Tastefest Cork

Having just read a blog posting from mutant space on twitter having seen it on a tweet from Ella Mc Sweeney I decided I needed to reply I organised & ran the Springfort Hall restaurant tent @ Tastefest Cork last weekend & agree with some of things the unnamed writer had to say but also feel some of the comments were very unfair even more so considering the writer did not even attend the festival. The prices quoted in the post are correct but what is not mentioned is the online booking discount which was 30-40% off & that thousands of free tickets were distributed in the days leading up to the festival. On the Friday the weather was terrible & the organisers immediately announced that anyone with tickets for Friday could use them Saturday or Sunday. Moving on to the stand fees producers were charged depending on the size & location of there stands I know of a significant number who paid €800 and a few €1500. The percentage break down is also completely wrong the 15 restaurants paid 50% drinks companies 20% & food retailers/small producers 10%. The split between restaurants and the drinks companies was unfair but 10% is not unfair for a producer/retailer considering the invaluable amount of contacts & new distributers that are picked up at events like this. As for the cost of the food at the Springfort Hall Country house hotel stand we charged €3 for a Starter or dessert, €4 for another starter & €6 for a main course all portions were half there normal size for a quarter of the price & prices & value were similar across the board. What I do agree with is the set up yes more cork companies could have been used but I do know the organisers & they are a few young guys doing this for the first time and they did a fine job of it yes they made mistakes and would be the first to admit it but can you blame them for going for an all in one safe company to partner with 1st time out what would we say if they had used local companies and made a mess of it. Here is a few other opinions for your consideration.
http://www.corkbilly.com/2011/06/tastefest-cork-2011.html
http://followthefoodlink.wordpress.com/
The picture shows the dishes Springfort hall did at tastefest

RESTAURANTS AND FOOD IN CORK: TASTEFEST CORK 2011

RESTAURANTS AND FOOD IN CORK: TASTEFEST CORK 2011: "Click to enlarge. TASTEFEST CORK 2011 The sun blazed down as Cork’s inaugural Tastefest finished with a flourish in Fitzgerald’s Park on..."

Dessert at Tastefest Cork Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta i wanted to do carrageen moss pudding but i wasnt 100% with my recipe or how the elderflower would go with the carrageen moss so i stuck with the panna cotta. The Strawberries are from Nick Moseleys Farm in Listarkin, Union Hall in West Cork (the menu says north cork) as i had trouble finding a supplier after my veg mans usual guy packed it in what a pity but i have known Nick since we were kids & his farm is chemical free & produces some of the finest strawberries in ireland hence demand far out weights supply so thanks to Nick for supplying us.

The Elderflower Cordial we made ourselves from flowers collected on the 16 acre farm that surrounds Springfort Hall

Duhallow Feather Blade of Beef, Blackrock Stout Glaze, Saute New Potatoes, Samphire, Gubeen Chorizo, Organic Rapeseed Oil & Poached Free Range Egg. €6 This Dish features Kitty Colchesters Organic Rapeseed Oil which we use in the hotel & stock in our shop in mallows main street, it also features Blackrock stout from the Dungarvan Brewing Company which we stock in the bar at springfort hall along with there other craft beers Copper Coast & Helvic Gold we will also be stocking craft beer from 8degrees brewing in Ballyhoura Michelstown from next week this dish also contains Gubeen Chorizo from Fingal Fergusons renowned Gubeen Smokehouse & the sea vegetable Samphire which i would love to find a local supplier for & Desmond Lysaths Free Range Eggs whose Eggs we use to supplement our own we also buy lamb & Duck Eggs from Desmonds farm a mile from the Hotel.

Black Pudding Starter

Jack McCarthys Black Pudding, Pork Belly from our own pigs Apple Puree & Stonewell Cider Jelly Only €4 @tastefest Cork June 23rd to 26th

TasteFest Cork Ardsallagh Goats Cheese with crispy Toasts

Ardsallagh Goats Cheese on crispy Toasts with a selection of Five Different accompaniments Roast veg Salsa, Tapenade, Pesto, Red Onion Marmalade Roast Tomato Relish & Toasted Walnuts. We will be serving a Half size Portion of this as our first starter at Tastefest Cork June 23rd to 26th €3 ONLY!!!!

Boats Artisans Wild Mushrooms

Found this shaggy ink cap on my lawn 2 days ago don't normally see them till the autumn which will give you an indication of how crap this summer has been so far anyway a giant puffball and a shaggy ink cap in the same week bliss. Myself & the kids ate the puffball with the toonsbridge mozzarella & Gubeen salami I picked up at baltimore wooden boats festival where we met Fingal Ferguson from Gubeen & gig or Gerard from the real olive company a great day out wonderful boats, food & fresh sea air kids loved the copious amounts of cheese Fingal was feeding them hence the big smiles in the photos. In the other photos you have the very rare giant puffball with the kids, the bruschetta we made and Fingal & the boats.

Giant Puff Ball Mushroom

Prepping the mushroom

Giant Puff Ball Mushroom & Kids

Baltimore Wooden Boats

Dry cure venison haunch

Hope to get some advice on how best to proceed with finishing and then smoking this. The ones i have done in the past are fab but not in the same league as what I ate in chapter one in Dublin I am hoping @edhick can help me out there.

Air Dried Irish Proscuito

Excuse the state of me long day in the kitchen this is my 3rd air dried ham which we will carve for samples at cork fest in Fitzgerald park in June there is a small few bits and pieces on twitter about this subject #irishproscuito. I will be expanding on the subject of air dried ham in my posts over the next few days cheers

Bride & Groom

Nice plates nice message

Springfort Hall Country House Hotel

Nothing like spring time to show off a fantastic building

Tomatoes

Tomorrows work tomatoes ready to go in the oven to slow roast over night at 70 degrees they will be used to make Passata or a chutney to stock in the shop

Making Jam

Made 10kg each of blueberry compote, raspberry jam and strawberry jam really good but not yet perfect

Shop Produce

Just a selection of the stuff we make In springfort hall country house including piccalilli, Tomato Pesto, Blueberry compote, chilli salsa, Tomato Chutney, Passata & Salad Dressing

Springfort Hall Shop/Deli/Cafe

Springfort Hall shop open now 5 months on Mallows main street there is freshly baked breads, scones, cakes & gluten free baking everyday from the hotel bakery, a range of freshly prepared deli products fresh sandwiches, wraps & rolls with our homemade condiments including piccalilli, fruity tomato chutney, chili salsa, red onion marmalade, jams, salad dressings and sauces, all available to buy. Our sandwich breads come from Twomeys award winning traditional bakery in Dromcollogher co. Limerick they use no artificial raising agents, improver's, flavours or preserving agents in there thick cut loaf. Fillings include Gubeen smokehouse Salami, chorizo and Cheeses which are also available to buy. Freshly made coffee by illy has been a huge hit as has Ballyhoura apple and beetroot juices and kitty Colchester's second nature organic cold pressed rapeseed oil. We also stock produce from a wide range of other local artisan cheese makers, butchers and farmers including Jack McCarthy's gold medal winning black pudding, Desmond Lysaghts free range hen & duck eggs and Mary Burns Ardrahan Cheese hop to see soon in Mallow.

Todays Duck Egg Bar Special

My take on Stephen Gibson's Pichet Egg using Desmond Lysaght's free range duck eggs my own air dried ham, new season Irish asparagus with kitty Colchester's organic rapeseed oil from Urlingford in kilkenny & Pat Clarke's micro greens from a growing pleasure in Donore Naas Co. Kildare

Feather Blade of Hereford Beef

Braised overnight for 12 hours you can actually pick up the asparagus spear and use it to eat the beef

Foraging in the woods

The kids had a laugh found nettles, briars and twigs @pigoftheday on twitter suggested I shouldn't be disappointed "twigs for the fire to cook the nettles for soup and hang around till august for the blackberries

Big Sausages

The springfort hall banger a thing of beauty considerable girth and 100% free range pork from own rare breed pigs hand made in our kitchen nothing added except salt, pepper, coriander & marjoram.

Dessert

Can do better ?

Look at them beauties

Much more successful as a blood cake. Needs a little bit more salt buts tastes amazing

Not chocolate

Black pudding just as good on Easter Sunday

Nearly there

Getting excited now

Black Pud

The next part is like creme anglaise
Cook slowly while stirring continuously till thick. I'm making blood cake in tins as I don't have the patience after last time to use beef middles again 1 in 5 burst on me water too hot probably plus this is a massive batch I have 40 1 pound loaf tins

Barley

Adding the barley and the oats

Onions

Onions and fat sautéing at this stage the salt, sugar and spices are in the blood along with a good slosh of whiskey doesn't have to be anything special powers will do keep the good stuff for the visitors

Back Fat

This stuff cured and smoked is better than butter on toast throw in some piccalilli and it's a gastronomic masterpiece

Blood

Five pigs worth

Pigs head

Well now it does any way

Lunch

Pigs head makes a fine ploughmans lunch

Brawn or Head Cheese

Nose to tail eating at it's zenith there is a hard boiled egg at the centre. It's pretty amazing how when cooking the pigs head polish mikey's description of what the poles do with the pigs head was exactly the same recipe for head cheese that I learned from Fergus Henderson's book The whole pig nose to tail eating. On investigation I discovered all of Europe has a similar method for preparing pigs head, reminds me of how similar the stories of all the major religions are and how far a good story/recipe will travel with minor altercations whoops alterations The trotters and tail were also in the pot.

Bogna's Easter Butter Lamb

Pastry chef Bogna's Easter lamb made from good old Irish kerrygold butter would brighten up any table setting this easter

Smoked Duck

Smoked duck made in the hotel from our own Ailesbury ducks

Pear & Almond Tart

Smoked Venison

My home cured and smoked wild venison.

Completed dish

Rabbit lion, braised leg and rabbit Shepard's pie with savoy cabbage, chestnuts and carrot purée.

Rabbit dish again

Vac packed

The rabbit lions vac packed and ready to be cooked sous vide in a water bath

Rolled rabbit lions

Blood cake

My homemade blood cake or black pudding used to stuff the rabbit

Stock

Rabbit stock used to make the jus and for cooking the rabbit mince

Mince

Rabbit mince from the trimmings we make meat balls, lasagne or Shepard's pie from this

Bones

Roasted rabbit to make stock

Rabbit legs

Boned out rabbit legs about to be braised