Award-winning blog of Irish food writer and broadcaster Caroline Hennessy.
Congratulations to Greatfood.ie, who won three gongs at the recent Great Taste Awards in London with their chutneys and relishes. These awards are considered to be the Oscars of the foodie world, with 2021 producers entering almost 4800 products this year to be judged in a wide variety of categories.
For me, few trips abroad are complete without some kind of local food or kitchen accessory purchase, although flying does tend to put the skids on most shopping. Getting the ferry to France this year meant that life was very much easier when looking at things to bring home. The Husband went over with the intention of picking up some equipment for his nascent home-brewing career, giving me a chance to look round kitchen equipment with an eye to actually being able to bring something home. Mr Bricolage proved to be the perfect place for us both. He picked up a 40 liter plastic keg and a variety of other beer-making paraphernalia; while I was hemming and hawing over a stoneware vinaigrier, he grabbed it for me and legged it to the cash desk. A vinaigrier is a vinegar maker, an urn-shaped pot with a wide, lidded mouth to slosh in your left-over wine and a little tap to let you pour off the resulting vinegar. Mine also came with the cutest little stool, I presume to allow more air circulation.
If you’re a farmers‘ market fan and in the Clonakilty vicinity next Friday, 8 August, watch out for the launch of the town’s market at Spiller’s Lane Car Park (by the Credit Union).The market kicks off at 8.30am and Darina Allen will be doing the official opening honours at 12.30pm. According to the Friends of Clonakilty Market, “the very finest local and seasonal foods will be available, including organic vegetables, fresh fish, locally baked breads, rashers and sausages, olives, dips, sun-dried tomatoes, jams, chutneys, sushi, farmhouse cheeses, freshly brewed coffee and much more…”
While I was away in France, this year’s Mallow Food Festival was launched. Last year’s Festival was very successful – I’ve been hearing about it from my customers all year! – and this year it will be taking place on Sunday 31 August. The organisers, who are William Healy (URRU), Claire Ryan (Essink restaurant) and Ian Lucey (Lucey’s Butchers), are aiming to make the event even bigger and better, showcasing at least sixty of the leading food producers in the area.The 2008 Mallow Food Festival will take place on Mallow’s main street from 12 noon to 3.30pm on Sunday 31 August. More information is available from William Healy, URRU Culinary Store, Bank Place, Davis Street, Mallow, Co Cork. Tel/Fax: 022 53192
It will be quiet around here this week as I have abandoned the Irish summer for some time soaking up the French sun with the Husband, the Teacher and the Tax Advisor. We have taken ourselves camping in the Vendée and Charente-Maritime regions on the Atlantic Coast for ten days, staying in small campsites and spending plenty of time investigating brioche and pain au chocolate, moules, abricots, glaces and galettes, along with cheese and wine of every description. Time now, perhaps, for another café au lait in the sunshine before we hit the beach. I can’t cope with the French keyboard any longer!
If you’re in the Mallow area next week, we’re hosting a week of Conversations on a Farmers’ Market in URRU at 11am each morning. Several of the producers from the Mallow Farmers’ Market are going to be talking about how they make their wares – smoked fish and cheese, salad leaves and organic vegetables – and yours truly will also be participating next Wednesday morning (16 July), talking about sourdough bread and how to make your own starter, with my Ballymaloe one as an active example! There’s more information below.Irish Allotments: Forthcoming events at URRU, MallowBridgestone Blog: Do Not Miss This!
After the excitement of our first – albeit cracked – egg, three out of four of the chickens have been earning their keep. We’re still not sure who’s holding out, but most mornings, when we go out to the run to feed and water them, there are three eggs waiting in the nesting box. They’re small – I’m using two instead of one at the moment – but perfectly formed and, I didn’t expect this, have an incredible flavour. It must be all the Ballyvoddy slugs that they pick up on their wanders around the garden.
Still trying to figure out this upgrade – paid work keeps getting in the way, unfortunately – but the comments are back working for me, finally, so feel free to let me know what...
