Month: July 2010

Kanturk father and son join the Brotherhood of Black Pudding

By MARIA HERLIHY

AWARD titles come in many forms, but McCarthy’s Butchers in Kanturk can justifiably claim to have one of the more unusual under their belts.

Jack and his son Tim can now be known as members of the ‘Brotherhood of the Knights of the Black Pudding’ – a title they won in the face of intense competition from 4,000 entrants from across Europe in a black pudding contest held in France. The title also goes by the name – La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goúte Boudin.

Tim McCarthy told The Corkman that, considering the last wild boar in the country was slain in Kanturk — and no doubt his red blood was made into tasty black pudding — that it was fitting the accolade should to to Duhallow country.

The father and son team spotted the competition on the Internet, entered it and sent off their produce. The annual competition in Mortagne-au-Perche in Normandy is taken very seriously and the entire town is decked out in flags and balloons for the competition. There is also a parade through the town and where entrants showcase their puddings.

This reporter remarked that the title of the accolade had all the hallmarks of a Monty Python sketch. “That is very true, particularly when people are decked out in costumes and there’s music and a parade all in homage to the humble black pudding,” laughed Tim.

Recently, McCarthy’s launched a new online website and can have their produce at anyone’s door throughout the country in 16 hours. Tim explained that all foods are put in a specialised cooled container and once they receive an order, it is prepared and delivered.

He said that, with the downturn in the economy, the day of the “Celtic Tiger fillet steak,” is well and truly gone and people are going back to basics. “A belly of pork is now back in vogue and it’s also great comfort food. People are going back to recipes that their grandmothers had,” he said.

When a customer signs up on McCarthy’s website, they will receive a deluge of recipes with cialities that include Sliabh Luachra beef, Guinness and cider spiced beef and North Cork pancetta.

 

Summer News from McCarthy’s

It’s been a celebrity packed couple of months with lots of events taking
place. With the sun shining, barbecue season was upon us and the shop has
been packed with customers looking for something special to cook on the
coals. The new spit roast service has been proving popular in the summer
sunshine and with more excitement to come over the coming months the
McCarthy’s are really enjoying the season

Kings of the Black Puddings – Again

McCarthys were awarded a Gold Medal for their black pudding at the annual
awards organised by La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Goûte Boudin, or the
Brotherhood of the Knights of the Blackpudding. This was the highest award
received by an Irish entrant in 2010.

The ancient brotherhood will be visiting Kanturk in September in order to present the prestigious gold medal in person.  McCarthy’s believe that their use of cream and whiskey leads to a pudding more in a European style, that it is sweeter and more delicious. The 22nd of September heralds a great deal of excitement with the arrival of French pudding connoisseurs and the town looking forward to a pudding parade and a night of entertainment. There is also an official reception for our distinguished visitors in Cork City with the Lord Major.

We hosted a cookery demonstration by Rozanne Stevens, with the Black Pudding as the central theme. Rozanne was wonderfully friendly and spent a good while chatting to the many people who had attended the event. After the demonstration Jack gave Rozanne a complete lesson in the production of the pudding from a visit to a free range farm to the making of the famous pudding. It was Rozanne’s first visit to North Cork and one she will remember for a long time.

The Following week Rozanne did a piece about the trip on the Pat Kenny show. Rozanne made the pudding that was on this show whilst she was in with Jack. She got up to her elbows in pig blood. Pat was delighted to savour the delicious Black Pudding that is available online and in the store. You can hear the feature by clicking here.

News of the Black Pudding Award lead to a feature on McCarthy’s in the Irish Daily Mail. John Daly was very positive and complimentary about the business in this extended article.

“In a business that has straddled three centuries and adapted to the changing tastes of each era, McCarthy’s example of commercial survival and independence presents a miniature image of where the nation as a whole might go.” To read the article in full click here.
Good Food Ireland Village at the Curragh and on Ireland AM

Tim McCarthy was on Ireland AM in June helping Good Food Ireland to promote the Good Food Ireland Village at the Dubai Irish Derby at the Curragh. Tim gave the crew a good feed of breakfast after the live
television shoot. You can see the piece by clicking here.
This was the first time that Good Food Ireland have put on such an event. The Village consisted of of 23 speciality stalls selling everything from tarts to ice cream to sausages. There was a fantastic atmosphere amongst the stallholders.

Tim and Jack had a stall at the Curragh for all three days of the meeting and sold superior hotdogs of artisan rolls from the acclaimed Bretzell Bakery filled with McCarthy’s own award winning sausages.

The TV3 crew were back for more of the sumptous sausages, and over the weekend they met Tracy Piggot, the Teasoich and Martin Shanahan from Fishy Fishy, Kinsale.

Sheridan’s Cheesemongers Food Fair

Sheridans Cheesemongers is run by Kevin Sheridan, Seamus Sheridan and Fiona Corbett. The company was founded in 1995, when Seamus and Kevin started selling Irish farmhouse cheeses at the Galway market. Shortly after they opened a shop in Galway with Irish farmhouse cheeses piled from floor to ceiling. The Irish cheeses were quickly joined by their European cousins as well as a huge range of other artisan foods including olive oils, cured meats, condiments and pasta sourced during travels in Europe. The business has expanded to include a total of four retail outlets, 11 market stalls and a purpose built Warehouse premises in Meath. McCarthy’s are proud to supply free range dry cured hams to Sheridan’s.

The Food Fair welcomed producers of delicious food form all over Ireland with stands and stalls, as well as wine tasting, a barbecue, and craft demonstrations, face-painting and workshops. It was a ambitious idea and it was a resounding success, despite its rural location over 5000 turned up for the day. There were many food writers and journalists at the event also. It was a fantastic opportunity to showcase McCarthy’s in another area. McCarthy’s stall sold sausages on sticks in many varieties.

Spit Roasts

McCarthy’s of Kanturk are as you know specialists in Free Range Pork, seeing a gap in the market they have begun offering a spit roast service.

This is catering for a memorable special occasion. A spit roast Free Range pig served up to your guests by a qualified experienced chef. McCarthy’s provide everything down to napkins and plates and a qualified chef will cook carve and serve your free range pig. It will be served with freshly baked buns, homemade apple sauce and delicious pork crackling.

Our locally sourced free range pork and solid fuel spit assures the most succulent hog roast you could imagine. Plus we have complete farm to fork traceability, a fully licensed and insured caterer and an emphasis on quality and service.

Bookings must be made at least 10 days in advance.