Chef/proprietor, Simon Dougan has put some of Northern Ireland’s finest artisan producers on the Royal radar following a visit by Prince Charles and his wife Camilla to Simon’s Yellow Door deli in Portadown, County Armagh, on Tuesday, 24th May.

A champion of Northern Ireland’s rich food heritage and an ambassador for local artisan producers, Simon hosted the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall at his Portadown premises on the second of a three-day visit to Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The couple were offered some of Yellow Door’s famous artisan bread, accompanied by the Prince’s favourite Earl Grey tea. As Northern Ireland’s premier outside caterer, Simon has often prepared meals for Prince Charles and other members of the Royal family during their visits to the Province, and so knew exactly how to prepare Charles’ tea – sweetened with a spoonful of honey (locally produced of course).

“I have spoken to the Prince on previous Royal visits, but I never thought that he would drop round for tea with me some day!” said Simon, who, along with his wife Jilly, organized an informal showcase at the Portadown deli featuring some world-class, locally produced food and drinks from County Armagh and across the Province for Charles and Camilla to sample.

“It’s well documented that Prince Charles is extremely interested in the provenance of food and, as a producer himself, with the Duchy Originals brand from his Highgrove House estate, he was keen to learn about our Northern Ireland producers,” said Simon.

These included Abernethy Butter, Lough Neagh Eels, Long Meadow Cider, Broighter Gold Rapeseed Oil, Burren Balsamics, honey producers, Anne Zwecker and Robert Cassells, and Shortcross Gin. Also in attendance at the event were representatives from Food NI, Food Heartland Hospitality Forum, and the CEO of Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon Council, Roger Wilson.

SOW GROW MUNCH
Edible gardener, Jilly Dougan offered Charles and Camilla an insight into her latest initiative ‘Sow Grow Munch’, a free growing and cooking guide specifically designed for schools to introduce children to fresh fruits and vegetables at a young age as a fundamental step towards developing healthy eating habits. Helped by children from Portadown Integrated Primary School, Jilly put on a display of edible herbs, leaves and pea shoots planted by the pupils.

The Royal couple also enjoyed some demonstrations in traditional food production, including dry cured Yellow Door bacon, using Armagh pork, and home churned Abernethy Butter. At the end of their visit, they were presented with a hamper to take away and enjoy a taste of Northern Ireland’s food heartland.

FOOD AMBASSADOR
As a passionate supporter of Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector and artisan producers, Simon is a founder member of the Food Heartland Hospitality Forum (so-called because of the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon region’s abundance of specialist artisan food and drink producers) which he helped set up with some like-minded chefs in the ABC council area to promote the use of local produce by food outlets and event organisers.
He is also a member of Food NI, Taste of Ulster and Euro-toques Ireland, and Slow Food NI (part of a global movement, supported by Prince Charles, that links the pleasure of food with a commitment to community and the environment).

“It makes sense to buy locally, ensuring that the money we spend is kept within the local economy,” said Simon. “I believe that the return in terms of reducing food miles, improved traceability, flavour, authenticity and outstanding quality for customers is well worth it.

“The designation of 2016 as ‘Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink’ has helped establish a new-found confidence in the food we produce,” he continued, “and here in County Armagh we are unique in being home to two of the three world renowned, PGI (protected geographical indication) products in Northern Ireland – Lough Neagh Eels and Armagh Bramley Apples. Eels from Lough Neagh are a highly sought-after delicacy in Europe, while Bramley apples are the most popular cooking apples in the UK!

“Food and drink is the country’s single biggest industry, and at Yellow Door, we have seen a proliferation of local produce being bought in our delis. Around 95% of the foods we sell are now made in Northern Ireland, and items such as jams, chutneys and oils have seen an explosion in sales as people have started to realise the quality of the food we have here.
“During the previous three years, bread sales accounted for 10-15% of our wholesale production – this year it’s up to 45%. In addition to our expanding sales in the supply to top quality restaurants, hotels and delis across the island of Ireland, we have opened up new markets supplying bread, patisserie and traditional tray bakes to Belfast International, Belfast City and Dublin airports.

“We can only produce great food with fantastic ingredients, and in Northern Ireland we are fortunate to have so much premium quality produce. Yellow Door aims to be at the heart of this food producing community with a strong farm-to-table focus, and an emphasis on exceptionally flavoursome, seasonal food.”

Simon had further cause for celebration when on the evening after the royal visit, Yellow Door (Portadown) won the ‘Best Coffee Shop Restaurant’ category at the Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council inaugural Food Heartland Awards 2016 in association with NFU Mutual.

Henderson Foodservice are delighted to launch our Flavour of the North competition. We are seeking to find the very best in local food innovation, products that can become synonymous with Northern Ireland.

We recognise that for Northern Ireland to become a destination for outstanding cuisine, we need to support our home grown farmers and producers, and connect them with our growing network of chefs.

We’re passionate about developing ‘local’ and Flavour of the North is a call out to those who want to develop their business through supplying foodservice, and gain access to our 4500 customers across the island of Ireland.

Flavour of the North Application Form

*Please note the deadline is  Friday 29th July

Enjoy the BIG Pop-Up Picnic between Titanic Belfast and SS Nomadic from Saturday 28th to Monday 30th May! Kick back and enjoy a mix of maritime activities including live music, dance style flash performances, meet the Titanic mascots, play games for kids (and the kids at heart!)…all whilst enjoying a delicious picnic!

Plus there are a host of other activities to take part in around Titanic Quarter – from walking and photography tours where you will descend 44ft into the bottom of Titanic’s Dock, to exploring our Titanic Experience galleries or enjoying period music on-board Titanic’s little sister, SS Nomadic.

Visitors will also get the chance to step back in time with 70 DeLorean cars traveling onto the Titanic Slipways for their grandstand finish in Belfast!

To help you plan your weekend of seafaring activity, maritime themed family fun, food and frolics check out the programme below:

•Kids can enjoy giant games
•Take a Titanic Taster experience from seafaring photography to walking tours learning all about Belfast’s Maritime heritage
•Local flashmobs performing Pirates of Penzance
•Titanic Quarter Scavanger Hunt
•Pop up stalls serving everything from gourmet burgers, homemade ice-cream, coffees and lots more so you can picnic in style
•Period music on-board SS Nomadic
•DeLorean Eurofest 2016 (Sat 28th from 3pm – 5pm)
•Maritime Dock Market (11am – 6pm daily)

Other listings
Enjoy a fabulous family day out as Kids Go Free to the Titanic Experience and SS Nomadic from 23rd May – 30th June 2016!*

The Titanic Experience extends over nine interpretive and interactive galleries that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of RMS Titanic, as well as the city and people which made her.
Children can earn a special certificate as they complete the Explorer Trail – allowing them to experience the shipyard, walk the decks, travel to the depths of the ocean and uncover the true legend of Titanic, in the city where it all began.

*One free child ticket with every full price adult ticket purchased. Children must be 10 years old and under. Not valid bank holiday weekends 28-30th May and 4-6th June. Available from 10am. Offer is subject to availability, with no cash alternative.

Early Riser
Are you an early riser? If so, visit Titanic Belfast and enjoy the nine interactive galleries at a special rate. Ticket offer price available on 9.00am / 9.15am / 9:30am/ 9.45am admissions only Monday – Friday, during May, adult £12.50 child £6. To book, visit www.titanticbelfast.com or phone +44 28 9076 6399.
*Valid until 31st March 2016. Offer subject to availability and valid for online booking only. Does not apply to combo tickets and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount or promotion. To redeem ticket offer simply click above – tickets purchased online will incur a £1 online booking fee. Management reserve the right to remove this promotion at any time and without prior notice.

Afternoon Tea
Enjoy Sunday Afternoon Tea at Titanic Belfast in the opulent surroundings of the Titanic Suite featuring the stunning replica staircase with live jazz. Enjoy Titanic’s fabulous menu featuring a delicious selection of finger sandwiches, classic scones with Cornish clotted cream, mouth-watering cakes and exquisite éclairs and French Fancies! From £24 per person, to book, visit www.titanicbelfast.com or phone +44 28 9076 6399.

Neither did we – but we are about to find out when an Australian chef marries the pair next week to create a unique dish as a flavour of what’s to come at this year’s Northern Ireland CountrySports Fair at Scarvagh House in Banbridge (28^th and 29^th May).

Dean Coppard, the Australian chef who has been making waves across our region’s cooking scene since he arrived here 12 years ago, will be showcasing his authentic cuisine by combining two of Northern Ireland’s  finest PGI products at next week’s Fair – the Lough Neagh Eel and the famous Orchard County Bramley Apple.

The Sydney ex-pat, who runs Uluru Bar & Grill in Armagh and manages a kitchen full of passionate chefs cooking produce with an Australian twist, will demonstrate his rationale for pulling together these two unique products to celebrate our connection with our land and our loughs.

Dean, husband to Sara and father to Mia, 6, and Dylan, 4, is continuing his monthly celebrations of  Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink initiative by cooking to May’s theme ‘Places and Landscapes’, to create this speciality dish which is guaranteed to whet the appetite of the crowds on May 28^th and 29^th at Scarvagh House.

Speaking about the event, which is a must in the Northern Ireland country events calendar, Dean said: “From sourcing new products from the field, sea or loughs and cooking them with an Australian twist, this year’s CountrySports Fair is about to be served up something completely unique.

“The dish I’ll be cooking – ‘Lough and Apples’ – was created out of our desire to show people what we believe – and that’s with so many great local producers our job is made a lot easier.

“We champion our producers because they deserve the credit for all the blood, sweat and tears they put in to produce, what we feel is, the very best produce, not only in Ulster but, in Ireland.

“With our recent ability to be able to source Lough Neagh Eel we have developed this dish which Uluru Bar & Grill customers are loving so we know it will go down a treat at the Fair.

“To showcase the authenticity of our cooking, we have married the Lough Neagh Eel with the flavour of the Bramley Apple wood from local orchards, which have been worked by generations of apple farmers in the Co. Armagh area. This creates a really authentic dish, which people at the CountrySports Fair will love.”

Dean’s style and authenticity created a storm in the Food NI marquee at this year’s Balmoral Show. In March, his chefs at Uluru Bar & Grill in Armagh, returned to the ecclesiastical city with two gold medals, two silver medals, seven bronze medals and one certificate of participation from this year’s IFEX Exhibition.

The Michelin Guide recommended Uluru Bar & Grill, headed by Dean Coppard, is going from strength to strength, and, the dish on offer at the Northern Ireland CountrySports Fair 2016, has already been  recognised by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s ‘Food Heartland’ initiative and is on the shortlist at the first ‘Food Heartlands’ awards.

Dean added:  “We’ve always been big believers that we have some of the best produce right here on our doorstep. We take pride in our ingredients and I am proud to say that every element used in our ‘Lough and Apple’ dish is a match made right here in Northern Ireland.”

Attending the popular country fair will also be Armagh Cider, Baked in Belfast and Peppup Sauces and joining them in the food marquee will be many other producers showing the results of their hard labour.

The Northern Ireland CountrySports Fair will showcase the very best in country sports, crafts and local food. It will incorporate new events such a Country and Western concert on Saturday, May 28 the world’s first ferret ‘Grand National’ and a charity Donkey Derby. For more information, visit www.countrysportsfairs.com.

Now in its fourth year, Tiptree World Bread Awards with Brook Food is seeking professional and home bakers for the 2016 competition.

Our industry judges certainly know a thing or two about judging the best loaves. On hand to taste test your bread are: George Fuller, Chairman, Craft Bakers’ Association, Hugh Weeks, Technical Consultant to the Baking Industry. Alan Clarke, Chief Executive, Scottish Bakers, Andrew Whitley, founder of The Village Bakery and Co-founder of the Real Bread Campaign and of course our Chairman, Stephen Hallam, Master Baker, and Managing Director of Dickinson & Morris.

Bread is a world food and baking it is a huge undertaking – 12 million loaves are sold every day in the UK. Along with home-baking, the phenomenon of the artisan bakery has really taken off in the last decade.

Also scrutinising your loaves will be a host of Great British Bake Off favourites – Luis Troyano, Frances Quinn, Kimberley Wilson and Martha Collison. The stellar judging panel includes stars of BBC2’s Victorian Bakers John Foster and Duncan Glendinning, as well as a host of other industry legends.

James Freeman, Victoria Bakery was our winner in 2015; his Great British White beat off competition from hundreds of loaves sent in from around the United Kingdom to take the title.

The awards close to entries on Sunday 4 September 2016 and the judging will take place in September. The winners will be announced in October at a harvest supper-style ceremony at St John’s Hyde Park, London.

By Derek Thompson

The need for Gluten Free food has been with us for many years but recently it has become mainstream as more consumers are diagnosed as Coeliac and more suppliers recognise the growing demand for wider choice and better tasting products.

Despite all the talk and hype around the topic the majority of people know little or nothing about Coeliac Disease or why Gluten Free products play such an important part in many people’s lives!

Ian Elliott, manager at the very progressive McCool’s SuperValu in Ballymoney, spotted us in the Food NI Producers 2016 Guide, realised that his store staff were selling GF food but didn’t really know why so he contacted us for advice.

That led to us doing an in–store Supermarket Masterclass on Gluten Free food in which we explained to the McCool’s SuperValu staff the reason why GF food is essential for so many people. We finished our talks by giving the staff some practical ideas to help develop their GF range and improve relationships with their current and potential GF customers.

The talks were well received, feedback was very positive and when we returned a few days later for an in-store GF Food tasting event we were delighted to hear that some of our suggestions had already been implemented.

News of this training class has already spread and we have had enquiries from other supermarkets around Northern Ireland.

Contact details can be found here: https://www.nigoodfood.com/producers/gluten-free-ireland/ or by email: derek@glutenfreeireland.com