Buy cases and 100 per cent goes to the charity

Covid-19 has understandably had a huge impact on everyone’s lives and the NHS is totally deserving of all of our admiration and support, but many charities are finding themselves in real financial trouble because of the restrictions.

Tiny Life is a premature baby charity provides practical and emotional support to the parents of premature babies,  every day in Northern Ireland 6 babies arrive too soon, some arriving as early as 24 weeks, weighing as little as 1lb!  

TinyLife, had organised a fundraising Gin Afternoon Tea at Parliament Buildings on the Saturday of the Mother’s Day weekend  –  Saturday 21st March 2020.  The gin was to be paired with Longbridge mixers. That obviously had to be cancelled, but in an effort to try and raise some funds, Wayne Adair from Longbridge Drinks has offered 70 cases of Belfast Tonic and Belfast Raspberry and Rose to be sold with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to TinyLife.

“I read about how they were struggling for funds in the Sunday Life newspaper and I thought, why not try and sell the mixer cases to people? They get the mixers and they know that they have helped a really deserving local charity” said Wayne Adair.

He has supported the charity for several years now.

People who would like to buy simply log onto www.buytickets.at/tinylife, submit their payment details and print an e-ticket. The tickets can then be then be taken to Indie Fude, Castle Street in Comber, McKenna’s Today’s Express, 477a Falls Road in West Belfast, or from TinyLife offices, 11 – 13 Bloomfield Avenue, Belfast to collect the cases.

Each case contains 24 bottles and costs £15 usually retailing around £30.

Valerie Cromie, Head of Fundraising says ‘In these unusual times we are trying all sorts of ways to raise funds for the charity. As you can imagine our events have all had to be cancelled for the rest of the year. Wayne’s generosity means that TinyLife will be benefit and those purchasing will be receiving a quality product at a vastly reduced price, they will also know they are supporting tiny babies across Northern Ireland.  We greatly appreciate the help of Indie Fude & McKenna’s in assisting with collection points.’

In Northern Ireland more than 1800 babies are born too soon.  On average there are 2 stillbirths every week. 

 

Suki Tea Makers is taking on the UK’s favourite fizzy drinks brands with the launch of two new sparkling iced teas.

The Belfast company has launched Suki’s Sparkling Tea Infusions, available in ‘Black Tea and Peach’ and ‘White Tea, Apple and Elderflower’ flavours. The delicate varieties are created using hand-picked tea leaves, botanicals and natural fruit juices.

The new infusions are made using real brewed leaf teas with no essences, no extracts and no artificial flavourings. It’s an elevated approach that lifts SUKI’s iced teas above heavily sugared, generic tasting alternatives.

Canned in hand-drawn packaging with illustrations by Belfast-based artist Thomas Bannon, Ssuki’s’s Sparkling Tea Infusions boast a premium feel to match the premier taste.

Oscar Woolley, founder and managing director of Suki Tea, says: “We’re stepping outside our comfort zone once again to seek new adventures in the world of tea with the launch of Sparkling Tea Infusions. We wanted to create a product aimed at the UK fizzy drinks industry that didn’t lose any of Suki’s’s integrity and hard-earned reputation for authenticity and a genuinely crafted, curated experience.

“At less than 60 calories per can, Suki’s Sparkling Tea Infusions are the ideal healthy alternative to get your fizzy fix, silence your sweet tooth and quench your thirst. The iced teas are perfect for afternoon teas, picnics, festivals or simply hanging out at home on long, sunny days. There’s also the option to get creative with cocktails and add a cheeky bit of zing. The peach tea is perfect as a dark rum mixer, while the elderflower goes rather well with tequila.”

With over 15 years’ experience at the traditional end of the tea market, Suki has the vision, the curiosity and the confidence to explore new tea experiences. Suki Sparkling Tea Infusions is the perfect example of that pioneering spirit and the 250ml cans are available to order today from suki-tea.com. Prices start from £8.00 for a pack of four.  The infusions are alcohol free and have no added sugar.

Based in Belfast, Suki Tea Makers ethically source and blend loose leaf teas, herbal infusions and fruit blends from all over the world. The company’s commitment to quality is reflected in responsible sourcing, great taste and delivering the very best customer experiences.

The Echlinville Distillery in Northern Ireland is expanding its award winning Dunville’s Irish Whiskey portfolio with the release of two new 18 year old single malts finished in rare Palo Cortado sherry casks.

The duo of Dunville’s 18 Year Old Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish Whiskeys are the latest additions to Dunville’s Single Cask Series, with each cask bottled at its optimum strength for the best possible quality and flavour.

Limited to just 313 individually numbered bottles, Cask 1203 is bottled at a cask strength 55% ABV. Packed with notes of dried stone fruits, Christmas spices, hazelnut laden crème brulee, and bittersweet citrus fruits, it was named Best Irish Single Malt Aged 13-20 Years at this year’s World Whiskies Awards.

Cask 1196 is bottled at 48% abv, showcasing those lighter citrus fruit notes, with candied orange intertwined with deep filled spiced cherry pie, over a sweet malt base. Again, this is a very limited release, with only 375 numbered bottles available.

Both whiskeys have been finished for over two years in the finest Palo Cortado Sherry Casks

Dunville’s brand ambassador Jarlath Watson said: “When we revived the Dunville’s whiskey brand in 2012 we did so with the promise not to compromise in our desire to produce the finest whiskeys conceivable. We stay true to that ethos with our Single Cask Series, which showcases the very best whiskeys in the Dunville’s warehouses and gives our customers what they want – exceptional Irish whiskey, uncompromised and bottled at its optimum strength to deliver both a stunning palate and wonderful, luxurious mouthfeel.

“These Palo Cortado Sherry Finish Whiskeys are the latest additions to the Single Cask Series, with each cask bottled at its best possible abv to maximise its flavour profile. While the cask strength release (Cask 1203) is all about the bolder dark fruit and spice flavour profiles, reminiscent of some of the best sherry bomb whiskeys out there, the reduced alcohol in the 48% ABV (Cask 1196) allows the more delicate flavours of citrus, green fruits and the oak itself to come to the fore.

“These are the first Palo Cortado Sherry Cask expressions in the Dunville’s range. Palo Cortado is in itself a rare type of sherry which starts ageing as a Fino or an Amontillado. During the ageing process, the flor becomes damaged or dries off, meaning the sherry ages oxidatively. Palo Cortado Sherry features the crispness of Amontillado and the full bodied sweetness of an Olorosso. While there are many sherry finished whiskeys out there, very few are finished in Palo Cortado casks, so we are delighted to be able to add the Palo Cortado Sherry Cask Finish to our portfolio.

“These whiskeys join Dunville’s PX 12 Cask Strength and 18 Year Old Port Mourant Rum Finish Whiskey to expand our offering of superior Single Cask Series whiskeys that can stand proudly alongside the very best in their genre.

“We firmly believe that each offering from the Single Cask Series further enhances Dunville’s global reputation for excellence and helps us take another step towards restoring ‘The Spirit of Belfast’ to its rightful place among the world’s best whiskeys.”

Dunville’s 18 Year Old Palo Cortado Sherry Finish Single Cask Whiskeys are available from The Echlinville Distillery.

Luxury Afternoon Tea for home delivery has been launched by Blackwell House in Northern Ireland, a five-star guesthouse popular with international visitors, in response to the lockdown which has led to its temporary closure.

The award-winning guesthouse, which is based near Banbridge in county Down and is a Taste of Ulster member, is generating cash by taking its acclaimed afternoon teas out to the wider community on a call and delivery basis.

Joyce Brownless, who runs the guesthouse, which has nineluxury rooms, with husband Steve, explains: “Like many other businesses we are now closed and don’t know when we will ever open.”

The enterprising business had been growing steadily and was well-booked for the season before the Covid-19 outbreak. Ithad also invested in the construction and outfitting of three new rooms for guests.

“We have now decided that since our customers can’t come to us that we need to go to them. We have created a Blackwell House Lockdown Afternoon Tea that we have just started to deliver.

“Afternoon Tea at Blackwell House is tradition at its finest and we now deliver. We serve a wonderful mix of home baked savouries and freshly made sandwiches, scones fresh from the oven with home-made preserves and an array of dainty sweet bites for your delight – and all baked by myself in our own pristine kitchen,” she adds.

Mrs Brownless suggests that zoom video technology could be used for afternoon tea events including birthday parties, baby showers, anniversaries and engagements for which bespoke packages could be supplied on a direct to doorstep by Blackwell House.

The guesthouse has won a host of prestigious awards for the quality of its food sourced largely from local suppliers. Other major awards include Best Irish Guesthouse last year and Best Irish Breakfast.

The guesthouse has attracted guests from international markets such as the US, Canada, France and Germany. Both Joyce, a native of Banbridge, and Steve have extensive experience in national and international management.

The couple opened the guesthouse in 2014 with a commitment to offer luxury accommodation in a picturesque part of Northern Ireland with superb food from artisan suppliers in Northern Ireland.

“At Blackwell House, we are passionate about providing the freshest and tastiest food. Everything is home-made, and we take particular are in sourcing the best local produce available every day,” adds Mrs Brownless.

 

Head Chef Alex Greene from Taste of Ulster member Deane’s Eipic in Belfast wowed diners at the Great British Menu Banquet with a double win in the Starter and Dessert categories.  The theme of this year’s competition was children’s literature, to mark 150 years since the death of Charles Dickens, with judges Matthew Fort, Oliver Peyton and Andi Oliver.

The Michelin-starred chef made it through the heats along with fellow chefs Tom Barnes and Niall Keating to cook for guests from the world of children’s literature at Exeter College, Oxford. The programme was aired on BBC TV last Friday night 15th May, 2020. 

His starter, ‘the potato, the onion, the cheese and the wardrobe’ was inspired by Belfast author, CS Lewis. His potato-based dish consisted of onion jelly, pickled onions, five different types of potato, a four-cheese custard, and truffle, served in a wardrobe, and was inspired by Belfast-born C S Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. It was described by the judges as “a sophisticated, sexy, sensual masterpiece”. 

Alex took his inspiration for his dessert from the Belfast author Oliver Jeffers and his book The Incredible Book Eating Boy. It consisted of an edible ‘book’ made of coconut parfait, yuzu gel, coffee jelly, chocolate ganache and printed rice paper and coconut tuile ‘pages’. The judges said it was “the perfect ending to the banquet”.

Alex said it has “been a dream of mine to get to the Great British Menu Banquet  for as long as I can remember and to get there with two courses is just madness, I love it. Thank you to everyone who has helped me get here. What a journey!

“It is such an achievement to cook at the Great British Menu Banquet, one course is impressive but two is exceptional” said Taste of Ulster CEO, Michele Shirlow. 

“Alex’s dishes made such a huge impression on the judges and the guests at the banquet were equally delighted with his food. Like a true professional, he got every plate out perfect despite a hitch when some of the pages on the dessert book started to come unstuck. He has made Northern Ireland proud and given us a great boost at a time when we needed it most. Congratulations!”