Ards and North Down is well-known for its New Season Comber Potato (also known as ‘Comber Earlies’). The spuds are now famous across Europe having been granted an EU PGI status in 2012, which puts them in the same league as Feta cheese and Melton Mowbray pork pies.

Did you know?
Only potatoes planted, grown and harvested within the protected geographical indicated area (which stretches from the town of Comber to the Ards Peninsula) can be marketed as Comber Earlies, and only potatoes harvested in May, June and July are eligible for PGI status.

The exceptional soil and climate found in Ards and North Down allows the farmers to grow this unique potato. Protection offered by the Ards Peninsula to the east and the Mourne Mountains to the south, along with the south/east location mean that the micro climate of the designated area is both warmer and drier than other parts of Northern Ireland. The area receives the greatest amount of sunshine and has the longest mean growing season of any part of the province. These unique characteristics of soil, climate and topography all work together to produce our fantastic potatoes with their earthy, sweet and nutty flavour.

Did you know?
Local growers have formed a co-operative to protect and are proud to promote this local produce.

Growers Trevor and Richard Davidson farm at Ballydorn in Killinchy, right at the Strangford Lough edge. The brothers explained the importance of the lough in the growth and early harvest of the Comber Earlies. Trevor said:
“We live and work right beside Strangford Lough, the largest inlet in the British Isles and the reason we have the perfect climate to grow Comber Earlies. The soil surrounding the lough is Triassic red sandstone and gravel, a soil that is light and free draining. This means the soil is dryer and warmer than in other parts of Northern Ireland.” Richard went on to explain: “Protection offered by the Ards peninsula to the east and the Mourne mountains to the south means that the climate is warmer. Most of the area is low-lying and Strangford Lough has a powerful moderating effect on winter weather making it much milder than elsewhere in Northern Ireland.”

Comber Earlies have the following characteristics:
• small in size (30-70mm diameter)
• round or oval
• white/cream colour inside
• skin is soft, smooth, thin and loose, with colour depending on the variety
• earthy, sweet and nutty flavour – a distinctive ‘early’ potato flavour
• dark green foliage
• sold either loose, or packaged.

How do you like your spuds?
Comber earlies are a favourite on dinner plates in homes across Northern Ireland, served in many top restaurants and sold by supermarkets, as well as smaller local stores. They can be mashed, chipped, boiled or baked. We asked some local residents how they like to eat theirs:

• Mayor of Ards and North Down, Alderman Deborah Girvan, is from Comber. She likes to eat her earlies boiled, seasoned with salt, pepper and a knob of butter.
• Debbie Donnelly from Portaferry likes to eat her Comber Earlies boiled. Her daughter, Hannah McDermott, enjoys hers best mashed!
• Dylan Freeburn from Bangor and Liz McCullough from Ballygowan both like to eat their Comber Earlies chipped.
• Georgie Strain from Groomsport enjoys her Comber Earlies roasted.
• Basil McCoy from Kircubbin enjoys his Comber Earlies mashed with butter and scallions added to make champ.

Did you know?
Comber Earlies were served to the most powerful world leaders at the G8, including Barack Obama, Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin.

Celebrating Comber’s success: The Comber Earlies Food Festival
The Comber Earlies Food Festival, which is organised by Ards and North Down Borough Council, celebrates our famous spuds on Saturday 25 June from 10am – 4pm. With artisan food stalls, cookery demonstrations, Ulster Scots and Highland games, live music and more. There’s also a Comber Earlies ‘fringe festival’ taking place for the first time this year. Delivered by Comber Regeneration Partnership, events include a vintage tea dance, dog agility and an opportunity to meet the cheesemaker. So why not come along and enjoy some spud inspired fun!

Celebrity chef, Tom Hunt, who worked with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on the River Cottage TV series will be making a special appearance at the event. Local chefs Paula McIntyre, Kyle Greer, and Carla Schofield will also be giving live cookery demonstrations at the festival kitchen. For further information visitardsandnorthdown.com

A Derry artisan food company has announced plans to launch two new cheeses to complement its award-winning product range inspired by the rural townlands and natural landscape of the Sperrins.

Tamnagh Foods is finalising production of its new handcrafted Ballydonegan smoked cheese and Tirkeeran long aged cheese to have fully matured and ready for customers to enjoy in time for Christmas.

Kevin and Julie Hickey, who run their cheese manufacturing business in an idyllic setting at the family’s home in the heart of the countryside near the village of Park, already make four popular cheeses which have won prestigious awards in Ireland and Britain.

Mary Blake, Tourism Development Officer with Derry City and Strabane District Council, said the news was an exciting development for Tamnagh Foods during Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016.

She continued: “Full credit goes to Kevin and Julie Hickey as they get ready to launch two new exciting handcrafted cheeses to add to their hugely successful portfolio of four delicious award-winning cheeses.

“Tamnagh Foods epitomise NI Year of Food and Drink’s most recent monthly themes, Landscape and Places which we celebrated during the month of May and, Love Dairy, which is the theme for June.

“We wish Kevin and Julie continued success with their artisan food business, especially during this special Year of Food dedicated to everything that is delicious and local about Northern Ireland.”

Tamnagh Foods was established in 2010 and all of their cheeses are inspired by the names of local townlands and the landscape which surrounds their home nestled in the heart of the Sperrins overlooking the River Faughan.

Kevin explained: “We set out to try and create something unique that reflected where we were from. We launched our first cheese, Sperrin Blue, in June 2014.” The rich, creamy pasteurised cow’s milk cheese with blue veining, won gold at the 2015 Irish Food Awards in Dingle, Co Kerry.

Dart Mt. Dusk, inspired by the way the light falls on Dart Mountain in the evenings and characterised by its charcoal ash coating, followed in November 2014 and won Bronze at the World Cheese Awards.

Kilcreen, an Alpine-style cheese named after the townland directly opposite Tamnagh, was released in February 2015, winning the Great Taste Awards in London.

In November 2015, Tamnagh Foods launched its creamy Banagher Bold beer-washed cheese using No 26 pale ale from Northbound Brewery in Campsie.

The addition of Tirkeeran, named after an old barony which included all the townlands from the top of the Sperrins to the Foyle, and Ballydonegan, named after a local smoke house, will complete their original plans for a range of six cheeses.

Their Tirkeeran cheese was successfully trialled at Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Big Cheese and Beer Expo held in Guildhall Square in April.

The couple revealed that they have quadrupled production in order to satisfy demand from restaurants in the north west keen to use local produce on their menus. They use a local milk company based in Omagh, taking delivery of 500 litres at a time.

Tamnagh Foods’ two granola ranges – maple nut and fruit and, honey nut and seed – are stocked in Switzerland through a chain of 14 stores, having previously been on sale in Harrods. Their cheese range was recently part of a Taste of Northern Ireland showcase at Fortnum & Mason in London.

They have also secured what Kevin described as “a big chutney order” from a major Irish wholesaler but the good news is that while the cheese making may be a lengthy process, chutney and granola can be made much more quickly.

Kevin added: “NI Year of Food and Drink is recognition of where Northern Ireland is at after a long period of time when there were no tourists coming here. Food is one of the big touchpoints when people visit and tourists want to taste local food.”

Group tours of Tamnagh Foods are available by booking in advance. For more information, visit www.tamnaghfoods.com

Jane Devonshire helps Dale Farm celebrate the re-launch of the Co. Tyrone handmade cheese at a unique cheese tasting event in The Merchant Hotel

To mark the re-launch of Fivemiletown speciality cheese, Dale Farm invited MasterChef 2016 champion Jane Devonshire, to a special celebration at The Merchant Hotel. In June 2014, Fivemiletown was rescued from financial difficulty by Dale Farm, the UK’s largest dairy cooperative owned by 1,300 local farmers.

At the event, Dale Farm unveiled Fivemiletown’s modern new look for its award-winning handmade cheeses – Ballybrie, Ballyblue, Ballyoak and the smoked Oakwood cheddar. The refreshed packaging of this much-loved range of artisan products gives the cheese an outstanding on-shelf presence.

Jane was joined by Simon Dougan, owner and head chef of Yellow Door, who treated guests to a unique interactive tasting session, introducing fresh flavour combinations to pair with the Co. Tyrone craft cheeses.
Dale Farm is firmly focused on continually building its brands and ultimately sales for its dairy farmers. Speaking at the event Group CEO, David Dobbin told guests, “Dale Farm’s purchase of the Fivemiletown Creamery demonstrates the company’s strategy to support the local dairy industry and to grow its branded portfolio of quality consumer products.”

David continued, “Our new packaging makeover reflects Fivemiletown’s reputation as Northern Ireland’s top speciality cheese brand, whilst paying homage to its 100 years of expertise, heritage and tradition. We’re delighted to say that since the acquisition the creamery has boasted improved sales and growth, and this event really is a celebration of the skill involved in making the cheese, and its award-winning quality.”

“To have Jane, the current MasterChef champion advocate for our brand is very special. Also Michelle McIlveen joining us as the newly appointed Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, demonstrates the importance of quality local produce for Northern Ireland and beyond.”

Speaking at the event, Jane Devonshire said:

“I think my time on MasterChef showed my passion and commitment to local produce and how I try to incorporate them into my cooking. To be invited by Dale Farm to talk about Fivemiletown cheese – an amazing Northern Ireland product with real history – and celebrate something I absolutely love is an honour and a joy. The heritage, care and attention spent making these cheeses is so apparent when you eat them. I can honestly say they are utterly delicious. Someone asked me recently what my desert island food would be and I said cheese, of course. So to Dale Farm for ‘pairing me’ with Fivemiletown cheese – thank you – I am a huge fan.”

Finally, DAERA Minister Michelle McIlveen said: “I am delighted to have had the opportunity to attend a celebration of our locally produced Fivemiletown Cheeses. In Northern Ireland we have a wealth of high quality, safe and wholesome foods, produced with world leading traceability and safety controls, in addition to farms with a strong track record in quality assurance systems and high animal health and welfare standards.

“As we progress through our Year of Food and Drink it is important that we harness the benefits of our successes and continue to drive quality, innovation and creativity to explore new market opportunities for future sustainable production within our food and drink sector.”

The Comber Earlies Food Festival is taking place on Saturday June 25 and promises to be a great day out for food lovers and the whole family.

The one -day festival organised by Ards and North Down Borough Council in partnership with Food NI, Comber Earlies Growers, DAERA, Tourism NI and the Ulster Scots Agency, takes place in the town’s centre and will showcase the world famous Comber potato which achieved EU Protected Geographical Indication status in 2012.

The event which is part of The Council’s NI Year of Food and Drink programme will have lots of delicious food on offer. Come along and sample the world famous Comber Earlies or some delicious locally produced food from the artisan Food Fair. Celebrity chef Tom Hunt who worked with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall on the River Cottage TV series will be making a special appearance at the event. Presenter and author of The Natural Cook: Eating the Seasons from Root to Fruit and co-owner of the acclaimed Bristol based tapas restaurant Poco, Tom is known for creating simple, vibrant dishes made from ingredients chosen for their quality and ethics and will be demonstrating some delicious potato dishes at the festival including Homity Pie and Roast new potatoes and mackerel stuffed with chermoula.

Alongside Tom, local chefs Paula McIntyre, Kyle Greer and Carla Schofield will also be doing live cookery demonstrations at the festival kitchen throughout the day. For more information on a series of Year of Food and Drink events in Ards and North Down see www.visitardsandnorthdown.com/food.

This year’s programme is packed full of activities for all ages. Relax at the hay bale picnic, take part in some Ulster Scots Highland Games or enjoy the live music on offer. Kids can enjoy lots of country-inspired crafts in the Craft Big Top; make a flower, a colourful head-dress or your own scarecrow! In the food activity tent, festival-goers can take part in fun food activities; interactive potato sampling, a potato salad competition and a Man V Food competition. And look out for the tractor display and the street theatre programme which features some roller skating tomatoes!

The festival runs from 10am to 4pm and is a free event.

The Comber Earlies Fringe Festival will be running from 17 to 26 June. Delivered by Comber Regeneration Community Partnership, the Fringe Festival programme includes lots of activities like a supper dance, live music, a Spub Quiz, car boot sale and lots more.

This year’s festival is kindly being sponsored by the Department of Agriculture Environment & Rural Affairs, Tourism NI and The Ulster Scots Agency.

For further information check www.visitardsandnorthdown.com

The first ever Slow Food event for Slow Food NI took place on Tuesday evening in Lost & Found, Coleraine. The ‘Skip’ event, organised by Director of Slow Food NI, Paula McIntyre was the first of many Slow Food events this year.

Members of Slow Food NI were treated to a mouth watering menu, using wonky vegetables, ferments and homemade wines by Rector’s Husband paired with great local ingredients! The aim of the evening was to highlight waste awareness and to raise funds for the 10,000 gardens in Africa charity addressing food poverty.

Slow Food NI work closely with farming and community groups to raise awareness of the global movement and increase membership. Membership starts at £11 per year for concession e.g students. To get involved, visit: https://www.slowfood.org.uk/about/join-us/

View images from last night’s event here: https://www.nigoodfood.com/gallery/