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

 

Review: Farmette Cookery Book by Imen McDonnell

In The Farmette Cookbook: Recipes and Adventures from my Life on an Irish Farm, Imen McDonnell charts her journey from working as a Media executive in Los Angeles and New York to meeting husband-to-be Richard and moving to live on his family farm in rural Ireland. Along the way she speaks honestly about the difficulties she faced exchanging her cosmopolitan lifestyle for a life working on a busy dairy farm.

In the Introduction to the book she admits that in the beginning, part of her believed that at some point she and Richard would return to the States to build their lives there, but she soon realised that an Irish farmer would never leave their land and live-stock. Once her son Geoffrey was born she knew that Ireland was now her home.

Stamping out scones

Cooking and baking helped cure her homesickness. She started gathering recipes from her mother-in-law and, as a way of easing herself into her new life, she cooked and photographed the food she made and wrote about her experiences on her blog at Farmette.ie Falling in love with the Irish countryside, she took to foraging the hedgerows for berries which she then turned into tasty dishes for her family. She soon found that cooking and baking helped her to make new friends and that people were always eager to drop by her kitchen to sample her food.

In many ways Imen McDonnell sees Ireland through the eyes of an outsider who has embraced her new life with enthusiasm and as such, the book has an honesty and authenticity about it. Beautifully photographed and styled throughout it reads like the culinary embodiment of a John Hinde postcard but this is not to suggest that Ireland or its food is presented in a twee or clichéd way. Instead you can really sense the love McDonnell feels for her new home and the food that is produced here.

Scones warm from the oven

Containing 12 chapters the book is structured around both ingredients and specific family meals and occasions. One chapter that specifically caught my eye was the one on Traditional Dairy Skills which contains recipes for Butter, Cream Cheese and Yoghurt amongst many others and I can't wait to try making my own Clotted Cream which looks relatively easy to achieve.

I also liked the trio of chapters on Country Suppers, Sunday Lunch and New Traditions which really showcased how family and friends were at the heart of all the food that McDonnell produces.

Finished Scones

I’ve long been a fan of Imen’s blog so was looking forward to the release of this, her first cookbook and I was not disappointed. This is a beautiful book which contains some stonking great recipes which are easy to cook using everyday ingredients. I decided to road-test some of the recipes and was very impressed by the results. With over 150 to choose from I was spoilt for choice but decided to start with something simple - her recipe for Scones.

Using only a few ingredients; flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and double cream, this was quite different from the recipe that I normally use. The method was also unusual in that the dry ingredients were merely weighed out and then the cream was stirred in. I have to admit that after mixing up the dough, which seemed quite dry, I wasn't expecting great results so was thrilled with the wonderfully light and fluffy scones that emerged from the oven. Split whilst still warm and lathered in butter, raspberry jam and (ahem) a large blob of whipped cream, they were delicious. I loved them. The scones were mixed and out of the oven, ready to eat in under 25 minutes. I was impressed.

Tea Brack

Convinced that nothing could beat my recipe for Tea Brack, I then decided to try McDonnell’s version. With a slightly curmudgeonly attitude I was half hoping that this recipe would not result in a Brack that was as good as mine, but yet again I was proven wrong. Packed full of dried fruit which was evenly distributed throughout the finished Brack, this was a bread-like cake that was moist and full of flavour. Again it was incredibly quick and easy to make using ingredients that are readily available.

Presented in an accessible format giving both metric and American cup measurements, the recipes are easy to follow and in the main no specialist or unusual equipment is required. I found this no-nonsense approach very appealing. McDonnell has a reassuring style, similar to Delia Smith or Darina Allen that would imbue even the most inexperienced cook with confidence resulting in a cookbook that will be used rather than sitting on a bookshelf gathering.

Roasted Pear Cheesecake

The next recipe that I tried was the Roasted Pear Cheesecake. Although this was more complex than the earlier recipes that I had road-tested, it resulted in a Cheesecake that was deliciously rich and creamy packed full of the flavours of sweet roasted pears and spicy ginger. I absolutely loved it, as did all my family who wolfed it-down. Again the instructions were laid out in an easy-to-follow fashion.

I was intrigued by the recipe for Bangers & Mash was next up as the gravy was made using Irish stout, which sounded like an interesting addition so I decided to give it a go! Unsurprisingly, given how the earlier recipes had turned out, this was another great success. The stout worked incredibly well against the sweetness of the onions in the gravy and contrasted nicely with the fresh spring onions in the mashed potatoes. I have cooked this recipe a number of times since and each time it has been a huge hit and a perfect example of how humble ingredients can be elevated to something truly delicious with a little care and attention.

Bangers and Mash

Finally, I made the Coffee-Walnut Cake and this was the first time that I veered slightly from the recipe, baking the cake in three 6” sandwich tins rather than the two 8” tins specified.  I loved the inclusion of ground walnuts in the sponge which gave extra texture and a nutty toastiness to the final cake. This was hands-down the very best Coffee & Walnut Cake that I have ever made or eaten and I would buy the book for the recipe alone.  Again, it was simple to make with well-balanced flavours and it looked absolutely stunning.

In the introduction to the book McDonnell states that she “…wasn’t exactly the kind of girl who dreamed of country living” but with the release of this book she proves the extent to which she has embraced her new life. The book is an absolute joy to read, the recipes are delicious and I know that it is a book that I will use time and time again.

The Farmette Cookbook: Recipes and Adventures from my Life on an Irish Farm by Imen McDonnell

Publisher: Roost Books

Published: 8-Mar-2016

This article first appeared in TheTaste.ie