentley’s in London. After that he headed to Berkeley, California to work with the champion of local
sustainable food production, Alice Waters at her restaurant Chez Panisse. ‘At Chez Panisse I learned how important it is to have really good produce and to do as little as possible to it,’ Rob said. ‘The only piece of technology Alice had in the kitchen was a blender. Everything was cooked over wood and you learned to really appreciate good produce. But you need to be able to cook without the modern tech, which has its place, but it all comes down to the quality of the ingredients.’ Rob likes to blend the new techniques with the old and has learned a lot about fermenting and curing meat from his father Frank. ‘When we were considering setting up in West Cork, I knew that we wouldn’t be short of fantastic produce to work with,’ Rob said. We get our veg from Glensallagh, all our fish is landed at Union Hall and we get our meat from Walsh’s in Skibbereen. Their lamb is just amazing. We forage for mushrooms and other wild ingredients and we work closely with our producers who will, for example, grow any vegetables or herbs we might want. It’s
the passion and the drive that the producers in West Cork have that make the food they produce so good.’ ‘With the incredible local produce we have available here in West Cork, it makes our job easier to get something really good when you don’t have to do too much to it,’ Rob continued. If you get bad produce you have to work so hard to make it taste ok, and it will only ever be that. But half our work is done for us which means we can focus on showcasing it.’ ‘We’re a small team, two in the kitchen, two out front and we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Elaine – she’s the driving force behind it all. The work Elaine puts into the restaurant is amazing and I couldn’t do it without her.’ With the Michelin Star, now firmly at home in Ballydehob, when the celebrations are still going on, Rob is already looking forward to exploring even more of what the farmers, fishermen, cheesemakers, growers and foragers have to offer as he plans his new menus. ‘We’ll be opening three days a week beginning next month, Rob said. And
19
the restaurant will close for January and February next year so that we can take some time off and prepare new menus for 2019. This year has certainly been one to remember.’
Ahmet Dede of Mews Restaurant in Baltimore, Takashi Miyazaki of Ichigo Ichie in Cork and Rob Krawczyk of Restaurant Chestnut in Ballydehob at the Michelin Star awards ceremony in London earlier this month.
Ichigo Ichie ‘The people who live in West Cork are very, very lucky’ Takashi Miyazaki uses the finest local produce to bring Michelin Star Japanese cuisine to Cork city By Brian Moore OF course you knew that there was a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant in West Cork, long before chef Takashi Miyazaki ever dreamed of his own Star at Ichigo Ichie in Cork city, right? When Takashi, or ‘Mia Boi’, as he is affectionately known in his adopted city, first arrived in Ireland he heard of this little Japanese restaurant – Shiro – located in what was formerly a bishop’s house, in Ahakista on the Sheep’s Head peninsula. This little restaurant had wowed the Michelin inspectors back in 1996 and its fame spread far and wide until it closed in 2001 with the untimely death of Kei Pilz, the immensely talented chef and owner. ‘I came to West Cork first to see where Shiro was,’ Takashi told West Fork. ‘And I immediately discovered the incredible range of ingredients and the producers that live there. There is a passion that I didn’t see anywhere else and I knew then that I would never be without the best produce when I opened my restaurant Ichigo Ichie.’ Takashi, a former truck driver in Japan, first opened his small Japanese takeaway, Miyazaki, on Evergreen Street in the city – using great his ingredients including West Cork fish, seaweed, strawberries and much more. ‘It is very important to me that everything is local,’ Takashi said. I’ve been seaweed foraging with John and Sally
Chef Takashi Miyazaki of Ichigo Ichie in Cork.
‘I also love my West Cork knives from Fingal Ferguson of Gubbeen,’ Takashi said. ‘Fingal is very talented and the knives are so special – handmade and perfect. The people who live in West Cork are very, very lucky.’
McKenna and I feel in love with all that Gubbeen produce, and of course the Sea Urchins from Bantry Bay.’ Takashi is not only passionate about the abundant fresh West Cork ingredients that he has such easy access to.
Bastion and Dillon’s enjoy Bib Gourmand status By Brian Moore WHILE West Cork has two new Michelin-starred restaurants, there are two other restaurants in the area that have been awarded prestigious Bib Gourmands by the guide. The Bib Gourmand award is presented for restaurants that offer exceptional food at affordable prices of €40 or less for a three-course meal. Paul and Helen McDonald and their team at Bastion in Kinsale first received their Bib back in 2015, just nine weeks after they served their first plate of food. ‘Well, we are very lucky to have the very best fish you can get just off the West Cork coast,’ Paul said. ‘We believe in using the best local ingredients we can find and we’re de-lighted to have retained our Bib Gourmand once more.’ And then just a little down the coast on the Wild Atlantic Way, not far from Paul and Bastion in Kinsale, Dillon’s
restaurant in Timoleague has just been awarded its first Bib Gourmand. Chef Richard Milnes, and his partner Valeria Ventura are delighted that all their hard work, dedication and passion has been recognised. ‘It makes such a difference to work with producers that care about what they do,’ Richard said. ‘Here in West Cork we are lucky that we have producers that are proud of their food and what they do. West Cork is a fantastic place to be a chef.’ Paul McDonald of Bastion in Kinsale and right, Richard Milnes of Dillon’s in Timoleague.
20
Star Recipes Wow your family and friends by preparing these world-class recipes, given to West Fork specially by our local Michelin-grade chefs ... bon appétit! Beef & Cashew Cannelloni
Roast Breast and Confit Leg of Mallard Duck with Horseradish, Spiced Beetroot, Duck Fat, Potato Cake and Morel Mushroom Sauce
Recipe from Paul McDonald of Bastion in Kinsale
Recipe from Richard Milnes of Dillon’s Restaurant, Timoleague INGREDIENTS • Mallard duck • Salt mix • Thyme • Bay • Rosemary • Garlic • Butter • Hay • Maris Piper / floury potato variety
Morel mushroom sauce • Morel mushrooms (25g of dried morels) • Sprig of thyme • Clove of garlic • Mix of finely chopped celery, carrot, onion, leek greens • 1 tbsp of red wine vinegar • 1/2 bottle of heavy red wine
METHOD Buy an oven-ready mallard duck from your supplier (ensure there are as few shots on the body as possible by checking for little red dots on the skin or a discolouration of the flesh). Remove the legs and back of the bird, leaving the crown whole and marinate the legs with salt mix in the fridge for 4-24 hours (using more or less salt depending on whether these are left marinating for a longer or shorter period, respectively). When the legs are marinated, thoroughly rinse off the salt with cold water and dry with a tea towel. Brown the legs in a pan with duck fat and cook in a small pot filled with duck fat, thyme, bay, rosemary and garlic at 90°C until the legs are tender and the thigh bones release from the legs easily. When ready remove the thigh bone and allow to cool in the fat. For the sauce soak 25g of dried morels in 200ml boiled water, soak for 20 mins, strain and keep separately. In a large bottomed pan, brown a mix of finely chopped celery, carrot, onion and leek greens. When well coloured add garlic, thyme, bay leaf and add one tbsp of red wine vinegar. Allow to reduce until gone. Add half bottle of heavy red wine and reduce until syrupy. Add the liquid from the mushrooms and reduce. Add half litre of good quality duck or chicken stock and reduce, skimming regularly until the sauce starts to thicken. Pass through a fine sieve and add the chopped morel mushrooms. The sauce is ready to finish at this stage and can be cooled.
Spiced beetroot • Baby purple beetroots • Thyme • Garlic • Juniper • Star Anise • Honey • Crème fraîche • Fresh grated horseradish • Balsamic vinegar, salt & pepper
For the potatoes use a Maris Piper or floury potato variety, peel and cut into equal-sized pieces. Steam until soft and toss gently in duck fat and set aside to cool. Heat a quarter inch of duck fat into an oven tray, and add the potatoes to roast in the oven, turning occasionally until golden brown. For the spiced beetroot slowly boil baby purple beetroots with thyme, garlic, juniper, star anise and honey to taste. When cooked allow to cool and pull off the skin leaving the beetroot intact. Mix crème fraîche with fresh grated horseradish, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and coat the beetroot in this mix. To finish the dish pre-heat the oven to 140°C, brown the crown all over and baste well with butter, garlic and thyme, ensuring to baste the underneath of the breast too. Place the crown in a casserole dish filled with whole dried herbs and hay. Torch the herbs and hay with a flame and when it catches on fire, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 8-12 minutes, remove from the oven and allow to rest. Warm the confit legs slowly in the duck fat and when hot, torch the skin with a blowtorch to crisp it up. Warm the mushroom sauce, adding a drop of cream to soften its flavour, warm the beetroot in the crème fraîche mixture. Carve the breasts off the bone, remove the skin and slice lengthways into 5-6 pieces. Serve pink.
Potato boxty with brown crab and dill Recipe from Ahmet Dede of Mews Restaurant, Baltimore INGREDIENTS
100 gm baked potato 5 gm whole meal flour 5 gm white flour 5 gm melted butter 2 gm salt METHOD
Mix all by hand and make 15 grams balls than press between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper until flat. 1 brown crab
Cook the crab for three minutes in salted water and when cool crack the shells and pick the meat into a clean bowl making sure there are no shell pieces in the meat. With a little olive oil, cook the potato cakes on a nonstick pan
INGREDIENTS • 25g garlic peeled and chopped • 125g onion peeled & chopped • 45g veg/ rapeseed oil • 1 kg minced beef • 325g tomato paste • 50g cashew nuts, lightly chopped • 8g rosemary picked and chopped • 30g sea salt ( less if using fine salt). Season to taste. • 1.2kg good tomato sauce • 1 box cannelloni tubes. • 150g grated Parmesan • 150g cream • Jar of pesto METHOD Sweat off the onions and garlic in the oil on a medium heat until translucent. Add mince and cook over a high heat until browned and the liquid that comes from the mince has evaporated. Now add the tomato paste, cashew nuts and rosemary, cook this out for five minutes. Now add the salt, mix well and adjust seasoning as you see fit. Transfer to a good sized tray to cool a little. Once cooled to a temperature you can handle fill the cannelloni tubes by hand, this is best done wearing gloves. Pour 400g of tomato sauce into a tray measuring 30cm x 20cm. Lay the filler cannelloni tubes onto this, fitting them in as snug as possible, now cover with another layer of tomato sauce – around
400g. Ensure all pasta is covered in tomato sauce. Cover with a sheet of greaseproof paper and then wrap tightly in tin foil. Place in the oven at 170C for 45 minutes. Once cooked remove from the oven, allow to cool a little. At this stage you can store until needed, now the cannelloni should be a little dryer looking, so add another layer of tomato sauce (400g. The 150g of cream can be poured over in a semi even fashion as can the grated Parmesan. Place back in the oven with no tinfoil or parchment at 180C and cook for another 15 minutes or until the top is bubbling and golden. Serve onto hot plates and top with a little basil pesto.
Smoked Salmon Tartare Recipe from Rob Krawczyk of Restaurant Chestnut INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 people) 200g of smoked salmon One bulb of wet garlic 10g of dried seaweed 50g of capers Two eggs Half litre of olive oil 1tbsp of Dijon mustard Nasturtium to finish Sour dough white bread 50mls of white wine vinegar METHOD Chop your salmon into 3-4mm squares. Place in a small bowl. With a mandolin, shave thin slices of garlic and place in white wine vinegar. Set aside in a separate bowl. Finely chop seaweed and capers and set aside in a separate bowl. Make the mayonnaise by whisking the yolks and mustard together and slowly emulsify the olive oil until you have reached your desired consistency. Place in a piping bag and set aside.
over a low heat turning once when each side is nicely golden brown. Put the picked and seasoned crab on top of each potato cake cover with picked dill.
(Images for illustration purposes only)
21
Cut a slice of bread and chargrill it. While the bread is toasting, get the smoked salmon and mix the capers and the seaweed. Season with some salt and pepper and add olive oil. Place on a plate. Take the pickled garlic and place on top of the salmon. Place a few dots of mayonnaise on the tartare. Finish with nasturtiums and the chargrilled bread.
Taste centre sensation s Strapline on margin
Top American imports! A number of USA-based chefs were amongst those visiting from abroad for the recent A Taste Of West Cork food festival, and they proved hugely popular with diners when they guested in local restaurants. Aisling Meath spoke to some of those involved IN September the ‘A Taste of West Cork’ food festival held over 250 events in 42 towns, villages and islands over a 10-day period and drew visitors from all over Ireland as well as many from abroad. West Cork’s reputation as the gourmet capital of Ireland is steadily growing thanks to the work of festival chairperson Helen Collins, manager Fiona Field and their team, who are successfully building the region’s reputation for excellence in all things gastronomic and putting it on a global stage. This year, facilitated by their partnership with Cork Airport and Norwegian Airlines, the festival extended invitations to restaurateurs and top chefs from Ireland and abroad to come and experience the fantastic ingredients and cook with the innovative chefs in the region. The 2018 festival turned its focus to the USA, tying in with the theme of the ‘Coming Home’ art exhibition in Skibbereen, and the fact that Scituate, Massachusetts is now twinned with West Cork. Many renowned chefs hung up their aprons in their kitchens in Quincy, Providence Rhode Island and Scituate MA, and put fresh ones on again in West Cork – including USA Masterchef 2016 winner Shaun O’Neill. ‘We here at the Bia @ The Bantry Bay were delighted to host guest chef Brian Houlihan,’ said Deirdre Byrne, general manager of the hotel. Brian, originally from Ballincollig, is a long-time restaurateur in Massachusetts where he owns the Trident Gallery and Raw Bar, The Tinker’s Son and Bia Bistro, and he co-owns the Galley Kitchen and Bar on Scituate Harbour. ‘People here were really excited to taste his food,’ said Deirdre. ‘His emphasis was on making the best use of the abundant local produce. He was amazed at the variety that we have to choose from.’ Duck is a staple in Brian’s ‘Bia’ restaurant in the USA and he was delighted to have access to the renowned Skeaghanore Duck, having visited the Hickey farm near Ballydehob. ‘Meeting the local producers was a large part of what helped Brian get a true understanding of what we have
USA-based chef Brian Houlihan, who is originally from Ballincollig, guested in Bia @ Bantry Bay Hotel and the Riverside Café in Skibbereen during the A Taste of West Cork food festival in September. to offer here in West Cork,’ continued Deirdre. He had his fishmonger friend Joey along for the trip, and they sourced ingredients from the local fish market – buying a whole monkfish, baby shrimp and lobster – to incorporate into their dishes. He then took a trip around the farmers’ market to select local baby pink potatoes, leeks, beetroot and fresh baby carrots. Choosing seasonal vegetables is a strong ethos for us at ‘Bia’ and this was equally important to Brian. Later on he strolled around the townland where he picked blackberries and even some beautiful fuchsia flowers for decoration – the symbol of
a Taste of West Cork.’ Deirdre said. Working together with the Head chef Gilles Eynaud and the kitchen team at Bia, Brian served up a superb menu for the lucky guests in attendance. ‘It was great to have chef Brian and Joey in the kitchen with us. The whole team enjoyed working with him and learning from each other. His presentation and plating skills were great and the finishing touches were so special,’ said head chef Gilles. ‘It was a pleasure to cook at Bia in Bantry, as I hadn’t cooked in Ireland for over 25 years,’ Brian told West Fork. ‘I really enjoyed visiting the farms and
22
markets. Almost all the ingredients were sourced within a 20km radius of Bantry. I love the way the food producers in West Cork all work together with great respect for each other, with no one trying to stand on anybody else’s toes. ‘I also really enjoyed cooking at The Riverside café in Skibbereen,’ he said. ‘It was great,’ said Cliodhna McCarthy who runs the Riverside with her sister-in-law Sandrine McCarthy. ‘Brian’s cooking fitted in very well with our style and our customers really enjoyed it.’ Julie and David Wine run Hayes Bar and Kitchen in Glandore, which was
recently nominated for Best Chef and Food Experience by The Irish Pubs Global Federation. They hosted awardwinning chef Anthony Tarro – jointowner of the Siena Restaurant Group in Providence, Rhode Island. ‘The whole evening was a resounding success,’ said chef David. ‘We had risotto with shrimp, which was to die for. Anthony’s menu represented his Siena restaurants in Rhode Island, presenting the soulful taste of Tuscany. ‘He really is one of the nicest chefs I have ever met,’ he continued. ‘Truly humble and passionate and he commanded the whole night, actually teaching us his skills. We were honoured that The Taste of West Cork festival chose Hayes’ Bar and Kitchen as one of the places that those incredible chefs took over for the night.’ ‘It was fantastic,’ recalls Fergus O’Mahony of Mary Ann’s in Castletownshend, who hosted guest chef Tom Anacone of Craig’s café in Maine. ‘Tom is a lovely fellow and we had a full house and a great atmosphere’.
Award-winning chef Matt Varga from Gracie’s Resturant in Providence, Rhode Island cooked at Glebe Gardens and he loved every moment of it. ‘Glebe Gardens was very much up my alley,’ he said. ‘Their style of cooking, like ours, is globally inspired and locally acquired. I loved picking the seasonal vegetables and edible flowers straight from their wonderful garden, incorporating their homemade fig jam into our recipes, and using the amazing local produce. I also tasted some great cheeses in Fields SuperValu. Everyone was so welcoming and I’m so delighted that the Norwegian Airlines direct flights to Cork make it easy to just hop on a plane to enjoy a break and sample the great local cuisine which you guys have over there. I’m definitely going back!’ he said. The Taste of West Cork organisers are already working on next year’s festival and have confirmed that they will be extending their invitation to the UK’s chefs to come and share the Taste of West Cork.
Clockwise from top left: Brian Houlihan preparing locally sourced Skeaghnore Duck in Bia; Tom Anacone guested in Mary Ann’s in Castletownshend; Anthony Tarro was in Hayes’ Bar and Kitchen, Glandore and Matt Varga cooked in Glebe Gardens in Baltimore.
23
THE CHUNKY THE CHUNKY CHIP CHIP
GOOD FRESH FOOD
s a m t is r h C o t e m Welco Christmas
Set Menu
ONLY
€34
.95
PER PERSON FOR A 4 COURSE DINNER!
includes glass of mulled wine to start!
OPEN
Mon - Sun: 12-12 Sat: 12pm-3am
Live Music Each Night!
Western Road, Clonakilty, Co.Cork
Christmas Party Night Dates
The Leap Inn
7.30pm Mulled Wine Reception 8.00pm Seated ONLY .95
Christmas €28 enu
includes glass of mulled winEclipse e to start! 7th & Sat 8th Dec • Music with Colour et M SFriday
Tel: 028 33668 Email: theleapinn1832@gmail.com
PER PERSON FOR A 4 COURSE DINNER!
Join us during the Scarecrow Festival, Sunday 28th October. Halloween Children’s menus available.
Friday 14th • Music with Colour Eclipse
Enjoy music in our livelyCookebar afterwards! Saturday 15th • Music with Kieran Friday 21st • Music withFriday Brian9thHennessy December
7.30pm art•yMusic with Saturday 10thO’Donovan December 22nd Noel stmas P ChriSaturday Friday 16th December s te a CHRISTMAS ENTERTAINMENT 8.00pm D Night Saturday 17th December Sunday 23rd Dec Alchemy
Midday Specials; Served daily from 12.30 onwards Traditional Sunday Lunch À La Carte Menu available 7 nights a week
Mulled Wine Reception
Seated
€35
Monday 24th Dec Brian Hennessy Raffle & Spot Prizes
Accommodation Offer ight Night Party NParty €35 Accommodation Offer
per person Sharing
per person Sharing ds ar C Gift AvailableGift Cards Available
Specialising in Succulent Steaks & Local Seafood Christmas Party Menus available; taking bookings now for parties over the festive season. Accommodation with all rooms en-suite
WE CATER FOR SMALL, MEDIUM AND BIG PARTIES 028 22802 | INFO@THEELDONHOTEL.COM | FACEBOOK: THE ELDON HOTEL SKIBBEREEN 24
ADVERTORIAL
Dillon’s restaurant offers new catering service Richard Milnes has long been recognised as a chef that leads with heart and executes with finesse – and with that, Dillon’s Restaurant in Timoleague has become known as a place of nourishing and award-winning food. The restaurant’s latest accolade – the internationally renowned Michelin Bib Gourmand – has finally brought patiently awaited and well-deserved attention to this little labour of love in West Cork. The recently installed polytunnel and garden, complements Richard’s classically trained hand beautifully, allowing him to use homegrown ingredients alongside other fantastic West Cork produce in his inspired dishes – using Ireland’s larder to its full potential. ‘My memory drives my inspiration and I love bringing back dishes from my childhood,’ explains Richard. For small restaurants like Dillon’s, community is everything and Richard and his partner Valeria Ventura are always looking for ways to give back. With this in mind, they are looking forward to hosting their annual Dine in the Dark event for the third year on Sunday, November 18th in aid of the National Council for the Blind. Not resting on their laurels, Richard and Valeria have recently expanded
their offering and have launched a film-themed food trailer service called ‘That’s A Wrap’ in a stylish converted trailer, serving up delicious streetfood, wraps and salads, made from the best local and fresh ingredients. Whether it’s to cater a corporate event, private party, festival or wedding, this food trailer will not only feed your guests, but it will also be a classy and memorable addition to the occasion. That’s a Wrap specialises in hot and cold wraps, soups, salads and drinks, where the film-themed recipes are topped only by the movie-style confectioneries and sweet treats on offer. Whether your event is Casablancachic, Pulp Fiction-cool or an Almost Famous Bohemian affair, this food trailer will definitely add that unique X-factor.
Above: The ‘That’s A Wrap’ catering trailer which is available for corporate events, weddings and private parties (Inset: Chef Richard Milnes); fresh pasta using the best of homegrown and local ingredients is just one of the wonderful treats available at Dillon’s of Timoleague.
Dillon’s Restaurant, 1 Mill Street, Timoleague 023 8869609 info@dillonsrestaurant.ie www.dillonsrestaurant.ie
C H R I S T M A S PA RT I E S AT D I L L O N ’ S R E S TA U R A N T
Hotel, Restaurant, Bar, West Cork Brewery
Timoleague, Co. Cork
OPEN DAILY BREAKFAST - LUNCH - DINNER
Looking for the perfect place to host your Christmas Party?
Catering for all occasions Homemade produce for sale on site Music every Saturday night
Celebrate this festive season with your colleagues, friends and family at Dillon’s Restaurant!
tel: 028 20197 email: info@caseysofbaltimore.com Follow us on
023 886 9609 / info@dillonsrestaurant.ie Larger groups can enjoy the entire dining room in private. 25
THE HARBOUR BAR
Skibbereen Farmer’s Market
LEAP
Every Saturday until 2pm
SCARECROW FESTIVAL
Christmas Market Saturday 22nd December Market on Saturday 29th December
Sunday Night 28th: Adult Fancy Dress 9pm
All you need for Christmas available at the market
Also taking bookings for Christmas parties
New Winter Opening Hours
Wildberry Bakery is an award-winning, unique bakery specialising in gluten-free cafe bar slices and cakes, using only clean and local ingredients without additives or preservatives. Available from Avoca, Butlers Chocolate Cafes, Cafe Sol, Fields Supervalu Skibbereen and the Dalata Hotel group. Or order direct from the Bakery. Follow us on Facebook to find out about our regular tastings.
Monday & Tuesday Closed Wednesday 5-9pm Thurs - Sun 12-9pm Mid-term: Open 12-9pm Mon Oct 29th - Sun Nov 4th inc
028 34111 • theharbourbarleap@gmail.com
www.wildberrybakery.com
26
Business Strapline centrefocus on margin
Oh pie goodness! An up-and-coming food business on the Beara peninsula is putting a modern twist on a tradition that dates back to the Allihies copper mines of the 1800s writes Carina McNally FRIENDS Karin Grace and Jayne Curtin are Beara’s latest food entrepreneurs, and the team behind ‘Goodness Me’ – a company producing hearty, handmade, filled pastries. Based at Cahermore, Allihies, their pastries provide a wholesome meal which the consumer can bake fresh from frozen in twenty minutes. By pre-cooking the fillings and freezing them straight away, all the goodness is locked into the pie and Goodness Me pride their pastries as a convenient healthy dish. The pies are wholly inspired by Cornish miners who came to Allihies in the 1800s. These men brought their dinners to work wrapped in a pastry casing; an ingenious ‘edible lunch box.’ Originally Swiss but living in Allihies for over 30 years, Karin made several attempts to recreate the savoury pies Allihies-style, whilst working at the Coppermine Café. After leaving her job, Karin dedicated her time to perfecting her idea. Initially contemplating opening a café together, Karin and Jayne instead opted to go into the pastry business. Karin does most of the cooking, while Jayne combines working for Copper Castle Foods alongside her job with Amazon. Jayne states ‘In July 2017 we made a presentation to the Supervalu Food Academy and got, what we thought at the time, was disheartening advice – that conventional frozen food wasn’t the way forward. Looking back we see that it was the most valuable piece of advice we received. Frozen food needed a twist; there was a gap in the market for frozen vegetarian food with delicious fillings. Although the mining landscape inspired the pastries, Supervalu Academy inspired us to recreate the pastries with a modern twist.’ ‘We’ve started off with cheese & onion, and ratatouille & quinoa fillings, which might come as a surprise to the miners of the 1800s – there wasn’t much demand for ratatouille in rural Ireland at that time or quinoa, for that matter – but there are plenty more flavours in the pipeline.’ Tucked under Blackball signal tower, Goodness Me kitchens overlook the vista of Cahermore and Garnish at the extremity of the Beara peninsula. Karin states ‘this is where the magic happens’. She points to a large pan that can take 60kg of onion and 60kg of ratatouille combined. ‘The fillings are pre-cooked, and the pastry
Karin Grace and Jayne Curtin with products from the Goodness Me range of pastries. Left: The attractive packaging for the cheese & onion and ratatouille & quinoa pies. (Photos: Richie Hodges)
is handmade and frozen fresh on site using spelt flour, rapeseed oil and a dash of local seaweed to get that extra nutritional benefit.’ She adds ‘The pastries are a natural healthy product made from scratch with no additives or preservatives.’ Just over a year ago, Copper Castle Foods were making pastries as trials and testers for friends and neighbours. It was the start of an incredible journey, their product now selling in five West Cork SuperValus and recently showcased in ninety Lidl stores nationwide as part of Lidl’s Kickstart Programme. Last October they rented a unit in Carrigaline’s Cork Incubator Kitchens to prepare for the annual Cork/Kerry Foods Market in City Hall which they describe as being ‘a life-changing event for Copper Castle Foods.’ Karin
states ‘At that market in November our packaging wasn’t ready and our pastries were displayed in clear plastic bags, but we were overwhelmed by the level of interest shown in the product. Even the display pastry disappeared!’ They knew at this point they needed their own premises. Jayne had the space in Coulough, and the fact that Jayne’s husband Billy runs Ballyhea Engineering Services, a stainless steel fabrication business in Kanturk, fitted neatly into the mix. Currently supplying five West Cork SuperValus, their local Castletownbere branch, alongside Bantry, Skibbereen, Clonakilty and Bandon, the pastries are selling well. Being accepted into Lidl’s Kickstart Programme, a twoweek September promotion, was ‘a fantastic opportunity’ to showcase their product nationwide including in Northern Ireland. They are going back to the Cork/Kerry Market in November ‘this time with packaging and plenty of pastries’, also using the opportunity to trial a new upcoming filling – creamy mushroom. ‘As well as adding a new creamy
27
mushroom filling to the range we’ve just got approval for meat fillings, and will shortly be launching a chicken curry series.’ A beef filling is also in trial, based on grass-fed Dexter beef from Jayne’s own herd in Cahermore. ‘Using free-range chicken and grassfed beef in our products is very important to us. We feel the main attraction of Goodness Me is that the food is natural, healthy, locally sourced and made from scratch.’ Karin states ‘What many people don’t realise is that frozen food is often a much healthier option, you don’t need any added preservatives.’ With three new fillings in the pipeline, things look busy for Copper Castle Foods, who are hoping to shortly expand their markets to Supervalus in the wider Munster area. They have been their own distributers up until now, however from their Allihies location, once their market expands, they feel this won’t be feasible in the long term. ‘Although we wouldn’t be anywhere else, we are actively looking to forge ties with a distributor who will make our business more feasible from our Beara base.’
COMPETITION
WIN A FABULOUS HYDRATEM8 INSULATED COFFEE CUP COURTESY OF WEST FORK Hydratem8 – makers of high-quality insulated bottles, coffee cups, food pots and tracker bottles have just
launched a new insulated coffee cup. It’s smaller than their insulated bottles, but big enough to hold a nice, double-
sized coffee that doesn’t have to be consumed within an
hour or two of purchase! At 460ml, it enters the realms of
coffee heaven. What’s more, with its leak proof flip up top you can open it with one hand, instead of juggling it with two. The cup is triple-insulated, made from stainless steel and is BPA-plastic
free. So whether you’re out for a walk, in the office or on public transport, the
new Hydratem8 coffee cup is a winner, and especially with more coffee shops pledging to ban disposable cups in an attempt to tackle waste, having your
very own reusable cup really is the way to go. Refillable time and time again, it’s eco-friendly and is easy to clean and store.
The Hydratem8 coffee cup comes in three colours – lilac, black or silver – and is available online at www.hydratem8.co.uk
West Fork has two of these cups to give away. All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning one is answer the question below, fill in your details and send the entry to ‘Coffee Cup Competition’, c/o The Southern Star, Ilen Street, Skibbereen, Co Cork, to be received no later than 5pm on Tuesday, November 6th. Winner will be announced in The Southern Star. *T&Cs apply.
Q: What is the capacity, in millilitres, of the new Hydratem8 coffee cup? Answer: Name: Address: Contact No: Email:
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.
28
ADVERTORIAL
Exciting times ahead for The West Cork Hotel! THE West Cork Hotel has been a part of the very fabric of Skibbereen life for over 100 years. This historical hotel overlooking the Ilen River, offers a tranquil riverside location along with the laid-back charm in one of West Cork’s most colourful market towns. Established in 1902, The West Cork Hotel remains Skibbereen’s and indeed West Cork’s most iconic hotel. Chefs Linda O’Brien and Richard
Rust leading their young dynamic team of talented chefs at The West Cork Hotel have worked proudly together to create exciting New Wedding Packages and our soon to be launched New Bridge Bar Menu and Kennedy’s Restaurant A la Carte menu. All the menus are proudly supporting artisan local producers and farmers from West Cork – featuring local cheesemakers, smokehouses and many
more locally-sourced quality products. New dishes include the featured recipe below, freshly caught local fish, exciting new salads, succulent Irish meat, indulgent desserts and afternoon teas without forgetting our famous fish and chips, seafood chowder and Malaysian curries.
The West Cork Hotel offers a unique West Cork Christmas Experience, from our fun-filled Christmas Party night on the 14th of December to our Festive Luncheon and Dinner menus available for groups of 10 or more. Discounted accommodation rates also available for groups dining in the hotel.
• To make your reservation contact us on 028 21277 or email info@westcorkhotel.com
Recipe Shannon Vale free-range chicken supreme, colcannon, grilled courgette, mushroom and white wine veloute Serves 4 INGREDIENTS • 4 Shannon Vale Free Range Chicken breasts • 200gm Butter, melted • Salt and cracked black pepper • 1 small onion, finely diced • 100gm wild mushroom, chopped • 125ml dry white wine • 350ml fresh cream • 2tbsp corn flour • 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed • 1 small cabbage, finely shredded • 1 large courgette thinly sliced METHOD • Pre-heat oven to 180c • Brush chicken with some of the melted butter, season to taste place in a roasting tray and roast for 35 minutes. Ensure chicken is thoroughly cooked. • Fry the onion in 2tbsp butter until soft, add mushroom, cook for 3min-
Above: West Cork Hotel chefs Linda O’Brien and Richard Rust toast the new menus and wedding packages on offer at his iconic hotel in Skibbereen.
utes, add wine and reduce by half, add 250ml of cream. Bring to boil. • Mix cornflour with a little water, whisk into sauce, cook for 5minutes, season to taste. • Boil potatoes and cabbage until soft, add remaining butter and cream. Mash. Season to taste • Char grill sliced courgettes with a little oil on both sides until cooked. • Place colcannon on a plate, top with chicken, spoon over sauce. Serve with courgettes.
Left: Linda and Richard have kindly given us their recipe for this delicious chicken with colcannon, grilled courgette, mushroom and white wine veloute dish.
GLENILEN FARM
THE AUTHENTIC FARMHOUSE YOGHURT BRAND
FEELGOOD FISH, MADE EASY!
Keohane is aisfamily by Mike Keohane two sonsisColman Brian. Keohane KeohaneSeafoods Seafoods basedrun in business Bantry, established West Cork.inIn2010 business since 2010,and thehiscompany run byand Michael Currently operating from two sites, one in Bantry and the other in Cork City we offer an extensive range of premium quality seafood and his two sons Colman and Brian. Offering an extensive range of Seafood products, you can find our products in which you will find in all major retailers in Ireland. all major retailers in Ireland. When customers see the Keohane’s label, they know they’re guaranteed premium, top We pride ourselves on the fact that our customers can rely on the Keohane’s of Bantry label as they know they are guaranteed quality seafood that encompasses Health, Fun and Family values! premium, top quality seafood that encompasses health, vitality and family values!
SHOP AT THE KINSALE ROUNDABOUT FOR A LARGE RANGE OF OF VISITPOP OURINTO FISH OUR SHOPFISH CONVENIENTLY LOCATED AT THEROAD KINSALE ROAD ROUNDABOUT FOR A VAST ARRAY QUALITY SEAFOOD ANDWEEKLY OUR WEEKLY SPECIAL OFFERS! PRODUCTS AND OUR SPECIAL OFFERS!!
29
The Final d Strapline centreWor on margin
A sense of community Caroline Murphy of the award-winning West Cork Eggs gives us a blow-in’s perspective on setting up and running a thriving food business, and she tells us why continued support and assistance from the local community, on a personal and professional level, is so important IT’S now about 20 years ago since my journey from ‘city chic’ to ‘country chick’ began, and and what a journey it has been. Although I was born and reared in London, both my parents are Irish and my father is from West Cork. We spent many summer holidays here and in a funny way West Cork was always kind of home, but I never imagined that I would end up living here and having my family here. Ireland and indeed West Cork has changed a lot since I first arrived. Murders weren’t as common place as they are today. Social problems weren’t as commonplace in rural Ireland then, the local pub was a great meeting place, the local co-op creamery was a bustling hub of business, with lots of interaction between friends and neighbours with all the local news and gossip. The sense of community was palpable and everyone knew everyone and everything that was going on!! However, things never stay the same and the boom came and went and the landscape of rural Ireland changed. The local pub or creamery may not be there any more and there are many more houses, built or unfinished, lived in or ghost. But the sense of community is still as strong as ever. The resilience of the people always comes to the fore. 2009 was a turning point year in our lives. Our daughter Leah was stillborn and that was the year I bought my first four hens. It was the start of a whole new journey in our lives. At the time of our loss people’s reactions were amazing and it really showed me how kind, supportive and brave people in my community are. Some people shared their similar stories and it really proved that you never know what troubles people carry, so always be kind! My journey as a food producer in West Cork has given me some of the most fun experiences I have ever had – from the ‘eggscitement’ of starting a business to learning about the help and supports that are available from places like the Local Enterprise Offices. But then there is also the support from other people in the food business, be it retailers or from other producers. This help and advice has been second to none and we are so spoilt here in West Cork to have such an
‘At the time of our loss people’s reactions were amazing and it really showed me how kind, supportive and brave people in my community are’
abundance of fabulous foods – from cheeses to breads, from fish to meats, from chocolate to gin. There are amazing people in our local area, producing amazing products from the heart. But we cannot take these products and the work of these local businesses for granted. Coming up with produce that is of a high quality and yet value for money is not always easy. As producers, many of us are not only creating great products – we are also doing the finances, the sales, the marketing, the deliveries and generally everything required to run a successful business. But we love it. When you see your product on a supermarket shelf or in someone’s shopping trolley, or or when you get
great feedback from a customer at a farmers’ market, the feeling of pride is immense. For me – the London girl, who was welcomed into the local farming community and supported in starting and growing a business – West Cork has been a place of huge opportunity. Although some were a little sceptical and a little bemused at my idea for a business, no-one ever said ‘don’t do it.’ The result is West Cork Eggs has grown from the four hens I bought in 2009 to what it is today – an awardwinning business. As a woman in business and as mum this is inspirational, and I would love other woman – especially farmers wives – to follow their dreams and be-
30
lieve that they really can be who they want to be. If this farmer’s wife can do it so can they! I feel blessed to live in such a wonderful place as West Cork. We have beautiful coastlines and beaches, we have vibrant towns with great restaurants and pubs, we have an abundance of local, fresh, delicious and authentic food and drink that we should all share and appreciate. Yes, things have changed over the last 20 years and not always for the better, but West Cork still has its great people. It has a community that comes together during hard times, and people that are there to celebrate and congratulate you on the good times. It has its characters in every town, the friendly person in the shop who will always ask how you are, how your family are and do you need help bringing the shopping to the car. My message is that you please continue to support your local producers and businesses. We may not appreciate it every day but as a ‘blow-in’ I can assure you that West Cork is a very special and unique place to live, work and play – let’s keep it that way!
• Caroline’s West Cork Eggs business is based near Rosscarbery and the delicious eggs from the hens that roam freely on the family-run farm are available from SuperValu stores in Cork county and city area. Contact 086 601 7677 or see Facebook for more information. West Cork Eggs recently won gold at the 2018 Blas na hÉireann awards. The company was also recently named ‘Best Emerging Business 2018’ by Network Ireland.
"There is no sincere love than the love of food" - GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
Wednesday to Sunday 12pm - 9pm
Now taking bookings for Christmas Parties.
021 4775121 | info@innishannonhotel.ie | www.innishannonhotel.ie
Looking to pass a pleasant hour? Why not come and visit
SKIBBEREEN COUNTRY MARKET
The Square, Glandore TEL: 028-34494
Every Friday 11.30 am - 2 pm.
You will find us at the rear of the Fairfield car park at Abbeystrewry Hall. ALL HOME-MADE PRODUCE & GOODS INCLUDING BREAD, CAKES, JAMS, CHUTNEY, VEGETABLES, PLANTS & EGGS.
LOOKING FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF GIFT IDEA? Take a look at our wide range of beautiful arts & crafts
DON’T MISS OUR CHRISTMAS TABLE
offering festive decorations & crafts PLANNING A SPECIAL OCCASION? Orders taken for cakes, gifts & cards Enjoy a cuppa and sample some of our produce during your visit
Full á la carte menu with weekend specials. Showcasing the best in locally sourced produce from the land and the sea.
Upcoming event: Christmas Fayre, Friday 7th December. Free cuppa & mince pie for everyone in the audience! - ALL WELCOME
Homemade desserts. 31
Winner of best seafood restaurant in Munster 2016-2017-2018 Sidney’s Bar & Garden Lounge Food served daily until 9pm
Traditional or Sparkling Afternoon Tea in our Garden Lounge Pre-Booking Essential
Actons Hotel Voucher available at reception
Actons Hotel, Pier Road, Kinsale, Co.Cork 021 4779900 res@actonshotelkinsale.com
We cater for all occasions using the best of fresh West Cork produce - Home cured meats - Local West Cork cheeses - Sumptuous fresh seafood - Delicious cakes made to order Please contact Kevin on 028 21400or Email
32
