Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, County Down, has exclusively shared its newly re-purposed events spaces to over 100 guests from the events and hospitality sector at a grand preview event.

The showcase on Tuesday 26 February, was an opportunity for Hillsborough Castle to introduce the venue to new clients ahead of the official public launch in April 2019. This follows a major five-year £20 million investment project by independent charity Historic Royal Palaces to transform this historic site into a major visitor attraction.

The Castle event spaces were beautifully dressed, as guests explored the State Dining Room, Red Room and the magnificent Throne Room. Surrounded by interiors and artwork steeped in history, guests enjoyed sumptuous local produce provided by Yellow Door, the Castle’s newly appointed catering company.

Uniquely local dishes incorporated local produce from Rustic Pork & Pheasant Terrine with Hillsborough Pear Chutney to Rhubarb & Custard Eclairs.

Jazz music from The Swing Gals created an elegant atmosphere to accompany cocktails throughout the evening. Expert insight into the Castle’s history came from the Hillsborough Castle team, showcasing the intricate details that make it such a bespoke venue.

Debbie McCamphill, Events and Household Manager at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, said, “We were delighted to host this exclusive showcase of our stunning event spaces before the Castle officially launches in April and to say thank you to existing clients and industry partners for their ongoing support.

“This promises to be an exceptional year, with exciting dates for the diary already announced, including the Hillsborough Castle and Gardens Food Festival in July.

“As with any event held at the Castle, we are always looking at how we can raise the bar for our guests, creating unique bespoke events whether that’s offering the perfect setting for Corporate Gala Dinners, award ceremonies, intimate business meetings and conferences, as well as an ideal backdrop for fairytale weddings.”

Suppliers included Yellow Door, catering; Blue Moon Event Design; North Down Marquees; JN Wine; Shortcross Gin; Moss Rose Vintage, florals; The Swing Gals, music; James Patience, harpist; Bradley Quinn, photography, and The Nooks, music.

The best venues in Northern Ireland to enjoy an exceptional breakfast have been named at a major event in Dublin.

The Irish Breakfast Awards, organised by renowned food writer Georgina Campbell, celebrated the establishments offering the tastiest first meal of the day.

The expert judging panel named five local venues as highly commended for the excellence of the breakfasts served. The successful Northern Ireland venues were:

Merchant Hotel, Belfast in the five-star hotel category;

Bushmill’s Inn in Co Antrim in the four-star hotel category;

Blackwell House, Scarva in the Best Guesthouse category

Brunel’s Restaurant in Newcastle in Complete Natural Brunch; and

Ravenhill Guest House, Belfast in Best Breakfast Menu.

Four are Food NI members – Merchant Hotel, Bushmill’s Inn, Blackwell House and Brunel’s.

The awards, now entering their fourth year, showcase Ireland’s leading hospitality establishments and those in them who work to make the first meal of the day a particularly special experience for visitors and regulars alike.

Georgina Campbell said the “significance of the humble breakfast cannot be underestimated”. “It is key to Ireland’s reputation in food and tourism as a world-class hotel or a fine dining restaurant.

“A great Irish breakfast starts with the raw materials and as part of these awards, we identify exceptional Irish breakfast food producers who help chefs turn a good breakfast into an outstanding one,” she added.

“Using high quality, Irish produce is the foundation on which chefs and business owners need to build to create great and memorable breakfast experiences. However, sourcing local, seasonal and quality produce is often overlooked when it comes to the first meal of the day, and that has to change if we want to support our indigenous food industry and fly the flag for Irish producers, and the Irish breakfast, both at home and abroad,” she added.

In the produce available to the Irish hospitality sector, Ireland had “a unique opportunity to elevate the Irish breakfast scene into something quite special that we can be proud of.”

The awards are run with Fáilte Ireland and took place at the InterContinental Dublin, with special guest and previous Irish Breakfast award-winner, Neven Maguire of MacNean House and Restaurant, Black Lion.

“Gettingthe basics right; is so important,” he said. “The option of preparing a great breakfast using 100 per cent Irish produce is available to us all, and we don’t have to look too far to find these terrific products,” he continued.

“At MacNean House and Restaurant we put as much emphasis on giving our guests as memorable a food experience for breakfast as the dinner the night before. It is the last meal our guests have before they leave, so we want to make it special.”

 

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The delicious breakfast at Blackwell House, Scarva

 

Rare Breed – A Farming Year was once again the most watched programme in Northern Ireland at 8.30pm last night with over 134,000 viewers tuning in, equating to a 28% share of the entire NI viewing audience.

 

Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday at 8.30pm UTV where our farmers continue to enjoy the unbelievably good weather into July. Several featured families attend the Omagh Show.  While stock gets shown, Victor gets fit and does a bit of modelling on this side!  And beyond the show, scallions get harvested, apples get treated for sunburn and a few familiar faces from 2018 Rare Breed series pop up!

 

The WILSON family from LISNASKEA are competing in the National Hereford Championships at the OMAGH SHOW. Robbie says of his heifer, “She loves getting a wash, loves getting out for the day, a bit like ourselves!”  Unfortunately the heifer plays up in the ring and Robbie misses out on a rosette.  David has better luck with his bull that he’s had for four years, getting placed first.

 

In the sheep classes, RICHARD BEATTIE and his family from OMAGH are showing his Valais Black Nose for the first time. There are only a handful of breeders in Ireland so he’s glad the breed is getting profiled.

 

Young CAHIR McGILLIGAN from DUNGIVEN is showing lambs for the first time at Omagh.  He’s really excited to be there, and his hard work pays off both in the Lamb class, and the Young Handlers Class.

 

VICTOR CHESTNUTT from BUSHMILLS is having an altogether different show!. In his capacity as Vice-president of the UFU, he’s helping to raise funds for the NI Air Ambulance charity, which involves a step challenge a bit of modelling on a catwalk!  He says of that experience, “’Enjoy’ is one word, ‘endure’ is another!” But he assures us he’s enjoying the craic.

 

Away from OMAGH SHOW, ALEX LYTTLE is harvesting scallions at his farm near NEWTOWNARDS.  The demand is high for salads in the good weather so he’s been irrigating the crop to ensure the growing conditions are good. Harvesting is all done by hand by high skilled team.

 

In ARMAGH, PAT McKEEVER is trying to prevent the apples from getting too sunburnt.  Much as he’s letting Mother Nature control how the apples are faring, he explains that the smaller trees need a lot more water in the good weather.

 

RICHARD BEATTIE is back at Balmoral – he’s auctioning off some of his Valais Black Nose herd, and he’s out of his comfort zone as he’s showing in the ring with someone else doing auctioneer.  Libby Clarke and Geoffrey Ringland from the last season of Rare Breed pop up at the event, with Libby taking care of PR for the event and Geoffrey buying some sheep!   Richard’s happy that there will be more breeders in Ireland as a result of the sale.

 

UTV’s Mark McFadden narrates the series, sponsored by Dale Farm, Rare Breed – A Farming Year continues on Thursday 28^th February 2019 at 8.30pm on UTV.

‘Foodies’ in California could soon be enjoying an innovative savoury/sweet spread that’s described as “A New Taste of Ireland’ by developer Alastair Bell.

 

Irish Black Butter, the unique spread created by Mr Bell, a native of Portrush, in 2018, is also now attracted interest in retailers in New Hampshire also in the US, from Germany as well as from Britain.

 

The new leads follow the small company’s participation with Food NI at major trade shows Gifted in Dublin and Scotland’s Speciality Food Show in Glasgow over the last three months. Irish Black Butter will also be showcased at upcoming Fine Food North Show in Harrogate next month.

 

Irish Black Butter, a Food NI member company, is made from Armagh Bramley apples and also features brandy, treacle and spices. The product has won awards for its distinctive taste. The spread was recently praised by celebrity chef James Martin on his BBC cookery programme about Northern Ireland food.

 

Mr Bell is understandably thrilled by the interest from outside Northern Ireland at the new product developed and manufactured in Northern Ireland.

“The discussions which could soon see the product on sale followed our participation on the Food NI/Invest NI stand at the big Gifted show in Dublin just before Christmas.”

 

He has also gained sales in the London area from participation last year at the popular Borough Market there.

 

“We were approached by a buyer who was impressed by the taste of Irish Black Butter and keen to help us develop business with delis and independent food stores in California especially in San Francisco which has a large Irish ex-pat community.

“I am following us the new approaches actively from the US and Germany and would be confident of doing business in both soon. Our participation at Scotland’s Speciality Food in January also produced a host of business leads which are being pursued.

 

“I now have arrangements with distributors in Britain as well as in the Republic of Ireland,” he adds. “Taking part at Gifted was also important in that it supported Sheridan’s, my distributor in the Republic,” he continues.

 

Irish Black Butter was developed by Mr Bell to harness the business potential of Bramley apples, one of our most iconic products which has earned EU protected status.

 

The product is available in around 100 outlets in Northern Ireland including deli, farm shops, butchery businesses and independent stores. It is also now on the shelves at Dublin International and Belfast International airports.

 

“Taking part in trade shows such as Gifted and Scotland’s Speciality Food have become an integral part of my marketing plan,” he says. “These enable me to showcase the product and give potential customers and shoppers to taste Irish Black Butter,” he adds.