WITH care, love and attention comes the plaudits of your peers and none more deserving than the artisan producers of the Mid West region.
Pónaire Coffee, based in Annacotty with its roastery filled with heady aromas of a quality bean, found themselves top of the class when their coffees won Gold in the 2010 Great Taste Awards.
The Indian Blend (for filter/cafetiere) received 3 Gold Stars – the maximum awarded and master roaster and one half of the Ponaire duo, Jennifer Ryan said, “Our Connoisseur Espresso Blend won a Gold for the second year in a row. We roast and blend all our own coffees and are thrilled that the independent panels of judges found our coffees to be of such high standard to bestow upon them such high awards”.
The Great Taste Awards is the acknowledged benchmark for speciality food and drink. It has been described as the ‘Oscars’ of the food world and the ‘Epicurean equivalent to the Booker Prize.’
Jennifer adds that “Coffees can be purchased at our roastery in Annacotty Business Park, Limerick or at our new Roastery Coffee Bar in the Limerick Milk Market, or online at www.ponaire.ie.”

Lindy Wildsmith offers – “A compendium of recipes, techniques and traditions for curing meat, fish and vegetables at home”

Originally, curing was a necessity – the only way food could be preserved before the advent of refrigeration. Now, it’s a luxurious way to enjoy unique, intense flavours in foods ranging from meat and fish to, fruit and vegetables.
Seven sections – each dedicated to a different method of curing – demystify this ancient technique and show how every cook can create delicious cured food in their own kitchen.
A truly global celebration of deliciously preserved dishes, recipes range from New York Deli pastrami and Native American venison jerky to the Japanese pickled and marinated fish, Sashimi and Shimi Saba. From Europe come smoked salmon and salt beef, German Liverwurst Sausage, salt cod dishes of both the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, and Italian classic antipasti in the form of Venetian Carpaccio and ruby red Carne Salada.

In their newsletter offering details of Limerick’s refurbished and most exciting venue, the Milk Market tells of what’s new and on offer under one magnificent roof.
Click here for more…..

http://www.milkmarketlimerick.ie/default/eNews/web_en_summer2010.html

TOP industry analysts and critics say that Prosecco, Italy’s sparkling wine, is growing up. The sometimes sweet bubbly from Northeastern Italy has gained traction and popularity worldwide. Producers striving to make something more refined and complex sought a way to distinguish themselves using the complex Italian production an labeling requirements. Starting with the 2009 vintage, 160 producers with 12,000 acres of vineyards in prosecco’s epicenter of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene were permitted to start to use the DOCG designation on their labels, more exclusive than the DOC designation. The “G” stands for “garantita.” It signifies that winemakers, using grapes from a specific area, agreed to stricter production requirements. The wine is approved by a tasting panel before release. Every bottle contains a numbered seal. There are 41 DOCG regions in Italy, but over 300 DOC regions. It’s a big step for Italy’s big bubbly if producers make the “G” mean something.

Despite the downpours…..Summer is all about barbeques and al fresco dining. Try barbequing succulent fillets of wild Alaska salmon with lemon and tarragon and serving them with a deliciously healthy roasted courgette, pepper, aubergine and lentil wild rice salad, dressed in a zingy garlic vinaigrette.

WHAT YOU NEED

for the rice:
150g wild rice, washed
50g le Puy lentils, washed
half of 1 courgette, cubed
half of 1 red pepper, cubed
half of 1 aubergine, cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 handful parsley, roughly chopped

for the dressing:
3 tbsp olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp white wine vinegar

FFT congratulates Limerick Artisan producer Colette Farrell from Nature’s Bounty as she recently scooped two awards at the new 2010 Great Taste Awards for her Chilli and Garlic Sauce and for her Onion Marmalade.
Colette has scooped awards on both these and foreign shores as well as receiving heaps of praise from many fond followers of her Epicurean treats.
Colette’s products can be found at Markets and Fares as well as in a number of shops in Limerick and the surrounding region.