Review: Afternoon Tea in Lough Erne Resort, Belleek Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh

Once you drive through the entrance gates of Lough Erne Resort, you know that you have arrived somewhere really special. Opened in 2007, the luxury 5-star resort played host to a G8 Summit of world leaders in 2013, seen as one of the most successful events of its kind, and in 2017 the Irish Open will be played on the Resort’s Championship Golf Course.

Lough Erne

The Resort is located just outside Enniskillen in County Fermanagh overlooking Castle Hume Lough, one of two connected lakes that makes up Lough Erne which is one of the largest lake-systems in Northern Ireland. I have been keen to visit for quite a while, so decided to make a slight detour on my recent trip to Derry and to stop by for a spot of afternoon tea. What better way could there be to while away a couple of hours on a beautifully sunny and unseasonably warm spring day?

For me, a truly great afternoon tea starts and ends with the tea itself. In Lough Erne, teas are supplied by master tea-makers Ronnefeldt, so I knew I was in for a treat. There is something so magical about a really good cup of tea and I was spoilt for choice here. We often forget that tea is the world’s most popular drink; that it is a beverage that spans the boundaries of history, nation, culture and class. We Irish are one of the highest per capita consumers of tea in the world and it is a drink that that we regularly rely on in times of celebration and also in times of stress because let’s be honest everything feels better with a good cup of hot tea!

Cosy Peatfire Tea

From my seat on a large, comfortable couch in the Garden Hall, I had a perfect view of the lake and the surrounding landscape and I sat back and relaxed while I looked through the afternoon tea menu and decided on what to order. A range of afternoon teas is available including Traditional Afternoon Tea (£19.50 per person) which is offered throughout the week and a Chocolate Afternoon Tea (£23 per person) which is available at the weekends. Vegetarian and Coeliac options are also available on request and children can indulge in some specially tailored treats from the Cygnet’s Afternoon Tea (£12 per child aged 3-11) menu. There is definitely something to suit all tastes.

Cake Stand

I quickly decided on the Champagne Afternoon Tea (£25 per person) which  includes a glass of Billecart-Salmon - the resort’s preferred Champagne - which quickly arrived along with a little platter of strawberries.

From the large selection of speciality teas on offer which includes old favourites like Irish Breakfast and Irish Afternoon Gold Blend but also includes the rather evocatively entitled Irish Whiskey Cream, Royal Gunpowder and Morgentau, I chose the Cosy Peatfire Mulled Wine Spice tea. This arrived with its own special timer which indicated when the tea was ready for optimum enjoyment. This lively fruit infusion with its gentle spicing and a hint of smoke on the palate managed to be both refreshing and comforting to drink. I was delighted with my choice.

Cucumber and Coronation Chicken Sandwiches

The tiered cake-stand containing three plates laden with goodies then arrived. This is my favourite moment during any afternoon tea and I was mesmerised by the selection of assorted finger sandwiches, scones and pastries that were presented.

The sandwiches were made with a range of different breads and generously filled with a variety of fillings including an excellent Coronation Chicken. This with its gentle fruity spiciness and tender chunks of chicken was delicious to eat whilst an equally well made Cucumber & Cream Cheese sandwich was refreshing and full of crisp cucumber and creamy cheese.

Egg & Onion Brioche Roll

I also loved the Open Smoked Salmon Sandwich served on a rather good brown soda bread using superior smoked salmon. This was simply presented to showcase the quality of the ingredients used and I savoured every mouthful.  However, my favourite sandwich of the day was a flavoursome Egg & Onion offering served in a well made sweet and buttery brioche roll which was incredibly satisfying to eat.

Pausing to drink more of the wonderful tea, I then moved on to the next tier of the cake-stand which held an array of delicate looking Pastries and Sweet Fancies. Unable to restrain myself I immediately popped the White Chocolate Dipped Strawberry into my mouth and let out a contented sigh as the fruity juices were released into my mouth. Feeling like a child let loose in a sweetshop, I then made light work of the bite-sized Homemade Custard Cream and Chocolate Profiterole which were also fantastic.

Sweet Treats

A luscious Fruit Tart was next up containing a crème pâtissière filling topped with soft fruit. This was daintily presented and packed full of flavour. A Raspberry & Almond Fancy was another fruity offering but here glazed raspberries sat atop a moist but incredibly light base of almond cake. A flawlessly made Lemon Macaron filled with a suitably tart lemon curd completed this part of my leisurely afternoon tea.

The afternoon tea finished with a Homemade Currant Scone which I split and filled with butter, Raspberry Jam AND whipped cream! The scone was served warm and had a light and airy texture. This was the perfect way to end a notable afternoon tea in a stunning location.

Profiterole

Service was warm and welcoming throughout my visit to Lough Erne Resort. Special mention must go to Anna my wonderful waitress, whose knowledge of the teas on offer was second-to-none. Lough Erne’s Traditional Afternoon Tea has all the important ingredients from finger sandwiches, light scones with a selection of jams and preserves to delicate bite-sized cakes and pastries and everything is carried out extremely well. This was an afternoon tea to linger over and I enjoyed every single moment and was sorry to leave.

 

Lough Erne Resort

Beleek Road

Enniskillen

BT93 7ED

Northern Ireland

Telephone: 0044 28 8663 2320

Website: www.lougherneresort.com

This article first appeared in TheTaste.ie
 

Currant Scone, Raspberry Jam, Butter & Cream

Review: The Tannery Cookery School, Dungarvan, County Waterford

I clearly remember when I first read Paul Flynn’s An Irish Adventure with Food - The Tannery Cookbook and I can recall the profound effect that the book and the recipes contained within its pages had on me. This was a book that presented Irish ingredients in a modern and exciting way that was far removed from the rather sterile utilitarian cookbooks that I had grown up reading. Paul’s passion and love of cooking was evident throughout and his calm, no-nonsense approach made me truly believe that I could replicate the recipes at home, in my own kitchen.

Entrance to Tannery Cookery School

A number of years later, I dined in The Tannery, the restaurant that Paul owns and runs with his wife Máire in his home town of Dungarvan in Waterford, and spent a wonderful night in the comfortable and elegant surroundings of the Tannery Townhouse which is located around the corner from the restaurant. The food that I ate that night was memorable and included an outstanding Crab Crème Brûlée which I don't think I will ever forget.

Paul and Máire achieved one of their main ambitions when they eventually opened The Tannery Cookery School in 2008. Paul’s enthusiasm and love of food is infectious and makes him ideally suited to teaching, so setting up the cookery school seemed a logical progression. The school offers an exciting range of courses with something to suit all tastes and skill levels. These include half-day and  evening courses along with some of a longer duration. Over the years the school has played host to a number of guest chefs/cookery writers including Neven Maguire, Richard Corrigan and Tamasin Day-Lewis amongst many others. It’s fair to say that I was really looking forward to finally attending a course in the cookery school and having the opportunity to meet Paul in person.

Tannery Cookery School

The school’s state-of-the-art kitchen has been designed to the highest standards and is kitted-out with everything participants will need. Hands-on courses are kept deliberately small with no more than 12 students but the school can also cater for up to 30 people attending demonstration courses. While some courses are demonstration-only many involve hands-on cooking or are a combination of both. The one-day French Bistro Classics course that I had signed up to was demonstration-only but this meant that I had the opportunity to sit back, take notes and learn loads from Paul

The course kicked off in a relaxed fashion at 10am with Paul describing the dishes that he would cook during the day. We each received a booklet containing all the recipes which we also used to scribble down the many tips and tricks-of-the-trade that we learnt along the way.

Bacon, Onion, Potato & Sour Cream Tart

From the outset it was clear that classic French bistro-style food is something that is close to Paul’s heart and he admitted that his last meal if on Death Row would most likely include Confit Duck, Dauphinoise Potatoes, a Green Salad and a glass or three of red wine! We were shown how to cook both the duck and potato dishes and later got the chance to taste them and could see why they were firm favourites of Paul’s. Confit Duck is one of those dishes that has always struck me as being tricky to prepare but Paul demonstrated how easy it was and it is something that I will definitely try out at home.

Paul Flynn is an instinctive chef who approaches cooking intuitively adding a pinch of salt, a grind of pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar as required, in order to create a dish that is balanced. He emphasised the importance of regularly tasting the food as you cook it, making any necessary adjustments along the way. In a similar vein, Paul encouraged us to experiment rather than slavishly following recipes because he believes that cooking then becomes something that is fun and as he so succinctly puts it, “if it tastes nice, it’s right”.

Caramelising Apples

For Paul, leftovers represent an opportunity to make something new and delicious tasting. This he readily demonstrated to us by including some of the caramelised onions that he had left over after making the Onion, Beetroot & Goat’s Cheese Soup (his twist on a classic French Onion Soup) in the Dauphinoise Potatoes. This was a wonderful and unexpected addition which gave the potatoes a certain amount of French je ne sais quoi!

Looking back I’m  amazed by the amount of dishes we covered, all of which were to form the basis of a meal that we would sit down together to enjoy in the spacious and tastefully decorated dining room adjoining the cookery school, once the course was finished. After feasting on a fragrant dish of freshly-cooked Mussels with Fennel, Orange and Pernod we tucked into our main course of Confit Duck and Dauphinoise Potatoes, which was served with a simple Watercress & Celeriac Salad and Lentils Vinaigrette. Needless to say all of these dishes were delicious and seemed surprisingly easy to cook.

Goat's Cheese Parcels

To finish off our meal we devoured a sinfully good Apple Tarte Tatin which we all loved. Often the simplest things can be the most delicious and this was certainly the case with this classic French dessert.

I should point out that we were shown how to cook many other dishes during the day including a range of sauces, Goat’s Cheese Parcels with Caramelised Apples & Pickled Beetroot  inspired by Nigel Slater who is Paul’s favourite cook and Cervelle de Canut - a flavoursome dip made with crème fraîche, garlic and an abundance of herbs including chervil, parsley and chives. This we ate with slices of sourdough baguette as a snack. One of my favourite dishes of the day was a simple Bacon, Onion, Potato & Sour Cream Tart which really proved that less IS more. Based on an Alsatian Tarte Flamiche, Paul had it assembled and baking in the oven in less-than-no-time and we descended on it like hungry vultures when it was ready.

Making Tarte Tatin

I really enjoyed the French Bistro Classics course in The Tannery Cookery School and would highly recommend it or any of the other courses on offer. I found that Paul Flynn was a knowledgeable and engaging teacher and that his reassuring manner and entertaining approach ensured that the day was tremendous fun. Most importantly I learnt loads and came away from the course with a renewed enthusiasm for cooking simple, delicious food.

Further information on the courses offered in The Tannery Cookery School, including prices is available at info@tannery.ie

 

The Tannery Cookery School

10 Quay Street

Dungarvan

County Waterford

Telephone: 05845420

Website: www.tannery.ie

 

This article first appeared in TheTaste.ie

 

Paul Flynn making Tarte Tatin

 

Restaurant Review: Bodega, John Street, Waterford

I definitely clock up a lot of miles in my work for TheTaste.ie where I am tasked with seeking out and reviewing the best places to dine in around Ireland. Not that I’m complaining because, over the past year, I have visited many different parts of this island and have re-discovered a love for and a pride in the food that we produce in this country. My travels recently brought me to Waterford and I asked friends who know the area well for recommendations on which restaurants I should visit. One name kept cropping up which immediately piqued my interest so I booked myself a table for an early evening meal in Bodéga! Restaurant & Wine Bar and was looking forward to discovering whether the enthusiastic endorsements were deserved!

Bread

Located on John Street in the heart of Waterford City, Bodéga! is easy to find as its bright orange/red frontage acts like a beacon attracting diners through its doors. Inside, the restaurant is surprisingly spacious despite initially seeming long and narrow. Decorated in  bright jaunty colours with wooden tables and chairs and comfortable banquette seating along one side of the dining room, this is a place that makes you feel happy inside and brings a smile to your face.

I sometimes feel self-conscious when dining alone but the warm welcome and laid-back atmosphere in Bodéga! immediately  put me at ease and I happily sipped on sparkling water as I examined the menu in greater detail. Three menus were offered on the evening that I visited - an Early Bird an À La Carte and a Tastes Menu which after some consideration was the one that I decided to go for.

Smoked Salmon

Although I had arrived early to the restaurant, a steady flow of customers meant that the tables soon began to fill up creating a pleasant hum of chatter against the lively Spanish music playing in the background. I could feel myself relaxing as I nibbled on Bread dipped in a fruity olive oil and waited for my meal to arrive.

The Tastes Menu comprises four courses with local produce being used throughout, where possible. First up was a snack consisting of ‘rosettes’ of Carpaccio of Beef and Smoked Salmon. Both were presented simply without any unnecessary embellishments which I found appealing. The tender beef was partnered with small dots of a mild horseradish mayonnaise whilst the smoked salmon was drizzled with a rather zippy pickled onion dressing that was unbelievably moreish. I was impressed to learn that the salmon had been smoked in-house and I loved the depth-of-flavour that it possessed.

Rabbit Terrine

My second course a Terrine of Elda Wild Dunhill Rabbit, Carrot Chutney & Grilled Bread was an attractive looking dish consisting of a generous portion of the terrine with slices of griddled bread and a wonderful carrot ‘chutney’ This was, in reality, more like a pickle of grated fresh carrot but with its perfectly balanced sweet and sour notes I felt that it was an ideal accompaniment for the rabbit terrine. Terrines can be bland with a tendency to dry out during cooking but this was a delight to eat. Wrapping the terrine in bacon during cooking helped to protect the lean rabbit meat whilst the inclusion of green peppercorns and cornichons gave the dish added oomph and texture.

Brill

Although a choice of duck or fish  was offered for the main course I quickly decided on Billy Burke’s Dunmore East Brill, Dillisk Foam, Pea Purée & Warm Potato Salad. Presented on a speckled grey stoneware plate this was a stunning looking dish that was begging to be eaten. Brill, with its sweet taste and firm texture, is a great favourite of mine and one that I order whenever I see it on a menu. The accompanying pea purée with its light and silky texture served to accentuate the natural sweetness of the fish whilst the chunks of warm potato gave the dish body and texture creating pleasing sensations in the mouth. The dish was finished with a dillisk flavoured foam which was evocative of the spray that remains as the tide ebbs and flows against the coastline. This was an outstanding dish that pleased on so many levels.

Chocolate Cake

I was torn between the Warm Chocolate Cake, Cherry Crisp, Chocolate Soil, & Cherry Ripple Ice-Cream and the Milleens Farmhouse Cheese, Honeyed Walnuts, Oatcakes & Apple Chutney for dessert and after a quick chat with my obliging waitress decided to order both.  The brownie-like chocolate cake was dark and damp and had obviously been made using a good dark chocolate. Partnered with an excellent cherry-ripple ice cream and an intensely flavoured cherry crisp, this was a simple but decadent dessert.

I finished my meal with the cheese and oatcakes. I am a huge fan of Milleens - a washed rind, medium-soft cheese with an orange, slightly sticky rind. Here it was served with superior oatcakes, a refreshing homemade apple chutney and rather addictive candied walnuts. This was a fitting end to a truly  memorable meal which  for the quality of food offered on the four-course Tastes Menu represented unbelievable value for money at €35 per person.

Milleens

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Waterford and was charmed by my meal in Bodéga! Talented Head Chef Jamie Dowling produces exciting food that is fun to eat. His cooking is accomplished and confident but he also has a lightness-of-touch that makes each plate of food irresistible. Service throughout my meal was exemplary and staff were enthusiastic and eager to please. Charismatic restaurateur Cormac Cronin has built a good team in Bodéga! and has created a restaurant that is understandable popular. I would have no hesitation in strongly recommending it.

 

Bodéga! Restaurant & Wine Bar

54 John Street

Waterford

 

Opening Hours:

Monday - Saturday: Serving Noon-10pm; Early Bird: Monday - Friday 5pm-7pm

Closed Sundays

 

Telephone: 051844177

Website: www.bodegawaterford.com

This review first appeared in TheTaste.ie

Bodega