Christmas is coming early to Comber Farmers’ Market!  Traders are getting ready for the festive event on Thursday 4 December in St Mary’s Parish Church Car Park in the Square from 9.00am -1.30pm by preparing  food products which will make ideal Christmas presents. Christine Patterson from Wood ‘n’ Earth Floral Creations will be demonstrating how to make Christmas wreaths and table centre flower arrangements and  Andrews Memorial Primary School Choir and Ballygowan Community Choir will be singing carols.

Alderman Deborah Girvan said, “We are very excited about our first Christmas market.  This is a wonderful opportunity to buy useful artisan food gifts for Christmas which everybody can enjoy.  In preparation for the Christmas market, the traders are preparing special edition jams, nut butter, chutneys, relishes, handmade chocolates and fudge, cranberry sauce, Christmas cakes, Christmas puddings, and  mince pies.  There will be lots of offers especially for market goers wrapped up in lovely Christmas packaging. Christmas wreaths and  Christmas trees will also be on sale.  We are delighted to welcome the choirs from Andrews Memorial Primary School and Ballygowan which will help to get everybody into the Christmas spirit.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that we have a bright, crisp, sunny day!”

 

Timetable

9.45am            Andrews Memorial Primary School Choir

10.30am          Christmas Floral Art Demonstration

11.00am           Ballygowan Community Choir

11.45am           Christmas Floral Art Demonstration

 

This year at Titanic Belfast we have our wonderful Festive Afternoon Tea with live jazz playing in the opulent surroundings of the Titanic Suite featuring the Grand Staircase!

Plus we have delicious festive menus in The Galley Café and Bistro 401, so come on down and join us for some Christmas cheer!

For more information visit www.titanicbelfast.com

Let the Bushmills Inn put some sparkle into your Christmas and New Year this festive period and join for a Christmas Banquet Evening, Christmas Day Lunch or New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner. Christmas Banquets include: – 4 course meal with entertainment (Friday and Saturday) for £38.50 per person – 4 course meal without entertainment (Sunday to Thursday) for £32.50 – Christmas Banquet menu is also available for lunch parties   Make a night of it in Bushmills Inn by celebrating in style with the special Christmas  overnight rates. Packages include luxurious accommodation and full Irish Breakfast.   For more information, please click on the image below.

Congratulations to our Taste of Ulster member, Bernie McClelland of Rayanne House who won an award for Best Customer Service at the Women in Business Awards NI 2014. These awards are a celebration of both the hard work and achievements of many business women who make a valuable contribution to the economy of Northern Ireland.

Another huge congratulations to Matthew Logan who won Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year on Sunday. The Euro-toques Young Chef of the Year has been recognised as Ireland’s most prestigious culinary competition for young professional chefs.

Well done everyone!

From 13th December, new legislation (the EU Food Information for Consumers Regulation 1169/2011) will require food businesses to provide allergy information on food sold unpackaged. There will also be changes to existing legislation on labelling allergenic ingredients in pre packed foods.

Guidance regarding allergens and intolerances is designed to help food businesses provide information to customers who need to avoid certain ingredients because of an allergy. It includes general advice and information on allergy and intolerance, the food labelling rules and specific voluntary best practice guidance on cross-contamination controls for pre-packed foods and loose foods.

What are the changes?

The changes are:

• Any of the 14 allergens that are on the regulatory list will be emphasised on the label, if they are used as ingredients in a pre-packaged food. Businesses can choose what method they want to use to emphasise these allergens, for example, by listing them in bold, italics, highlighted or underlined, to help identify them.
• Information about allergenic ingredients will be located in a single place, i.e. the ingredients list on pre-packed food. This means that the voluntary use of the current types of allergy boxes (such as: ‘Contains nuts’) that provide a short cut to allergen information also given in the ingredients list, will no longer be allowed.
• Currently, loose foods (that can be bought without packaging) for example in supermarkets, delis, cafes and restaurants; don’t have to provide information you need about food allergens. However, from 13th December, information on any of the 14 allergens used as ingredients will need to be provided for these foods.

For more information please visit the Food Standards Agency website.

 

 

The Little Big Broughgammon Cook Book is ready to Order!

Thanks to All those who took part in the making of the book.

The winners of our recipe competition are:

Adrienne McManus with a delicious Rabbit Stew, Kathy Adam’s with a Wild Pigeon Winter Salad, Sophie Rayner’s Pea, Mint and Nori soup.

Please email: sandy@broughgammon.com so he can sort out your delivery.

 

For everyone, the book is available to pre-order on our website:

www.broughgammon.com

 

See below for a sneak preview

Sally McKenna wrote a beautiful forward. Sally is the self published Co-author of John and Sally McKennas’ guide to all the best place to eat, shop and stay in Ireland. A local Guide to Local places.

 

We have a healthy sized  area reserved specifically for some of our best homemade recipies, while combine a few extra from the likes of Food NI, Coppi in Belfast and Jolly Pies!

 

The big talk of the town for 2014 was our new Free Range Rose Veal, again some great recipies, including Bushmills Inn and Bucks Blue Cheese!

 

Seasonal Wild Game is always close to our hearts, including Venison, Rabbit, Pheasant and Duck, a few tasty treats from some famous peeps.

 

We are really happy to have got this far with all your support, so please enjoy the book!