THE award-winning Mourne Mountains Brewery has broken lent to announce a brand new and very limited edition chocolate Belgian stout named Chocolat Chaud.

Master Brewer Tom Ray has created a very special stout using raw cocoa nibs in the mash to give a deep, chocolately flavour. Orange peel and cloves late in the boil have added some Belgian spice to the brew and it’s been fermented with a fruity, continental yeast. The result is a robust and warming stout with plenty of body.

Founder of Mourne Mountains Brewery, local entrepreneur Connaire McGreevy said: “Our last two seasonal beers, Pumpkin Porter in the autumn and First Noel at Christmas were both extremely popular and we want to keep up the momentum in the new year.

“We decided to get the ball rolling with Chocolat Chaud which is an intriguing brew with complex and somewhat unconventional flavours. We think it makes an excellent alternative to Easter eggs for adults, or to a pint of Guinness this St Patrick’s Day!

“You’ll have to get your hands on a bottle before it’s too late though, it is a one off, limited run brew and will only be available in bars, restaurants and off-licenses across Northern Ireland while stocks last.

“It’s our aim to keep producing seasonal beers, creating opportunities for beer enthusiasts to taste unique brews that are produced locally and we’ll have at least a couple more specials later this year.

In addition to their seasonal specials, Mourne Mountains Brewery, based in Warrenpoint, produces five core beers available in bottles and on draft: Mourne Gold pale ale, Red Trail red IPA, Big Rock wheat beer, Mourne Mist pilsner and the award winning East Coast IPA.

Visit www.mournemountainsbrewery.com for more from Mourne Mountains Brewery. #jointheclan

Sam Butler talked to Michael Henderson, owner of Born and Raised Waffles, about Belgian waffles and his recently established small business.

Michael Henderson recently joined the farmers’ market scene with a range of traditional Belgian Liège waffles originally from Belgium. It’s quite a venture for Michael, currently based near Hillstown Farm, a hub of artisan enterprise, at Ahoghill in Co. Antrim because he’s never been to Belgium! “I am planning a field trip there soon to learn more about the waffles I love to bake,” he says.
His waffles have proved extremely successful at the markets he’s attended around the greater Belfast area including Victoria Square, the Inns on Saintfield Road and most recently Ballyhackamore. He’s also signed up with Food NI.

What attracted Michael to join Northern Ireland’s burgeoning artisan food revolution is a love of baking. “I used to watch my mother baking and learned a lot from her. It was something I always wanted to do. It started out as a hobby and is quite a leap from my original training as a metal worker. I worked in the ventilation business and then at Shorts for 11 years. I guess I’ve always been good at working with my hands and then had a long held desire to start my own small business,” he continues. “I like being my own boss.”

Michael decided to take the plunge into business about 10 years’ ago and set up a small cleaning business before moving into running a vending equipment, providing sweets and crisps. It was his first move into the food business, an experience he enjoyed and it encouraged him to sell up and to look at other opportunities.
“I wanted to turn my interest in baking into an artisan food enterprise. Publicity surrounding the success of the food industry and the run up to Year of Food and Drink led me to look for a unique bakery product that I could turn into a small firm. I looked at the market here and came to the conclusion that there wasn’t much scope in sectors such as breads, morning goods, cakes and tray bakes. There’s an abundance of these products on the market from longer established bakeries. I reckoned there just wasn’t any room in the marketplace for a start up,” he explains.

A gap he spotted in the local market was for authentic Belgian Liège waffles that he could offer initially as a different and delicious ‘street food’. “One of the interesting developments I’ve noticed here is the emergence of different street foods. I’ve seen Coppi selling Italian dishes in an attractive antique Citroen van and Mourne Seafoods also offering lobster burgers at markets from a mini caravan. Jolly Pies has developed a tasty range of pies from market stalls. So, why not authentic waffles prepared and cooked on site?”
He carried out extensive market research on recipes for Liège waffles and began baking them for test marketing with family and friends. They proved popular. His next step was to buy an old horsebox and to transform it himself from his experience of metal working into a mobile waffle bar.

Michael, a father of two young children, then created an identity, Born and Raised for the new start up business – Born in Belgium and Raised in Belfast, his home town. What’s a Liège waffle? “Well, it’s a richer, denser and sweeter waffle native to the street food of Belgium. They’re an adaptation of brioche bread dough, featuring chunks of pearl sugar caramelize on the outside of the waffle when baked. It’s a yeast-raised dough and is more akin to a sweet bread. Overall, there are about 500 Liège waffle recipes for me to work on.”

He was also quick to support local suppliers for ingredients. The flour comes from Andrews in Belfast and coatings such as malted chocolate, Armagh Bramley jam and sea salted caramel from Brambleberry Jams and Sauces in Lisburn, another local artisan. His initial range is cinnamon spice, plain and salted caramel.
Wife Lisa is working with him in developing the business that he set up in October. She also runs her own small business, Lisaire, a successful string quartet. Lisa is a talented violinist and member of the Ulster Orchestra.
He’s already moved to the next stage of the enterprise’s development. “I’d obviously hope to develop a retail product. This will mean looking at important areas such as shelf life and packaging. I’d certainly be keen to move forward on these and build on the popularity of the waffles at markets and food venues around the province,” he adds.

Michael is following the tradition In Belgium, where most waffles are served warm by street vendors and dusted with confectioner’s sugar, though in tourist areas they might be topped with whipped cream, soft fruit or chocolate spread.
Most common types of waffle available in Belgium are prepared in plain, vanilla and cinnamon varieties by street vendors across the nation.

Comber Farmers’ Market is getting ready to pamper Mums at the monthly market on Thursday 3 March 2016, St Mary’s Parish Church, Comber, 9.00am – 1.30pm.

With Mother’s Day fast approaching on Sunday 6 March, the artisan food market presents an ideal opportunity to buy a lovely food present for Mum or why not buy all the ingredients to cook her a delicious Sunday lunch? Bring your Mother to the market and treat her to a cup of tea and a homemade scone or slice of cake baked by the ladies of the church catering committee. To make it an extra special day a Free Prize Draw will take place at 1.00pm with gifts especially selected to indulge Mum. So come along and support your local market and your local food producers. We’d love to see you there!

Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council wishes to develop a select list of external food caterers that may be invited to provide catering at events organised by the Council.

In keeping with the ethos of NI Year of Food and Drink 2016, the Council wishes to support Northern Ireland’s food producers and produce. Therefore applications from members of Food NI and Taste of Ulster are particularly welcome.
Only food businesses who have been awarded 4 or 5 star rating from their local authority will be permitted to attend Council events.

The Council welcomes applications from suppliers of:
• Gourmet, artisan and ethnic food
• Healthy food options
• General purpose food (e.g. burgers / chips)
• Sweet options (e.g. Ice-cream / frozen yoghurt
/Candy floss / popcorn / donuts)

The potential events that Council will require catering at may include:
• Special civic and sporting events (including
Ballyclare May Fair, Queen’s Birthday
Celebrations and the NI Festival of Cycling)
• Park based events (including Shoreline Festival,
Dragon Boat Race, Party in the Park, Culture Day)
• Seasonal events (including Halloween and Christmas)
• Speciality markets

If appointed to the Select List, firms will be approached to provide catering at individual events and advised of
the appropriate stall fee. The Council may choose to have one or more stalls from the same category, or not to have stalls from a particular category for each event, depending on the theme of the event.

Applications must be received by 12.00 noon on Tuesday 22 March. For an application form please email lisa.okane@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk, visit here or call (028) 9034 0137.

Outdoor Catering Opportunity PDF

Suppliers Needed for the Cross Border Meet the Buyer event on Wednesday 25th May 2016.

Food and Drink Suppliers across the disciplines below:
-Fresh Food
-Packaged Food
-Dry Ingredients
-Dairy Produce
-Baked Goods
-Artisan Foods
-Drink Suppliers
-Coffee Suppliers
-Food and Drink Vending Machine Suppliers

Click here to Complete Supplier Form

The NI Chamber team will provide our buyers with this information. Buyers will decide what companies they wish to meet on the day. 10 minute face to face appointment will be scheduled.
For those companies that are not chosen there will be opportunities for networking on day

All costs will be wavered for NI Good Food members therefore no charge will apply

Please contact Gabi Burnside: gabi.burnside@northernirelandchamber.com with any queries.