Corinna Dunne

Annmarie, welcome to the Forum. It's great to have input from around the country. Kit, you have inspired me to start a thread on Farmers' Markets which should make it easier for us all to access this information in the future. Hopefully we will have plenty of posters. And adding to Simon's suggestion of Avoca, if you don't get out to Wicklow, there is one on Soffulk St in Dublin city centre, which is also a good spot to have a light lunch.

DUBLIN MARKETS Dundrum Farmers’ Market (Airfield House), Saturday 10am – 4pm Dun Laoghaire Harbour Market, Thursday 10am – 5pm Dun Laoghaire People’s Park Market, Sunday 11am – 4pm. Farmleigh, Phoenix Park, (summer only), Sunday 11am – 4pm Fingal Food Fayre, (Arts Centre, Rush), last Sunday of every month 12pm – 5pm Howth Fishermans’ and Farmers’ Market, Sunday 10am - 4pm Leopardstown Farmers’ Market (at the Racecourse), Friday 11am – 7pm Malahide Market (beside GAA hall), Saturday 11am – 5pm Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, Saturday 10am – 4pm Pearse Street Market, Dublin Food Co–Op (St Andrew’s Centre), Saturday 9.30am – 3pm Ranelagh Market (Multi Denominational School), Sunday 10am – 4pm Temple Bar Market, Saturday 9am – 5pm, Wednesday 11am – 3pm Wolfe Tone Park Gourmet Food Market (Mary St, Dublin 1), Friday 11am – 3pm Useful links: http://www.bordbia.ie/ http://www.irelandmarkets.com/look-for-markets-page.html http://www.irishfarmersmarkets.ie/index.html

Organic meats, game and charcuterie; farmhouse cheese, chutney and pressed juices; artisan bread, cakes and buns; freshly picked fruit, vegetables and herbs… these are a few of the wonderful foods you will find at the Farmers’ Markets in Ireland. And they are becoming more and more popular, as people vote with their feet, wallets and mouths and turn a trip to one of the markets into a special day out. Because these markets have a great buzz about them... from the trendy, urban vibe at Temple Bar in Dublin City Centre... to the sea breezes of Howth, Malahide and Dun Laoghaire on its coast... down south to the artisan heart of the country in Cork... west to the wild Atlantic coast of Clare, Galway and Mayo... and up north to Donegal, Antrim and Derry. Not missing all of the wonderful places in between! Inspired by Kit Williams search for artisan bakers in Ireland , I thought it would be a good idea to start a dedicated thread. So, post your discoveries, comments and photos on anything to do with Farmers’ Markets in Ireland and artisan produce here.

First of all, a correction to my first post. The pre-theatre, two course Table d’Hote menu is at 6pm and 6.30pm, and doesn’t run until 8pm; so you need to get there early to snag the bargain. I was there last night with a few friends; the menu has changed, but the service and food are still great. The best starter was a bit of a surprise to me; a salmon lasagne in a pool of leek veloute. The salmon was a delicate, perfectly seasoned mousseline; the pasta was thin, silky and opaque; and the light and slightly frothy veloute had a sweet creaminess that was just right with it. The terrine of foie gras and confit which I had was OK. The terrine had been lined with Savoy cabbage leaves, which made for a nice presentation; some chunky vegetables were layered through; but somehow the meaty bits ended up a bit dry and I couldn't taste any foie gras. It was served with crisped, brown apricot bread which was very good. The John Dory starter was pretty straight forward; served with a nicely crisped skin, capers, and I think there were some cherry tomatoes there too. Again, there was a good selection for the mains. The venison was cooked beautifully; crisp on the outside, medium rare inside. It was sliced on a bed of braised red cabbage; served with a perfect fondant potato, a puree of parsnip that was the consistency of a sauce (poured in a slender parabola across the plate), and a nice jus with blackberries tumbling through. There was quite a bit of juniper in there, but it pulled up just short of being too over powering. The pork dish was nearly great. A bit more rustic, with a chunky piece of fillet and confit of pork belly; it was served with a great mash which was ruined by the demon truffle oil and sauced with a truly delicious puree of roast shallots, and an excellent thyme jus. And the halibut dish - which got the thumbs up from across the table - tasted quite a bit of bacon in my little sampler, but apparently it didn't overwhelm the dish. The cheese plate was the same as before; all French cheeses in excellent condition… really, really good. The mascarpone cheesecake had a confident loose crumb base; was tasty, but no showstopper. And our old pal, the chocolate fondant was good, but since trying out Heston Blumenthal’s recipe in Family Food last weekend, I am convinced that it is better made with egg whites only. Oh, and the chocolate lovelies had a dainty encore served as petit fours with the coffee. A nice touch. So, in my book, Mint is still doing brilliantly on the price/quality ratio. My only gripe is the truffle oil.

I had a wonderful, caramelised shallot puree in a restaurant last night. I have never had it before and it really was incredibly delicious. The puree was silky smooth and fairly loose, served almost as a sauce on the dish. I would say that it had been thinnned with butter, not cream. It was served with roast fillet of pork, confit pork belly, mashed potato and an extremely good thyme jus. But it would be great with beef too.

Another advocate of homemade baby food here, and for the same reasons: cost and taste. I too found that the sweeter vegetables like zucchini and parsnip whizzed up were a great hit, along with fruit purees... and yes, you can mix and blend flavours for a bit of variety. As my children progressed, I moved them onto whizzed up and then roughly mashed versions of our food, but always did it before I added any salt to the dish, and this worked very well. Personally, I like the idea of introducing a baby to a repertoire of tastes and it does seem like the natural thing. I found that they loved garlic (cooked in dishes, not raw), but I didn't have any takers on chilli (I just tried the tiniest bit of salsa when they were approaching one). I presume Indian and Mexican children are introduced to hot spicey foods at a reasonably young age. Has anyone any experience of this?

Traditional baking is actually a very simple art in Ireland. The cake shops that have disappeared over the years were really quite simple too… selling soda bread and scones, yes… but also pretty pedestrian “Vienna” roll, yeast buns, coffee slices, cream éclairs and meringues. It’s not that long ago, maybe 30 years, when brown and white soda bread was made daily in a farmhouse kitchen, and served spread with wonderfully sour and salty, homemade butter. Scones were made frequently too, and there was always a “cut and come again” fruit cake on the go. On Sundays, a whisked (fatless) sponge would often be made with the many eggs from the farm and filled with homemade jam and thick, whipped cream; a Madeira cake was quite common and so too were apple tarts. The Barm brack, as you know, was traditional for Hallowe’en, and contained a ring (predicting marriage), a stick (predicting something bad, I cannot remember specifically) and we also had the tradition of putting coins into ours. A rich fruit cake was traditional for Christmas; and at Easter, a lighter simnel cake was made which had a layer of marzipan running through the middle, although I think both of these cakes are English in origin. Some houses continue with a baking tradition, but as most farms have now specialised in dairy, beef etc and are not mixed any more, there are fewer hens pecking around the place and it’s not as common. However, there is quite a move to return to this way of life, but dare I say, it is very middle class and not mainstream. I’m not sure if we have any tradition of making bread with leavening other than the combination of bread soda and buttermilk, although I do remember a lovely little bakery near the Guinness brewery, using the very locally sourced yeast. In terms of what’s available now, French and Italian breads have become increasingly popular, and sourdough is moving onto the radar, but these are not “traditional”. There is a dearth of good bakers and patisseries, which is a pity, and if I want anything special, I go to La Maison de Gourmets, which is wonderful. Some of the larger multiples have in-house bakeries, and the bread is fine... better than sliced "plastic" bread, but nothing spectacular. Very often the good quality sourdough bread is available in delis and upmarket speciality shops which also sell cheese, charcuterie etc, but its generally delivered and not made on the premises. These of course, tend to be in some of the better suburbs. I don't know the names of the bakeries that deliver, but I suspect that they don't have their own dedicated retail outlets. As for La Brea, I haven't seen it for sale, but it could well be. I’m not an expert on Irish artisan baking, and as I mentioned up-thread, I think you would find a conversation with Darina Allen very interesting indeed. There are some truly great artisan producers in Ireland, so maybe it would be worth casting your net a little bit wider and taking in some of these as well as the bakers.

The Farmers Market in Temple Bar, Dublin (Saturdays) is worth adding to the list. You’ll find traditional baked goods as well as other wonderful artisan produce there. The Gallic Kitchen in Francis St might be worth a visit, but I haven’t been in a long time, and personally I found the pastries a little heavy. La Maison des Gourmets in Castle Market (near the back of the Powerscourt Townhouse) is a wonderful little bakery, although very French in style. Check also if the Farmers Market in the grounds of Farmleigh (the former home of Lord Iveagh of the Guinness family), in the Phoenix Park is on when you’re in Dublin (Sundays). Heading down Cork direction, you’ll find Ballymaloe House, where the doyenne of Irish cooking, Darina Allen, runs a small (but expensive) country house hotel and cookery school. If your budget could extend to lunch or dinner there, I think you’d enjoy its unfussy approach to traditional cooking using the finest ingredients around. It would be worth booking in advance, mentioning that you are particularly interested in artisan/traditional baking and picking her brains on where to go. I know that the Bridgestone Guide has its detractors, but I do think you would find it useful. The one you need is their Irish Food Guide; it lists Farmers Markets, bakeries, cheese makers etc. Some of the places it includes are: Lettercollum Kitchen Project Shop, Clonakilty, Co Cork The Baking Emporium, Dunmanway, Co Cork Adele’s, Schull, Co Cork Also listed is The Yew Tree in Oughterard, Co Galway, which is probably the bakery that Kerrier suggested up-thread. Please post your discoveries and comments. I think a lot of people would be very interested... and have a wonderful time.

The Irish Times magazine front cover is probably to do with his book of food photography called “Food for Life”, (apparently he’s quite a talented photographer too). And here’s the really nice bit: he did the whole thing (printing, publishing etc) at his own expense and all the proceeds from the sale of the book will be going to meningitis research at The Children’s Medical and Research Foundation in Crumlin Children’s Hospital. His son nearly died from the disease about 10 years ago, and he has never forgotten what the doctors there, led by Professor Owen, did to save him. So, a pretty decent guy, eh? Ernie Whalley mentioned the book on his website, and will be running a feature on his photography in the March issue of “Food & Wine”.

I was nervous about not having a concierge as well.. But a lot of the apartment providing companies, thanks to your websites, are based out of America.. They offer all the ammenities that a concierge would.. From reservations to picking us up at the airport.. ← With eG recommendations, who needs a concierge? I'm in the apartment camp too, and not necessarily for cooking big meals. To me it's just torture to be in a hotel room with only a mini-bar to stash cheese, charcuterie and other local finds. I love the extra space and also the facility to make my own breakfast... and in particular, a good cup of tea! Doc, the place where you stayed looks amazing! Daniel, I am really looking forward to your report.

Simon - Welcome to the Forum. I actually found the sommelier very sweet, and if anything, I felt she lacked presence. Possibly they were all feeling a bit deflated about the Michelin thing the day I was there. You mention that your food was good, and you obviously went ALC. Can you recall what you and your party had to eat?

I had a good lunch at Thornton's on Friday. More detail on the Thornton's thread.

I had a very good lunch in Thornton’s on Friday. It offers 2 courses for €30 and 3 for €40 which is exceptional value. OK, the ALC is very expensive, but in fairness, not out of line with other top end restaurants in Dublin. It wasn’t particularly full. Apart from the two of us, there were two tables for three (both business lunches), one family table of four and one very happy diner working his way through the surprise menu at the table for one. Being on a budget, we skipped the aperitif and went straight for tap water (and no, they didn’t pull the still or sparkling trick, so top marks on that one). The amuse was so good… a little red mullet terrine (?) which tasted wonderfully fresh and gutsy. This was served with a shot glass of pear juice which went very nicely with it. The bread, as mentioned by Andy upthread, was fantastic although personally, I would have liked a tiny bit more salt. There was a choice of three starters: scallops with truffle sabayon, pigs head, and wild mushroom terrine with a truffle ball. The pigs head was out of this world, worth the whole of the €40. The wild mushroom terrine was good, and the simple execution showed a confident restraint which let the mushrooms take centre stage; and the truffle ball was a piece of wonderful tasting foie gras pate rolled in black truffle pieces. The only complaint was that it was fridge cold. We had a €25 half bottle of Sancerre to go with the starters. As far as I remember, there were three choices for mains: cod, mallard duck breast, and poached baby chicken. Sorry, I’m a bit sketchy on the detail here. We had the cod and mallard duck. The cod had a complicated potato crust on top which looked like fish scales, and was served on a bed of Savoy cabbage with a light sabayon type sauce. I didn’t taste it, but apparently it was good. I had the duck which was beautifully cooked, tasted wonderfully gamey and was served with fondant potato, some turned vegetables and an excellent jus. The dishes were resolved, the plating and presentation was sharp without being too fussy, the servings were more than adequate and there were no incongruous, additional potatoes or vegetables served up (although I’m sure they’d be available for any meat and two veg types). I had a very nice glass of Languedoc (€9) to go with the duck, which was the end of a better bottle than the sommelier originally suggested, but was generously charged at the same price. Perhaps this was because I had cleaned my pigs head plate off with my bread, or because I knew the sweet little Italian waiter from one of his previous jobs, but it was very decent considering the little they were making on us. There were three dessert options: warm chocolate tartlet with raspberries, clafoutis with Griotte ice-cream and poached pear (with ice-cream I think). These were good, if a little simple. The mini clafoutis was served warm and upside down, with a lovely crisp brule top; and the Griotte ice-cream had just the right level of sweetness but I thought could have been a bit creamier. A nice touch was the kirsch filled cherries served in a little row of four. At the sommelier’s suggestion, I had a Pineau (€9, a very large pour) to go with my dessert. The chocolate tartlet was in effect a pastry shell filled with a very chocolaty sauce, so, nice but not particularly noteworthy. We followed with a double espresso and petit fours (€7). Our total bill came to €146 without service charge. The big problem here is FOH. Although the service was impeccable, the sommelier very helpful (although her suit could do with being pressed), and our glasses of tap water were kept filled up graciously; there is no real Maitre d’ presence and no one owns the room. Personally, I am more concerned with the quality of food, but for most customers, and particularly business people seeking to impress, I think it’s imperative that a restaurant has a certain charge or energy and less of a “Lost in Translation” sterility, A full room would of course help a lot, but it just feels like “the word is out” on Thornton’s and it’s not fair when there is someone in the kitchen doing such good food. In my opinion, Kevin Thornton’s food is much better than what I recently had at L’Ecrivain and the lunch menu is wonderful value. As it is so long since I was there before, I cannot say whether it has deteriorated over the last year to the point where it deserved to lose its second star, and I just barely skimmed what was available on the menu. But based on my few bites, I would say that it wasn’t because of the food. It’s just that the passion in the kitchen doesn’t seem to resonate out the door and there’s no sense of excitement or anticipation. It’s like drinking great wine out of an ordinary glass. The same wine would taste extraordinary out of a Riedel glass, and without stronger FOH, he’s missing that all important Riedel sparkle factor... and I think it’s zapping the energy out of everyone who works there. I would love to see Thornton’s in the new Shelbourne when it opens or back in Portobello where it belongs, but Nobu’s going to the former, and Dunne & Crescenzi’s new venture seems to be bedding down nicely in his old spot on the canal. But forget about the room and go… for the pig’s head, if for nothing else! Thornton's PS I overheard snippets of what appeared to be a very interesting conversation from the table behind us. Two very trendy, young Italians were being asked about their interest in working in a new restaurant, kitchens on both floors, in what used to be a club (presumably in Dublin).

Kerriar - thanks for the nice compliment, and yes, I am practically evangelical about Mint (I was the same way about La Dolce Vita in Wexford last year, the only proper Italian food in the country!). And thanks for suffering at La Stampa and reporting back. Same too on Ernie's. The new restaurant is now called Poulot's after its chef Jean Michel Poulot, who was previously head chef at Halo in the Merrion Hotel. This month's Food & Wine gives it a pretty good review, but I can't comment personally as I haven't been and never went to Halo either (the word "fusion" scared me off). It sounds like its still attracting all the local old dears who were so fond of Ernie's, and the menu has been tempered for less adventurous tastes. Shame about the collection of paintings going... but I much prefer the exquisite collection with Jack B Yeats in the Merrion Hotel. You travel in style!

I haven't been in a long time (although hope to go for lunch soon) so couldn't say first hand that the food had deteriorated over the past year. I don't know Kevin personally, but as you say, understand that he is a very quiet and sensitive man. I get the sense that he hasn't been too happy since he moved from his previous premises in Portobello, which was cosy and seemed more appropriate. Also, his wonderful Maitre d left early last year to set up Dax and I think this probably had a significant effect on things. The unfortunate thing is that the locals who really appreciate his standard of cooking can't afford to indulge too often and for corporate and tourist business, he's up against Guilbaud's which is in a much nicer room and hotel.

Hey Chufi – So glad you had a good time and thanks for the post. I agree with you on Odessa not being particularly great for dinner. It’s a bit trendy and on the radar, so the food plays second fiddle to the vibe. I was there for brunch a few weeks ago and it was fine. Nothing special, but a good brunch atmosphere. As it happens I had brunch in the Mermaid the following week which was much better but not extraordinary. My extraordinary experience was in Mint this weekend which I tried for the first time. Great food at the right price. More about it on this thread.

Mint is a small restaurant in Ranelagh, a very accessible Dublin suburb close to town. It’s been open for the last two years, but I only managed to get there for the first time this weekend. It’s headed up by Oliver Dunne (no relation) and boy does he know how to cook! And, how to run a tight ship. The front of house staff were unbelievable. Really helpful and knowledgeable, knew everything about what they were serving down to the finest detail, talked through the (excellent) cheese plate fluently and had loads of advice on the wine. And they were really nice about it too. Very confident, and without a trace of the aloof or cocky attitudes you too often encounter. The menu is fairly short, with about five starters and six main course options, three dessert options and a cheese plate. You can have either two courses for €39.99 or three for €49.99, without a supplement in sight. By Dublin standards, this is a very good deal. And the food is really, really good. Not perfect, but brilliant at these prices. There were four of us. For starters we had sea bass on haricot beans and pancetta, the fish cooked perfectly with an incredibly crisp skin; ravioli of foie gras and mushrooms in a frothy, truffle cream sauce… truly wonderful ravioli but let down by the truffle oil in the sauce which I hadn’t noticed on the menu and could smell the minute the dish was placed in front of me (and could still taste the next day); and a pea risotto which I didn’t taste but apparently was quite good. And the bread, made by the pastry chef on the premises was exceptionally good (four or five types) with a wonderful crust. We followed with breast of mallard duck and confit leg and seared foie gras, served on really good “green tasting” spinach with cream, with a less successful fondant potato which was roasted in a large round and a jus that wasn’t quite right. The duck breast was cooked beautifully, the foie gras with a lovely crust and melting inside, but the confit leg was too salty (even for me), a bit dry and I think from the tiny bit I stole, tasted a bit of bacon. But my veal dish was superb. Definitely, the best dish of the evening. The veal was seared to a wonderful crust on the outside, cooked medium rare, sliced thinly and served with a little seared foie gras over a mushroom risotto. Ok, the bite had gone out of the rice in the risotto, but it was still extremely good. I was so enthralled; I didn’t get to steal a bit of the roast ribeye of beef which got a thumbs up too. The only downside was the jus with the veal which tasted ever so slightly burnt or maybe it was over reduced. Two of us had dessert and two shared the cheese plate. The lemon sponge was nothing special, the chocolate fondant (I know, ubiquitous, but they sell) was delicious and the cheese plate was outstanding. In my opinion, forget the desserts, and go for the cheese. Thoughtfully chosen and in wonderful condition, you get a selection of twelve for two people or three for a single serving. As I mentioned earlier, our waiter did a great job with the descriptions and even advised us which cheese to start with and work around the plate. All nice touches. I didn’t look at the wine list for too long, but there appeared to be a well chosen and pretty broad selection, with Montrachets and the like for deeper pockets. We had a very good Pouilly Fume for €34 and a great Faugère (a Languedoc red) for €40. For dessert or cheese, there is Monbazillac, Beaumes de Venise, Maury and port by the glass. And there’s no pushy water awkwardness. At the start of our meal, our waiter had simply enquired if we would like water, leaving it up to us to go tap or bottled. A 10% service charge is automatically added on, and there’s no cheeky space left for further tips on the bill. I can’t believe it took me so long to get to this great little restaurant. It is textbook Gordon Ramsay (who the chef did a stint with as well as a few notable others), caters perfectly to the market, offers really good seasonal food at exceptional value, has excellent service and pulls no mean money stunts with supplements, water or sneaky tip expectations. You can feel the passion and energy of this food, and you just know that the chef squeezed every cent out of his budget to get the optimum return. How refreshing! I just hope that he is making enough money in such a small room. He’s certainly not making a Mint (sorry… couldn’t resist it!). Mint Tel: (01) 497 8655 Mon – Thurs: 2 course Table d’Hote for €28 before 8pm

You will find the Edinburgh thread here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...99&hl=edinburgh. I had a very good meal in La Garrigue in the summer (great cassoulet), and Jan Moir gave it a serious thumbs up in the Telegraph about a month ago.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm... this looks delicious Adam. I knew you'd have the scoop on hotpot!

A while back, I read a technique for cooking fillets of fish which I haven't tried. I think it was Bernard Loisseau's. He cooked the fish, skin side down at a high temperature and didn't turn it at all. Instead he turned the flesh side out onto an extremely hot plate, which finished off the cooking. He would not allow a cloche to be used on the dish, as the steam would ruin the crust on the fish. Has anyone tried this technique?

I can't be 100% sure on this, but here's where I see the difference: * Lancashire hotpot includes kidney and Worcestershire sauce (probably a later addition), Irish stew never does. * Irish stew is cooked completely on the stove, whereas hotpot is cooked in the oven, so you don't get the layer of browned potatoes on top, rather potatoes that have stewed in considerably more liquid. Also the potatoes are sliced in hotpot, whereas they are either whole or cut into large pieces in an Irish stew. * Purists will not include carrots in Irish stew, but I think the same goes for hotpot. * Traditionally, Irish stew was just flavoured with salt, pepper and maybe some parsley. This could be the same for hotpot, although I think it generally includes thyime. * Irish stew was traditionally made with mutton, but I'd imagine that hotpot is the same. But... don't take my word as gospel on any of this!

Pretty dangerous looking teeth... thanks for the close up Mr DeMille!

The price limit for a bib is £27 (€38) for three courses at dinner. There's no way Chapter One qualifies! That said, Jacob's Ladder and Bang both got one and neither of them would qualify either. The Irish Bib gourmand section of the guide is very poorly informed. ← Chapter One's pre-theatre menu would be enough for them to qualify. Jacob's Ladder has a fixed price menu, but I'm not sure that Bang does, which would make them the odd one out. It's academic really. Just one of their flaws!

Chufi... I'm interested in this comment. Is there something specific that you don't like, eg texture? The dish sounds great and I'd love to try it (my book finally arrived). ← Yes I think it's a texture thing for me.... I loved the crunchy bits of bread on the top, but didn't like the bits in the other layers. The bread soaks up all the milk in the long, slow cooking, and as Paula Wolfert says in her intro to the recipe, becomes silky soft. I guess I just don't like the texture of milksoaked bread. If I ever make it again I think I would just do a layer of the greens, because the flavor of the slow-cooked mixed greens and leeks was really wonderful, with crunchy bread on top. edited to add: you should really try the pork coddled in olive oil.. its fantastic. I have since then coddled/confited goose legs in the leftover oil, also delicious! ← I feel the same way about the silky texture. I made the slow roasted chicken with sausage and porcini dressing and whilst the dish was absolutely delicious, I preferred the dressing before I added the breadcrumbs. It reminded me a little of "harees" which is a traditional Arab dish for breaking the Ramadan fast, made from slowly cooking wheat with meat in a stock. I'll just have to sacrifice authenticity for personal taste and leave out the breadcrumbs when I do the leek dish. Regarding pork, it is actually quite difficult to get good organic pork over here, but I have a friend visiting this weekend who's mother rears wonderful organic pigs in Kilkenny... so supplies are on the way! I'll be taking your recommendation. Thanks.

The Irish version I think ← Yep... the one in Dublin... sorry, should have mentioned that. I'm not sure that it's quite at one star level, but not giving it a bib is unbelievable, especially since the grossly inferior Jacob's Ladder (in Dublin) gets one.