Fermanagh meat specialist, O’Doherty’s Fine Meats, is hosting Fermanagh’s Black Pudding Festival in Enniskillen. The festival, which started at the beginning of October, will be running until the 28th of October with lots of things happening around the Island town. 

O’Doherty’s business development manager, Fintan O’Doherty says: “It’s a celebration of Black Pudding from all around the world, and it gives the people of Enniskillen and further afield a unique opportunity to try some of these wonderful flavours, and even the chance to win some fantastic prizes.”

As part of the festival, O’Doherty’s is also running a Black Pudding Cooking Competition which is free to enter and open to the general public. 

All is needed is to submit a recipe that uses black pudding, and the top five recipes will be invited along to present their dish in front of a panel of judges. 

Managing director, Pat O’Doherty adds: “Year on year this competition has gained momentum with the foodies of Ireland and the UK. We even had several international entries last year from France and Germany.” 

The grand finale of the Black Pudding Festival will take place in Magee’s Bar, Enniskillen on the 28th of October. The night is open to the general public and free snacks will be provided whilst the Black Pudding champion of 2019 is crowned. 

You can submit your black pudding recipes by email to mail@blackbacon.com or by post to 3 Belmore St, Enniskillen BT74 6AA. 

Double delight for team Deanes with the publication of the Michelin Guide for Great Britain & Ireland 2020.  Deanes EIPIC has retained its Michelin Star and Deanes At Queens has once again been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

It’s the fifth year in a row that EIPIC, based in Deanes flagship premises in Howard Street, has won the prestigious Star.  The announcement was made at a ceremony in London today which was attended by Restaurateur Michael Deane and Deanes EIPIC Head Chef Alex Greene.  Michael Deane said “We are all absolutely delighted to win the Star for the fifth consecutive year and also retain our Bib Gourmand. It’s a true reflection of the dedication to high standards and the dogged hard work of the team at Deanes”.

Michael Deane himself is now celebrating his nineteenth Michelin Star over twenty-three years in four different venues. “There are many award ceremonies these days” he said “which people must find very confusing, but Michelin is globally recognised as the one truly objective judge of the quality and standard of restaurants”

He continued, “I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to Chef Alex Greene who’s been at the helm of Deanes EIPIC for two years now.  He and his team have continued to consistently deliver the quality experience that our customers have come to expect and which they appreciate.”  

Alex began his cooking career in the Michelin Starred Deanes in 2007 and from there went on to work in Petrus by Gordon Ramsay, Claridge’s by Gordon Ramsay and The Cliff House in Ardmore, all Michelin Starred establishments.  

Michael Deane added “It’s also wonderful that our city of Belfast can now boast another Michelin Starred restaurant.  We congratulate Chef Gareth McCaughey at The Muddler’s Club which now sits alongside Deanes EIPIC and OX making our city a culinary destination for the increasing numbers of visitors who are coming here.”

Michael Deane also paid tribute to Deanes At Queens Head Chef Malachy McCafferty for the team’s repeated success at Deanes At Queens with the award of the Michelin Bib Gourmand signifying what Michelin describe as “exceptionally good food at moderate prices.”

This year’s Slow Food Festival promises to be even bigger and better than before as local cuisine takes centre stage once again in the city from Wednesday 10th to Sunday 13th of October.

Now into its fourth year, the award-winning Derry City and Strabane District Council event celebrates the very best artisan produce in the North West, with tens of thousands descending on the city for the festival, which was named the ‘NI Food and Drink Experience of the Year 2018’ from Tourism NI and ‘Best Tourism Event’ at the North West Business Awards.

Speaking at the launch, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Michaela Boyle said she was delighted that the annual event – which is the only one of its kind held in Northern Ireland – continues to go from strength to strength.

She said: “The Slow Food Festival is always a staple for food and drink lovers in the North West and beyond, and it promises to be the best year yet with a magnificent five day programme,” she said.

“It’s a chance for the North West to showcase the brilliance of the local cuisine, while the public can also enjoy the festival atmosphere in the Marquee and throughout Guildhall Square.

“Derry City and Strabane District Council value the importance of promoting good local clean and fair food, as well as showing our commitment to the community and the environment, and with so much incredible talent in the local food and drink scene, this is a wonderful way to promote what the North West has to offer.”

There will be something for everyone at the unique festival, with demos, masterclasses, street food, family fun on offer at the festival marquee as well as a selection of fantastic events being organised by our local businesses. 

The Festival Marquee will be a hub of family fun and delicious food, with something for all ages and tastes as children can enjoy the street animation and kids’ workshops. The star of this year’s festival will be the Lough Foyle Irish Flat Oyster Bar where you can learn everything from where it was caught to how to eat it, as well as sampling the goods! 

Attendees can pick up some top tips from celebrity chefs Jenny Bristow and Catherine Fulvio who will be sharing all their secrets, while the Taste of Legenderry Slow Food Dining Experience which brings together a collaboration of local restaurants presenting the best of local food and drink from this region is truly something to look forward to, with tickets on sale through eventbrite.com.

On Saturday (12pm-9pm) and Sunday (12pm-6pm) the very best of North West produce will be on display at the magnificent Harvest Market, with food coming ‘from Foyle to field’, ‘plot to plate’ and ‘grain to grass’. There will be plenty on offer, with butchers to bakers to beeswax candlestick makers in attendance.

Elsewhere, a range of additional events are on offer including Made In Derry Food Tour, , Cena di Venti Migilia by Nonna  which translates as a dinner from 20 miles, Discover Dart Mountain Tour, the Foyster Legenderry Oyster Stout Launch and much more 

Jennifer O’Donnell, Tourism Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, explained that this year’s Festival promises to be one of the best yet.

“Slow Food is a global, grassroots organisation, and the Slow Food Festival continues to grow from one year to the next. Once again we will have incredible local artisan producers, craft brewers and chefs – both local and celebrity – in the Guildhall to share the very best of their trade.

“This award-winning event is fun for all the family, and we are absolutely delighted to welcome Good Food Ambassador Jenny Bristow, as well as one of Ireland’s top culinary stars, Catherine Fulvio, who will be sharing their expertise in demos.”

Gary Quate, Food and Drink Experience Development Officer at Tourism NI said: “We are delighted to offer financial support to the Slow Food Festival through Tourism NI’s Taste the Island Events Scheme. The Scheme has enabled the Slow Food Festival to grow from a two-day event to four days and is one of the key events of the Taste the Island calendar. The organisers and producers have created an exciting packed programme of innovative food and drink experiences for both international and local visitors to enjoy and I would encourage visitors to Taste the Island at this fabulous foodie event.”

The event is funded by the DAERA regional food programme and sponsored by Tourism Northern Ireland. 

For more information, including a full timetable of all the workshops, demos, food and family fun activities on offer, visit www.derrystrabane.com/food.

ARMAGH’s land, which is famous for its PGI protected Armagh Bramley Apple, will feature firmly on the food map yet again as the Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre returns on October 26 for its sixth year.

Supported by Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and the Ulster Farmers’ Union, the popular harvest fayre, takes place during the ‘Taste The Island’ 12 week long collaboration with Tourism Northern Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Tourism Ireland.

Organisers say the fayre will pay homage to those producers who use the Armagh Bramley Apple, those who produce food and drink products from our land and those who contribute to Northern Ireland’s overall food and drink story.

Thousands are expected to descend in the village of Richhill to celebrate the end of the harvest and to support Armagh’s thriving producers such as Ballylisk of Armagh, Symphonia Gin, Armagh Cider Co, Long Meadow Cider, McCrackens Real Ale, Wilsons Country, Apple Blossom Bakery and many more. 

Speaking at the launch of the Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre, Hamilton Loney said: “We believe our apples are the best apples in the world and the Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre started in 2014 as a celebration of the Armagh Bramley. Year on year, Armagh’s food and drink story gets even better as more and more craft producers create amazing products. 

“We are proud to give our local food and drink producers a fantastic platform to raise awareness of their products among local people. The fayre celebrates the end of the harvest so it’s great to bring everyone together to taste what our county has to offer.

“The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre is a free event to attend. There are a host of other events which will run from Wednesday, October 23 in the village.

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Councillor Mealla Campbell, who attended the launch of this year’s fayre, said: “This popular event really compliments the recent Armagh Food and Cider Festival by extending the celebrations to the end of harvest of our famous Armagh Bramley Apple. 

“The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre is a fantastic event led by our local community showcasing the best food and drink from artisan producers, farmers and growers. 

“I commend the organisers and all the participants for continuing to bring this wonderful event to the heart of the orchard county where everyone can celebrate and sample some of the best locally produced cuisine.”

This year’s fayre will host over 30 food and drink stalls, fun and games for children, live cookery demonstrations with chefs Mervyn Steenson from Groucho’s and John Whyte from the Armagh City Hotel alongside our WI.”

UFU President Ivor Ferguson says the UFU is delighted to be part of the celebrations promoting local ‘home grown’ produce at this year’s Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre. 

Mr Ferguson said: “Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre provides the opportunity to sample the pleasures of the agri-food industry, bringing together members of the public and the farming community to celebrate all aspects of the local apple industry. Consumers are keen to know where their food comes from. 

“The Richhill Apple Harvest Fayre, now in its sixth year, is a great opportunity for members of the public to meet growers and gain an understanding of how the award-winning Armagh Bramley apple makes its journey from the orchard to the supermarket shelf.”