Ivan Rumley’s Farm
But Ivan Rumley’s Open Farm, just west of Cork City, is a different kettle of ... well, perhaps not fish, but a mighty collection of creatures, exotic and native, with the latter - cattle, sheep, pigs and hens - putting in the hard yards for this is also a fully-working farm. Furthermore, along with the play areas for children, there is a farm shop for the adults where you’ll find The Menu stocking up on one of Ivan’s fine free range chickens or better still, some of his renowned dry aged beef. www.ivansfarm.ie
The Menu finds the rather gluttonous American concept of surf’n’turf for the most part indigestible, but Martin & Paul’s Surf’n’Turf (Quadrille Publishing) cookbook, inspired by the RTE TV series featuring two of Ireland’s most justly renowned chefs, Martin Shanahan (Fishy Fishy) and Paul Flynn (The Tannery), goes down like a dream. It is not an attempt to marry fish and flesh on the one plate (save a few supremely successful exceptions) but two of The Menu’s favourite cooks taking it in turns to offer stunning renditions of an evolving Irish cuisine using a cornucopia of sterling local produce. The Menu believes this tome is a slow-burner, destined to become a classic.
Way back in the early days of the Bandon Farmer’s Market, The Menu briefly manned a stall at what is now a stalwart of the thriving West Cork market scene, so successful, in fact, it has had to move to a bigger location at Ballymodan Car Park, in the town. A wondrous mix of producers and growers has The Menu planning a return for some extensive shopping and a tip of the hat to his dear, departed youth.
While it is many a long year since Mr and Mrs Vampire stopped by of an evening at Chez Menu due to his lifelong love affair with garlic, he has long wearied of inferior Chinese product flogged in the supermarkets. Wild Irish garlic is always a beautiful respite, but invariably French garlic takes up the slack —nice, but …. This week, however, The Menu has been chilling the bubbly and turning Barry White up to 11, the better to put the moves on the finest garlic he has ever consumed, Iberian Wight, Early Purple Wight and Solent Wight, impossibly full of flavour and with a bite that knows exactly when to stop — and all of it locally grown, from West Cork Garlic, in Enniskeane! The Menu does not remotely exaggerate when he says his discovery of WCG’s magnificent product is right up there with Alexander Fleming leaving the lid off the jamjar. The Menu is off to the beauticians to ready himself for the arrival of WCG’s Elephant Garlic, coming into season later this year. www.westcorkgarlic.com
In the UK, the words “brown ale” are usually preceded by the word ‘Newcastle’ in reference to the popular pint bottle known universally as ‘nookie broon’. They do things differently in the former colonies though, and New York’s veteran Brooklyn Brewery has an entirely original take on the brown ale style: its colour veering towards that of stout capped by a sustained foamy head, this is laced and layered with delicious hoppy bitterness - a lovely counterweight to its light, fruity and refreshing body. Imported by fourcorners.ie independent wine shops and chains including Fine Wines.
