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The Secret to Baking a Great Loaf of Bread

Over the years I have gone through various bread-baking phases, trying out everything from sourdough to brioche. Much of the time I struggled to bake a loaf as good as that from a proper baker. Then, within a week the same solution was handed to me by two completely different people; Darina Allen and Paul Hollywood. The way to successfully bake a really great loaf, better than anything you will find in most supermarket bakeries is:

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A cast iron casserole, a Le Creuset or Dutch Oven, as it is called in the States.

First, having completed a wine-tasting session at Ballymaloe Cookery School, I sneaked into the back of a class on fermentation, given by Darina Allen and Emer FitzGerald. It was a fascinating talk, and I wish I hadn’t been obliged to race off back to Wicklow. For me the most interesting part was the sourdough bread, which did not require any kneading and was baked in a cast iron casserole preheated in a very hot oven. The idea came from Chad Robertson of Tartine in San Francisco.

Three days later, watching Paul Hollywood on the Food Network channel, he introduced a New York baker who produced a fail-safe no-knead bread baked in the same vessel. See http://www.foodnetwork.co.uk/video/no-need-to-kneed-this-bread-dough.html for the same video.

In both cases, you fold rather than knead the bread, and in both cases, you preheat the casserole, bake the bread for 20 minutes with the lid on, and then a further 15-25 minutes without the lid, allowing the crust to crisp up. I tried both out. I baked my sourdough at a very high temperature, which shattered my Le Creuset handle, and the loaf stuck a little to the bottom of the casserole. I now unscrew the handle and sprinkle a little wholemeal or rye flour on the casserole before adding the bread. It works a treat. I can now cook really good bread, both sourdough and standard, to a very high standard. I usually mix strong white flour with a proportion of whole meal, rye or granary. It may not look quite as artisanal as real bakery bread, but the crumb and moisture is good, the crust nice and crunchy, and the flavour excellent.

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A few very nice wines – the weekends modest consumption

The weekends modest consumption.

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Rocca de Montemassi 2013, Maremma Toscana

Made, I think, from a Bordeauxish blend with some Syrah, this was a medium to full-bodied wine with concentrated blackcurrant fruits, toasty oak, plenty of structure and good dry tannic length. Sort of like Bordeaux on steroids? Very nice wine. €40 from Fresh Outlets.

Dom Freitas Reserva 2013 Castelao, VR Peninsula de Setubal

SuperValu will launch this (in selected stores) in very smart wooden cases of six for €50, or €8.33 a bottle from 21st July. Light with piquant cherry fruits, good acidity and some oaky vanilla. Good with lighter meat dishes and good value too.

Guardoilvento 2014 Etna Rosso

Herbal nose with some dark fruits; slightly baked and wild, with ripe dark fruits and good acidity. Lovely wine. Imported by Grapecircus, I suspect it would retail for around €25-30.

Macon-Uchizy 2014 Mallory & Benjamin Talmard

An old favourite showing very well. Medium-bodied with fresh clean green apple fruits and a touch of style. €18.95 from Searsons and other independents.

Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2006, Margaret River, Western Australia

I stashed this away five years ago, having written a very positive review of the wine. It is still very good and certainly shows no sign of oxidiation (or premature oxidation) but I would have hoped for a little more intensity of flavour. Still had plenty of fresh acidity, light toasty hazelnuts, and peach fruits, Good but not great.

Ch. Lagrange 2012, Grand Cru Classé, Saint Julien

A bottle I smuggled home from the Lidl press tasting, to be featured shortly in their French Wine sale at around €40. Fine, classic Saint Julien with elegant blackcurrant fruits, and a cloak of new French oak. A very nice wine, but just wish it had a touch more concentration at this price.

Croce di Febo Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2011
Fairly full-bodied (14%) with plenty of dark savoury cherry fruits, some new oak showing through and a firm long finish. Well-made wine. Organic. From Grapecircus I think and therefore probably available in Sheridans.

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Šipon & Slovenia

Šipon & Slovenia

IMG_2591First published in the Irish Times, Saturday 16th July, 2016

The south-east corner of Slovenia is one of the prettiest wine regions I have ever visited; rolling green hills covered in vines, forest, fields of pumpkin and maize, dotted with substantial prosperous well-maintained farmhouses, each with its own immaculate kitchen garden. The hills provide some excellent and varied sites to grow vines. The people are very friendly and open. It was a joy to walk around the narrow roads on a bright sunny June morning and very hard to leave. The default language is German. We are a twenty-minute drive from Austria and Hungary, and two minutes from Croatia; the recently erected barbed wire fence along the border lies unmanned, as the politics of refugee’s changes. In the past, the people of this area would have considered the city of Graz as their capital rather than Ljubljana.

The names are long and a bit confusing. The three main towns are Ljutomer (remember Lutomer Riesling?), Jeruzalem and Ormož. They tried calling their wine Jeruzalem, but people thought it was Israeli. Today most of the wines are labeled Štajerska, Slovenian for Styria, a much larger region. Grape varieties do not respect political borders. Many of those grown here can also be found in the neighboring countries. The majority of wines are white, although Blaufränkisch is growing in popularity and can be very good.

Šipon (pronounced Sheepon or Shipon) is better known by its Hungarian name, Furmint. It deserves far greater recognition as one of the world’s great grape varieties, responsible for Hungary’s glorious sweet Tokaji, as well as some delicious dry white wines in Austria and Slovenia as well as Hungary. Under other names, you will also find it in Croatia, Romania, and Slovakia. Mitchell & Son even have a (very good) sparkling Furmint from Ch. Dereszla in Tokaji. Dry Furmint is lightly aromatic, with wonderful bracing acidity, and attractive fruits whose flavours I find difficult to describe. It can take a bit of oak ageing, and matures very well too. It certainly goes very well with the pork dishes popular in this part of Slovenia.

I tend to run away from Gewürztraminer most of the time; it takes a skilled winemaker to balance the rich exotic honey-laden aromas and fruit with the all-important balancing acidity. The Traminer grape is a forbearer of Gewürz. Less aromatic, with succulent fruits and a lively acidity, the wines are worth looking out for, especially the Miro below. The western part of Slovenia also produces some fascinating, but very different wines, often with a distinctly Italian style. Sadly very few are available here for the moment. Slovenia is not a big producer, and their wines are in demand locally, so prices are rarely cheap. They do however offer very good value.

DSCF6718Verus Furmint (Šipon) 2014, Stajerska, Slovenia
12%
€20.99

Delicious light refreshing wine with plump honey and melon fruits.

Stockists: Cabot and Co, Westport cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, onthegrapevine.ie

Image 1Miro Traminec 2013, Stajerska, Slovenia
13.5%
€22.50

Gentle aromas of honeysuckle, dripping with honeyed ripe peach fruits.

Stockists: Cabot and Co, Westport www.cabotandco.ie; Grapevine, Dalkey www.onthegrapevine.ie


DSCF6715Dveri Pax Šipon Ilovic 2011, Stajerska Sloven
ia
13%
€20.99

Aromatic, lightly smoky with delicious maturing exotic fruits, finishing dry.

Stockists: Wines on the Green, Dawson St.

Image 2Bargain Wine
1139 Dveri Pax 2015, Stajerska, Slovenia

12.5%
€14.95

A blend of four grapes come together to produce a vibrant fruit-filled wine. Perfect summer drinking.

Stockists: Marks & Spencer

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Lidl French Wine Sale Part One – White Wines Preview

The Lidl French wine sale starts on the 12th September. As usual, quantities are limited, so some will sell through fairly quickly. There are, I think, fewer wines this year, but the overall quality was pretty good with some impressive wines. As in previous years, Bordeaux features strongly with a nice range of wines at around €10.

Prices are indicative and will be confirmed closer to the event. Today, I review my favourite white wines, to be followed by the reds next week.

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Ernest Wein Riesling 2015, Alsace (around €10)

Very recognisably Riesling with plump apple fruits, a little residual sugar, but it works very well. Nice wine.

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JP Muller Riesling Grand Cru Altenberg de Berbieten 2013 (€13-15)

Bigger, richer and riper than the Riesling above, with good mature honeyed fruits, nice concentration and a clean finish. Well-made wine and very good value.

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Bestheim Sylvaner Vieilles Vignes 2015, Alsace (€8-9)

A pleasantly herbal nose and palate with decent plump fruit. Perfect sipping wine at a very good price.

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Sancerre 2015, Vigne de la Taille aux Buis (€14-16)

I am not usually a fan of cheap Sancerre, but this was an exception. Light crisp and mineral with some elegant green fruits.
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Touraine Sauvignon La Chardoise 2015 (around €10)

Looking for an inexpensive sipping Sauvignon? This should do the trick. Light elderflower aromas rich rounded green fruits. Fine at the price. By the way, I am not sure this is the correct picture above – there were two on tasting.

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Adrien Marechal Reuilly 2015 (€11-13)

If you haven’t tried a Reuilly before, this is your chance. This small appellation in the Loire valley produces some very good Sauvignon Blanc. This was one of my stars of the tasting, a lovely lightly aromatic wine with concentrated stony green fruits and a crisp dry finish. Lovely wine.

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Beauregard Mirouze Corbières Blanc ‘Campana’ 2015,

Beauregard Mirouze Corbières Blanc ‘Campana’ 2015,

ImageBeauregard Mirouze Corbières Blanc ‘Campana’ 2015,
€14.85 from Le Caveau, Kilkenny & MacGuinness, Dundalk.

Very seductive floral aromas, with mouth-watering plump ripe peaches on the palate. Great value for money.

A good all-rounder to sip on its own or with summery salads.

You are much more likely to come across the red version of Corbières. The appellation is very large, and the reds range from cheap and watery to some serious age worthy wines. This wine is a slightly eclectic mix of 60% Marsanne, 30% Vermentino and 10% Roussanne that works really well.

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Hauts de Médian Petit Verdot 2015 IGP Pays d’Oc

Hauts de Médian Petit Verdot 2015 IGP Pays d’Oc

domaine-robert-vic-les-hauts-de-median-petit-verdoHauts de Médian Petit Verdot 2015 IGP Pays d’Oc
€14.50 from Le Caveau, Kilkenny & McGuinness, Dundalk.

Medium-bodied with ripe dark fruits, good acidity, and medium tannins on the finish. Well-made wine with a bit of structure. It needs a plate of food.

I would try this with red meats – grilled lamb chops sound about right.

Petit Verdot is a Bordeaux grape, often used in small amounts as part of a blend. Some producers argue that as little as 2-3% makes a big difference to the wine, adding a spicy or peppery note. Others argue that it is very similar to Cabernet Sauvignon, but as they both ripen at the same time (late), it is of little use. I like the solid dark fruits and structure it adds to a wine, and would like to see more of it in the Languedoc.

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Domaine Olivier Santenay Blanc ‘Clos des Champs’ 2013

Domaine Olivier Santenay Blanc ‘Clos des Champs’ 2013

Image 1Domaine Olivier Santenay Blanc ‘Clos des Champs’ 2013
€33.95 from O’Briens

White flower aromas; clean and fresh with a nice racy minerality, elegant pears and subtle toasted nuts.

I would drink this with black sole, brill or plaice served simply, possibly with lemon and butter.

Santenay is not the best-known region of Burgundy, and even then you are more likely to come across red wines rather than white. So today’s wine is a bit of an oddity. Santenay lies to the very far south of the Côte d’Or. The wines are sometimes dismissed as being a little too earthy, but I have always enjoyed them. Given the way Burgundy prices are going (upwards!) we may see more Santenay being offered on the future.

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Domaine Regnaudot Maranges 1er cru Fussieres 2013

Domaine Regnaudot Maranges 1er cru Fussieres 2013

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Domaine Regnaudot Maranges 1er cru ‘Fussières’ 2013
13%
€24.40 from Le Caveau; Baggot St. Wines; MacGuinness, Dundalk; Green Man Wines, Terenure; World Wide Wines Waterford; Redmond’s, Ranelagh.

Elegant and nicely concentrated with delicious cool dark cherry fruits. It does have some light tannins, and so will probably keep for a year or two, but drinking beautifully now.

Ideal with white meats, chicken and charcuterie.

Maranges is the most southerly name of the Côte d’Or, right beside Santenay (see above). Jean-Claude Regnaudot produces great value wines from this appellation; his Bourgogne Rouge, which sells for around €18, is always worth buying, and this wine, from old vines in his best single vineyard, is a steal at less than €25.

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The Haul this weekend

DSCF6815Closerie des Alisiers Mâcon-Milly-Lamartine 2015
€14.95 from Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown

I have reviewed the 2014 of this wine; a nice crisp dry white with a touch of honey and orange peel.

Etoile 2015, Domaine Begude, Limoux
€19.95 from O’Briens

Another Chardonnay, this time from Domaine Begude in Limoux; lovely wine, a future wine of the week in the Irish Times.

Viognier 2015, Domaine de Belle Mare, Pays d’Oc
€13.25 from Wines Direct

Fine. A little sweet for my tastes, but it does have good medium to rich peach fruits. Well-priced €13.25

Bardolino 2014 Cantina de Negrar
From Grapecircus, so probably available in Sheridans.

Delightful light (11.5%) summer wine with toothsome plum fruits.


Celeste 2014 Ribera del Duero, Torres

€21.95 for O’Briens and independents

Smooth lush dark fruits, beginning to develop some tertiary, if not barnyard flavours. No complaints from our dinner guests though.

Givry Clos Saint Pierre 1er cru 2012, Domaine Thenard

€28.95 from Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown

Light and toothsome with maturing leafy red cherry fruits. Given the way Burgundy is going these days, good value.

Chakalaka 2013 Spice Route, Swartland
€24.99 imported by Liberty

Representing a range of very good wines from Charles Back that I tasted. A very attractive smooth big swarthy red.

Charles Mignon Cuvée Comte de Marne Gand Cru, Champagne NV
€45 from SuperValu

Very nice creamy Champagne with a core of ripe peach and pear fruit.

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Pink for Summer

Pink for Summer

First published in The Irish Times, Saturday 9th July, 2016

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Sales of rosé wines in this country have increased a little in recent years, but still remain stubbornly low at 4-5% of sales. This is largely made up of those drinking inexpensive sweet “white” Zinfandel all year round, and by occasional bursts of general pink drinking when the sun makes an appearance in our skies.

We drink the colour as much as the wine; there is something quintessentially summery about a rosé wine, drunk well-chilled over a lunch outside in the sun. I am constantly being told that rosé is much more than that, and we should be drinking it the year round. It is one of the most adaptable of wines, perfect with all sorts of food, but somehow I cannot bring myself to drink it on a wet January evening.

Rosé comes in more styles than one. Leaving aside the aforementioned sweet Californians, elsewhere just about every country has had a go at making rosé; ranging from light and crisp to full-bodied and sometimes fairly alcoholic. Today we concentrate on French rosé.

The lightest, which would include the Bordeaux and Provence rosé below, is very similar in makeup to a crisp dry white wine; these go very well with lighter salads, including seafood, as well as more delicate pasta and rice dishes.More fruity and full-bodied rosés can go with a wide variety of foods, including grilled or barbecued chicken and pork, all of those southern French classics with anchovies, olives, garlic and herbs. They also go nicely with cold meats, pâtés and other charcuterie. I also find they are good match with slightly spicy dishes including curries.

Much has been made of Provençal rosé, usually dry and sometimes very expensive. I have yet to be convinced that any rosé is worth €30 or more. To me it is frivolous and fun, and that means less than €20. The Domaine d’Eole below does offer very good value for money. Look out too for the Mirabeau Rosé from O’Briens, at a price that works out at €12.71 if you buy two bottles. Marks & Spencer have the very tasty Coteaux Varois en Provence 2015 for €12.49. Tavel, a small town in the southern Rhône, traditionally made the most powerful, alcoholic rosés. The appellation here is exclusively for rosé wines. They have gone out of fashion, and most of the wines are lighter, although full of fruit, as with the Tavel below. Those from the Loire tend to be light and crisp.Rosé d’Anjou is usually a bit too sweet for my tastes, but Sancerre rosé, made with Pinot Noir, can be exquisite, and certainly worth the money. Alsace also produces some beautifully fragrant Pinot Noir rosé.

DSCF6640Domaine d’Eole 2015, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence
12.5%
€16.95

Very attractive exuberant strawberry fruits with a dry finish. Great with or without food.

Stockists: Whelehan’s Wines, Loughlinstown

Image 1Tavel Rose 2014, Prieuré de Montezargues
13.5%
€18.99

The deepest colour, with concentrated red cherry fruits. With herby Provençal salads.

Stockists: Wines on the Green; Dicey Reilly; McCabes; Nectar Wines, Nolans Supermarket.

DSCF6712Bordeaux Rosé 2015, Brande Bergère.
12.5%
€19.95

The palest of colours, with sour cherry and plum fruits. Delicate, dry and moreish.

Stockists: Grapevine, Dalkey.

Image 2Famille Bougrier, Les Hauts Lieux 2015 Le Rosé, Vin de France
12%
€12.95 (2nd bottle ½ price)

Light clean refreshing summer fruits. Perfect al fresco drinking.

Stockists: O’Briens

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