Copeland Distillery, the Northern Ireland craft producer of award-winning gins, has launched a new ‘Jones Navy Strength’ gin.

Based at Donaghadee in county Down, Copeland founder Gareth Irvine describes the new product as the distillery’s “strongest ever gin”.

“The gin is bottled at 57%ABV – hence the ‘navy strength’. “The gin is aged in Kentucky Bourbon casks for 120 days and then finished in Oloroso Sherry casks for a further 20 days.”

The gin is named after the founding father of the USS Navy John Paul Jones, an American Revolutionary War hero, who commanded the US Ranger in a major sea engagement with the HMS Drake on 24 April 1778 in the North Channel. Jones had previously sailed the Ranger into Belfast Lough. HMS Drake had moored at Carrickfergus to take on volunteers from the area.

The new gin reflects the strong links between Northern Ireland and the US including during the Revolutionary War. Many families from the north of Ireland had emigrated in the mid 18th century from harbours such as Carrickfergus.

They include John Haslet from ungiven, county Derry, one of Washington’s most gifted generals. Other generals from the north of Ireland included John Stark from Derry and Henry Knox, also county Derry. Charles Thomson, originally from Maghera, county Derry, drafted the Declaration of Independence and John Dunlap, from Strabane, county Derry, printed the historic document.

Copeland Distillery was established by Mr Irvine to develop fruit-infused gins using locally sourced ingredients such as rhubarb, strawberries and blackberries, and raspberries. The success of these products led to the creation of a purpose-built distillery in Donaghadee and the introduction of a classic gin and preparations to launch an Irish malt whiskey.

Navy Strength Gin is bottled at 100° British Proof or 57% ABV and originated in the 18th century when it was produced for sailors to counter conditions such as scurvy.

 

The Letterbox Larder, a novel food concept, has been launched by Burren Balsamics, the Northern Ireland producer of multi-award winning balsamic vinegars and balsamic sugar and salt, to meet the growing demand during the lockdown from home cooks seeking original and flavour rich ingredients for meals.

The product shave been designed to slot easily into letterboxes across the UK and Ireland by Susie Hamilton Stubber, founder and managing director, and Bob McDonald, the development chef at Burren Balsamics at Richhill in county Armagh. The company is a Food NI member.

Mr McDonald, the creator behind the company’s extensive range of original balsamic vinegars, explains the thinking behind the innovative product for home cooks. “We’ve developed a range of balsamic seasonings and rubs which enthusiastic cooks should have in their larder and have vacuum packed these in eco-friendly compostable packaging.

“All the products handcrafted by us, are completely clean, with no preservatives. Many of the innovative products featured in the launch pack contain our signature Balsamic Vinegar of Modena which has been dried for us giving a delicious umami flavour and are the outcome of many months of painstaking research and tastings,” he adds.

Some of the original flavours developed for the Letterbox Larder are:

Balsamic Beef Seasoning;

Balsamic Chicken Rub

Moroccan Spice Bag

Vegetarian/Vegan Sprinkle

Black Garlic Cloves

Peppermill Spice Bag

Wild Garlic Seasoning

Any of the range of infused balsamic for refilling existing bottles.

Letterbox Larder is available from the company’s website www.burrenbalsamics.com

Burren Balsamics was established by Susie, an enthusiastic cook with catering experience in Britain, in 2014. The company has pioneered a portfolio of delicious and innovative culinary vinegars, seasonings and other products for professional chefs as well as home cooks.  The vinegars include locally sourced premium fruits, such as Bramley apples, raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries and strawberries.

Many of the vinegars have won major recognition in competitions such as eighteen UK Great Taste Stars and have twice had the overall Best Artisan product in the Blas na hEireann Irish National Food awards.

Bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker NearyNógs in Northern Ireland has just launched two limited edition bars.

The new stoneground chocolate bars have been created to reflect the environment of the Mourne Mountains of county Down overlooking Carlingford Lough where the family owned business is based.

The craft chocolate maker, a Food NI member company, has a workshop and visitor centre in the Mourne’s near Rostrevor.

The new bars, each retailing at £5, both use 70% dark chocolate from a single estate in the Dominican Republic. The new Dúlamán chocolate bar, for instance, features a distinctive blend of locally harvested gorse flower and seaweed from the shores of Carlingford Lough.

The company is Northern Ireland’s first and only bean-to-bar producer of chocolate and has developed an impressive reputation for original flavours from the best cocoa beans from single estates in the Dominican Republic and Sao Tome.

Shane Neary, who owns and runs NearyNógs with wife Dorothy, explains: “Gorse flower adds a hint of coconut flavour along with the lightly salty Seaweed makes a fantastic taste experience.  A real complement of flavours from County Down local craft.

The second limited edition bar is part of the company’s Irish Collection and is Old Fashioned with burnt sugar, orange bitters and Irish whiskey, which was once distilled wildly in the Mournes and has recently been revived by a small distillery producing Ireland’s only whiskey distilled over flame. The new craft chocolate is part of the company’s developing Irish Collection of limited edition bars.

“The new bars are inspired by the songs, stories we’ve grown up on and passed through the generations and ancient traditions of the Mournes…with a chocolate take. We are steadily creating unique chocolates with distinctive Irish flavours which were proving extremely popular with tours to our workshop before the global virus outbreak,” adds Shane.

Both bars continue the company’s focus on products which are organic, fairtrade, gluten free and suitable for vegans.

NearyNógs began making chocolate in 2011 and has collected a string of prestigious awards for premium quality and rich flavours. It has sold chocolate to Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as in Great Britain, other parts of Europe and to New Zealand, Australia and the US increasingly through its website and recently launched a monthly subscription scheme which is also providing popular.

NearyNogs has developed a portfolio of delicious chocolates, mostly 70 percent and more of cacao, including bars, slates, drinking chocolate, cacao nibs, truffles, chocolate cups, traditional chocolate fudge and its novel American-style Rebel Fudge.

Food NI food and drink member companies are collaborating increasingly to help each other meet the cash flow challenges from the current coronavirus lockdown.

Companies across the 400-strong member network are helping each other to generate business through both online and doorstep delivery initiatives.

Food NI’s Michele Shirlow: “We are keen to encourage such inspirational collaboration and are helping the growth in such business contacts between our member companies.

“Many of the companies involved in the collaboration have worked together with us at trade shows in Britain over the past year. Our role in drawing smaller companies together to grow sales has been supported from Invest NI’s Small Food Development Programme.

“Our team has a wealth of knowledge about – and contacts with – all our members and is ready to continue brokering such business relationships,” she adds.

The most recent support initiative has involved Rademon Estate Craft Distillery in Crossgar, Co Down, home of the multi-award-winning Shortcross Gin, which is now sold worldwide, including two smaller drink producers in Portadown – Long Meadow Cider and McCracken’s Real Ales – on its highly successful e-commerce shop.

Both were quick to respond when Rademon Estate offered smaller drink producers here access to its online store. Fiona Boyd Armstrong, Redemon’s managing director, says: “We were concerned about smaller companies facing cash difficulties because of the lockdown and decided to offer to include those interested on our online shop. We were delighted when Long Meadow and McCracken’s decided to take up our offer,” adds Fiona.

Ryan McCracken, founder of McCracken Real Ales, says: “I was thrilled when Rademon decided to include my five-strong range of craft ales in their shop. As a result of this collaboration, I’ve already had orders from Northern Ireland andScotland for the craft beers.

“It’s great to get cash flow moving again after the advent of the Covid-19 outbreak led to 80 per cent of my sales to restaurants and hotels disappearing virtually overnight. I am immensely grateful to Shortcross for their generous support,” adds Ryan.

Long Meadow’s Catherine McKeever is also appreciative of support from the leading local craft distillery. “It was very generous of the team at Shortcross to open up their online shop as we do not have an online platform to sell.

“In doing so they have provided us with an opportunity to keep channels open between ourselves and our customers and enabled us to continue supplying our products especially now at such a crucial time and when hotels restaurants and bars are closed.

“Customers can now place orders via both Shorcross and our own website with delivery direct to their door. We are delighted to be working in collaboration with such a reputable family business,” she says.

Another Portadown producer collaborating with other smaller food processors is Ballylisk of Armagh Triple Rose cheese. The company, owned by Dean Wright, found its cheese business crippled by the virus and responded swiftly by launching a fresh milk delivery service from the farm.

The company has recently added dry-cured bacon and sausages from Kennedy Bacon of Omagh along with potatoes from Wilson’s Country in Portadown and a local egg supplier to its ‘menu’ of products customers can order through social media and pay online for contact less delivery to their doorstep.

And Tom and Ollie in Belfast, a specialist in Mediterranean-style products, has also included other artisan products such as Burren Balsamics of Richhill, Belfast Hot Sauce, Ruby’s Jams and chutney from Portadown and Young Buck cheese from Newtownards and Ballylisk Triple Rose cheese in its portfolio for delivery across Northern Ireland and into Donegal.

In Co Down, Krazi Baker Mark Douglas is delivering griddle-baked breads to many parts of the county as well as parts of Armagh. As well as breads and shortbread biscuits, he is also delivering Abernethy Butter from Dromara ordered through Facebook.

We are all craving some semblance of normality and comfort so James St South Group have decided to offer a cook, dine and pick up service starting this Thursday the 30th April from Hadskis, in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.

Niall Mckenna has carefully picked a 3 course meal to pick up and cook at home, alongside their bestseller Tomahawk Sharing Steak with sides.

The team have considered and can meet all current  and have limited availability for collections on Thursday, Friday and Saturday of this week. Full details of menus are available here.

They like many have found the past 6 weeks strange and want to thank everyone for their continued support.

Niall and his team are looking forward to welcoming you through their restaurant doors again.