Visit Ballydehob, where necessity has become the mother of re-invention….

Thursday, September 27th, 2018 · Comments (0)

Swans at the Bridge, Ballydehob, Amanda Roe Photography

Ballydehob village was on my bucket list of places to live from the tender age of 20. Now at 52 I have lived in this beautiful place for the last 16 years. How we ended up here is a long story and too convoluted to tell, but suffice it to say, it was due to a re-invention of our lives, job change, house change, baby….. in that order. So, speaking of re-invention, this village has done it over and over to survive, and so have most of the people who live here. From mining and farming, to famine, rebellion and sand-boats, and on to art, crafts, music, writing and tourism, this town has seen more changes than a little. Not least the population the village supported, which pre-famine was 20,000 in the greater area, now only 274 (Census 2016) in the village itself.

Lately the village has undergone another sea-change. Listed as one of Ireland’s coolest villages this year, Ballydehob has become the place to visit for music festivals, art exhibitions, shopping, history and walking, not to mention the several fabulous eateries and some of the most interesting pubs on the island of Ireland. Many an ironic bun on the lads drinking lattés and craft beers here! And so to my list of the best re-inventions:

Kilcoe Cottage, first and foremost I should outline our own self interest in this article. We own and manage several exclusive vacation rentals in and around Ballydehob. A converted barn, a small but beautifully formed duplex and a two house property with wonderful sea views here in Kilcoe, a two house waterfront property in Foilnamuck and a wonderful townhouse in Castletownshend. If you are looking for comfort in a bespoke setting, check out our houses on www.kilcoecottage.com

Levis’ Bar, once the domain of Nell and Julia Levis as a bar and grocery shop, their grand-nephew Joe O’Leary and his partner Caroline now run it as one of the hippest music venues in the country. They also hold a fabulous local produce market on Wednesday mornings www.leviscornerhouse.com

Budd’s Café and Bistro, once the famous Annie’s restaurant, now owned and operated by Jamie and Emma Budd. Fabulous flavours using local and foraged ingredients, and the best coffee in the West. www.budds.ie

Rosie’s Bar and the Aisling Gallery, one of the cosiest bars in Ballydehob, the first one we ever frequented here to sit and sip by the roaring fire, has now added an art gallery on the upper floors. There are several excellent exhibitions every year of local artists.

Ina Daly’s, The Irish Whip, O’Briens Bar and The Sandboat, traditional bars that everyone should visit. No re-invention here….. sure why would you re-invent the wheel?

Restaurant Chestnut, once the Chestnut Tree pub, is now an elegant eatery serving exquisite tasting and á-la-carte menus by Rob Krawczyk (chef) and his partner Elaine Fleming www.restaurantchestnutwestcork.ie

The Post Office, under threat of closure our local post mistress Bridie Roycroft changed it up a peg by opening an excellent craft shop to compliment her already extensive offerings of stationary supplies, cards and local gifts. www.facebook.com/ballydehobpostoffice/

Patrick Roche jewellers, contemporary silver and gold jewellery crafted here in Ballydehob

Hudson’s Wholefoods, café and wholefoods market, owned by Gill Hudson for many years, but now in the capable hands of Catherine Melvin.

The Copper Merchant, the owner of this wonderful lifestyle shop needs a whole paragraph just for herself. The mother of re-invention, Joanne Cassidy is part of the fabric of the village. First owning the inimitable West Cork Gourmet Store, she morphed that in to The Porcelain Room, one of the best Thai and French Vietnamese restaurants in the country. Then she started in the vacation home business and now has several properties on offer in the village including one above The Copper Merchant, which is style itself.

www.facebook.com/The-Copper-Merchant/

Bally Bia, Faye, the new owner of what was the Porcelain Room, took over from Joanne and now offers a fabulous fusion menu. You can also get takeaway curries from 5- 7 pm on summer evenings. www.facebook.com/ballybia/

Vincent Coughlan’s Bar and Restaurant, a great new seafood and steak house www.facebook.com/coughlanrestaurant/

Antonio’s Pizzeria-Ristorante, a staple for every family in the village. Great pizza, Italian menu and gelato. www.antonioristorante.ie

Danno O’Mahony

Bridie’s Craft Shop

Vincent Coughlan’s

The Copper Merchant

Soon to be Nico’s at Oasis again

Budd’s

Glaisin Alainn

Wednesday, March 22nd, 2017 · Comments (0)

So in a moment of madness we decided to expand and add new properties to our exclusive collection at Kilcoe Cottage. Introducing Glaisin Alainn (it means beautiful meadow in English) And we are so glad we did. This is a stunning waterfront property with it’s own pebble beach, floating pontoon, slipway, hot tub and sauna. Many’s the day we have spent with the owners whiling away a West Cork summer day by the water, watching the kids sail, kayak, water-ski, pier jump and swim. Follow this with a warm up in the hot tub, a bbq on the deck in good company and a great sunset and you have the perfect West Cork vacation day.

Rocket and Bresaole Salad

Thursday, September 22nd, 2016 · Comments (0)

Rocket and Bresaola Salad

If you are lucky enough to have traveled to Italy and eaten in any restaurants there, you will have seen or maybe eaten this salad. It is a mainstay on any menu. So simple yet absolutely delicious. Now I hear you on the Bresaola (cured beef) thing…. where oh where do you pick it up here in Ireland. Believe it or not I got the meat in the picture in Lidl but I have seen it in good supermarkets and delicatessens regularly. You could always improvise and use prosciutto or salami or, as I have said before, your flipping imagination (the roast potatoes pictured are me using mine)

What you need:

200-250g Bresaola

1 x packet of fresh rocket leaves (arugula/ruccola for Americans/Italians)

A large piece of Parmesan cheese – No excuses here, we only use Parmigiano Reggiano

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

What you do:

Put the rocket on a big plate, scatter shavings of parmesan on top and arrange the Bresaola in an attractive way. Don’t be whinnying about not being able to display food artistically, of course you can, have confidence and it will do the work for you. Sprinkle with oil and salt and grind the pepper all over. Simple.

I have added many things to this salad to make it my own, examples being semi-sundried tomatoes, yesterdays roast potatoes sliced and crisped in butter or coconut oil or olive oil on a pan, olives etc. Be adventurous.

Eat and enjoy.

Chicken Chutney Dip

Thursday, September 8th, 2016 · Comments (0)

Christmas Nibbles: Chicken Chutney Dip

It’s Christmas Time…… Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?
…… Rockin’ around the Christmas tree……Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland…… Driving home for Christmas…

Toasted almonds add just the right nutty kick

Aaaaaaargh! Yuletide songs have been driving us mad since October, which means by now they do nothing whatsoever to get us in the Christmassey mood. So let’s try something else. Let’s cook for friends.

This year is all about spending time together as opposed to the Celtic Tiger present frenzy. So why not spoil your loved ones with something they actually need. Give them some time and attention, along with yummy home cooked food.

The following recipe is simple to make and great for sharing. Read it through before you start.

‘Movie Night’ Chicken Chutney Dip and Pita Chips.

A friend of mine gave me this recipe about twenty years ago and I must have made it hundreds of times since then. My sister even insisted on having it for the drinks reception at her wedding. You will find that people hover around the bowl pretending to chat to someone. In actual fact they are hogging the dip. You may find yourself in the roll of evictor. Grab a scoop while you wrestle with the offenders.

What you need:

2 x large Chicken Breasts, poached (that’s simmered gently in a little salty water until cooked through)

The brands I use.

6-8 fl oz of Mayonnaise.

3 tablespoons of Mango Chutney.

3 Scallions.

2 tablespoons Madras Curry Powder.

Salt and Pepper to taste.

3 oz of Sliced Almonds

An oven to table gratin dish or ovenproof bowl, the right size for the volume of dip. The mixture should be at least an inch or more deep in the dish. A food processor or blender or magic wand (the electrical one not the fairy godmother one)

What you do:

Place all the ingredients EXCEPT the almonds in your available whizzer. Blend until almost smooth. (If you are using a wand chop the chicken and scallions up first) If the mixture seems a little dry add the extra 2 oz of Mayonnaise. You can taste it at this stage to check the seasoning. Put into your oven proof dish. Top with the almonds spread in a single layer and bake at 180 degrees for 10-15 minutes until it starts to bubble a little bit.

Don’t let anybody taste it unless you’re ready to have it eaten!

For the Pita Chips:

Into the food processor to whiz

1 or 2 packets of Pita Bread

Salt

Olive Oil

What you do:

Cut the pita bread into wedges (i.e. like pizza slices) I find a scissors does the job well. Pull apart to split in two single layers. Toss in a little olive oil and salt. Bake in the oven for about 5-8 minutes.

Watch it. They burn in the blink of an eye!

Of course you could just use plain tortilla chips or any crackers on-hand. Less work and more time with the movie goers.

Serve chips with warm dip and watch as human nature takes over.

In January when you are on that health kick, why not try it with low-fat mayo and vegetable sticks for dipping?

Whatever else you do, make sure you enjoy eating it.

With love, Margie.

The Kilcoe Cottage Chocolate Cake

Wednesday, September 7th, 2016 · Comments (0)

The Best Chocolate Cake in My World.

chocolate cake, the finished object

Dear Reader,

This is my first attempt at a recipe blog. So please bear with me as I try to make it interesting, informative and worth the read. Having never attempted to put pen to paper, metaphorically speaking, before, this could be a complete disaster, but here goes…

As a cook the one thing I am asked for over and over again is chocolate cake. For birthdays, family get-togethers, a local knees-up, any special occasion really, the one request I get often is ‘will you make that gorgeous chocolate cake?’ So in the hope that someone else will be asked to make it next time, let us begin.

A quick note here :READ THE RECIPE THROUGH FROM START TO FINISH FIRST, AND YES, I AM SHOUTING AT YOU…

What you need:

85g/3oz of good unsweetened dark chocolate (50% cocoa content minimum).
230g/8oz butter at room temperature.
500g/18oz brown/Demerera sugar.
3 eggs.
310g/12oz of white spelt flour (you can use regular white flour)
2 teaspoons of baking soda/bread soda.
half a teaspoon of salt.
120ml/4fl oz buttermilk (if you haven’t got any add 2 tspns of vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and leave for 5 minutes)
240ml/8 fl oz boiling water.
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (please do not use the fake one, it will make the cake taste shop-bought)

For the icing:

300g/11oz good dark chocolate.
110g/4oz butter.
170g/6oz icing sugar.
100ml/3.5 fl oz milk.

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line one 12 inch or two 9 inch tins with parchment or greaseproof paper or a dusting of flour. Set them aside. DO ALL THIS NOW (yes that’s me shouting again or, being more polite so as not to discourage you…raising my voice)

Place the chocolate in a heavy saucepan over a very low heat or in a double boiler (i.e. glass/pyrex bowl of chocolate pieces or drops sitting atop a saucepan of simmering water, bowl not touching the water) and melt gently, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer (however if you have been very diligent, and not like me who has not listened to myself and isnow pulling the butter out of the fridge, and your butter is at warm-room temperature, you can do this by hand) With the mixer on a slow speed add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If at this point the whole thing looks like curdled mush, fear not. This just means your finished productwon’t be as light and fluffy as Grannie’s. In this instance that’s a bonus. Stir in the melted chocolate.

Combine, using a sieve, the flour, bread soda and salt in a medium bowl (That’s a bowl that will actually hold the volume, nothing fancier) Now add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the chocolatey mixture alternating both. Blend gently and then add in the boiling water slowly and the vanilla. This will be a very wet mixture. Don’t over-mix, but do scrape the bottom of the bowl with a spatula before the next step or you will have a big gloopy bit that drops into the tin and splatters you and everything within range including your iphone.

Pour the batter into your prepared tin/s and bake in your pre-heated oven until a toothpick comes out clean. In the absence of a toothpick, use a knife or skewer or your bloomin’ imagination! This can be anywhere from 30-55 minutes depending on your tin size and oven. Open the oven at thirty minutes and gently turn the cake 180 degrees (that’s half way round to you non-math’sey people) check for done-ness. If still gooey close the door gently and check again every ten minutes or so. The beauty of this cake is, that it is better if it sinks. Dense, moist and devilishly delicious.

Cool in the tin. When cool, turn out onto your favourite big plate. Best if it’s a completely flat cake plate as whatever about sunken, you don’t need the plate to make it look like the crater in Mount Vesuvius.

For the icing, gently melt the chocolate with the butter. Add the milk slowly, mixing all the time. Sieve in the icing sugar, again stirring at intervals. Whisk gently to smooth. Now pour it on top of the cake from the middle outwards. As you get towards the edge let it run down the sides. You can then re-direct the flow by using a flat knife to spread it out if nesessary. Decorate with anything from a mound of berries and a sprig of mint in the centre, to lavish chocolate swirls or just plain old milk and white chocolate buttons.

Whatever else you do, make sure you enjoy eating it. With Love, Margie.

The best chocolate cake!

Visit Ballydehob, where necessity has become the mother of re-invention….

Glaisin Alainn

Rocket and Bresaole Salad

Rocket and Bresaola Salad

Chicken Chutney Dip

Christmas Nibbles: Chicken Chutney Dip

The Kilcoe Cottage Chocolate Cake

The Best Chocolate Cake in My World.

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