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Celebrating World Sherry Day at Ballymaloe Cookery School

We were delighted to join in with the week long celebration of Sherry for World Sherry Day (week)

We had a Sherry talk and tasting here in the school for the students on all things Sherry, We were delighted to be joined by Rafael Salazar, of Vinostito, who is orginally from Cadiz, Andalucia,  so Rafeal and Colm were delighted to introduce the students to Sherry – its culture, history, tradition, food, and of course Sherry.

Some photos here to capture a day, which we all really enjoyed. More details to follow on the Sherry and tasting notes.

Some previous Sherry events at Ballymaloe are listed here

Colm, Rafael and all the students. Salud!
Colm, Rafael and all the students. Salud!
Rafael and Darina
Rafael and Darina raise a glass of Manzanilla to toast World Sherry Day
Pam and Rafael
Pam and Rafael

Getting set up for Wolrd Sherry DayAt the cookery school, Darina and Rafael

 

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Ballymaloe Literary Festival of Food and Wine

The inaugural international Literary Festival of Food and Wine took place at Ballymaloe House, Grainstore and Cookery School over the May Bank Holiday wekend, 3 – 6 May. A magical weekend was had, with many wine & drinks events, and here are a selection of photographs and some links to write-up on the weekend. We are already looking forward to 2014 Literary Festival!

http://guides.ie/megabites/jancis-robinson-mw-ballymaloe-litfest-leslie-williams

http://www.jancisrobinson.com/tasting_articles/ta20130508.html

http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/a201305091.html

http://www.corkbilly.com/2013/05/the-ballymaloe-litfest-not-book-just.html

 

Jancis Robinson MW Wine Grapes presentation and tasting at the Literary Festival
Jancis Robinson MW Wine Grapes presentation and tasting at the Literary Festival

 

olm pictured with Jancis Robinson MW at Ballymaloe Literary Festival
olm pictured with Jancis Robinson MW at Ballymaloe Literary Festival
Ger Buckley, Master Cooper, Midleton Distillery pictured with Bill Yosses, Pastry Chef, The White House
Ger Buckley, Master Cooper, Midleton Distillery pictured with Bill Yosses, Pastry Chef, The White House

 

Tom Doorley and John Wilson 'Wine & Words'
Tom Doorley and John Wilson ‘Wine & Words’
Peter Corr and Literary Festival wine & drinks crew
Peter Corr and Literary Festival wine & drinks crew

 

Douro - still and fortified with Maurice O'Mahony, Wine Alliance
Douro – still and fortified with Maurice O’Mahony, Wine Alliance

 

Mary Dowey and Pascal Rossignol 'Going Natural - New Trends'
Mary Dowey and Pascal Rossignol ‘Going Natural – New Trends’

 

Ger Buckley, Master Cooper, Midleton Distillery
Ger Buckley, Master Cooper, Midleton Distillery

 

Sherry with Leslie Williams, wine writer, the Irish Examiner
Sherry with Leslie Williams, wine writer, the Irish Examiner

 

Rieslings to be Cheerful with John McDonnell, Wine Australia Ireland
Rieslings to be Cheerful with John McDonnell, Wine Australia Ireland
Nick Lander, Joe McNamee, Paul Flynn and Niamh Shields
Nick Lander, Joe McNamee, Paul Flynn and Niamh Shields
Single Pot Still Whiskey from Midleton Distillery matched with Irish Farmhouse Cheese by L Mulligan
Single Pot Still Whiskey from Midleton Distillery matched with Irish Farmhouse Cheese by L Mulligan

 

A Wine Goose Show with Susan Boyle
A Wine Goose Show with Susan Boyle

 

Pierpaolo Rapuzzi, Ronchi di Cialla, Friuli
Pierpaolo Rapuzzi, Ronchi di Cialla, Friuli

 

Penfolds Grange and The Rewards of Patience with John McDonnell, Wine Australia Ireland
Penfolds Grange and The Rewards of Patience with John McDonnell, Wine Australia Ireland
John Wilson, The Irish Times and Juan Gil, Albarino, Rias Baixas
John Wilson, The Irish Times and Juan Gil, Albarino, Rias Baixas

 

Tom Lynch, El Comandante Wines, Mendoza
Tom Lynch, El Comandante Wines, Mendoza
Wine & Literature with John Wilson, wine writer, The Irish Times
Wine & Literature with John Wilson, wine writer, The Irish Times

 

 

William O'Callaghan, Longueville Irish Apple Brandy and Cider
William O’Callaghan, Longueville Irish Apple Brandy and Cider
Maurice, Pascal and Geraldine checking the wines for Wine Grapes with Jancis Robinson MW
Maurice, Pascal and Geraldine checking the wines.
Sherry in The Big Shed
Sherry in The Big Shed
Daphne launching the literary festival with Nyetimber
Daphne launching the literary festival with Nyetimber
John Bowman with the box office crew - Nicola, Aoife and Ka
John Bowman with the box office crew – Nicola, Aoife and Ka

 

 

Sacha with delicious Iberico Ham for the Sherry
Sacha with delicious Iberico Ham for the Sherry

 

The Big Shed Fringe at the literary festival
The Big Shed Fringe at the literary festival

 

 

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Gonzalez Byass Sherry Dinner in Ballymaloe at The Big Shed

We held a Sherry Dinner in the Big Shed at Ballymaloe, showcasing the Sherry from Gonzalez Byass, on the Friday evening, 3rd May, for the Bord Bia Taste Council Summer School, during the weekend of the Literary Festival of Food and Wine.

Ted Berner, of Wildside Catering (and sherry fan!) and his team of chefs created a wonderful dinner matched with Gonzalez Byass Sherry, including Tio Pepe Fino, Tio Pepe En-Rama Fino, AB Amontillado and Palo Cortado Leonor. Thank to Oscar Bayo and all at Gonzalez Byass for their great support, and to all at Barry & Fitzwilliam for their fantastic support as always. We also had a traditonal venencia on hand for people to try their hand at pouring their own Sherry.

The Big Shed at Ballymaloe

The inaugural wine served in the Big Shed was Sherry – won’t be the last time….

During her Wine Grapes presentation at the Literary Festival, Jancis Robinson MW showed a Equipo Navazos La Bota Palo Cortado as one of the seven wines shown, and a show of hands at the end of the night, showed just how well recieved it was, being one of the most popular in the show of hands. Sherry on a roll?

Leslie Williams, wine writer, The Examiner, also very kindly presented the Fino & Manzanilla tasting during the weekend, and that was also very well recieved, along with Sacha Whelan’s Iberico Jamon. Simply Delicious!

Some pictures capturing the set-up for the Sherry Dinner in The Big Shed at Ballymaloe

 

Sherry and Barrels
Sherry and Barrels
Checking the Sherry
Tasting the Tio Pepe Fino En-Rama. Thumbs-up!

 

Setting up for Sherry & Tapas in Big Shed
Setting up for Sherry & Tapas in Big Shed
Pour your own Sherry using a traditional venencia
Pour your own Sherry using a traditional venencia
Sally, Con, Ivan and John - all Sherry fans
Sally, Con, Ivan and John – all Sherry fans
All set up for Sherry & Tapas
All set up for Sherry & Tapas

Some other recent Sherry events at Ballymaloe include visit of Oscar Bayo from Gonzalez Byass and also the visit of the Consejo Regulador Jerez in assoc with Wine of Spain, and a pop-up Sherry bar at Cork Food Festival.  There is a Tapas & Sherry course, run three times at year at the cookery school, and we have a Sherry module during the 12-week cookery course.

We are also planning an event to mark World Sherry Day/Week here on Wed 22nd May – pls e-mail colm@ballymaloe.ie if you are interested in this.

 

 

 

 

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Using a traditional Sherry Venencia to pour Fino

Enjoing the Irish Examiner Cork Food Festival this weekend, Ballymaloe House had a selection of Sherry at their stand at the food festival - and everone had great fun using a traditional Sherry Venencia. Some photos here. A great weekend, and we were delighted to win ‘Best of Bridgestone at The Irish Examiner Food Festival 2012 Best Beverage Award’ – Sherry is a great fine wine. Also see the fantastic blogs of Billy Lyons www.corkbilly.com and Caroline Hennessy at www.bibliocook.com

Sherry at the Ballymaloe stand at Cork Food Festival

Darina using the Sherry Venencia

Brian Kennedy using the Sherry Venencia

Sonia O'Sullivan using the Sherry Venencia

Enjoying Cork Food Festival

Andrew Rudd using the Sherry Venencia

Rachel Allen, Michael Ryan and Hazel Allen enjoying Cork Food Festival

Joe McNamee using the Sherry Venencia

Sherry by Venencia

Colm using the Sherry Venencia

Cork Food Festival location at Fitzgerald Park
Fitzgerald Park
An expert veneciador
An expert veneciador at Gonzalez Byass, Jerez

 

 

 

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Sherry – a photographic tour of the region

A photographic tour of a wonderful part of the world that is the famous region of Sherry – steeped in tradition with an amazing food, and wine, culture stretching back over 3000 years. Photos by Hazel Allen, Ballymaloe, taken during her recent visit to the region – capturing the magic of this special corner of the wine world.

We were delighted to have welcomed to Ballymaloe in 2011, Cesar Saldana, Consejo Regulador, Jerez in May, and Oscar Bayo, of Gonzalez Byass in November.

Hazel at Gonzalez Byass
Hazel in Jerez
Gonzalez Byass
Outside Gonzalez Byass
Sherry Map
Map of the Sherry region
At Gonzalez Byass
Wonderful table decoration at Gonzalez Byass lunch hosted by Vicky Gonzalez
Sherry Bodega
An example of the amazing Sherry bodegas
Sherry Barrels
Some well known signatures on these barrels
Palo Cortado
Explaining the magic of Sherry - Teresa Aumesquet of Bogegas Harvey
Soil
The different soils - including the white chalk Albariza soil
list of soils
List of the different soils
Sherry tasting
A tasting in El Puerto de Santa Maria
Jameson
JJ&S - John Jameson & Son barrels, being 'seasoned' with Oloroso, in Lustau, Jerez, before heading to Midleton distillery, just down the road from Ballymaloe.
Lustau
Lustau, in Jerez
'Running the scales'
'Running the scales' - the Solera system of fractional blending over many years
interesting bottles
In El Puerto de Santa Maria
Harveys
Tasting room in Harvey's
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González Byass, Jerez, Spain

The famous Spanish wine company, Gonzalez Byass, established in 1835 in the Jerez region, it is still a family owned business and it is now at the 5th generation.

Sherry

Oscar, Samuel, Michael and Colin

They produce wine in different regions of Spain: Rioja, Toledo, Jerez, Somontano, Penedes and Cava. Oscar Bayo presented a selection of wines – Cava, White, and Reds from different regions of Spain, and of course a  selection of Sherry, including the  range of their very special 30year old Sherries – Del Duque Amontillado, Apostoles Palo Cortado, Mathusalem Oloroso and Noe Pedro Ximenez – a stunning range and line-up of some of the most complex Sherries.

Colin Downey and Oscar Bayo
Colin Downey & Oscar Bayo

line-up of Sherry

 

IWSC Spanish Wine Producer of the Year 2010. González Byass, Jerez, Spain

Joe Cronin and Colin DowneyPictured recently in the wine cellar at Ballymaloe, in advance of the Gonzalez Byass wine event, were Joe Cronin, Ballymaloe (who celebrates 60 years working at Ballymaloe this month) and Colin Downey, Barry & Fitzwilliam Wine Merchants, who co-hosted the event with Ballymaloe.

Oscar also spoke to the students of the 12-week Cookery Course at the school, with an emphasis on Sherry and Food, in particular how well Fino goes so well with food, especially Iberico Ham

Oscar

 

Wine talk

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Pictured is the Grain Store at Ballymaloe set for a previous Sherry event in Ballymaloe, earlier this year, in May,when we welcomed Cesar Saldana, Consejo Regulador, Jerez, in association with Wines of Spain and The Irish Times)

 

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Cesar Saldana, Consejo Regulador, Jerez

We were delighted to welcome César Saldaña, Director of DO Jerez, Manzanilla and Brandy of Jerez, to Ballymaloe.  He also is the General Manager of both CRDO Vinos de Jerez and CRDE Brandy de Jerez, the institution for Spain’s most important spirit.

His visit to Ballymaloe was a busy one -with three seperate events, in association with Wines of Spain and The Irish Times Readers Evening. See the Wines of Spain blog here on his visit, and also Billy Lyons ‘Restaurants and Food in Cork’ Blog here

This was a great opportunity for the students to learn more about the unique special wine that is Sherry. He is an expert on Sherry – its wines, food, culture and history, and a great Sherry ‘Ambassador’, on what is becoming a very fashionable drink once again – Sherry. www.sherry.org  . Ballymaloe Cookery School also run a ‘Tapas & Sherry’ course, three times a year – further details here.

 

Cesar Saldana pictured here with Darina Allen

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Sherry Talk and Tasting with César Saldaña, Consejo Regulador, Sherry at the Grainstore at Ballymaloe House.

Wine Event at Ballymaloe

Sherry Talk and Tasting with César Saldaña, Consejo Regulador, Sherry

 

For a world class presentation & tasting of different styles of Sherry, on his first ever visit to this part of Ireland, in association with Wines of Spain.

 

The Grain Store at Ballymaloe,  Wednesday 25th May, 7pm,  €10

 

César Saldaña is a passionate and expert speaker on Sherry – its wines, food, culture and history. He is the Director of Sherry – the Consejo Regulador, and is without doubt the worlds best speaker on Sherry – a world renowned Sherry ‘Ambassador’, on what is becoming a very fashionable drink once again – Sherry. A great opportunity to learn more about the unique special wine that is Sherry, and taste its many different styles, including Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Oloroso, Pedro Ximenez.  An evening not to be missed. All welcome.

The Grain Store at Ballymaloe,

Ballymaloe House, Shanagarry, Co. Cork,

Mob: 083 3631468.    Tel: 021 4652531

e-mail: thegrainstore@ballymaloe.ie

 

 

 

Also:

Thursday 26th May, 8.00pm – Sherry Dinner at Ballymaloe House

Sherry Dinner with César Saldaña in association with The Irish Times Readers Evening, and John Wilson, wine writer, The Irish Times, and also in association with Wines of Spain. A specially selected menu will be matched to specially selected Sherry at each course. Please note that booking for this Sherry Dinner, on Thursday 26th May, at Ballymaloe House, will have to be made directly through The Irish Times Readers Evening office.