Slowly Does It
A recent Slow Food gathering of artisans and chefs at Bill Hogan's West
Cork Natural Cheese, just outside Schull, showed that the creativity amongst
West Cork artisans is as feverish as ever. Two outstanding new foods were
of particular interest: cold-smoked tuna from Sally Barnes of Woodcock Smokery
in Castletownshend was a sheer knockout, and put to dazzling use by Karin
Austin of Timoleague's Lettercollum House, who put tiny slivers of the tuna
in the midst of the most delicate sushi you could find. The moistness of
the tuna was utterly winning, and here is a true icon food from this great
fish smoker.
Alongside Sally was some deliciously spiffing smoked bacon from Fingal Ferguson,
scion of the great Gubbeen cheese family, the Fergusons. Using terrific
pig meat, Fingal's bacon is as good as it gets, and another encouraging
sign that the noble pig is finally getting its just desserts, and being
used to make true gourmet foods. Fingal has also begun to smoke the familyıs
Gubbeen cheese, so here is a second-generation artisan food producer with
all the drive and ambition of his parents.
Sally Barnes: tel: (028) 36232
Gubbeen Smoked Bacon, tel: (028) 28231
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