Category: In the Media

‘You can have the best craic at the counter’: The stories of Ireland’s old-school butchers

by Amy O’Connorpublished in www.thejournal.ie

 

Thanks to Amy for featuring us in this article. Read the full article here

….For his part, McCarthy believes that butchers still play an important role in their local communities. There’s a personal touch that you just don’t get in supermarkets.

“I love meeting people. You can have the best craic inside the counter talking to people, meeting people, catching up with people. Giving you their news, giving them your news. It’s a very sociable job. Our average interaction with someone could be four to five minutes.You know their habits, you know what they’re into.”

“I don’t call them customers. They’re all my friends coming in.”

With Christmas just around the corner, McCarthy says the turkey queries are coming in thick and fast. It reminds him of a well-worn phrase.

“You know they say, ‘A turkey is for life and not just for Christmas?’ A butcher is there all year round, not just at Christmas.”

Brewing Business Success

A few weeks ago Kevin Dundon visited town and I sat down for a cup of coffee with him in the daily grind to record an interview for episode 2 of “Brewing Business Success”.

Tim explains some of the intricacies of being part of a fifth generation family business.
Watch the video here it’s subtitled in case you can’t understand Kevin!!

Ear to the Ground – RTE

Jack and Tim were on Ear to the ground last night on a feature about one of our suppliers – massively successful local business man and farmer, Frank Murphy of Glen South Farm in Banteer. If you missed Ear to the Ground last night you can watch it on the RTE Player. The item begins at 16 minutes in.

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Filming with Ear to the Ground

ear to the groundWatch Ear to the Ground on 24th November.

We were delighted to be involved in the filming of Ear to the Ground both at the shop and at one of our prime beef suppliers farms – Glensouth Farm, the farm of Frank Murphy.

At Glensouth Farm the welfare of the cattle takes an absolute priority and the use of innovative new technology has given them the edge. You can find out more about Glensouth farm when the show is broadcast on 24th November.

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McCarthy’s Bramley Apple Bangers with Parsnip and Leek Mash, Sage and Cider Gravy with Black Pudding Crumble: Kitchen Hero – Donal Skehan

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It has been a pleasure to work with Donal Skehan this year. In July our wonderful award winning Apple Sausages played a big part in Kitchen Hero:Donal’s Irish Feast on RTE. Donal made McCarthy’s Bramley Apple Bangers with Parsnip and Leek Mash, Sage and Cider Gravy with Black Pudding Crumble. If you want to cook the recipe

Donal also published the recipe in his column in the Independent newspaper. We thank Donal for his support of McCarthys and all the other Irish Food producers that he has featured in the series.

McCarthy’s Bramley Apple Bangers with Parsnip and Leek Mash, Sage and Cider Gravy with Black Pudding Crumble

Jack McCarthy’s black pudding is championed by some of the best Irish chefs – it was served to the Queen on her state visit in 2011 and his Bramley apple sausages are made from free­ range pork. Fortunately they are now becoming more widely available in specialist stores and online.
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Ingredients:
2 tblsp Rapeseed oil
1 Large onion, very finely sliced
2 tsp Plain flour
1 tblsp Chopped fresh sage
330 ml Bottle artisan dry cider
1­2 teaspoons crab apple jelly
8 Bramley apple pork sausages (preferably jack mccarthy’s) 1 Slice black pudding (preferably jack mccarthy’s)
For the parsnip mash:
675 g Small parsnips, peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces 25 g Butter
2 Small leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
Splash of cream
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. For the parsnip mash, steam the parsnip for 15­20 minutes until tender.
2. Meanwhile, sauté the leeks in the butter in a frying pan until softened but not coloured.
3. Mash the parsnips and season with salt and pepper, then beat in the sautéed leeks with the mustard and cream.
4. For the sage & cider gravy, heat half the rapeseed oil in a large pan and sauté the onion for 10­15 minutes until lightly golden.
5. Stir in the flour and cook for another minute, then gradually add the cider and allow to reduce down by half.
6. Add the sage and then whisk in enough of the apple jelly to taste. 7. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
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8. Heat the remaining rapeseed oil in a large non­stick frying pan and sauté the sausages until lightly golden all over, turning regularly with a tongs.
9. Transfer to a baking tin and place in the oven for another 10 minutes or until cooked through and tender.
10.Break up the black pudding into small pieces.
11. Return the frying pan to the heat and quickly sauté the black pudding for a couple of minutes until sizzling.
12. Arrange the parsnip and leek mash on warmed serving plates with the Bramley apple bangers and spoon over the sage & cider gravy. Scatter over the black pudding crumble to serve.

Best in Ireland – Georgina Campbell

We were very pleased to be listed as one of the ten best butchers in Ireland by Georgina Campbell on her website. She wrote, “The small shop is beginning to enjoy a comeback and it all started a few years ago with shoppers giving a renewed vote of confidence to the local butcher. Here are just ten iconic businesses that are at the forefront of the shop local revolution.”

See the list by clicking here