The Menu: The new pizza stall you have to try in Cork
Goldie Head Chef Aishling Moore and Market Lane Group Executive Head Chef Stephen Keogh outside Goldie seafood restaurant, currently operating as an online fishmongersÂ
The Menu fancies the already very talented chef Aishling Moore has all the potential to evolve into a true star but for the moment she is keeping herself occupied turning her Goldie seafood restaurant into a class of fishmongers, selling fresh fish daily, all prepped for homecooking, along with a concise menu of sauces, oven ready dishes such as Tarragon & Parmesan Crumbed Pollock, Squid Ragu and Salt Fish Brandade (The Menu is an especial fan of Moore’s utterly sublime brandade) with Seaweed Crackers.Â
Click&Collect service is available with a weekly mailing list for hours and availability depending on weather conditions for the local boats. (http://www.goldie.ie/subscribe)Â
The Menu has more than a suspicion that a new pizza star has arrived on the local culinary firmament with the arrival of The Curly Stu to the Coal Quay Farmer’s Market, every Saturday. Chef Stuart Bowes’ tomato sauce and toppings ingredient list alone had The Menu salivating into his beard like a desert island castaway, not least because The Menu knows Bowes and his cooking well since his days as the former head chef at Barnabrow House, in East Cork.Â
What’s more, Stuart’s traditional Neapolitan base recipe is truly on the money and The Menu may well be incorporating some of his techniques into his own bases in the future. The mobile Curly Stu pizza oven also operates from a variety of evening locations west of Cork city (Enniskeane, on Wed; Newcestown, on Fri; Cloughduv, on Sun) and is available to for outside catering/corporate events/parties etc if anybody is planning for the Covid-free future (thecurlystu@outlook.ie).Â
Weekly changing menus are on social media. (Facebook: The Curly Stu; Instagram: @thecurlystu. Tel to pre-order, payment by card on collection: 085 196 0706)Â
The very excellent Gareth Mullins, Executive Chef of Dublin’s Marker Hotel, weekly guest on Pat Kenny’s Newstalk radio programme and current Commissioner General of Euro Toques Ireland, was yet another chef who refused to take to the couch for lockdown and began posting his daily family meals online on Instagram stories back in March and soon developed a large following. Such was the response that he has tailored those initial posts and repurposed them as an online interactive watch & learn cookery classes, designed to help students learn skills (eg braising, steaming, pan-frying, frying, baking etc), develop their palates and learn to truly appreciate the ingredients they are working with by applying basic techniques to a different recipes.
After the interactive class (on Zoom, facilitating conversations between Gareth and students) a link is sent to the class for future reference and modules can be purchased individually or as part of a package. The Christmas special commences on Nov 23 as a package of four classes (€20 each or four for €60). Further info: email garethmullinscookery@gmail.comÂ
Local fans will be delighted to learn Good Day Deli’s Kete Kai Boxes are back in circulation once more while the rest of the country continues to salivate online at pics of these precious parcels that include a GDD Sharing Platter, Natural, Organic Wine and some of their sinfully delicious cakes, designed to serve two-to-four people and with an option of adding Frank Hederman’s smoked fish and a whole range of other edible treats from their online store, all delivered to your doorstep by their electric powered van.(www.gooddaydeli.ie/ketekaibox)Â
Though he has yet to sample same, citizens of lockdown Cobh may be interested in passing on their reports of Robin Hill B&B/Holistic Health Centre’s Tapas Lounge which, unable to operate under current restrictions, has pivoted to offer a takeout service (Fri/Sat/Sun 5.30pm to 8.30pm) serving up homemade tapas with a 15% discount on the usual menu. Tel. 021 481 2222 (www.robinhill.ie)Â
There are all manner of conspiracy theories floating around these days, not least where ‘The Covid’ is concerned, and The Menu has his own theories about the 5km limit, that it has in fact been imposed strictly to keep him from getting to Midleton where there is every chance he’d eat The Grumpy Bakers out of house and home for this quite recent and most tastefully fitted out arrival to the East Cork town has been on his hitlist for some time now, and, on foot of a recent sampling of some of their output, his appetite has gained a still keener edge.
Not only are they baking fine and very genuine sourdough breads but are also doing a nice line in Viennoiserie/Patisserie, the pain au chocolat, croissant and cinnamon roll that The Menu sampled being of especially high order and, what’s more, made with Irish Gourmet Butter’s pastry butter, a specialist product that hitherto only available as an imported product from abroad in a country that travels the world on its reputation for fine dairy and butter in particular. It’s addition here yields an exceptionally rich and crumbly laminated pastry.
Other items to look out for on the menu include some very splendid Danish pastries, specifically, a pear and almond special, featuring poached pear, almond cream and flaked almonds, and a savoury number, with mushroom, Knockanore cheddar and house pesto.
Best of all, though, was a spelt sourdough loaf of exceptional quality, gorgeous, airy crumb, nutty, chewy crust and delicious savoury flavours all illustrating the level of competency and skill at work in GB. For the moment, The Menu will allow the citizens of Midleton sole access to this lockdown treasure trove but, be warned, the moment restrictions are lifted he will be saddling up NeidÃn and heading East sporting his finest eating pants with the spandex waist! www.thegrumpybakers.ie
