We arrive to Cork in the afternoon and check into the Gabrielle Guest House just a short walk from town.
I grab my laptop and hope to get a few hours of work in at a nearby coffee shop before dinner.
Cork Coffee Roasters
Groovy spot for coffee, but no WIFI. In fact, I’m noticing that all of the coffee shops I’ve walked into in this country so far are WIFI free. Unfortunately this means one thing…..time to find a Starbucks. Ugh.
In the meantime, I enjoy a latte made with beans roasted in house they call their Rebel Blend.
Cork Coffee Roasters
I start cruising around looking for the Starbucks that is located next door to The English Market. I’m back in a city again feeling re-energized.
This is the epicenter of local food for County Cork.
There are a variety of imports, but an even more impressive selection of local meat, fish, cheese, bread, jams, honey, chocolate, eggs, charcuterie, and anything else you can think of sold by small, family owned operations.
Irish Beef
I’ve been on the hunt for clotted cream and immediately find it at an organic health foods stall called The Good Food Shop.
I find a scone made with local berries to go with and so much more at Alternative Bread Company. This bakery prides itself on its extensive selection, carrying Burnt Bread and “Ducks” and “Skulls” – all traditional breads from Cork – as well as dairy free Irish Soda Bread, gluten-free breads, organic sourdoughs and pastries.
Dairy-free Irish soda bread from Alternative Bread Co.
Local berry scone and jam from Alternative Bread Co. with Clotted Cream from The Good Food Shop - Best bite of the trip!
The Chocolate Shop carries organic Wilkies Chocolate (made in Cork) and Skelligs Chocolate (made in Kerry) plus a wide variety of other high end bean-to-bar chocolate bars and house made truffles.
The Gin & Tonic bar is made with juniper berries and really tastes like the cocktail!
Toons Bridge Dairy, a buffalo, sheep and cow farm 45 miles from town, runs a stall called Real Olive Company, where they sell olives, cured meat and other Mediterranean provisions next to their farmstead cheeses and raw honey harvested from beehives on the farm.
The cheeses are exceptional. We try a tangy sheep’s milk Pecorino and smoky Scamorza while we wait for them to cut us off hunks of ‘Nduja and Caciocavallo.
Scamorza from Toons Bridge Dairy
Caciocavallo, which benefits from the probiotic bacteria of the cheesemaker’s hands, must be hand-stretched. It is made using a similar technique to mozzarella with raw cow’s milk cheese.
Toons Bridge Dairy makes three types of Caciocavallo all made with different types of rennet. This is “Dolce.” It is made with calf’s rennet and is aged 6-8 weeks. It’s sweet and nutty and is fabulous paired with the spicy ‘Nduja – a spreadable cured sausage made with smoked paprika, dried chilis, and pork offal.
Caciocavallo from Toon’s Bridge Dairy
‘Nduja
Later, on the way to dinner, I walk down Oliver Plunkett Street by a couple of fun, novelty dessert shops.
The Shack sells elaborately decorated cake donuts, and a few storefronts down from that a sidewalk explodes with brightly colored gelato. Gino’s Gelato, made on site daily, is swirled so luxuriously I just want to dive in head first.
The Shack donuts
Gino’s Gelato
The first thing I notice about Market Lane is that they use a wide variety of local ingredients on their menu, many coming from The English Market.
Mom orders an elegant craft cocktail called Autumn and Eve that comprises gin, apple cider, fresh apple and lemon juice, ginger beer, and cinnamon.
“Autumn and Eve” at Market Lane
I’m ready to try some Irish beef. I order a 10-ounce, local, grass-fed, 28-day aged sirloin steak. It arrives with typical Irish sides – chips (fries), roasted mushrooms, and tomato. I choose the green peppercorn sauce for my steak and ask for a side of béarnaise to dip my chips in.
The steak is expectedly lean, but is cooked perfectly and is full of flavor thanks to the aging process.
Mom’s duck breast is cooked nicely as well and is served with a red currant jus, broccolini, and a puree of roasted onion and parsnip scented with vanilla.
Sirloin and Duck at Market Lane
The only thing I want for dessert is to try Baldwin’s Farmhouse vanilla ice cream, which is made nearby in Waterford using non-pasteurized milk and cream from their farm. We talk our server into selling us a scoop with fresh local berries.
Baldwin’s Farmhouse Vanilla Ice Cream at Market Lane
The evening was young and this neighborhood is ripe for pub hopping. At The Oliver Plunkett we giggle at the bartender who despises making Irish Coffee.
At Hi-B bar, known for grumpy regulars and an even grumpier owner, we learn that you will get kicked out if you are caught on your cell phone. Which means, hang out and talk to each other! Haha. I dig the scene.
And at An Bodhran I discover that the locals don’t drink Guinness they drink Murphy’s – Cork’s version of Guinness that is less sweet and more coffee-like.
Oliver Plunkett’s
An Bodhran Bar
Electric
This restaurant contains three seafood concepts in one. Downstairs is a casual gastrobar with small plates and upstairs you can choose between a high end dining room or raw bar.
We choose the raw bar, which reminds me of the oyster bars I’ve been to in Seattle. We settle into a counter overlooking the river and get a front row view of a beautiful rainbow and stunning sunset.
Electric Restaurant
Mussels steamed with smoked bacon and a puree of mint and English pea
Tuna Crudo with teriyaki sauce, compressed watermelon, and seaweed salad
Smoked Mackerel and Hake Pate reminds me of the marlin dip I get back home on Oʻahu. It’s creamy and rich and served with a crusty, house made baguette.
Smoked Mackerel and Hake pate
Scallops
For dessert we indulge in a caramel centered chocolate lava cake they call “baby cakes” with more of those amazing Irish berries and Irish Coffee made with Jameson.
Chocolate baby cake and Irish Whiskey
This pub, located in the Victorian Quarter, is known for their extensive whiskey collection, but I’m drinking gin.
I sample two more local gins here: Blackwater and Method and Madness.
Method and Madness Gin by Jameson
Blackwater is more juniper forward with a clean lemony finish.
Method and Madness is Jameson’s first gin made in their microbrewery in Midleton. It’s gorgeous, exploding with citrus and flowers upfront with sweet spices that linger on your tongue for several minutes afterward. One of the botanicals used for this gin is black lemon, or dried lime, which gives it an indescribable zesty punch.
Side note. I think I am slowly turning my mom into a gin drinker…
