Cancer Fund for Children’s Daisy Lodge therapeutic short break facility in Newcastle will play host to a unique dining event as part of Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink in association with Tourism NI.

Guests at A Dinner with a difference on May 13 will first enjoy a champagne reception at The Mac in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter before being whisked off to Daisy Lodge at the foothill of the Mourne Mountains.

The setting is particularly fitting as May has been chosen by NI Year of Food and Drink organisers as the month to celebrate our stunning local landscapes – and what could be more beautiful than the breath-taking Mourne Mountains?

Once at Daisy Lodge guests will enjoy a second champagne reception followed by a seven course dining experience delivered by seven top local chefs, including Yellow Door proprietor Simon Dougan who has helped plan the event. The focus of the event will be on celebrating the best in fresh local produce.

To add to the suspense, the names of the remaining chefs will be released in the run up to the event.
Simon said: “I am so excited to be a part of this amazing event that will help mark the Year of Food and Drink and also raise funds for Cancer Fund for Children. Guests are in for a real treat and an unforgettable day. At the Yellow Door growing and harvesting our own produce is the only guaranteed way of ensuring getting the very freshest produce to our kitchens.
So all the chefs will of course be availing of the freshest possible herbs from the Daisy Lodge herb gardens my wife and I installed 2 years ago.”

Cancer Fund for Children’s Daisy Lodge Hospitality Manager Joan Burden said: “This will be a night not to be missed where guests will enjoy delicious local produce cooked by top local talent while looking out at one of the best landscapes in the world. Funds raised will also enable the charity to continue providing vital support services for local families affected by cancer.”

Sharon Machala from Food NI/Taste of Ulster said: “We are delighted to support Cancer Fund for Children’s event in Daisy Lodge, celebrating the Year of Food and Drink. Each month has a calendar theme, May is Landscape and places, what better way to showcase this than with the seven peaks of Mourne as a backdrop. We have been working with Joan at Daisy Lodge in the initial stages to realise the ethos of serving and promoting wholesome local food to the families and children enjoying a therapeutic short break at the facility and we’re delighted Daisy Lodge will play host to this fantastic event.”

Tickets costs £150 per person and seats are limited. Get a ticket for this unique event today by calling Alex Murdock on 028 9080 5599 or email alex@cancerfundforchildren.com

Food NI member Baked in Belfast, the Northern Ireland specialist in highly original jams, has won two gold and silvers awards in the prestigious World Marmalade Awards 2016.
Based near Enniskillen in county Fermanagh, Baked in Belfast entered four products and gained the following awards:
Gold – Marmalade with Interesting Additions – Vodka and Orange Marmalade
Gold- Marmalade with Interesting Additions – Mango Marmalade
Silver – Marmalade with Interesting Additions – Mojito Rum/Mint
Silver – Marmalade with Interesting Additions – Gin and Tonic Marmalade

The small company is run by husband and wife team Suzanne and Keith Livingstone.

Mrs Livingstone, commenting on the awards, says: “We are delighted to have won so many awards at what is the world’s biggest competition for marmalades.

“The expert judges clearly appreciated our range of highly original flavours. I hope the endorsement in these important awards will be beneficial as we seek expand sales throughout the UK, Ireland and further afield.”
Baked in Belfast was among 3,000 entrants to the awards, held at the historic Dalmain Estate, near Penrith in Cumbria for the past 11 years. It is the world’s premier marmalade competition and attracts entries for most parts of Europe, South Africa as well as the US.
Martin Grant, Managing Director, Mackays, one of the sponsors of the awards adds: “The worldwide appeal of marmalade is undeniable and these awards are testament to that.
“We export our marmalade, which we still make the authentic way using copper pans, all over the world, so we already knew that other countries have an appetite for it. However, it wasn’t until we started supporting this event that we appreciated just how many people in continents such as Asia and the Middle East are making it at home – it’s great to see. Mackays is proud to be supporting this event for another year.”
This year, there are no fewer than 15 categories.

Awards which will champion and celebrate innovation and excellence of the food and drinks sector in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon borough have been launched. The area has established itself as the Food Heartland of Northern Ireland because of the sheer volume of food production and the outstanding quality of products. The first Food Heartland Awards, led by Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council, which will be held on 25th May at Craigavon Civic & Conference Centre, will showcase the best local produce and the people behind the thriving agri-food sector as well as highlight the sector’s potential for growth and positive impact on the local economy.

The Food Heartland Awards will be a key highlight of a yearlong calendar of initiatives by the council to champion the local agri-food sector as part of a wider initiative – the Food Heartland and NI Year of Food & Drink 2016. The council has established a Food Heartland Forum, launched in April 2015, which aims to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship within the agri-food industry, throughout the borough, as well as to enhance the tourism experience and expand local agri-food exports.

There are 12 individual awards categories* which reflects the passion, innovation and excellence of the local industry. The awards include Best New Start Up, Best Export Business, Best Licensed Eating Establishment and Best Independent Retail Food Business – to name but a few. Entry is FREE with all details available at www.foodheartland.com. Deadline for entries is 5pm Friday 15th April.

Announcing the Awards Alderman Twyble, said:
“I am delighted to announce the first Food Heartland Awards. The Awards will not only recognise the hard-work and dedication of local food companies but shine a spotlight on the abundance of top quality produce and producers that exists within our borough. The Northern Ireland Year of Food & Drink 2016 provides us with a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and showcase our wonderful products and businesses on a global scale as well as encourage innovation and growth which will only serve to have a positive impact on our local economy. I would encourage anyone involved in this sector to consider entering the awards and make 2016 the year to shine a spotlight on their business.”

Roger Wilson, Chief Executive of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council commented:
“Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s number one priority is to grow the local economy and the agri-food sector is a priority growth area. This was very much demonstrated at the start of the year when we launched the Food Heartland brand in Carn Industrial Estate, Craigavon, to champion the quality and volume of food production in the borough. Against the backdrop of the Northern Ireland Year of Food 2016 this provides us with the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight as well as celebrate our local produce and people behind this thriving sector. The Food Heartland Awards is a fantastic opportunity for this sector to showcase their excellence and innovation to Northern Ireland and beyond. I would like to take this opportunity to wish all entrants good luck and we look forward to welcoming everyone to the gala evening on 25th May.”

The Food Heartland Awards are now open for entry. The Awards gala evening will be hosted at Craigavon Civic & Conference Centre on Wednesday 25th May. Tickets priced at £50 plus VAT. For further details visit www.foodheartland.com or e-mail foodheartland@ndevents.com. Follow Food Heartland Awards on Facebook Food Heartland and twitter@FoodHeartlandNI #FHLAwards16.

As the competition in the league intensifies, Dublin GAA is getting a healthy boost by partnering with the award-winning health food company, Linwoods. In a bid to ensure its athletes’ nutrition is as carefully managed as their on-pitch performance, this is the second year of a two year partnership which sees Armagh-based Linwoods as its Official Health Food Supplier.

The partnership ensures that each player’s diet will now contain essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals, which are all core elements of Linwoods’ product range, consequently complementing each player’s performance on and off the pitch in a positive, energy-driven way.

The Linwoods Superfoods range, which includes a selection of milled and blended seeds, nuts and berries includes products that have the addition of Bio Cultures, for healthy digestion and immune system; and the co-enzyme Q10, which helps to produce energy from every cell in the body. The products can be added to any kind of meal or snack for a nutritional boost.The versatility of the range ensures players have access to essential Omega-3 fatty acids which will aid response time and muscle repair while performing effectively both on and off the pitch.
Speaking about the partnership, Linwoods’ Head of Marketing Sarah Shimmons said: “We have built a reputation for providing high quality healthy foods and we have respect for the dedication, commitment and passion within Dublin GAA – we see these same values reflected within our own company since we were established in 1965. We understand the importance of nutrition not only within sport, but in everyday life and we have been developing innovative convenient healthy products for Irish consumers that will allow them to reap the health benefits of Omega 3, protein, iron and essential fatty acids in their diets naturally.”

“Our Superfoods range has gone from strength to strength – demonstrating the public appetite for healthy food which does you good and tastes good! We look forward to our latest venture with Dublin GAA and hope that our healthy blends will help to deliver healthy scores in the seasons ahead for both the football and hurling teams. We also believe this is a strategic step forward for the company as we seek other opportunities within the sporting world to provide our nutritious foods to competing athletes.”

Daniel Davey, Dublin Senior Football Performance Nutritionist has worked with a host of elite athletes across a range of sports, developing specialised nutrition strategies designed to help both individuals and teams achieve performance-related goals. Daniel welcomes the healthy partnership adding; “Linwoods products are a rich source of essential nutrients such as essential fats, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that can be used in a variety of ways to improve the nutritional value of main meals and homemade snacks. They are excellent for adding to homemade breakfast cereals, muesli, yoghurt, porridge and smoothies as well as making healthy treats! GAA athletes often have both demanding work and training schedules which makes meeting nutrition goals more challenging. Linwoods products are a great solution for these athletes in particular, as they can help them to more conveniently meet their energy and essential nutrient requirements on a daily basis.”

Tomás Quinn, Commercial and Marketing Manager, Dublin GAA: “We are delighted to be partnering with Linwoods for a second year. As a leading Irish company in a growing market sector, we are well aware of the benefits their products have for our players. We believe this partnership is another sign of our desire to help the players meet the needs of balancing inter county football and hurling with their day to day lives.”
For more information on the Linwoods product range, health benefits and mouth-watering recipes see www.linwoodshealthfoods.com, or follow Linwoods on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

As Northern Ireland’s Year of Food & Drink continues, one local wholesaler has gone back to its market roots to celebrate the month of ‘Heritage and Traditions’ this March.

John Agnew, Henderson Group Chairman and Grandson of John Henderson, the founder of Henderson Wholesale, a company owned by the Group, returned to St. George’s Market to recreate his Grandfather’s stall, from which he operated his wholesale business in the early 1900s.

John Henderson started selling butter, cheese and eggs from his market stall in 1897, and moved from his premises on Royal Avenue to the traditional covered markets of St. George’s alongside many other wholesale dealers a few years later.

Mr Henderson sold the products that he had sourced from local dairy farmers here.

Almost 120 years later, Henderson Wholesale still prides itself on sourcing fresh, local produce from farmers, growers and suppliers on the island of Ireland, primarily in Northern Ireland.

Today, 75% of Hendersons fresh produce is sourced here and sold through the SPAR, EUROSPAR, VIVO and VIVOXTRA brands that the Group owns in Northern Ireland.

To celebrate Hendersons return to St. George’s Market, local chef and SPAR brand ambassador Paula McIntyre will be cooking up samples with Mr Agnew for market goers to enjoy on Friday 25th March 2016.

Returning to the spot where his Grandfather had early success with the business was reflective for Mr Agnew, as he looked back at the heritage of the company as a whole.

He commented; “John Henderson was my mother’s father, I am named after him and am proud to continue to be involved in the business through my role as Group Chairman.

“Hendersons heritage is never forgotten, nor taken for granted. We are a local company that will always support local workers, farmers, suppliers and producers, and that will continue into our future legacy. Heritage is an important part of Northern Ireland, and I’m delighted to be able to share ours this March during Northern Ireland’s dedicated Year of Food & Drink.”

Lucy Cairns from Food NI, who joined Mr Agnew on his return to the Market, added; “It was lovely to meet Mr Agnew and hear about the heritage Hendersons has here in Northern Ireland and at St George’s Market. We’re delighted the company is backing the Year of Food & Drink, especially during this month of Heritage and Traditions. We will be down at the Market on Good Friday to sample some of the great local produce the company supports, cooked up by Paula McIntyre.”

Paula McIntyre will be situated by the clock in the Market, and will be using the same produce John Henderson sold during his market days; butter, cheese and eggs, amongst the many other products the company offers its retailers and customers today.

Paula commented; “Hendersons is a huge supporter of local food suppliers and I am delighted to be part of this one-off event, celebrating their heritage in Northern Ireland alongside the fabulous traditions and heritage of our local food. I look forward to cooking up some recipes for market visitors to sample, using our fantastic local ingredients alongside enjoy local eggs collected in Ballymena by Ballygarvey Eggs and enjoy local cheese and butter from Dale Farm.”

To learn more about Henderson Group’s history, visit www.henderson-group.com. Visitors to St. George’s Market on Friday 25th March can sample local food from Paula McIntyre from 10am – 11am.

Article written by Food NI CEO Michele Shirlow for Farm Week 17/03/2016

Top chef Michael Deane did a marvellous job last week by promoting the best of our food and drink at a series of banquets at the renowned St Regis Hotel in Bangkok city centre.

One of our most respected and innovative Michelin chefs, Michael was invited by the hotel to bring the flavours of Northern Ireland to Bangkok and to craft highly original and outstandingly tasty dishes for hundreds of influential diners, business people and food writers from Thailand and other parts of South East Asia.

I’ve seen the menu for the banquets in the five-star restaurant in what is one of Bangkok’s most popular hotels and I can see why every evening of his week-long stint was booked out. The menu was awesome!

Michael designed a wonderful seven-course banquet and then cooked it with his talented team. All the ingredients were sourced from Northern Ireland suppliers, mostly artisan enterprises.

He also selected fine wines to pair with the dishes. What a tremendous boost it was for our Year of Food and Drink, a campaign that features a strong international dimension designed to support Tourism Ireland and Tourism Northern Ireland as they seek to accelerate the growth in tourism here.

This exciting campaign has already been launched in London, Dublin and New York and reached out to chefs in other regions including the United Arab Emirates.

An enterprising Michael Deane has now taken the messages about our food and drink to the heart of South East Asia.

He shaped a spectacular menu that showcased Shortcross Gin Cured Salmon, Copeland Island Scallops, Lough Neagh Smoked Eel in Bramley Apple Caramel, Barbecued Cheeks of Fermanagh Pork and Black Pudding. Abercorn Estate Pigeon with Scallion Potato Bread and Carrots in Irish Whiskey, Peter Hannan’s Sugar Pit Cured Beef Rib with Yardmaster Ale and Burnt Onion, Young Buck Cheese in Seaweed Oat Cake and Fresh Rhubarb Poached in Heather Honey and Ice Buttermilk. That’s a menu to savour. I’d have loved to have been there to lend him support! Virtually every region of Northern Ireland was covered.

Michael Deane, of course, has helped to revolutionise the eating out scene in Belfast over the past 15 years. He has held a Michelin Star for 12 years, the longest ever in Ireland and gained this coveted recognition for EIPIC in Belfast last year….and deservedly so. His dedication and achievements have encouraged and stimulated many others across the province and together they have transformed Northern Ireland into a global centre of culinary excellence, a hub for creative, delicious and safe food with heritage and provenance. If you want to see him in action he will be at LegenDerry this Sunday 20th March in Guild Hall Square where you can also see a developing cadre of highly talented chefs who are creating original and authentic dishes from the superb ingredients from our processors and local farms and fishing families.

Our chefs, furthermore, are working increasingly closely with producers on measures that add significant value to their products.

I believe that the best route to growth for many of our smaller and ambitious businesses is through foodservice, developing relationships with individual chefs and distribution operations to see how existing products could be used on their menus or as ingredients for meals or other foods. Brokering such contacts between our members, chefs, producers and foodservice businesses, is one of Food NI’s strategic priorities for 2016 and beyond.