– Dale Farm, Northern Ireland’s largest dairy company, to sponsor this year’s Grand Opera House pantomime, Cinderella

With 40,000 tickets already sold, Dale Farm has been announced as the official sponsor of the Grand Opera House’s pantomime title, Cinderella.

The partnership was launched on the rooftop of the Merchant Hotel, where Queen of Panto May McFettridge, Pop Idol Gareth Gates and Coleraine-born belle of the ball, Jayne Wisener, were gathered to bring a little panto magic to Belfast ahead of the show kicking off on 3 December.

As the official ice-cream supplier to the venue, Commercial Director – Branded Products at Dale Farm, Jason Hempton commented:

“Dale Farm is delighted to sponsor this year’s pantomime at the Grand Opera House. The pantomime brings so much enjoyment to families from across Northern Ireland and is an annual festive highlight for many children and adults alike. We are proud to now be part of that tradition.

“Like most, we’re excited for the panto season and the arrival of Cinderella – topped off with a Dale Farm ice-cream at the interval!”
Liam Nellis, Acting Chief Executive of the Grand Opera House, added:

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Dale Farm for saying ‘oh yes we will’ and sponsoring this year’s production. Their support is vital in ensuring that the show will go on!”

Last night local Comber food business, Mash Direct, picked up the Irish Quality Food Award for their Vegetable Burgers at a glitzy ceremony in Mansion House, Dublin. In its fourth year the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards were held at a dazzling ceremony in the Mansion House, Dublin on the 8th September, hosted by Ballymaloe Celebrity Chef and cookery author Rachel Allen.

The Irish Quality Food Award Judges were extremely complementary about the Mash Direct Vegetable Burgers, saying they are “Perfectly balanced. Lovely flavours which dance on the palate. Cabbage is so mild, carrot is perfect, parsnip perfect too and pepper enhances the flavour. Packaging is very good. This is an exceptionally superb product” and “The idea is smashing to get kids eating more veg. I liked it and I would certainly look out for it in the supermarket. Very well done”.

This is not the first time in which Mash Direct’s Vegetable Burgers have been recognised after winning The Grocer New Product Award in London in 2015 and collecting a silver award in the Free From Food Awards Ireland 2016.

On collecting the award, Tracy Hamilton, Director, said “We are delighted to have won our first ever Irish Quality Food Award for our Vegetable Burgers. We are extremely proud to have won this award, as we were up against such excellent competition from major retailers and brands such as Mr. Crumb. As a Northern Irish company growing our brand in Ireland, being recognised for this award gives our team great encouragement to continue our success in Ireland. It is a real testament to the hard work that the whole team puts in every day.”

Organised by Metropolis Business Media, group publisher Helen Lyons commented, “The Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards have become a major part of the Irish food calendar. Once again we received a huge number of entries, and spent three weeks testing and judging the most delicious products. We had another wonderful night celebrating the success of our winners – huge congratulations to everyone.”

Mash Direct are also looking ahead to the prestigious Food and Drink Federation Awards 2016 at the end of September, held in Barbican, London. Where they have been shortlisted for Regional Growth Business of the Year.

September is a wonderful time for lovers of Northern Ireland’s wide and tempting ranges of breads and buns. Not only is this month dedicated to Bread and Baking in the NI Year of Food and Drink 2016 calendar but the latest Great British Bake Off competition has just gotten underway meaning it’s almost impossible to avoid tray bakes, bread rolls and delicious scones.

Tourism Northern Ireland’s Communications and Destination PR Officer Rachel Quigg explained why everyone should put an apron on and try out a new baking recipe or local product this September:
“There is no better time to find out more about NI’s rich bread and baking heritage. There are lots of delicious treats and bakes native to Northern Ireland which are known all around the world like wheaten bread, fifteens, Soda Farls and Potato Bread so if you haven’t sampled any of these why not have a go at baking your own!
“There are also a variety of fun food experiences where you can try a variety of baked goods whilst enjoying music and family fun, such as the Belfast Bred Tour and the Tesco Taste Festival,” added Rachel.
Tourism Northern Ireland has put together a list of NI based foods, producers, events and recipes for you to enjoy:

LOCAL DELIGHTS
Baking is very popular in NI and in particular tray bakes with afternoon tea. One of the most famous bakes from NI are the always popular, fifteens. This traditional Northern Irish treat gets its name from the fact that you need fifteen of each of the main ingredients (digestive biscuits, marshmallows and glace cherries) to make them. Fifteens are a popular sweet treat thanks to how easy they are to make.

Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016 saw the inaugural Ulster Fry-Day back in January, a celebration of this hearty local breakfast. Our variation on the morning fry-up wouldn’t be nearly as popular however, if it weren’t for two inspired pieces of Northern Irish baking: potato bread and soda bread. Potato, or “tatie” bread is a form of unleavened bread in which potato replaces a major portion of the wheat flour, and soda bread is soft, thick and fluffy. Both of these are popular breads on their own but they truly come into their own when they are served with bacon, sausage and eggs in a hearty Ulster Fry.

Other baked institutions in Northern Ireland include the Belfast Bap, dreamt up by a Belfast man to keep thousands of people alive during the famine and it is still being eaten today.
Another popular bread unique to Northern Ireland is Veda which was invented by Scot Robert Graham in 1904. It’s so popular that many people living abroad rely on their relatives to send them a Veda to satisfy their craving.

MUCH LOVED BAKERIES
Over one hundred years ago, W.D. Irwin and his wife Ruth opened a small bakery in Portadown, Co. Armagh, baking fresh bread for local people, delivering far afield and expanding, before the introduction of its iconic nutty crust loaf gave it a place in the history books. Nowadays, Irwin’s is situated in a purpose-built plant bakery on the Portadown outskirts and is found on shelves all over the country. It is still a family-run business and their scrumptious products include Veda, batch bread, fruit bread, and many more.
Another iconic Northern Irish brand is Ormo. Established in 1875, Ormo bread and pancakes have been loved by generations. Situated, until recently, in its famous Ormeau Road building in South Belfast, Ormo products are still being lovingly made by a 400-strong workforce in Hovis Bakeries nearby and include favourites such as pancakes, wheaten bread and soda farls.

A favourite amongst those with a sweeter tooth is French Village, a wholesale bakery in East Belfast producing cakes, muffins, cupcakes and all sort of treats for any occasion. There are also two French Village restaurants in Belfast where customers can pop in and sample freshly made delectable delights.
Another of Northern Ireland’s much loved bakery’s is JBird Bakery which offer cupcakes and muffins in a huge range of scrumptious flavours such as Madagascan vanilla, decadent chocolate, red velvet, coffee crème and coconut and raspberry.

The Heatherlea Bakery was first established in 1937 and was taken over by Paul and Patricia Getty in 1990 who have carefully grown the business. The bakery offers a range of fresh breads and cakes which have won coveted national Great Taste Awards in various categories. Try out some of their tasty treats at their cafés in Bangor or Belmont in Belfast.

EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES
Some of the best Northern Ireland food producers will be present at the Tesco Taste Festival in Custom House Square, Belfast on September 16-18. Now in its eighth year, the festival showcases everything great about Northern Ireland food and drink producers, suppliers and chefs, with tastings, demonstrations, tips and entertainment for all the family.

The Belfast Bred Tour runs until September 10 and participants can discover the city’s fascinating culinary history in the company of Barney, a cheeky chef from RMS Titanic. The tour is written by Seth Linder, performed by Michael Lavery and Stephen Beggs and directed by Kabosh’s Paula McFetridge. This mouth-watering tour offers the chance to chat with local chefs and savour a range of free samples at each location including Sawers Deli, Mourne Seafood, the John Hewitt and St George’s Market.

Orchard Acre Farm in Irvinestown is the perfect location for enhancing baking skills as they host a programme of farmhouse and modern cookery classes, Irish craft courses and foodie events. Tours are also available for visitors as well as presentations of the gardens, orchards and farm. From afternoon teas to seven course dining experiences, there is something for everyone and all the food is naturally home grown and made from scratch.
Suitor Craft Gallery and Coffee Shop in Dungannon offers a wide range of beautiful gifts, specialising in high quality traditional wooden toys, handmade jewellery and ceramics. Not only this, but every day, fresh homemade baking is served up, with scones, toasties and other sweet delights, and all through September, Ulster bread-making is being celebrated there, making it a unique and mouth-watering place to stop on your travels.

Those wanting an interactive day out involving some of our local baked delights need look no further than a session at James Street South Cookery School. Located in a purpose-built kitchen above the Bar and Grill on James Street South, it offers hands on cookery classes for all abilities, including bread making, and gorgeous desserts. Other cookery schools around NI which are available to test out culinary skills at include the Belfast Cookery School, Aine’s Kitchen Cookery School in Newry and Belle Isle in Co Fermanagh.
For those who have an interest in baking traditions of old, travel back in time at the Ulster American Folk Park, where the story of the Irish emigration to America in the 18th and 19th century is told, bringing to life people’s daily routines and activities from the time.

The Finnebrogue Artisan Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Festival takes place in Killyleagh to commemorate and celebrate one of Northern Ireland’s most famous legends, Sir Hans Sloane who invented the recipe for milk chocolate. Fun events to look out for include a Chocolate Ball on September 24, the Hans Sloane Chocolate & Fine Food Family Fun Day on September 25 and the Hans Sloane Chocolate and Fine Food Family Fun Day.
For more information on things to see and do in Northern Ireland go to www.discovernorthernireland.com.

I read with considerable interest the comments of Kevin Sheridan, chair of the Taste Council of Ireland and co-owner of Sheridan’s Cheesemongers in Dublin, at the council’s recent summer school. He remarked that specialty food producers, along with family farms and fishing communities, offer” a real and sustainable future for Ireland’s rural communities”.

Sheridan added that “the rich natural resources of Ireland’s lands and sea, together with our people’s ingenuity and creativity, are the perfect mix for a thriving food based rural economy”.
Interestingly, his comments coincided with an important Mintel Artisan Food Ireland 2016 report on the industry showing that these companies already contribute more than £600 million to the Irish economy and projecting that the sector will grow by around 10 per cent by 2021.

I am convinced that there are significant opportunities to grow the speciality sector here in terms of greater business especially in neighbouring markets such as Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Year of Food and Drink has enabled us to showcase the contribution being made by speciality food and drink companies to the wider Northern Ireland economy and especially to rural communities which are seeking to ensure a sustainable future. I’ve seen impressive smaller businesses with smart ideas and innovative products at agricultural shows, food fairs, and other community events across Northern Ireland.

And what Year of Food and Drink is also encouraging is a greater engagement between these businesses and the predominately rural communities in which they are located. Connecting producers with local communities, as well as with consumers in the Greater Belfast region, to a much greater extent than ever before was one of the key objectives of Year of Food and Drink. I think it’s fair to say that this has largely been achieved. We will build on this next year and in years to come.
Food is now seen as a key driver of faster economic growth. It is, after all, our biggest and most successful manufacturing industry and one with substantial growth potential in terms of its contribution to local communities in boosting employment opportunities and overall economic wellbeing. It is market-focused and innovation-led because speciality companies, in particular, are well aware of the need to set themselves apart in fast moving markets.

The strong connection between food and tourism, another growth industry, is now well recognised especially by Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland. Tourism NI, of course, has embraced the industry and is driving Year of Food and Drink here and in international terms with tremendous enthusiasm and great creativity.
Year of Food and Drink has brought food and tourism together very effectively and this collaboration is providing greater opportunities throughout Northern Ireland and particularly in rural communities. Much of our food and drink production, both large and small scale, is carried out in these communities. It’s their business. Their future. And, of course, our future.

I believe that our rural areas are becoming more dynamic, thriving, prosperous and harmonious communities by being encouraged and supported to develop and supply the safe and wholesome food and drink consumers here and abroad increasingly demand. We have something special here in Northern Ireland in terms of the burgeoning quality food and drink that we are now able to provide.

Great Taste Supreme Champion 2016 is awarded to Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast from Hannan Meats

From 10,000 entries in Great Taste this year, the prestigious honour of Great Taste Supreme Champion 2016 has been awarded to Hannan Meats’ Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast. Hannan Meats is the first producer in the 22-year history of Great Taste to take the top award for a second time. Produced in Armagh, Northern Ireland, this exceptional piece of beef is dry-aged in a Himalayan Salt Chamber for a minimum of 28 days. Great Taste judges heaped praise on its outstanding flavour and succulence.

This victory for Hannan Meats’ Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast comes in a year that saw many Great British Sunday lunch favourites shine in Great Taste, such as the 3-star winning Tracklements’ Tewkesbury Hot Mustard and The Traditional Free Range Egg Company’s Waddling Free Duck Eggs, which make the fluffiest Yorkshire puddings, with Dunnes Stores’ All Butter Sticky Toffee Pudding and Jess’ Ladies Organic’s Double Cream coming together for an epic traditional dessert. It was Hannan Meats’ beef that stole the show though, with judges commending its “sweet, juicy and oozy flavour that travels through the meat and fat” and dubbing it the star of any Sunday lunch.

Unprecedented in the 22-year history of Great Taste, Hannan Meats’ second Supreme Champion accolade follows the producer first lifting the prize in 2012 for its Moyallon Guanciale. No flash in the pan, Peter Hannan and his team have been perfecting this salt chamber dry-aging process for the best part of a decade, with this award the culmination of many years of dedication. Once again, Hannan Meats’ world-class butchery and maturation methods wowed the judging panel, who were bowled over by this very special cut of meat and couldn’t “believe that beef could taste so good”.

John Farrand, Managing Director of the Guild of Fine Food, organisers of Great Taste, explains; “Hannan Meats’ much celebrated butchery skills have been honed over many years and this incredible level of dedication has resulted in consistent Great Taste success, along with two Supreme Champion titles to boot. This extraordinary Glenarm Shorthorn 4 Rib Roast is testament to Hannan Meats’ carefully refined dry-aging and maturation process, which saw it fly through day-after-day of blind-tasting, winning over hearts and palates at every stage of Great Taste. It really did blow the final judging panel away and they’re not an easy bunch to impress.”

The Supreme Champion award, which is sponsored by Harrods, was presented to Peter Hannan at the Great Taste Golden Forks Dinner held on Monday 5 September at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, where over 300 guests from the world of fine food gathered to hear the results of many months of rigorous judging.

For more information about Hannan Meats, please contact Peter Hannan, +44 (0) 2892 619790, www.hannanmeats.com.

Two meat producers have won prizes in the first ever Northern Ireland heat of the British Street Food Awards which was held at Hillsborough Oyster Festival.

Downpatrick-based Pheasant’s Hill Farm, which specialises in free-range and rare breed meat and game won the People’s Choice Award. It was voted for by the public on the day. They have a weekly stall at St George’s Market and a mobile van for events.

“All the products served by their trailer are butchered and cured at their farm – come and see what a real happy meal tastes like” said Richard Johnson, founder of the British Street Food Awards.

The runners up in the People’s Choice Awards were the Fabulous Food Factory and Linen Hill Kitchen who took Second and Third place respectively.

Broughgammon Farm’s goat meat creations impressed the Celebrity Judge, Paula McIntyre who awarded them a prize for an unusual creation. The Cole family from Ballycastle sell kid kebabs, billy burgers and an award-winning Goat Gammon. They too have a mobile catering unit and sell at farmers markets and events.

“They made a kid offal and chorizo taco. Their burger was good, but it was the taco, with its fresh cheese base, that BBC Radio Ulster chef Paula McIntyre really loved” said Richard Johnson who added that “London traders can only dream of having access to producers like the traders in Northern Ireland. It’s why street food has such a future here”.

“We now have so many street food members in Food NI that we have had to do a separate Guide just for them. Both Broughgammon and Pheasant’s Hill Farm are superb examples of what street food should be” said Food NI CEO, Michele Shirlow.

Both of these winners will be taking part in the finals of the British Street Food Awards in Birmingham on the 17th and of 18th September.