Fresh Irish Food at It's Best- All at the English Market from Nenaghgal

Last weekend I was down in Kinsale with my parents who were visiting from America. On Saturday, I suggested we go to the English Market in Cork City as it truly is not to be missed and with the recent visit of her Royal Majesty back in May, I'd heard the place had an extra buzz about it. My daughter Sophia has just returned from her summer holidays in America with my parents and she spent a lot of time cooking with my mother so I knew she'd love to see it as well. I hadn't been in over two years - to me it is a place of utter food bliss. And while we couldn't buy much on the day, we marvelled at the beautiful displays and the abundance of fresh Irish food.

Fish and seafood at Pat O'Connell's stand- he was famously immortalized in that wonderful photograph with Queen Elizabeth that ran during her visit. His infectious smile radiated from the image and I was dying to see him in person- which we did but he was very busy.

Still not very keen on oysters but do love a lot of seafood and when you see these fresh displays it makes you want to eat more.

I'm currently obsessed with Glenilen yoghurts because they are tart and thick and creamy and utterly heavenly over some muesli in the morning. I love their simple packaging - here's their handmade country butter. They also make cheesecakes, panna cotta, mousses, cream and creme fraiche. You must try them!

At the Real Olive Company, we found this fresh buffalo mozzarella which my Mum had read about in Cara magazine flying over on Air Lingus. For those of you not aware- true mozzarella is made from the milk of water buffalo- traditionally made in Italy, this is made in Co. Cork from Toonsbridge Dairy- and a herd of water buffalo live on Johnny Lynch's Farm in Kilnamatyra, West Cork. Johnny and Toby Simmons, from The Real Olive Company teamed up to produce this new product. They brought a herd of 31 buffalo over from Italy and added 16 more and they've been calving and now producing enough milk to produce the mozzarella. We bought two to eat when we returned to Nenagh and let me tell you it was absolutely fabulous!! Go to The Real Olive Company in the English Market to sample some yourself. I'll definitely be doing a bigger story on this in the future!

Don't you just love these deep bowls for display?

Sophia loves bread as much as I do- here she's smiling at the amazing displays!

This is one of the entrances to the English Market.

And to end, a wonderful ad for A.O'Reilly & Sons- these ladies seem to be enjoying themselves!

Have a great weekend- let me know what great dishes you had time to cook up! I'll have an update about Sophia's delicious crostini next week!