First day back at the market is always a special day

First day back after a break during Christmas. I was getting excited for the last few days thinking about other producers and stall holders and what they could have been up to over the holidays. The start of a new year is always an exciting time around the markets. Everyone comes back recharged full of new ideas for the coming seasons. New recipes, new stalls and new packaging, new additions to the farm, new events etc …

Yesterday I started back in Midleton Farmers Markets and I wasn’t disappointed. Everyone was in the best of moods and all had some news to tell.

So here’s some things i learned at yesterdays market:

Declan Ryan of Arbutus Bakery, has developed his own bread mix from his famed ‘Granny’ Ryan’s Soda’ recipe so those of us who want to eat Declan’s amazing West Cork Soda for breakfast, lunch and dinner can do so at home with out any fancy machinery or skill for that matter. It keeps for ages too so a great one to send to far away Irish Bread Fans

Eldest daughter Louise Murphy of Arsallagh Goat Farm, was full of news from the farm. Christmas time is always hectic at the farm. The farm is a family run with everyone involved in different aspects of the business Responsibility’s include but never limited to raising and caring for goats, milking and processing of milk, producing milk, yoghurt and a whole range cheeses, bottling, packing and labelling, managing sales to local deli’s, large chains and wholesalers, deliveries, unbelievable amount of Farmers Markets and along along building a family home. On the way they have picked some of the most prestigious prizes and honours in the Artisan Food World.

The first of this years Smoked Ardsallagh are already out on the stall. Unbelievable beach smoked flavour. Louise was delighted with it saying that it took two weeks to smoke because the air was so damp the smoke was heavy and stayed very low in the smoker.

They have also gone nationwide with their Fresh Goats Milk, it can now be found in most Tescos and Dunnes around Ireland. The milk is produced daily and delivered every few days which makes it one of the freshest if not the freshest goats milk in Ireland. I worked for Ardsallagh for a few years doing deliveries on the Tuesday run and always had one or two special orders for mothers of asmatic kids that would swear by the quality of Ardsallagh’s milk over others. They also, through phone calls for orders had great respect for Jane and her family. So do I.

Arun Kapil of Green Saffron, was just back from holidays and was training in “” who will be helping him at Midleton every Saturday.

He has started making bulk orders of custom spice mixes. His cousins Vivek and Guria ship large sacks of fresh spice direct from India every three or four weeks, every week Arun and the team at Green Saffron grind, blend and mix the spices to different recipes. And now they are making up custom orders for a gourmet sausage maker in the UK.

For anyone wanting to buy Green Saffron ready made ‘One Pot Curry’ spice mixes will find them at most farmers markets around cork as well some local delis including Artisan Foods @ St Luke’s Cross, Cork and Interior Designs @ MacCurtain’s Street, Cork.

Arun is a great character who loves talking about spices and different recipes. He is gifted at giving demonstrations too. A friend wanted something interesting and away from the norm when putting together a Rotary charity fundraiser. Arun got the job and the night was a complete success. He gave a full on cooking demonstration full of well researched information, a question & answers session and everyone went home with a demo pack with recipes & fresh spices.

Bill Hogan of Gabriel and Desmond cheese, was also in top form. He has been picked to receive the one of the highest awards in the Artisan Food World, but the fecker is reluctant to let me tell you. Expect an update on this matter …

That’s all the time I have to post so until then please keep asking the questions -bt