Double gold for Shortcross in Gin Masters 2018

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Food NI member Rademon Estate Craft Distillery won two golds for Its popular Shortcross Gin in the latest Gin Masters as part of the annual Spirits Business Awards 2018.

Rademon Estate Distillery in Crossgar, county Down won gold for its original Shortcross Gin and its Shortcross Gin Bartenders Series Edition 1.

The Gin Masters is the most prestigious UK competition for distilleries. The awards reflect the industry’s remarkable growth worldwide including in Northern Ireland, where there are now six gin distilleries.

Shortcross was the first craft gin distilled in Northern Ireland in over a century when it was launched in 2012 by husband and wife team David and Fiona Boyd Armstrong.

Shortcross includes unique botanicals such as clover harvested from the estate.

The sector’s evolution is also evident in the growth of The Gin Masters itself, with medal count quadrupling in 2018 compared to five years ago. I

Innovation has become the lifeblood of the category, but producers must ensure the quality of their liquid is high to retain consumer trust. The gins were also tasted by an independent panel of experts in London.

BUSHMILLS IRISH WHISKEY COLLABORATES WITH IRISH CHEF TO HOST CHARCUTERIE MASTERCLASS

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 ‘Black Bush Cured’ will see worlds of Irish Whiskey and charcuterie combine 

Bushmills, Northern Ireland, 5th July 2018: Bushmills® Irish Whiskey is continuing its #BlackBushStories collaborative event series this summer, showcasing and celebrating the stories of Irish talent who have gone against the grain to follow their passion and become champions in their chosen field.

A collaboration with Cork native, Rob Krawczyk, will see the chef and charcuterie master host a meat curing masterclass at D.I.V.E Belfast on Tuesday 24th July in association with Bushmills Irish Whiskey Ambassador and acclaimed bartender, Paul Rocks.

Rob is currently one of Ireland’s top trending chefs having recently opened his very first venture, Restaurant Chestnut, in Ballydehob. The intimate, 18-seat dining destination features its own smokehouse and in-house charcuterie.

Having worked under a string of high profile chefs including Michelin star chef Richard Corrigan in London, Alice Waters of Chez Pannise in San Francisco, and Martijn Kajuiter of Michelin-starred Cliff House Hotel, the renowned chef is flying the flag for all-Irish charcuterie, backed by his father, Frank Krawczyk, who set up West Cork Salamis in the late 1990s.

The ‘Black Bush Cured’ interactive event will open with Paul delivering an educational tasting session on some of Bushmills’ best-loved whiskeys, sharing the history and heritage of the iconic Irish brand. Rob will then present a hands-on charcuterie masterclass where attendees will be taught how to cure and smoke meat. The evening will close with guests having the opportunity to sample Black Bush®, expertly paired with one of Rob’s own creations –Black Bush Spiced Beef – which brings out the rich character of the whiskey and, in turn, the whiskey enhances the subtle cure mix of spices in the beef.

Inspired by the supreme craftsmanship, passion and care that goes into the premium blend of Bushmills Black Bush, #BlackBushStories celebrates the stories and talents of independent, spirited and extraordinary Irish individuals who challenge traditional thinking in their fields and live outside the box. A series of immersive collaborator events are being held across the country’s leading venues this summer. Each event celebrates those who have pioneered their craft with phenomenal success and have had the determination to nurture their talent to be the best they can be.

To register for ‘Black Bush Cured’ and to hear more about Rob’s story, visit blackbushstories.com. To join in the conversation and keep up to date with the #BlackBushStories series, follow Bushmills Irish Whiskey on social media.

 

Michael Deane listed in top 5 UK Restaurateurs

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Renowned Belfast Chef & Restaurateur, Michael Deane, has been shortlisted to the top 5 Restaurateurs in the UK for the prestigious Catey Awards which take place in The Grosvenor Hotel in London this week.

He will line up alongside some of the greats of the culinary world in these Islands including well known Chef & Restaurateur Richard Corrigan.

The organisers of The Catey Awards say the winners are the business leaders, innovators and household names in the industry and they stand out from the crowd, holding the crowning glory in any illustrious hospitality career. The awards are judged by expert panels of senior industry figures ensuring that The Cateys remain the most sought-after accolades in UK Hospitality.

Speaking before he left for London Michael Deane said ‘It is a huge honour for me, my team at Deanes and the city of Belfast that I will be in this illustrious line up in London. Our philosophy at Deanes has always been to set the standard for the best quality and the best value eating out experience in our city. To be in this list in the UK is exceptional recognition of what we strive to do seven days a week’.

Michael Deane has been at the helm of Deanes Restaurants in Belfast for 21 years and is recognised as having played a major role in revolutionising the eating out scene in the Province which is now burgeoning and significantly contributing to the growth of the tourism industry here. Today the Deanes empire has grown to seven different outlets across the city covering a wide spectrum of experiences from Michelin Star dining in Deanes Eipic to the ever popular Deanes Deli Vin Café with its cool and casual vibe.

Over the years both Michael Deane personally and Deanes Restaurants have been widely recognised with a host of awards including his seventeenth Michelin Star over the twenty one years of Deanes in Belfast. He himself has been named UK Chef of The Year and Deanes has been awarded Restaurant of The Year in Ireland on four occasions.

Ellen Manning wins Best Food/Drink Blogger at the Midlands Food Drink & Hospitality Awards 

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Congratulations to Ellen Manning on winning “Best food/drink blogger at the Midlands Food Drink & Hospitality Awards (MFDH).

Ellen said “This week, much to my surprise, this little slice of WordPress Wonderland won the Best Food/Drink Blogger category in the Midlands Food Drink & Hospitality Awards (MFDH). I was up against four other bloggers who are all very good in their own right. I read all their work, I follow them, I get inspired by places they go and often follow in their footsteps. I didn’t expect to win, but I did.

The thing about awards, much like opinions on restaurants, is that they’re subjective. The MFDH Awards involve a public vote but also a panel of judges. Ultimately, it’s they who decided who won, as they did for those restaurants, bars, chefs, sommeliers and other hard-working members of the food and drink industry. And for whatever their reasons, they decided to give it to me this year. I don’t think it’s necessarily because I’m better than the other finalists, but I guess the judges decided I wasn’t worse. Either way, they recognised the work I’ve put into this blog, they recognised the votes you guys gave, and they gave me a lovely certificate, a trophy and a title I can bandy around until next year’s worthy winner is announced.”

 

Check out Ellen’s latest blog on:

‘LUNCH AT HADSKIS, BELFAST AND WHY I SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE’

 

Comber Farmers’ Market Celebrates 4th Birthday

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A birthday is always a special occasion and award winning Comber Farmers’ Market will be pulling out all the stops to celebrate its fourth birthday on Thursday 5th July.

The artisan food event has grown in size and popularity since 2014, with foodie folk from all over Northern Ireland travelling to Comber on the first Thursday of every month.

The market has the very best local produce on offer every month with a selection of meat and fish, dairy, bread and baked goods, locally grown plants, jam and chutneys, and freshly picked fruit and vegetables and more.

Adding to the celebrations the Edible Flower Company will be doing food demonstrations for children, showing how local produce can create healthy, tasty and fun tortillas.

There really is so much more to Comber Farmers’ Market than meets the eye.

Visitors can expect an interactive experience from the moment they arrive with the smell of freshly baked soda coming from the griddle and the aroma of bacon drifting up the market. 

Chair of the Comber Farmers’ Market committee Alderman Deborah Girvan said, “We are delighted to be celebrating Comber Farmers’ Market’s fourth birthday. The success of the market can be attributed to the commitment, dedication and hard work of the volunteers who give up their time to work at the market every month. Four years ago we started with 12 traders and four volunteers and we now have 26 regular traders selling local produce and 35 volunteers. I would like to thank both traders and volunteers for their ongoing support and helping to make Comber Farmers’ Market the best food market in Northern Ireland!”

Dunlop Homes is delighted to be sponsoring the Comber Farmers’ Market 4th Birthday event. The Market is a great opportunity to meet and support award winning artisan food producers from the local area.

Andrew Dunlop, Managing Director of Dunlop Homes, says ‘We’ve been building new homes at the Mill Village for the last 3 years so we know Comber is a great place to live, with so much to do right on your doorstep. We are proud to be supporting the Comber Farmers’ Market with its excellent reputation for the quality of local food, drink and plant products – it’s wonderful to have a monthly event like this in the heart of the town’.

Held in St Marys Church car park in Comber Square on the first Thursday of every month from 9am to 1.00pm, Comber Farmers’ Market is well worth a visit.  Car parking is available in nearby public car parks, at Parkway on Killinchy Street and the car park of 1st Comber Presbyterian on High Street.

The next market then celebrates Northern Ireland meat with cooking demonstrations from Chef Jasper Castell on the Big Green Eggs on Thursday 2 August and a special evening market then takes place on Thursday 16th August from 5pm to 8pm.

Find out more about the popular monthly food event at www.combermarket.co.uk or on the market’s Twitter, Facebook or Instagram pages.

Photo: Alderman Deborah Girvan, event sponsor from Dunlop Homes Andrew Dunlop and market volunteer Richard Moore celebrate 4 years of Comber Farmers’ Market.

Nine for final of Delicious Produce Award

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Nine products from eight Northern Ireland companies, all Food NI members,  have qualified for the final stages of the prestigious Delicious magazine’s Produce Awards 2018 at Borough Market in London.

Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co-operative in County Antrim had two products listed for the finals – pollan and smoked eel, both of which are from products with EU protected product status.

The other Northern Ireland foods, mostly from artisan producers, to reach the finals later in the year are:

Abernethy Butter of Dromara in county Down for its new black garlic handcrafted butter;

 

Broughgammon Farm in Ballycastle, county Antrim for an innovative goat bacon;

 

Cavanagh Free Range Eggs from Newtownbutler in county Fermanagh for its free-range eggs;

 

Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt from county Down, a single herd creamy Greek-style yoghurt;

 

Dart Mountain Cheese Company, Dungiven, county Derry for its Sperrin Blue pasteurised cow’s milk blue cheese;

 

Mash Direct, Comber, county Down for beer battered chips; and

 

Rooney Fish, Kilkeel, county Down for its Mill Bay Oysters farmed on Carlingford Lough.

Rooney Fish received top marks for their Millbay Oysters.

 

Good luck for the Finals at Borough Market in October.

 

The successful companies were chosen by a team of expert judges supervised by chef Valentina Harris from taste testings during the recent Irish Game and Country Fair at Shane’s Castle in Antrim.

 

The annual awards are organised by the influential Delicious consumer food magazine, the largest UK publication of its type.

 

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Lough Neagh has two products in the final of the Delicious awards – smoked eel and pollan fish