Hey Pesto! Northern Ireland Pesto Championship Heat Returns to Northern Ireland

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Do you know your way around a pestle and mortar?  Are you a lover of the classic Genoese sauce, pesto?  If so, why not enter this year’s Northern Ireland heat of the World Pesto Championships on Tuesday 24 October.

This year’s heat will take place in the Drawing Office function room at the recently opened Titanic Hotel Belfast where many of the designs for the world’s most famous ocean liners, including RMS Titanic where dreamt of and designed.
Supporters of this year’s Northern Ireland Heat, the Titanic Hotel Belfast is located in the former headquarters of Harland & Wolff, and provides the perfect destination for anyone travelling to Belfast to discover the city’s maritime heritage.
Guests at the hotel are within walking distance of award-winning attractions Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic or Thompson Dock, where the RMS Titanic was constructed and built over 100 years ago.

Following the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink in 2016, where award-winning producers, restaurateurs and agri-food industries were showcased to the world, there has never been a better time to get involved with this year’s competition and share in the civic pride of Northern Ireland’s food and drink offering.

Organisers are expecting hundreds of spectators at the event creating quite the pesto buzz across Northern Ireland.

The final of the World Championship of Pesto will be held in Genoa in April, 2018, where the winner of the Northern Ireland heat will participate against other finalists to be crowned the World Champion.

The competition is open to everyone from chefs to home cooks. All you have to do is stick to the age-old recipe which uses oil, basil, garlic, pine nuts and salt. Machinery is not allowed – just you, a pestle, mortar and a little bit of va-va-voom. All equipment and ingredients will be provided on the day.

The heat commences at 1.30pm, followed by judging from a specialist panel.

Supported by Food NI, the event is open to the public and will feature a select number of food and drink producers showcasing their produce and offering samples on the day.

For more information on the event and to enter, email Christine on christine@nigoodfood.com.

For media queries about the event, please contact Rachel at rachel@nigoodfood.com or 07710701200.

Food NI Members Win At Blas na hEireann

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Food NI members took home clutches of awards from the Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards in Dingle, Co. Kerry at the weekend.
Susie Hamilton Stubber from Burren Balsamics was named Best Artisan for her Blackberry and Thyme-infused vinegar. She also received Best in Armagh and the inaugural Shane McArdle Best in Ulster Award.

Lacada Brewery Co-Op from Portrush in Antrim won the prestigious Best New Product prize and a Gold award for their Devil’s Washtub Ale as well as Silver and Bronze for their Utopian and Whiskey Barrel Aged Stouts.
Claire Kelly from Passion Preserved won Gold for her Kasundi Pickle and picked up a E5000 bursary from Shelf Life magazine with Corndale Farm’s Alastair Crown coming away with Gold for his fennel salami and Silver for chorizo and was also named Best in Derry producer. 

There were also Golds for Hannan Meats in Moira for Himalayan Salt–Aged Steak Striploin, Sauce Works’ French Dressing, Crossgar; Erin Grove Preserves Classic Lemon Curd, Enniskillen; Morelli’s Luxury Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt, Portrush; White’s Speedicook Oats’ Aldi Kavanaghs Organic Porridge Oats, Tandragee; Armagh Cider Company’s Spiced Apple Juice, Portadown and Silver for their Doyles Autumn Berry Cider.
Gold Awards were also given for Brambleberry Jam’s Sea Salted Caramel Sauce, Lisburn, Hercules Brewing Company’s Yardsman Lager and Punjana Ltd’s Thompson’s Irish Breakfast Tea, Belfast.

Moy Park’s Dunnes Stores Smokey BBQ Chicken Drumsticks, Craigavon took home a Silver Award. Long Meadow Cider from Portadown took Bronze for their Medium Cider as did their Blossom Burst blend.
Ballyriff Buffalo Farm, Magherafelt gained a Silver award for its Buffalo Burgers. There were also Silvers for Clandeboye Estate for Aldi’s Specially Selected Authentically Strained Greek Style Yoghurt with Mandarin and Lime.

There were Bronze Awards for Ballinteer Quail Farm Meat, Coleraine, Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Limavady, Papas Mineral Company’s Classic Peppermint Cordial, Bangor, Duvillaun Fine Foods’ Sea Salt, Waringstown, Red Dog Artisan Foods’ Spanish Lemon Infused Sea Salt, Kilkeel, Glastry Farm’s Raspberry Ruffle Sorbet, Kircubbin and Genesis Crafty from Magherafelt’s Super Valu and Centra Tea Brack.

Harnett’s Oils were Best in Farmers Market for Down and Clandeboye Yoghurt won Best in Down.
Quinns Gelato won Best in Tyrone and Kennedy Bacon won Best in Farmers Market for Tyrone. Armagh Cider Company also won Best in Armagh. Cavanagh Free Range Eggs from Fermanagh won a Gold Chef’s Larder Award. Springmount Farm Eggs took a Joint Silver Chef’s Larder with Glenballyeamon Eggs. Carol’s Stock Market won a Chef’s Choice Award for her Chicken Stock.

Morelli’s Win Gold At Blas Na hEireann Irish Food Awards

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Northern Ireland’s famous family-owned ice cream brand, Morelli’s, has scooped a top prize at the 10th Blas na h’Éireann Irish Food Awards that took place at the weekend in Dingle, County Kerry.

The brand’s Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt was awarded best product in the Frozen Yogurts category. Made in Coleraine, the fruity favourite combines locally produced Clandeboye Estate Greek Yoghurt rippled with strawberries to create a winning flavour.

The Blas na h’Éireann Irish Food Awards is the biggest competition for Irish produce on the island of Ireland, with 2,500 products entering this year’s competition. The Awards celebrate and reward the very best of Irish produce and the passionate, driven individuals behind it. With gold, silver and bronze medals awarded across over 100 food and drink categories, the Awards focus solely on taste with winners chosen as a result of blind taste tests by Ireland’s top food experts.

Arnaldo Morelli, who heads up the family business and collected the award alongside his brother Marino, said: “This accolade is testament to the dedication and hard work of both our staff and suppliers. The quality of Clandeboye Estate’s yoghurt complements the strawberries rippled through it perfectly to give our Strawberry Frozen Yogurt its delicious, refreshing and award winning taste. Our frozen yogurt range had its best sales to date this year and we’re looking forward to introducing delicious new flavours into the range in 2018.”

Eco-chef goes back to his roots for Slow Food Festival

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It was during his first job working at an intensive pig farm, that eco-chef and food waste campaigner Tom Hunt became a vegetarian and, he’ll be offering plenty of food for thought when he makes a special guest appearance at the Slow Food Festival taking place in Derry next weekend.

Author of ‘The Natural Cook: Eating The Seasons from Root to Fruit’, Hunt will bring his mantra about using every last piece of every ingredient, centre stage at Northern Ireland’s only Slow Food Festival taking place in Guildhall Square, Derry on October 7th and 8th from 12 noon until 6pm.

Organised by Derry City and Strabane District Council as part of Slow Food Week, it will be a first trip to the North West for the pioneering young restaurateur who worked with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall as sous chef, course leader and food stylist on the River Cottage TV series.

Speaking ahead of his guest appearance at the Slow Food Festival, which attracted 25,000 visitors to the banks of the Foyle on its inaugural two-day run during Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016, Hunt is passionate that people are conscious of not over-buying on the weekly grocery shop. 

His ‘100% seasonal’ tapas restaurant ‘Poco’in Bristol – which won the Best Ethical Restaurant award in 2013 – is all about eliminating waste, celebrating the seasons and eating well, the seeds of which were planted duringhis childhood growing up in Dorset.

“I started out eating around the table at home and cooking a lot with my family. Then I got a job at an intensive pig farm where I became vegetarian for the first time,” recalled Hunt, who enjoys working his culinary magic onwonky vegetables, blemished fruit, and surplus meat andfish thatmight otherwisebe destined for the bin.

While Hunt embarked on a Fine Art degree at Falmouth University in Cornwall, his “serious passion for cooking” saw him mentored by close friend and professional chef, Ben Hodges.

“We travelled around British music festivals and catering for weddings where we basically cooked everything from scratch using organic produce. By the time I had finished my art degree, although I loved art and painting, I was ready to put down my paintbrushes and pick up my knives to follow a career in cooking.

“I have always cooked consciously but the big turning point was when I was invited to cook for 200 people on Suffolk Bridge in London by Tristram Stuart, author of ‘Waste: Uncovering the Global Food Scandal & The Bloodless Revolution’, and his team. We were inundated withincredible organic produce that would otherwise have gone to waste.”

Hunt went on to set up the Forgotten Feast, a campaign promoting sustainable food through dining and celebration – working closely with charitable organisations Slow Food, FareShare and Action Against Hunger whilst highlighting important concerns in the food industry.

He believes that saving money by using the whole ingredient, whether it’s cheap cuts of meat or the greens from a root vegetable, creates a budget for buying higher-welfare, better-quality ingredients that, in turn, provide better nutrition and support local communities.

Visitors to the Slow Food Festival in Derry can look forward to eco-friendly tips on how to get more from your food, improve nutrition and flavour, save money and support better farming.  The ethos of Slow Food is good, clean and fair food for everyone which is not mass produced. The global grassroots movement founded in Italy with supporters in around 150 countries, links the pleasure of food with a commitment to local communities and the environment.

Hunt’s veg-led cookery demonstrations taking place on both October 7th and 8th,  feature a selection of recipes inspired byhis ‘Root to Fruit’ eating philosophy; eat for pleasure, eat whole foods and eat the best you can.

According to Hunt, although he only eats organic food, he is spending less than he ever did before because he operates a zero waste policy– recycling or composting everything. An ambassador for the Soil Association and Fair Trade Foundation, he is a regular contributor to the Guardian and Observer food columns as well as other leading food publications such as Olive magazine.

He continued: “People tend to over-buy and don’t realise how much food is actually being thrown away.  I don’t see my work as a crusade as such but creating a sustainable future is one of the most vital and crucial questions for our time.People and corporations are wasting an obscene amount of food but, at the same time the message is getting through. People are realising around the world that we have to change and I am making steps to do that, although there is definitely a lot more to be done.”

The recipes that Tom will cook in the marquee in Guildhall Square include Beetroot leaf Borani: Iranian-style yoghurt and walnut dip (with misfit crudités); Carrot and fennel top pesto with carrot, fennel and orange salad; and Roast cauliflower leaves and florets with hazelnut sauce.

Jennifer O’Donnell, Tourism Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, said she was delighted that Tom Hunt would be teaming up with fellow Slow Food UK Alliance chef Paula McIntyre, Director of Slow Food NI.

She added: “We are also delighted to welcome back Chef Brian McDermott as festival compere and a number of talented local chefs from restaurants in Derry and Strabane for the live cookery demos. This year’s festival will also feature a Harvest Market with 20 local artisan producers in the marquee, a Craft Beer Garden, street food and free children’s activities including a petting farm and smoothie bike machine all located in Guildhall Square.”

The two-day event is being funded by Tourism NI and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) NI Regional Food Programme, supported by Slow Food NI and sponsored by Supervalu.

Louise Millsopp, Head of Agri-Food Support Branch, DAERA, said: ‘We are pleased to be providing support to the Slow Food Festival through the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme. Now in its second year, the festival provides a great platform for artisan food and drink producers to showcase their high quality, award-wining, local produce.”

For further information on the Slow Food Festival including details of exhibitors, cookery demos, and other family-friendly activities centred in Guildhall Square from 12 noon until 6pm on October 7th and 8th, visit www.derrystrabane.com/food

Cooked To Perfection

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The Speckled Hen Pub & Dining Room, Derriaghy, Lisburn won its third award in three years on Thursday night. The pub was crowned Public House of the Year 2017 at the prestigious Ulster Tatler Awards, held at Belfast City Hall. The pub, formerly the Travellers Rest, was earmarked for closure in 2014 when the new owner by serendipity came across the business forlorn and neglected.

“The pub dates back to 1660,” said Martin the new owner. “It would have been a tragedy to see such an old and fondly remembered community pub go the same way as so many other famous old pubs.”

The pub now boasts a public bar, pizza pod, and fine dining room. The pub also has a beer garden with garden shed cabanna and its own brewery. The Black Mountain Brewery produces craft beers only sold at The Speckled Hen.

The pub recently introduced its own range of spirits, The Hen’s Blend. They include its Milltown Dry Gin, Divis Diva Strawberry & Lemon Gin and Holy Well Vodka. This Christmas the pub will be introducing its Butchers Hill Black Vodka. There are plans to build a kitchen garden on the roof.

The new name came from my great granny Jenny said Martin’s daughter Kellie, who manages the Pub. “She would tell my dad her speckled hen’s were the most productive, tastiest and friendliest of all the chickens she kept. We thought they were fitting attributes for the business. My dad keeps telling me it’s not rocket science, good food, premium brand drinks and friendly efficient service are the key and of course great customers.”

“I thought it was really important we wrote a Mission Statement for the business from day one. Simple and to the point we have stuck by it and it seems to have paid off.”

Over the years the pub has been honoured with visits from famous people Daniel O’Connell, Basil Blackshaw, Joey Dunlop to name a few More recently celebrities from the world of sport, entertainment and the odd politician have graced it with their presence. But it’s the locals who give it a real sense of identity.

“The Hens a mere spring chicken at three hundred and fifty seven years old,” Martin added. “Hopefully it will still be clucking in a hundred and fifty more years.”

Deanes and JN Wine Celebrate 60 Years In Business

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Two of Ireland’s best known names in the food and wine industry have come together to celebrate a joint 60 years in business. Wine Merchant, James Nicholson, is marking 40 years of JN Wine and Restaurateur Michael Deane has been in business in Belfast with his Deanes Restaurants for 20 years.

At a gala event at Deanes at Queens in The University Quarter, guests enjoyed a 6 course dinner,starting with a Billecart Salmon Champagne reception and canapes and followed by a menu including whiskey cured salmon with dulce and teriyaki and salt aged beef with truffle custard; designed and prepared by Head Chef Chris Fearon and his team.

During the dinner, wine maker Tim Ford talked to guests about one of the wines, Chemin de Moscou, from his winery in Domaine Gayda in the Languedoc while Wine Master Jane Boyce provided the commentary on the other JN Wines from France and Portugal which had been carefully selected to match each food course.

Commenting during the occasion Restaurateur Michael Deane said he was honoured to share Deanes special birthday celebration with Wine Merchant James Nicholson, with whom he has done business for 20 years. “At Deanes we have continually endeavoured to bring excellence to our customers and we have always been confident that collaborating with James Nicholson has ensured we consistently offer the very best in food and wine” said Michael Deane.

JN Wine is delighted to be celebrating this landmark anniversary with Michael Deane, having worked closely over the years to create the finest food and drink offering for customers across Northern Ireland.
“We are extremely proud to be partnering with Deanes at this event, and look forward to many
more years at the forefront of hospitality excellence here.”