escapades - flavour issue 1 august 2011

8/3/2019 Escapades - Flavour Issue 1 August 2011

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August/Septemb

es

I have to admit that as astaycation tourist I tend toollow the same rules o many

others who live in Belast, withmy automatic preerence orweekend trips lying frmly inNewcastle, the North Coastand Donegal. I had never really considered Enniskillen as aweekend away destination beore,as the long drive across NorthernIreland had always seemed like itwould eat into my valuable reetime.

However, with the new dualcarriageway rom the end o theM1 to Ballygawley the journey

time has been signicantlycut down and I picked up mytravelling companion and wereached our destination in lessthan an hour-and-a-hal.

Tat destination was theBelmore Court and Motel onthe edge o Enniskillen. Our ideao a motel has been very muchinuenced by the content o American lms as rather soullessplaces or the down-at-heel or

Flavour’s Rebecca Kincade kicks of Escapades, a regular eature exploring some o tdrink, hospitality and tourism treats on ofer around the north o Ireland on a shor

Enchanting Enniskille

criminals on the run, but I canassure you the Belmore is arremoved rom that image!

Exceeding customerexpectationsTe term motel actually reers toa place oering bed and breakastbut without a bar or restaurant.We chose it because the roomslooked great on the internet and wewanted to sample the are aroundEnniskillen without eeling obligedto eat at our place o residence -plus, the Belmore oers an optionalpackage that includes an evening

meal in a choice o three lo calestablishments.Owned and managed by erry

McCartney, the Belmore Courtand Motel was inspired by thetravels o his ather along theamous Route 66 in the US.wo years ago erry undertookan extensive project to extendthe accommodation provision,paying particular attention torequests rom his customers or

complimentary WIFI, at screenVs and disabled access rooms.erry goes out o his way toexceed customer expectations andhis eorts have been rewarded,with the Belmore Court rated bybusiness travellers as the numberone place to stay in NorthernIreland on rip Advisor.

Helpful and welcoming While having a briduring our stay hethat he places hugon customer serviapparent rom thearrived to check in

Our double room in the Belmore Court was spacious and comfortable

78 | kitchen garden

More and more people areturning to growing theirown ruit and vegetables,

not just or economic reasons,but also because they then know exactly how their ood has beenproduced and, when they getinto it, they actually fnd it a very comorting and rewarding pastime.

Nor do you need acres o gardento grow your own - miniature

varieties o many common vegetables and ruits are nowavailable to grow rom seed yoursel or buy as seedlings so you can evendo it in window boxes, on a patioor paved area! One o the easiestand most reliable ways to grow yourown is in a raised bed and JonathanHarty o HartyCulture in ullyroan,Co. Armagh is a specialist in makingraised beds o all sizes to suit anygarden.

Optimal harvest,

minimal effort Jonathan explained what it’s allabout: “A raised bed, which can bebuilt on any surace, is a connedstructure in which organisedgrowing and optimal harvestingcan be achieved with minimum

I’ll raise you a garden! ...says Jonathaneort and space requirement. Beingraised, the beds make gardeningmore accessible or all and areeasier on the back. Maintenanceand harvesting is done rom thepathways, reducing soil compactionand mess.

“Te growing medium drainsbetter and warms up aster, anadvantage in our climate, and itis deep enough or root crops.Te conned area lends itsel tomore intensive growing, a pluswhen space is at a premium. Withminimal digging required, soilstructure is maintained and weedsare suppressed, as dormant seedsand roots remain undisturbed.”

Natural and inexpensiveRaised beds can be any size, shapeor height (or seated gardening!)and their sides abricated rommany dierent materials. However,

HartyCulture’s standard raisedbed is rectangular and, or ease o access, no more than 4 eet wide.“We can make them rom brick,recycled plastic, hardwoods suchas Cedar, Oak or Spanish Chestnutbut, or cost eectiveness, Douglas

Fir is most commonly used, beingsustainable, local and the hardest o the ‘sot’ woods,” said Jonathan.

“Our timbers are not pressuretreated, as this is done withtoxic chemicals, which can leachinto the soil to be absorbed bythe crops. Instead we treat ourtimbers with natural linseed oil,which waterproos the wood andis inexpensive, though it must bereapplied regularly to protect thewood and keep it rom rotting overtime.

Edible return oninvestment “We advise that the beds havesurrounding pathways, or theyget regular trac. Paving slabsor ‘urprotecta’ grass matting isrecommended. ypically cardboardis then placed on the grass (to killthe weeds) beore the growingmedium is added. I the beds

are being built on hardcore, amembrane is used,” he explained.

“Each ull size bed requiresapproximately 1.5 tonnes o top soiland organic matter, which we try tosource locally and test or suitability.Inclusive in all pricing is your rst

crop sown, i you want. From ourown polytunnels we can provideseed and seedlings, determinedby availability, seasonality anddesirability.

“Growing ood is natural andgood or all. Raised beds makegardening easier, can be started atany time o the year and our advice,assistance, experience and expertiseis available to all,” added Jonathan.“We know that every garden canbe a success and to ensure that, weoer seasonal support, suggestedcrop rotations and an edible returnon your investment!”

For all your gardening needsHartyCulture also creates sensoryherb gardens, living willowstructures, raised beds or seatedgardening, potatoes in car tyres,ruit corners and mushroom logs, aswel as building polytunnels, rabbit

encing, wormeries and oers agarden clearance service, et cetera.

So, whatever your gardeningideals may be, HartyCulture cansupply, design and install everythingrequired or enjoyable growing andsuccessul reaping.

To nd out more about raised beds or to arrange a free site visit, contact JonathanHarty on +44 (0)28 3885 2864, 07903 525 008 or email [email protected].

All systems grow!



FLAVOUR August/September 2011 August/Septemb

80 | escapades es

sta could not have been morehelpul and welcoming throughoutthe duration o our stay and were

always on hand to oer useulinormation about the best placesto eat and tourist attractions in thesurrounding area.

Our double room in theBelmore Court was spaciousand comortable with a moderninterior. Small gestures, such ashis and hers clothes hangers,were apparent throughout andshowed the level o interest thatthe venue takes in providing or itscustomers. Each room has beenindividually decorated by erry’smother, Caroline McCartney, whileimpressive photographs o localattractions taken by erry, as wellas paintings by his sister, are hungthroughout the rooms, oyer andbreakast area.

Ater unpacking and having arelaxing cup o tea in our room we

decided to walk the short distance,approximately ten minutes, into thecentre o town to nd out what wason oer. As we read several menuson our walk one stood out as tootempting to ignore and in the endit was very easy to decide on CaéMerlot on Church Street or ourevening meal.

A mouth-watering menuaking the narrow corridor o the main street we descended thestairs into what used to be the wine

cellar or the amous pub upstairs,Blakes o the Hollow. Te vaultedceiling and archways give it great

character, yet the room is spacious,but with nooks and crannies toallow or a more private diningexperience.

Te evening menu is reasonablypriced and the selection o dishesis mouth-watering to say the least.We began by sharing a deliciousstarter o Garlic and Herb oastsas the menu has a great varietyo ‘to share’ choices, which lendthemselves brilliantly to begin. Itwas just what was required to settleus into the holiday spirit. However,having heard recommendationsor the Risotto o Rabbit & Saron,Crab and Prawn Fritter and seeingthe Goats Cheese Gnudi on themenu it was very dicult tochoose.

For our main meals we selectedon the Kettyle Charred 10oz Rib

Eye with Home Cut Chips and theSlow Roast Belly Pork with PotatoWedges and Dips - both perectwith our wine choice o a bottleo Barolo Lean Rivetto. Te porkis a speciality o C aé Merlot andmust be tried, while the Rib Eyewas cooked to perection. Teproper chunky chips were alsoa treat and provided the perectaccompaniment to an enjoyablygluttonous main course.

Dessert in this restaurant isan experience not to be missedeither and again we shared,this time opting or White

Chocolate Cheesecake. Teche at Caé Merlot trained withNeven Maguire at the renownedMcNean Bistro in Blacklion andcreating impressive desserts is hisspeciality. Tankully he did notlet us down and each mouthulo this personal avourite o minecompleted our delicious meal inan appropriate ashion.

A fantasticatmosphereAs we were leaving the restaurantthe sound o traditional Irish music

was owing rom Blakes o theHollow above Caé Merlot. Tesession, which takes place everyFriday evening rom nine untilmidnight, tempted us in to enjoythe antastic atmosphere in theoldest bar in Enniskillen.

With its 125th birthday comingup, this pub has big plans or the

year ahead and owner Pat Blaketold us that he is looking orwardto the packed calendar o events.Blakes o the Hollow is one o onlytwo pubs in Northern Ireland tohave a listed interior, the otherbeing the Crown in Belast, androm the moment you enter it is anextremely interesting place to be.

Te original Victorian tiledoors, ront bar, traditional seating,series o snugs and open re alladd to the homely style and behind

the bar large sherry casks, whichwere used to mature whiskey, ormprominent eatures. Collectors’items o rare drinks are di splayedbehind the bar - alas, they’re too

valuable or quang!

Potty for Belleek!Saturday morning started witha Continental breakast in themotel, during which we were ableto read through the leaets on

various local attractions, which areavailable rom reception. With theweather slightly on the dubiousside we looked at indoor options,settling on a picturesque drive outalong the shores o Lough Erne toBelleek Pottery.

Te tour around the Potterywas extremely interesting andinteractive. Watching the pottersat work really allowed us to seethe level o skill that is required tocreate each product and showed uswhat has made Belleek so popularthe world over. With a shop,museum and tearoom all located atthe actory we were able to spenda ew hours there beore jumpingin the car again, complete withbeautiul, home-made chocolatemuns rom the caé.

The best of baconWe returned to Enniskillen in theearly aternoon to check out thetown, which oers many greatshops to stimulate some retailtherapy. However, having heardrom so many people about theamous Fermanagh Black BaconI had to call in to Pat O’Doherty’sFine Meats on Belmore Street.With a constant steam o people

through the doors, this butchershas a bustle about it like no other.Knowledgeable and riendly sta areon hand to answer any meat relatedor cookery questions and goodquality products on display seduce

you rom the moment you walkthrough the door.

I managed to have a brie chatwith Pat as I was purchasing someo his bacon and, in those ewminutes, the absolute passion he

has or his trade was apparent. Withexcitement, he told me about a newbee product he will be launchingin the autumn time that willundoubtedly reach the same levelso ame and acclaim as his blackbacon, sausages and puddings, sowatch this space!

Discovering why I was in town,Pat also kindly agreed to share oneo his black bacon recipes withFlavour readers (see page 71). Teyshould really whet your appetite oran authentic taste o Fermanagh!

Spoilt for choiceTat evening, and in keeping withthe very relaxed day o activities, weavailed o one o the Belmore Court’spartnerships with local eateries. Teour star Westville Hotel is less thantwo minutes walk rom the moteland a three-course meal in the bar

was included in ouhotel has only recethe modern décor out and inviting. Tbuzz in the bar romwalked in.

Te cocktail list distracted us rom but with rereshingand Mojito in handbetter position to g

undivided attentionTe menu at the you exactly what yoexpect rom a bar mood prevails and wspoilt or choice wiselection o starterscourses. Opting orWings and Seaoodstart, we ound bot

Our main coursedisappoint either, w

As I drove out o Enniskillen I couldn’t help but reect on the standard o the tourist attractions,

the impressive scenery, the quality o the ood and overall welcoming nature o the citizens o the town. Tis is one place that demonstrates

the true meaning o good, honest Northern Irishhospitality and I will defnitely go back.



August/Septemb

For more details on all the activities and attractions, places to stay and eat in the Enniskillen area visit www.fermanaghlakelands.com

82 | escapades escFried Chicken served with stung,bacon, mashed potatoes and

vegetables in keeping with the localhome style o hospitality whichwe were by now getting used to inEnniskillen. My riend’s selection o a Bookmakers Sandwich did evokea case o ood envy rom me as I sawhow amazing the strips o steak ongarlic ciabatta looked when it arrived.

We once again completed ourmeal with a shared dessert o thewarm chocolate brownie servedwith udge sauce and vanilla icecream - however, I think mydenition o ‘shared’ in this instanceis somewhat questionable. I do likemy chocolate!

Food and wine lover’sdreamIn typical Northern Irish style theday that we had to drive home thesun decided to split the heavens andthe temptation to spend a bit moretime in Fermanagh got the bettero us. On our walk through thetown on Saturday we had spotteda antastic place to get ood or apicnic on Sunday and so, ollowing alie in and a late breakast, we set o up the town once more.

Russell and Donnelly’s deli,bistro and wine shop on DarlingStreet is a ood and wine lover’sdream. Te delicatessen has

an amazing selection o reshlymade sandwiches, cured meats,bruschetta spreads, avoured oilsand vinegars, jams and preserves,local armyard and Europeancheeses and artisan chocolates.

For someone who enjoys theirood as much as I do it was almosttoo much to handle! Reiningmysel in slightly I decided notto let the ‘eyes too big or mystomach’ situation happen and mycompanion and I both selected theFarmhouse Ham and MontgomeryCheddar with Fried OnionSandwiches, which were made upwhile we waited, with the resh-baked olive bread still warm andsot.

A packet o Sean Altemeyer MilkChocolate Champagne rufeswere to act as our picnic dessert and

proved to be deliciously melt in themouth. While based in Enniskillen,this chocolatier uses a Germanrecipe that will certainly have medriving back to Russell and Donnellyto pick up some more.

Picnic in the park With a wide variety o wine andbeers on oer it seemed a pity notto sample one o the local productsand, as I was designated driver, myriend chose a bottled beer romthe Inishmacsaint micro-brewery,which is based in the hills aboveDerrygonnelly. Tis beer is brewedwith the nest natural ingredientsusing traditions ollowed by Irishmonks centuries ago. Te overall

verdict was that this wheat beerwas more similar to those madein Germany or Switzerland, ratherthan Ireland.

With the car suitably laden withluggage, gits and ood, we headedout to the National rust ownedCastle Coole or a wander round thegrounds. Unortunately we didn’thave time to tour the beautiul 18th

century mansion, but its setting ina stunning wooded landscape parkproved ideal or just sitting in thesun and enjoying our picnic.

As I drove out o Enniskillenlater that day, ater what hadbeen a thoroughly relaxing stay,I couldn’t help but reect on thestandard o the tourist attractions,the impressive scenery, the qualityo the ood and overall welcomingnature o the citizens o the town.Tis is one place that demonstratesthe true meaning o good, honestNorthern Irish hospitality and I willdenitely go back to try all o the

activities I missed out on this time.And yes, I can conrm that theFermanagh Black Bacon, which Ihad or breakast in Belast the nextmorning, was every bit as good as Ihad been told to expect!

Pat O’Doherty’s End o Summer Salad wwarm Black Bacon and balsamic vinaig

Serves 6

Chef’s Tip

To keep the vinaigrette warm, place it in a glass o steel bowl, cover it and place in a warming oven. A place in a water bath.

Method

1. Fry the bacon in the olive oil on medi um heat minutes until crispy. Remove the bacon rom the a small bowl.

2. Add the garlic and rosemary to the pan and coadditional two minutes. Remove the pan rom thin the Balsamic vinegar and the bacon.

3. Season with salt and black pepper and keep thwarm until ready to serve.

4. Wash and dry the salad leaves thoroughly.

5. Arrange the salad leaves on a serving plate andcheese, walnuts and apples on top o the leaves

plate.6. Dress with the vinaigrette and serve immediate

IngredIents

•500g organic green salad•3 Granny Smith apples, sliced thin•400g Cashel blue cheese, crumbled•200g walnuts, toasted and chopped

For the vInaIgrette

•250g bacon lardons•125ml Balsamic vinegar•2 cloves garlic, chopped fnely• sprig resh Rosemary, fnely chopped•100ml olive oil

What is Fermanagh Black Bacon

Bacon has been a staple in Fermanagh or centurieamilies kept a pig or two and cured their own bacthem going over the winter. Many people had thetwists and ingredients, but generally speaking, mowas cured by hand by rubbing salt directly onto themeat.This is dry curing, where the ingredients penetrate

meat naturally, drawing out moisture and any imppreserving the meat. Dierent ingredients used in combined with dierent breeds and types o pig, gbacons a distinctive taste and character.It is this ancient method o curing, which takes up months to complete in temperature controlled conPat O’Doherty has recreated in Fermanagh Black Bhis own secret mix o herbs and other ingredients.is bacon that tastes like bacon should taste and badoesn’t ooze a nasty scum when cooking!

To enter the draw to win 2 nights’ bed and

breakast or 2 people in a superior or twin room

at the Belmore Court, Enniskillen, simply answer

this question...

Who makes Fermanagh Black Bacon?

Send your answer, together with your name, address and contact

telephone/email to Enniskillen Escapade Giveaway, Flavour Magazine, 48

Corcullentragh Road, Portadown, Co. Armagh, BT62 4EP or complete your

competition entry on www.yourfavour.co.uk. Closing date or entries 30th

September 2011. For terms and conditions, see page 97.

WIN your very own escapade toenchanting Enniskillen

courtesy of The Belmore Court & Motel in association with Flavour

www.yourfavour.co.uk



FLAVOUR August/September 2011 August/Septemb

escapades - flavour issue 1 august 2011

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