SuperValu is number one for beef in Northern Ireland.

The leading foodmarket convenience retailer has come out on top in research conducted by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), with 100% of its beef sourced locally and 100% also Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured.
SuperValu’s beef leads the way not only in quality but in flavour, as a recent independent consumer taste audit conducted by Loughry College found that SuperValu’s new and improved beef came out on top, beating a number of key competitors.

The retailer has launched its ‘Best Beef Ever’ campaign with support from Ambassador Chef Noel McMeel, as part of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink’s ‘Love NI Meat’ theme for August.
SuperValu steaks and joints are now matured for a minimum of 21 days to give a fuller flavour and improved tenderness.

All butchers within SuperValu stores have also been trained on the quality of the meat, increased range, improving maturation and new cuts of meat, to be able to offer ‘expert’ advice to customers.

Michael McCormack, Managing Director of Musgrave NI, which owns the SuperValu brand said: “At SuperValu we very much believe in providing our customers with the best in quality, local produce. In fact, SuperValu is one of the biggest supporters of local produce and local suppliers in Northern Ireland, spending over £105m annually, with 75% of all fresh foods sourced locally.

“SuperValu beef has always been 100% Northern Ireland farm quality assured and now we’re leading the way in taste and quality. With our ‘Best Beef Ever’ campaign, we also want to provide customers with choice, range and we’ve invested in training to provide in-store expertise with our local butcher.”

SuperValu Ambassador Chef, Noel McMeel, said: “SuperValu is synonymous with quality, local produce and now its beef is a cut above the rest in taste with its 21 days maturation guaranteed.

“SuperValu’s local expert butchers will now be able to help customers get the best out of quality, Northern Irish beef and I will be sharing my hints and tips for preparing seasoning and cooking a variety of delicious beef dishes.”

SuperValu is a leading foodmarket convenience brand for independent retailers in Northern Ireland providing real food from the heart of Northern Ireland. SuperValu believes in quality local food that is from here and for here, which is why, every year, SuperValu sell in excess of £105 million worth of products from Northern Ireland in its stores; this helps to sustain jobs in local communities across the province.

For further information, visit www.supervalu.co.uk or connect with SuperValu NI on Facebook: or Twitter – @SuperValuNI, using the hashtag #SVBestBeef

A unique craft beer festival is back in Belfast for a second year. ABV Fest takes place 1-3 September and brings exceptional beer to an inspirational venue – the striking Victorian surrounds of Carlisle Memorial Church. It promises even more beer excitement this year with 5 individual sessions over 3 days and many, many great beers!

ABV Fest came about initially through the belief of the organisers that people in Northern Ireland were looking for an innovative beer festival, where the vast range of beer styles available could be showcased. At the heart of Michael Kerr, Felicia Matheson and Darren Nugent’s vision for ABV16 is a festival where great beer is sipped and shared, and where not drinking the same thing twice is to be encouraged.

Michael says, ‘Last year we showcased many exciting breweries; we hosted food and beer tastings; we challenged taste buds with bespoke beer cocktails. The response was fantastic and in the year since, it’s even clearer that people want more than just a pint. The local craft beer scene is growing rapidly, for the better. People want quality, choice and great flavour. Independent breweries are on the increase and local pubs and off-licences have been meeting customer demand for new, interesting beer.’

Felicia adds, ‘This year we’re delighted to return to yet another stunning city location. Carlisle Memorial Church is full of history and heritage – the perfect space for calm contemplation and appreciation of the greatest beer we can source. It’s part of our ethos to ensure that we showcase not only great beer, but also shine a spotlight on beautiful, unusual Belfast locations. It’s a privilege to be part of the building’s on-going regeneration.’

Darren says, ‘We sold out a month in advance last year so we’re encouraging people to book their preferred sessions early. Tickets are only available in advance online which means no door sales – book now if you don’t want to miss out! We shared great times with great people last year – there was an amazing warmth and friendliness about the festival – and we can’t wait to do it all over again. See you there!’

Balloo House in Killinchy held the third of four exclusive dining events on Monday night with Lancashire Michelin star chef Nigel Haworth at the helm. The Four Seasons at Balloo events, part of the NI Year of Food Drink 2016 celebrations, are running throughout the year bringing four acclaimed chefs to the Balloo House kitchen to cook at four unique events showcasing Northern Ireland’s finest seasonal produce and wines from JN Wines.

Balloo House chef Danny Millar first met Nigel while appearing alongside him on the BBC2 Great British Menu series along with the other chefs taking part in the Four Seasons at Balloo events, Tom Kitchin, Glynn Purnell, and Stephen Terry. Speaking about last night’s dinner Danny said: “Nigel is a legendary chef who has retained a Michelin star at has restaurant in Northcote Manor for 20 years. He is a world class chef and an absolute gentleman.

We are very proud of Northern Ireland’s outstanding food produce and Nigel is extremely impressed with the first class product we have on our doorstep. The event was a very memorable experience for both the diners and the team at Balloo House.”

The final event in the Four Seasons series will be held on 14th November at Balloo House and will feature cooking from Welsh chef Stephen Terry. Awarded his first Michelin star at the age of 25, Stephen’s early years were under the direction of mentor Marco Pierre White in Harveys restaurant, followed by Michel Roux at La Gavroche when the restaurant held three Michelin stars. Stephen now owns and runs The Hardwick in South Wales.

 

From sodas farls to wheaten, barmbrack and boxty, Northern Ireland is well known for its unique bread and baking traditions. In recent years new and different breads are emerging in cafes and bakeries across Northern Ireland and with that is coming a resurgence in traditional baking methods. With different monthly themes throughout 2016, September has the distinction of Bread & Baking month as part of the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink.

To celebrate, we’re excited to announce that the BBC Good Food Show Northern Ireland is on the hunt for Northern Ireland’s Best Bakery. The winner will receive a free stand at the BBC Good Food Show Northern Ireland at Belfast Waterfront 14 – 16 October to showcase their produce to thousands of food loving visitors, plus the opportunity to meet local celebrity chef Paul Rankin at the Show.

Bakeries will need to record a short video, maximum two minutes, capturing ‘a day in the life of the bakery’ highlighting all the stages of a typical day at the bakery – from choosing the finest ingredients, to baking their products and serving to local customers. Bakeries will need to upload this to social media, making sure they tag @BBCGoodFoodShow & @NITouristBoard and use #GFSNIBakery. Judges will be looking at the following, with best videos being shortlisted:
– Range, quality and value of baked goods
– Product knowledge and enthusiasm
– Customer service

The shortlisted bakeries will need to send a selection of their baked goods to a tasting day where judges, including Aine Kearney from Tourism Northern Ireland, Michele Shirlow from Food NI and lecturers Lorna Johnston & Mark Magee from the NI Home Bakery School at Belfast Metropolitan College. Judges will be scoring the products on a range of criteria, including taste and appearance. In addition, the video with the most shares and likes via social media will be automatically shortlisted.

Michele Shirlow comments, “This month is a celebration of our local bread and baking traditions. Our visitors love to see first-hand how our traditional griddle breads are made. We have talented bakers whose award winning products are stocked at farmers markets, restaurants and to retail. I’m delighted to judge Northern Ireland’s best bakery to promote the industry.”

Lorna Johnson also comments, “Mark and I are very excited to form part of the judging panel for Northern Ireland’s Best Bakery. Bread is, and always has been a staple in the NI diet, we are world famous for our varieties. Belfast Met has been a part of the great baking tradition in NI dating back to early 1900’s. This industry is growing in strength and especially in artisan breads, so these home bakeries will continue to provide us with our daily bread for many generations to come.”

Deadline for video submission is Monday 5th September with shortlisted bakeries being announced by Friday 9th September and the winner being announced by Friday 16th September.

Visitors to the new BBC Good Food Show Northern Ireland can enjoy a delicious day out in the food-loving city of Belfast. Visitors will be able to see top chefs cooking regional and seasonal dishes live in the Supertheatre, including James Martin, Paul Hollywood and the Hairy Bikers, plus local star Paul Rankin leading the Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink sessions. Visitors can delve into the wealth of fantastic produce that Northern Ireland has to offer, and discover, sample and buy from the producers themselves in the Food NI Pavilion and Producers’ Village, plus shop from favourite brands around the Show.

A world of gin awaits guests at Bert’s Jazz Bar this summer as the art deco venue launches its first dedicated gin cocktail menu.

The mouth-watering offering will feature gins from across the globe including Spain, Australia, Italy as well as gins that are distilled a bit closer to home including Belfast, Cork and Kerry.

The menu has been designed to put an innovative twist to the classic G&T serve and each drink will be carefully paired with garnishes and a tonic that have been handpicked to enhance the different flavours and botanicals present in the gins.

Serves on the new menu include the locally distilled Jawbox Gin which is served with Merchant’s Heart Ginger Ale, ginger root and lime and an Italian Gin, Malfy, which is served with Fever Tree Elderflower Tonic and sprig of thyme.

Lucy McConville, manager of Bert’s Jazz Bar, helped create the new menu with the bartenders;

“The popularity of gin has grown significantly over the last few years and the industry has been reinvigorated with many new, independent craft distilleries opening up.

“We’ve had a surge in the number of customers asking us about different gin brands, which is the reason why we’ve decided to create a bespoke cocktail menu dedicated to gin.

“Each gin brand has its own distinct flavour and we’ve put a lot of time and effort into handpicking tonics, fresh fruit and herbs to complement the drinks.

“Of course, if you don’t find something on the menu that you like, our bartenders have a wealth of great knowledge on gin and are more than happy to help you create your own perfect serve.”

For further information, call The Merchant Hotel, Belfast on 028 9026 2713 or visit themerchanthotel.com

A great tasting cider produced from Armagh’s famous apples has been shortlisted in the prestigious Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2016.

Plum and Ginger, a cider which is rosé in colour with delicate bubbles making it a perfect spring-summer tipple, is produced by Mac Ivors Cider Co in orchards on the family farm at Ardress in the food heartlands.
Greg MacNeice, a fifth generation apple grower, has brought the latest edition to the Mac Ivors Cider Co range to market in the last few months and reviews to date are more than complimentary.

Named in the Irish Examiner recently as its ‘Cider of the Week’, Plum and Ginger is certainly making its mark and is earning its prime position in bars, restaurants and off-licenses across Ireland.

Speaking about the shortlist announcement, Mr MacNeice said: “To win an Irish Quality Food and Drink Award would be a huge accolade for Mac Ivors Cider Co especially for Plum and Ginger which has hit the market quite recently.

“It is a busy marketplace and we are very lucky in that we are attracting a new generation of cider drinkers as well as satisfying the appetite of people who have been drinking cider for a much longer period of time.
“Mac Ivors Plum and Ginger cider is the outcome of our continued commitment to create deliciously different ciders to provide new taste experiences, and, based on tastings in bars and supermarkets as well as at major industry festivals in Belfast and Dublin, the feedback is amazing.

“Plum and Ginger are two fantastic flavours in their own right but combine them with the taste of real County Armagh apples, and you have a winning combination. The plum provides a rounded, fruity flavour while the ginger adds a subtle amount of heat to the finish.
“We are delighted to have been announced as a finalist so we are hoping to take back an Irish Quality Food and Drink Award to County Armagh.”

The awards, which are in their fourth year now, will take place at The Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin on September 8 and are open to all food and drink retailers, producers and manufacturers north and south of Ireland.

The glittering ceremony will be hosted by Ballymaloe Celebrity Chef and cookery author Rachel Allen.