Article SURVIVAL SOLUTIONS

Survival Solutions

All over Ireland, hotels have been taking an especially hard hit during the current economic crisis. Many have reduced their prices drastically and, while this may initially sound like great news for consumers, in many cases it will quickly become unsustainable. But the canny ones - either taking out insurance ahead of the gathering storm clouds, or simply seeing opportunities not obvious to others – have diversifed to make their offering more attractive to guests, and concentrate on giving added value rather than simply slashing prices. Castle Durrow Hotel, for example, opened a shop in Abbeyleix to complement their thriving weddings business and included a café to tempt in travellers on the busy Dublin- Cork road. Like the locals,  MARILYN BRIGHT was impressed.

Bramley's in Abbeyleix provides a touch of travellers' joy on the often dreary main route between Dublin and Cork. Shelley and Peter Stokes of Castle Durrow have extended their smart country house brand of restorative, good food and hospitality to the heavily trafficked Main Street and combined it with a bit of retail diversion that attracts both locals and passersby, as well as their own guests.

While other hotels and guesthouses were diversifying into cookery schools sports complexes and own label jams, Shelley was inspired when a traditional old shop cane up for sale in Abbeyleix, one of the few towns not bypassed on the much re-routed N8. Confessing to a lifelong love of shopping, she says it was the perfect project for her, jokingly referring to it as her escape from the daily pressures of running a country house hotel.

The shop opposite the famed Morrissey's Pub had been a traditional draper's owned by a Mrs. Bramley who'd “been here forever, so that's where the name comes from". The property runs to 500 square metres over two floors and had been vacant for years, so the interior with its maze of old rooms had to be completely gutted and restored with new wiring, plumbing, floors and ceilings. The project took 18 months and Bramley's opened quietly in June 2008.

The smart shop has brought new life to the south end of Abbeyleix Main Street and, as well as providing a one-stop shop for guests attending weddings at the Castle and looking for quality gifts or unusual clothing, was welcomed by locals from day one. "It's become a focal point where people meet, especially since we opened the lunch room a few months later. They might come in for a coffee or lunch, or just wander about looking at everything or buying a greeting card. We like to think there's a welcoming atmosphere and there's no pressure to buy."

On the ground, floor there's an eclectic mix of furniture — mainly Belgian and Dutch, glassware, crockery, picture frames, rugs, throws and “quirky antiques". Designer jewellery and ladies fashions are supplied exclusively from Holland and Shelley makes a point of buying no more than three or four of any one style. " If it's some thing really special, I buy only one, so the customer can be certain no one else will turn up in the same thing. They're all reasonably priced, and fly out of the shop."

Upstairs space is laid out in rooms, so that customer can visualize how bedroom and dining room furniture will look in real homes.  “People can see that they needn't have a big Georgian house for a four poster bed to fit in nicely, " Shelley explains.

Bramley’s lunch room - it's not really grand enough to be called a café, Shelley insists - features coffee sourced from The Green Bean Coffee Company, always served with complimentary homemade biscuits. Most of the fresh fruit and vegetables come from Castle Durrow's organic walled garden and Shelley is determined. to keep prices as low as possible.  Homemade soup of the day comes   with two salads and a brown roll for around €5, while hot dishes like chicken and tarragon, Irish lamb stew or a vegetarian lasagne come  with salads and bread at about €9.50.

Pecan pie and warm brownies are house specialties, along with the fresh baked scones that are served with spicy apple jelly from the castle orchards. There are also generous platters of cheese, charcuterie and salads for sharing. Solo customers needn't be lonely either, with seating for 10 at a large table well stocked with magazines and the daily newspapers.

In the ten years since the Stokes family left Dublin and began restoration of Castle Durrow, they have "brought the old estate back into the life of the community. Guest rooms have been added In the converted stable wing, along with conference facilities and a beauty room that caters for the many wedding parties as well as regular customers from the surrounding area. The 30 acres of grounds and the walled garden have been restored with a full time gardener, and a new greenhouse tunnel is being added this spring to supply additional produce for BramIey's, the latest link uniting the Castle and the nearby town.

Survival Solutions - Gastronomic Getaways

One of an occasional series on diversification and added value in Irish hospitality – finding new ways for hotels and restaurants to thrive also brings good news for customers. All over Ireland, hotels have been taking an especially hard hit during the current economic crisis.

Drastically reduced prices quickly became the norm but, while this initially seemed like great news for consumers, it became clear that it would quickly become unsustainable.

But the canny ones - either taking out insurance ahead of the gathering storm clouds, or simply seeing opportunities not obvious to others – diversifed to make their offering more attractive to guests, and concentrate on giving added value rather than simply slashing prices.

Something interesting is happening at various unrelated locations all over Ireland: inspired by their customers’ growing interest in local produce, and recognising the all-round value of supporting local producers and suppliers, some hotels have begun to offer ‘producer dinners’ which showcase the specialities of the area and may even have producers in attendance to introduce their products personally.

Some prestigious establishments have been involved in this new movement. At Knockranny House Hotel in Westport, Co Mayo, for example, acclaimed chef Seamus Commons recently created a Pig Weekend tasting menu for invited guests, that included some of the area’s most famous products, notably Kelly’s of Newport black puddings and sausages, and free range pork from Roy Eastman’s 12 acre farm at Kiltimagh – but what made it unusual was that the guests had been taken to visit the producers during the day.

Other hotels thinking along similar lines include the stylish g hotel in Galway city, the Dylan in Dublin, and Ashford Castle - which is hosting a Seafood Appreciation event in March, with a visit to an oyster farm and a trip on a lobster fishing boat among the promised treats.

Although initially started as promotional press occasions, these producer-led events are beginning to develop a more accessible theme.

At Galway’s five star g hotel, for example, General Manager Damien O’Riordan, Executive Chef Stefan Matz and Head Chef Regis Herviaux recently welcomed guests to a press event which featured Connemara Smokehouse smoked tuna, Connemara Abalone (deep fried and served with a divine barley and basil ‘risotto’), McGeough’s of Oughterard organic Connemara lamb done three ways, and a delicious Bluebell Falls (Co Clare) goats cheese and apple dessert.

Each course was introduced by the producer – and the next day, together with Damien, Stefan and Regis, guests visited Galway Market and then went on tour around Connemara to see their operations in action.

The g hotel aims to source all of its main ingredients from within an hour’s drive of the hotel. “…Having spent 20 years working with local food producers and sourcing the finest artisan produce, we are thrilled to work with a range of leading suppliers,” says Stefan Matz. “The local sourcing of produce ensures each dish at the g boasts a real taste of Galway, and indeed of the West of Ireland.”

As a development from their successful ‘trial run’, and at a very reasonable €225 per person sharing, the g hotel is offering guests an opportunity to meet some of their artisan suppliers - and hone their kitchen skills too - at a similar gastronomic getaway on Thursday and Friday 3rd & 4th March 2011.

Their two-night “g is for gourmet” break, hosted by Stefan Matz and Regis Herviaux, includes a 5-course wine dinner at ‘Matz at the g’ restaurant, professional cookery tuition and a guided tour of selected suppliers.

Linking guests desire for an exciting and authentic food experience with the local economy and marketing it creatively makes commercial sense, and is a highly satisfying endeavour for all concerned.

Could this be the beginning of a new and mutually rewarding trend?

Survival Solutions

As the popular West Cork restaurant RICHY’S BAR & BISTRO celebrates a decade in business, Marilyn Bright seeks the secret of its success – how has Richy’s not just survived, but thrived in these challenging times?

Imagine a corner of a South Seas island landing in West Cork, bringing the scent of eastern spices and Mediterranean flavours to marry with the freshest of local produce - and you'd have a good sense of the Just Ask award-winning menu at Richy's Bar and Bistro in Clonakilty.

Chef proprietor Richy Virahsawmy grew up in South London, steeped in the Mauritian culture of his parents. “Mauritius is a real melting pot, with food influences from the Dutch, Indians, Portuguese and Chinese who have invaded and settled over the centuries. My mum was a good cook and it's natural for us to use spices and fresh food - we'd pick watercress in Richmond Park and buy fresh baked bread twice a day."

With cheffing experience that has ranged from the Department of Trade and Industry in London under Tony Blair to Inchydoney Island Lodge and Spa, Richy celebrates the bar and bistro's tenth anniversary in Clonakilty this May. A week-long "Ten for €10” promotion kicked off the festivities, featuring ten dishes at the special price, and regular customers were rewarded later in the month with an ''eat as much as you can” buffet for €10.

Local provenance is a pervading theme throughout Richy's menus. The celebrated Clonakilty Black Pudding features in samosas served with yogurt & cumin dipping sauce and cucumber & chilli salad. A roulade of Shannonvale free-range chicken is stuffed with lightly spiced leeks, wrapped in Serrano ham and served in a in curry sauce, while organic farmed salmon comes with a tempura of courgettes and zesty salsa verde.

The marriage of exotic seasonings and local produce is the basis of Richy’s cookbook, West Cork Fusion, which showcases his “East meets West" approach to delicious food. "We're riddled with amazing suppliers down here, Richy enthuses. "We have local fish landed at Union Hall, smokers like Sally Barnes and Anthony Cresswell; world class cheeses from Veronica Steele and Bill Hogan, local milk and butter and chicken that comes from 200 metres down the road. How can you not be inspired? It's like being in the middle of Rungie market.”

When it comes to signature dishes, local seafood like Richy’s Beara scallops with Devoy Farm organic spinach and asparagus or the gently spiced tandoori monkfish are always popular, but the undisputed top spot goes to the Mauritian beef curry which has been on the menu for the whole ten years. "It's rich with tomatoes and spices but not hot,” Richy says. “It’s the one thing we can never take off the menu without causing an uproar. It's also the most popular takeaway in the deli.”

Like others in the hospitality sector, Richy has had to re-think the business in the light of harder times. The original bistro had been two buildings joined together to provide dining space for 120 covers, so he took the decision to hive off one side to operate as the “R Café” during the day. " When a downturn comes you can’t just sit and wallow, so we decided to follow the market to casual, low-priced food," Richy explains. The decision wasn't taken on a whim however, in fact the team took to the street to question people about what they wanted - good prices, highlights on local produce and open all day were clear priorities. In addition Richy and his team went to London for more market research, looking at operations like Jamie Oliver and The River Café. “We came back energised," he says, "and determined to utilise everything - to become more than just a restaurant."

That ambition has been fulfilled in spades, with the popular daytime café where prices are kept in the €7-10 range and fresh homebakes come from the bakery announced by a bell ringing as each fragrant batch comes out of the oven. In addition, a deli section provides house specialities for takeaway or full scale outside catering for casual at-homes, or fine dining for customers like Michael Flatley at his castle.

There are Tuesday cookery classes for adults, and special lessons for kids are scheduled over holiday and break times. In addition, Richy takes part in the Euro-Toques school workshops programme, introducing local schoolchildren to a variety of food and tastes to promote healthy eating.

The high season in West Cork kicks in around the last week of May, Richy says, and continues through to mid-September. The core brigade of about 22 is bumped up to 38 or so in summer, and he takes pride in the fact that many of the staff are there longterm - like pastry chef Brendan Halpin who joined when the bistro was just a year old.

"We have a great Chamber of Commerce here driving the town forward, a great beach, the railway model village and amazing people organising festivals and events to keep visitors coming. It's a great place to live."When summer hits you have to work hard", Richy concedes, but he never loses sight of keeping a good work / life balance.

"You have to be able to enjoy life too - I have three small children and I want to spend time with them. I don't want to be the guy washing up pots every night." Having squeezed in the time for an interview amid the tenth anniversary preparations, Richy is just off to film recipes for the town's iconic Clonakilty Black Pudding - watch for it on You-Tube. The busy life is his own happy blend of work / life balance and one that he visibly enjoys.

Irish Craft Drinks in Lockdown - and Beyond

Aoife Carrigy asks how have Irish crafts drinks producers, purveyors and consumers been responding to the lockdown – and finds a buzzing scene of innovation and imagination. 

Missing the magic of a freshly poured pint of the black stuff? You can have it delivered to your door, via a growing number of mobile bars that act as community outreach arms of the pubs they belong to. Want a margarita cocktail with that margherita pizza? No problem, the Blind Pig Speakeasy has it covered via Deliveroo who – along with Just Eat, UBER Eats and drink delivery services such as The Beer Club and Press Up’s new Siopa Vino – are moving in on market share.

With everyone from distributors to retailers, publicans and restaurateurs to home delivery platforms getting in on the act, it’s no surprise that some savvy producers are finding ways to reach consumers directly. The Irish craft drinks scene has been fast to respond: when a sector is as young as our craft beers, cider and spirits scene, innovation and imagination are well-toned muscles.

Take our craft brewers, many of whom have set up webshops with nationwide delivery. For me, nothing beats going into a specialist independent off-licence like Redmonds of Ranelagh or Bradleys of Cork or any number of craft beer champions across the country, browsing the shelves and picking up some old favourites along with something new to me. Not all beer lovers have such Aladdin’s Caves on their doorstep, however, and while some of indie off-licences such as Craft Central have been early adaptors for online sales, it didn’t take long for breweries to forge direct routes to market.

In mid-March, beer blogger Wayne Dunne, aka The Irish Beer Snob, asked on Twitter whether there was a list of Irish breweries with online set-up to sell beers, who fans could support with sales. Within weeks, there were several dozen brewers from all around the country for him to highlight. (Check out the handy list on his pinned tweet at @Irishbeersnob, while directfrombrewery.com lists many breweries, retailers and off-licences who deliver.)

Some breweries are limited to contactless click and collect (Wicklow Wolf or Ballykilcavan Farm and Brewery in Laois) or restricted by licence conditions to a minimum order of three cases (12 Acres Brewing in Laois). Of those delivering, some are keeping it local, often with the option of mix and matching different styles of beer within a case (Limerick’s Treaty City Brewery), while many more are delivering nationwide, some with next-day delivery (Sligo’s Lough Gill Brewery). Some are offering free delivery locally (Dungarvan Brewing Company) or nationwide (Kinsale’s Black Brewery and Distillery) while others are collaborating for strength in numbers: Athlone’s Dead Centre Brewing launched beercloud.ie in conjunction with several midlands breweries to offer a mix’n’match delivery service with no minimum order and a flat-rate of €6 for nationwide delivery (but the proviso that their courier service means that delays can be expected).

Other breweries are thinking beyond direct sales, and suggesting new ways that their customers can experience the beer at home: with suggested food pairings perhaps (Mescan Brewery website’s handy food pairing wheel) or via 5L mini-kegs for home-poured pints (Sligo’s White Hag Brewery, who have also been doing online launches of new beers and offer next-day delivery direct from the brewery). Others are taking part in online beer festivals such as Craic Beer Community’s Virtual Beer Festival (in early May and June) and the upcoming BeoirFest (28th June) which is pitched more to the casual beer drinker than dedicated ‘beer geeks’.

Irish cider producers got a nice shout-out in early May at what was the world’s biggest cider tasting, hosted on InstaLive by Gabe Cook, aka The Ciderologist. Cork’s unique Stonewell Tawny Cider represented Ireland in this whistlestop global virtual tour of international cider producers and style.

Plenty of savvy publicans have been quick to pivot their business. Left with barrels of their own Two Sides Brewing Co. ‘Shop Local’ IPA (a collaboration with Brickyard Gastropub), Maire Ní Mhaolie and her husband Geoff Carty of 57 The Headline were among the first publicans to keep their doors open, starting with click and collect for lucky locals but ramping up to nationwide delivery of wine, Irish spirits and cases of craft beer.

The Big Romance on Parnell Street proved that there was an untapped market for growlers, which are an integral part of craft beer culture in north America. These refillable glass containers, typically two litres, are filled to order with fresh draught beer. The Big Romance told Irish Central in late April that they had hired three delivery drivers to meet demand, and interestingly had noted a broadening of their customers’ age demographics, with a slightly older customer base now enjoying fresh beer at home. More and more pubs around the country are embracing the demand for freshly tapped beer in growlers: Tullys of Waterford have delights like growlers of Yellow Belly's Castaway Passionfruit Sour and Metalman's Fracture Rye IPA (as well as branded jam jar's of Gin Bramble featuring Blackwater Gin); Bierhaus in Cork has an impressive range (including minikegs of interesting stouts and sours); while Dublin's Urban Brewing are offering ‘crowlers’, aka large cans filled to order with the draught beer of your choice.

Others are packaging their venue’s experience: the ever-innovative pub and entertainment group Bodytonic offer a €125 'Pub In A Box' delivery of drinks, glasses, pizza, snacks, a board game, t-shirts and playlist, while Dublin 7's L. Mulligan Grocers are hosting regular online beer tastings on a local click and collect basis, as well as selling weekly cocktail kits and growlers. Bar 1661 is selling pre-batched bottles of some of their favourite cocktails, such as the 'Brother Hubbard', featuring butter-washed Mad March Hare poitín with Longueville House cider brandy from Cork, fresh Irish strawberry syrup, vanilla and a Regal Rogue rose vermouth – available through their own website and the likes of Decent Drinks Club from the folks behind Dublin 8's Luckys and The Circular. In Galway, the ever-imaginative team behind The Twelve Hotel are offering delivery of their vac-packed Brown Bag cocktails, with specials such as their Afternoon Tea for Two, featuring Hennessy and Irish Mist with jasmine tea, Sliabh Aughty heather honey and citric acid apple.

The distilleries have been no less adaptable. Besides those who followed the lead of Listoke Distillery, who were one of the first to produce hand sanitiser, many of them are embracing the growing potential for online engagement. Blackwater Distillery welcomed over two thousand viewers to its June bank holiday weekend FacebookLive launch of their new Velvet Cap Blended Irish Whiskey, and had doubled those viewings by the following weekend. Clare-based whiskey bonders, JJ Corrys Irish Whiskey launched a new online ‘Crowd Sourced Blending’ initiative to create The Lock In blend, for which participants were sent samples and invited to vote on proposed blends. Lough Ree Distillery are offering Sling Shot Gin School at Home deliveries of DIY kits to allow you to blend your own 350ml bottle of gin at home, complete with distillates like elderflower, spruce and black pepper alongside classic gin botanical flavours like juniper, coriander, angelica and citrus. And several Wicklow-based distilleries such as Glendalough Distillery have teamed up with fellow Wicklow Naturally network members, Wicklow Way Wine, to develop cocktail recipes promoted online (see Santina’s Irish Food Tales on Instagram).

Of course, there are many for whom nothing beats the connection of social drinking in the familiar setting of their local pub. But it does look like home drinking has just gotten a whole lot more social – and more flavoursome – as a result of this new normal that we find ourselves in.