Ice Cream producers, Hugh and Alyson Reid, are the latest artisans to join the growing network of Économusée workshops.  The Creamery Can was launched as the tenth Économusée artisan workshop in the Mid and East Antrim and Causeway Coast and Glens area on Wednesday 4^th December 2019.

Guest speakers at the launch included Ireland’s Good Food Ambassador, Jenny Bristow, Mayor Maureen Morrow of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council and Graham Thompson, Chief Executive of Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust and lead partner of the Économusée Artisan At Work project in N. Ireland.

Graham commented: “The launch of the tenth Économusée workshop in Northern Ireland and indeed the UK is an important milestone for Causeway Coast and Glens Heritage Trust and for the tourism industry in this area. With the recent launch of Tourism Northern Ireland and Tourism Ireland’s major new marketing campaign Embrace a Giant Spirit we are confident that the Économusée concept provides visitors with a unique Northern Ireland experience providing a warm, engaging and big-hearted welcome.”

Jenny Bristow commented “The Creamery Can workshop brings another diverse and unique authenticity to this growing network of Économusée businesses. With their delicious and distinctly Northern Irish ice cream and their warm hospitality, Hugh and Alyson will ensure that their customers and tour participants will leave with unforgettable memories”.

The Creamery Can coffee shop and ice-cream workshop at Dundermot Farm are just off the Frosess Road near Glarryford. Hugh who is passionate about his ice-cream said: “Alyson and I researched and trialled recipes to combine our organic milk and cream with other ingredients such as locally produced fruit and berries. Our ice-cream is made on the farm to the highest quality to ensure that consumers enjoy the velvety smoothness and the creamy richness”.

Carole O’Kane, Corporate Services Manager said “By visiting each of the ten Économusée artisan workshops, tourists and visitors will gain an enhanced experience; learn about the history of the craft and the business; the enthusiasm of the artist along with the added opportunity of meeting the artisans face to face and discovering the beauty and authenticity of the products made and sold onsite. We are thankful to our funders; Mid & East Antrim Borough Council and Tourism NI to enable us to increase the Économusée network in the area”.

Tiérna Mullan Project Officer with Causeway Coast & Glens Heritage Trust added: “These unique visitor attractions add to the overall experiential tourism of the Causeway Coastal Route.  We now have five artisan workshops in each of the two council areas -Mid & East Antrim Borough Council and Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council.”

Économusée Artisans at Work is a concept that was developed in Québec and involves partners from Canada, Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Haiti, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Within Northern Ireland the other nine ÉCONOMUSÉE workshops are; Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil in Limavady, Scullion Hurls in Loughgiel, Steenson’s Jewellers in Glenarm, Hillstown Brewery in Ahoghill, Hot Milk Forge in Martinstown, Audrey Kyle Art in Islandmagee and Ursa Minor Bakehouse, Broughgammon Farm and North Coast Smokehouse in Ballycastle.  Each workshop is situated on or close by the famous Causeway Coastal Route making it an ideal craft trail for visitors.

For more information on the Économusée network contact the CCGHT office on 028201752100, info@ccght.org or www.economusee.eu

Erne Larder Preserves, an artisan producer of sauces, jams and ketchup from Enniskillen in Co Fermanagh, has won its first significant business in Britain.

The small company, which is owned and managed by chef Declan O’Donoghue, has been listed by the Artisan Food Club (AFC) in Britain, collaborative of UK artisan producers many of which are start-up companies. AFC was founded in 2013 to help smaller food producers growth sales especially in Britain.

Mr O’Donoghue explains: “We were helped to join AFC by Craic Foods in Co Armagh, a small business which has longstanding business contacts with the club.

“Our complete range of products is now listed for delis and smaller retailers in Britain especially our Irish bacon ketchup, the only product of its type being produced in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.

“We’ve been working with Paul Clarke, managing director of En Place Foods and Craic Foods in Northern Ireland for many years and has long links with the club, which offers extensive opportunities to grow our business in Britain, a target market for us,” he adds.

Mr O’Donoghue established Erne Larder Preserves in 2016 to develop a range of sauces and jams based on his own experiences as a chef in hotel and restaurant kitchens over many years. His first product was a unique Irish bacon jam.

Erne Larder has also won business from Lidl Ireland.

In addition to Irish bacon jam and ketchup, Erne Larder produces jams and pesto based on recipes created by Mr O’Donoghue.

AFC offers outsource sales and new business generation services to artisan producers. It offers a central source for smaller retailers of original foods from artisan processors across the UK.

AFC initiates introductions to retailers and helps them secure continued sales. It remains a company funded by sales working on a percentage.

With the Christmas holidays just around the corner, this is usually a time to celebrate with family and friends, with a calendar full of fun and joyous festivities. However, for some in our community, this may not be the case as the holiday period can often be a time when many feel alone.

No matter what your age, loneliness can affect anyone. Age NI believes that no one should have no one to turn to, but unfortunately for 1 in 3 older people*, loneliness is a harshreality.

Mash Direct is proud to support Age NI to raise awareness of the issues facing older people and to help make a difference to those who need it most. You can help change the lives of older people by donating to Age NI – visit www.ageni.org/lonely to find out how you can make a difference. Age NI is the leading charity in Northern Ireland, dedicated to helping everyone make the most of later life. They believe in a world where everyone can love later life, and they help thousands of people every year by providing advice, care and support.

Nadine Campbell, Head of Fundraising, Age NI said: “We are so grateful to Mash Direct for choosing to support older people with their Christmas activity. We know that loneliness is a complex issue, and there’s many reasons why someone can feel lonely at any time throughout the year, but particularly during the winter period and Christmas season.”

Jack Hamilton, Chief Operating Officer at Mash Direct, added; “It is great to be involved with such a worthwhile cause and raise awareness of this important issue. Family is at the heart of the Mash Direct team and we want to ensure no one has no one to turn to. Look out for Age NI stickers on packs of Mash Direct products, and share a nutritional meal with an older person in your life this Christmas. Nutritious meals are hugely important for older people, and our dishesoffer the convenience of little preparation, quick cooking times, nutritional value and maximum flavours.”

For more information, visit www.ageni.org/lonely

*Millward Brown for Age NI, 2014.

Artisan chocolatier Geri Martin is planning to create Northern Ireland’s first visitor experience centre designed to showcase all aspects of chocolate. The unique centre will feature a workshop space for education and tastings. It’s also intended to be an attractive venue for schools and groups of all kinds to gather, to learn and to experience chocolate making and tasting.

Based at Coleraine in county Derry, Geri currently owns Chocolate Manor and is a producer of indulgent, delicious, creative and personalised chocolate as well as bespoke chocolate experiences. Geri plans to locate the planned centre in the Causeway Coast and Glens area. She’s a member of the Taste Causeway Collaborative Growth Network which involves artisan and smaller food producers there.

Geri, a mum of two, is passionate about quality chocolate production and has just launched a crowdfunding ‘ChoccyDream Maker’ campaign to raise £5,000 towards the costs of the planned visitor centre which has been influenced by the success of the existing small business and the growing interest in chocolate throughout the area. All her chocolates are produced by hand.

“Our range of delicious handcrafted creations allow our customers to delight and impress theirs, and I recently began to employ local staff to help us grow the business even further.

“I also share my enthusiasm and love of chocolate through interactive, educational and indulgent chocolate experiences, including making sessions and tastings for individuals and groups of all ages and sizes.

“We have launched this funding project to help us share our love of chocolate with even more people. We have outgrown our current production space and we dream of having our very own Chocolate Manor venue, that will not only allow us to continue to make our very popular products, but also to welcome visitors who want to learn about, make, taste and experience everything chocolate has to offer,” adds Geri

She has already identified the “perfect location” and is seeking funding to transform it into the space she envisages into a visitor centre in 2020.

“We’ve created a range of special treats for those who contribute to making this dream a reality, creating Northern Ireland’s first chocolate workshop and visitor experience centre,” Geri says.