Cara Magazine-Enjoy your flight-Aer Lingus-July Issue 2011

EAT AND DRINK YOUR WAY AROUND THE WEST OF IRELAND, WHERE AN AVUNDANCE OF ARTISAN PRODUCERS ARE MAKING THE MOST OF THE FINEST LOCAL INGREDIENTS. LIZZIE GORE-GRIMES GIVES HER TASTE BUDS A TREAT FROM CONNEMARA TO CONG.

ALONG GALWAY’S RUGGED Atlantic coast, near the town of Ballyconneely, low-lying, whitewashed building sits perched on a pier, with the strong cold water of the Atlantic crashing almost to its door. This is the Connemara Smokehouse. It appears an unassuming place at first, until you step inside and meet the Roberts family. Graham, in thid mid-thirties, runs the smokehouse with his wife Saoirse and thier four young children (all artisan-smokers-in-the-making). Together they produce the best smoked Irish Salmon and line-caught Irish tuna you are ever likely to taste. There is a freshness and delicacy of flavour to Graham’s smoked salmon that is hard to equal. To taste it, with the mellow aroma of beech smoke in the air and the crashing waves of the Atlantic outside, leaves you in no doubt that this is, indeed, Ireland the food island.

We’re here in the west of Ireland, as part of a seafood appreciation weekend taking place in Ashford Castle. Arriving late at night after a long drive from Dublin, it’s hard not to be impressed by the stunning vista of the sweeping drive, bridging the river to the fairytale castle by the lake. Ashford Castle knows how to make a big impression, but David the doorman tops the lot – you’re definitely somewhere special when the doorman knows your name. All we have to do after that is settle into our sumptuous room, drink in the view over Lough Corrib and wander downstairs for dinner.

The next moring we get up early to head west, about as far west as you can go. Passing through the popular town of Clifden and on out to Ballyconneely and Bunowen Pier, we arrive at the smokehouse at the edge of the world. As Graham Roberts takes us on a tour of the smokehouse, it’s evident how hands-on he is at every stage of the process. As he deftly fillets, trims and preps a whole salmon in minutes, he explains the true depth of connection he has to the area. “fishermen I work with today are the sons of the fihermen my father worked with. Most of our fish come from nearby Killary Harbour. We have wild salmon in season in June & July (until stocks last), and we also get fantastic organic salmon from nearby Clare Island”. Graham opens the thick steel door of the smokery to show us the racks of salmon sides all deepening in colour in the fog of gentle beech smoke.

“We prefer to burn beech rather than oak,” continues Graham, “as oak contains more tannins and can produce a slightly more bitter flavour in the fish” Graham takes a side of salmon from the smoker to his slicing station where he still prefers to slice the majority of the salmon by hand. The way this man wields a filleting knife would make Nobu Matsuhisa look clumsy. A whole side of salmon is perfectly sliced in a matter of minutes. While he is doing this, his four immaculately behaved children hand out plates of smoked salmon and tuna for us to taste. The tuna is something you don’t see too ofter; it’s line-caught off the Irish coast, and Rick Stein was so impressed with it when he came here (to film Graham and Saoirse as part of his Food Heroes television series) that he now serves it in his famous seafood restaurant in Cornwall. Other piscatorial pleasures to stock up on are the Roberts’ family recipes of smoked tuna mousse, as well as gravadlax and traditional smoked kippers.

From one fish feast to another. We leave the Connemara Smokehosue to make our way to Rossroe Pier……

Aer Lingus - Cara Magazine - July Issue

Other wonderful places/producers mentioned in this article:

Cullen’s Bistro – Ashford Castle

Air dried meats – James McGeough

Mussels – Marty’s Mussels

Stefan Matz – Ashford Castle

Seaweed – Seamus Moran Lo-Tide Foods

Butcher – Sean Kelly

Aran McMahon – Café Rua

Farmhouse butter – Cuinneog

Homemade Jam – Grove Jams

Mixed leaves – Stephen Gould

Cheeses – Carrowholly

Chocolate – Helena’s Chocolates..

To view this article I’m afraid you will just have to take an Aer Lingus flight to view their inhouse “Cara Magazine”.  Food & Drink – The West of Ireland – July Issue 2011

Delicious Magazine – August Edition 2011 – Hungry Traveller by Les Dunn

The Connemara penisula, west of the city of Galway, is the Ireland millions of Americans imagine when, teary-eyed, they turn their thoughts to their homeland: still, silent loughs, grassy moors, ancient peat bogs, miles of stone walls, rolling hills and a craggy coastline of coves and inlets.  Plus the odd donkey. We’re off along the minor road that winds around the coast. Each mile we travel we feel more relaxed, like we’ve taken a slow-release narcotic.

In a beautiful location out on a lonely seashore, the Connemara Smokehouse proves worth the detour – the delicately smoked Atlantic salmon – they also do mackerel, tuna, herrring and sometimes cod and pollock – is subline. The secret’s in the beechwood smoking (it imparts a sweeter flavour than oak, apparently) – that and the extroardinary dedication of workaholic owner Graham Roberts. “If I come in at four in the morning” he explains, “there are no distractions.” With the fruits of his beyond-the-call labours in our cool-bag, we carry northwards.

To view more producers in this article get your copy of Delicious Magazine – August Edition and enjoy this 3 page article by Les Dunn

For more info on all featured, visit Discover Ireland or call 0800 039 7000

Delicious Magazine Aug 2011

Tuesday, 17 May 2011

For Fish’s Sake

“Fish is the only food that is considered spoiled once it smells like what it is.” This saying was originally coined by American writer P.J. O’Rourke but it can easily be used to reflect Ireland’s attitude towards fish. During the first For Food’s Sake discussion in The Sugar Club on Thursday 31st March, under the topic ‘What’s the Future for Irish Food Production?’ the debate turned to why we have failed to embrace seafood despite been surrounded by sea. Graham Roberts of the Connemara Smokehouse took centre stage as he enlightened the 100-strong crowd with his insider knowledge.

Graham journeyed deep into our history to explain why Ireland has never fully indulged in the great variety of fish we have in our seas. Surprisingly he linked traumatic childhood fish experiences to Ireland’s poor attitude. However there were no psychological scars with the audience as they devoured Graham’s smoked tuna earlier on in the evening.

“Traditionally in Ireland all the good fish is exported and the leftovers stay here. A lot of people here don’t like fish because we have been left with these leftovers. This leads to certain negativity towards fish because I think people became daunted by the idea of preparing fish. Any kid who had to prepare these leftovers would be put off fish for life.”

But Graham knows how to turn kids towards the light as he has successful proven with his own children. “I feel very strongly when preparing fish for my kids that the bones are removed and it looks appealing. Fish won’t be an issue for them in the future.”

If there was anyone in the audience suffering from childhood psychological fish trauma Graham was able to provide some therapy. “Go to the fishmongers and have the fish prepared. Fish is the ultimate fast food; if you got a fillet of fish prepped then it takes just a few minutes in a pan, add some seasoning and lemon, and that’s it. Combine some vegetables with that and you have a really cheap, quick and healthy meal.”

After Ireland’s attitude towards fish was put aside the panel discussion went on to address the future of the Irish fish industry. Graham explained how the fish industry in Ireland has the potential for growth while putting Irish fish back onto Irish shelves:
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“The industry is struggling but I believe the future lies with these small fishermen. The quality of fish coming in is higher with smaller boats and there is also the question of fish sustainability. Small fisherman are going out and not catching huge volumes of fish so there is a future for fishing generations to come. It is something that I feel very strongly about because of the fishermen I work with. I would love to think that our future generations will work together.”

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Connemara Mussel Festival

When most outsiders think of Irish food, the first thing that comes to mind is lamb and possibly smoked salmon.  However one of the best kept secrets is the mussels that come from the Killary in Connemara.  The Killary is Ireland’s only fjord; a long narrow inlet with steep sides that is usually formed by a glacier.  These waters produce mussels that have  a delicious sweet and briny flavor with a texture that is delicate and never tough.  Frankly, I have eaten mussels in many places around the globe, but the mussels from the Killary top them all.  To use an Irish expression; “Fair Play To Them”.

My love affair for mussels from the Killary began when my Yank friend (who is a Connemara resident) was showing me the beauty of Connemara, and we stopped at the Blackberry Cafe in Leanne to have a quick lunch.  As I looked around the dining room, almost every table had a pot of mussels.  At that point the question of “what to order” became null and void.  I certainly wasn’t ordering a burger.

A few months later, I learned of The Connemara Mussel Festival; an event that was born of the simple gesture of a “good mussel feed” in 2006 at Paddy Coynes pub in Tully Cross. So, I dragged my NY Yank along for the ride.

Walking to the entrance,  there was a great  atmosphere in the town.  Inside, the marquee was lined with local crafts and food vendors.

Inside the cooking demonstration area, attendees grabbed a seat and, as you do, headed next door to Paddy’s pub to get a pint while enjoying the festivities. After a night on the piss, I was no exception!

Over the course of the festival weekend, there were many great cooking demonstrations, tours of the Killary Harbour, amateur chef competitions and even a fly casting class.  I saw two demonstrations; one from Jack Duffy who is the Executive Chef for the international chain, Elephant and Castle, and another by Graham Roberts who operates his family business,  The Connemara Smokehouse.  The smoke house  supplies some of the best restaurants with fine quality smoked fish.

Jack featured mussel dishes that he prepares at his restaurants, and represented an incredible array of food.  My favorite was his impromptu and simple smoked mussels served with their own juices.  The mussels for the entire festival were graciously provided by  Marty’s Mussels http://www.martysmussels.ie

Graham Roberts hosted the other demonstration.  Graham runs his family’s business, Connemara Smokehouse (www.smokehouse.ie). The Connemara Smokehouse has been touted by Rick Stein as both a “Hero of Food” and a “Food Super Hero”.

Graham demonstrated an extremely unique technique for slicing the salmon that I will have to practice and master.    After seeing and tasting so much good cooking it was time to hunker down for a good mussel feed.  Back to the pub, for a crisp glass of house white with  mussels from the pot out in the back. They were simply served with brown soda bread in garlic, tomato and basil or cream, they could not have been better.
Fair play to the great local Irish cuisine, and the passion from which it is born!

Posted by Gastro Chef at Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The celebration of Killary Mussels took place on the weekend of 29th April – 1st May 2011.  On the Renvyle Peninsula in North Connemara. This was the sixth year of the festival. The celebrations included music, dancing, craic, mussel cooking competitions, Demos, walks, talks, theatre and children’s activities. There was also a country market, local art exhibition and mussel cooking competitions to name just a few of the events that took place on the May bank holiday weekend.

Connemara Smokehouse took part on the Sunday of this event. Where Graham hand-sliced a side of Smoked Salmon and explained the traditional smoking methods and techniques on what makes his Smoked Salmon different from all the rest. Also there on the day was Jack Duffy from well known Temple Bar restaurant Elephant and Castle and Gerry Meade from Euro Toques.

Celebrity Cook Along included:
Jimmy Norman,- Galway Bay FM,
Cllr.Thomas Welby (Independent),
Cllr.Sean Kyne (FG)
Fidelma Healy Eames – Senator Galway West (FG.)

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Inspired by the Connemara Mussel Festival and to kick start the festival Máirín Uí Chomáin was there to launch her new book “Irish Mussel Cuisine”. Máirín demonstarated some of her recipes. Celebrities and Local Producers such as Connemara Smokehouse feature in the book.

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