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!

 

Do something a little bit different for your Christmas outing this year.
Have your Christmas at Belfast’s Award Winning Arts Venue.
3 course lunch £20
3 course dinner £25

Catch up with friends, spend time with family or throw that seasonal staff party…and if you organise a group of 12 or more you eat free.
For details visit themaclive.com

Taste of Christmas Event: Saturday 29 November 2014

Coffee Masterclass
10am and 12 noon

Make mine a Canteen coffee

Ever wondered why the coffee tastes so good at Canteen? Now is your chance to find out why.

Join us for our famous winter-warming Coffee Bar Brew Masterclass. Enjoy extensive coffee tasting and discover the brewing methods from our expert   Baristas.

Learn the art of Chemex and Aeropress brewing during one of our sessions at either 10am or 12 noon.

To book your coffee tasting experience visit themaclive.com

 

Festive Eats and Treats
1.30pm

Children’s nutritional workshop

Add a little glitter & sparkle to your kid’s Christmas with a fun workshop with Vital Nutrition’s Jane McClenaghan.

Discover what foods fuel Santa and Rudolph’s journey as they deliver presents around the world, have a go at making some seasonal healthy snacks and take part in Vital Nutrition’s smelly challenge!

Suitable for children of all ages, this fun and interactive workshop will get your little ones excited about eating healthy foods.

To book your nutritional workshop visit themaclive.com

Tickets £10

 

Festive Wine Tasting
3pm

Toast the season

Sample handpicked festive must haves and discover the wines you will want this Christmas in an informal but knowledgeable afternoon hosted by Ciaran Meyler from United Wine Merchants.

To book your Festive Wine Tasting experience visit themaclive.com

Tickets £10

 

Cocktail Masterclass
5pm

Get Creative

Come along to Canteen’s first interactive Cocktail Masterclass. Enjoy mixing some of our award winning creations and learn a few secret tips for crafting your own cocktails this festive season.

To book your Cocktail Masterclass  experience visit themaclive.com

Tickets £10

 

Craft Beer and Cider Tasting
7pm

Craft beer and winter-warming tastes

Come along and give your input into our New Year Craft Beer and Cider Menu.

Join us for our tasting session complete with local craft beers, hot cider to keep the chills at bay and enjoy a sample of delicious food bites.

To book your craft beer and cider tasting experience visit themaclive.com

Tickets £10

 

Jazz Supper
7pm

Got an appetite for jazz?

Canteen’s Jazz Supper Club series continues with Conor Taggart.

Live jazz entertainment with a 2 course supper and a glass of wine.  Watch out for details of next month’s Jazz Supper on 27 December.

To book your jazz supper visit themaclive.com

Tickets £20
Unique Gift Ideas

Canteen’s specially crafted hampers or a Canteen gift voucher make a wonderful corporate gift or treat for the foodie in your life.

To find out more email us at canteen@themaclive.com

TV mentalist announces run of exclusive intimate shows in local Ground Espresso Bars

Fresh from filming a new hit TV show in the USA, Northern Ireland’s mind blowing, mentalist David Meade has announced a run of intimate shows in local coffee houses across Northern Ireland.

Ahead of his nationwide theatre tour in January 2015, David has partnered with leading independent coffee chain Ground Espresso Bars, Meade will get up close and personal with the audience who will witness David’s famous techniques of mind manipulation and suggestion.

Well-known in Northern Ireland for his mind-bending feats, David has chosen to take on a fresh challenge with these intimate performances in order to raise vital funds for Action for Children, the charity that supports and speaks out for the most vulnerable children and young people in the UK.

Darren Gardiner, Ground Espresso Bars said, “David is the first mentalist ever to crack a Las Vegas Casino and he’s even levitated 60 feet in the air, but for us he’s agreed to keep his feet firmly on the ground!”

“You really will be blown away by his ability to tell what you are thinking and given his international success this is an amazing opportunity to get up close and personal with this local mentalist.”

For more information on the exclusive tour, visit www.davidmeade.co.uk. Tickets for each event will be limited and given on a first come first served bases, to secure your place email davidvisitsground@gmail.com

David’s exclusive shows will take place at Ground Espresso Bars across Northern Ireland from 7pm – 9pm on the following dates:

26 November: Sprucefield, Lisburn 27 November: Waterstones, Belfast

28 November: Ballymoney

01 December: Ballymena 02 December: Portrush 08 December: Coleraine

09 December: Cookstown

David is a researcher and lecturer in international business with one of Ireland’s leading universities, whose personal interests have always focused on aspects of popular psychology, consumer behaviour, and choice. By combining these professional and personal passions with his love of the performance of mentalism, David has become a sought after speaker with a reputation for an innovative style that forces audiences to think critically about the challenges around them.

Ground Espresso Bars, a family owned and operated business, was established in 2001 in Coleraine. Employing over 120 staff across 11 stand-alone stores and concessions in Northern Ireland, Ground Espresso Bars’ mission is “to provide a haven for customers where comfort, friendship, happiness, quality and ethics become synonymous with their name”.

   

A small Co Londonderry company which quite literally knows its onions is the latest addition to Tesco’s growing portfolio of Northern Ireland suppliers.

Limavady-based Milgro has just secured its first listing with the leading retailer, which is now stocking its crispy tobacco onions and crispy chilli onions.

Northern Ireland’s only commercial onion grower, Milgro has been in the onion business since 1989.

The company grows its onions in the Roe Valley on land which has been farmed for several generations by the Miller family, which owns the business.

Its first listing with Tesco has led Milgro to expand its premises and add two extra staff to its 10-strong team.

Gerald Miller from Milgro explained: “The fertile soil on our land makes it ideal for growing tasty, delicious onions.

“Our son Ian came into the family business after university and wanted to expand our range by producing crispy onions.

“And it’s these crispy onions, in traditional tobacco style and chilli flavour, which are now being stocked in 15 Tesco stores across Northern Ireland. We are delighted with the listing, which enables us to bring our crispy onions to many more consumers, and we look forward to stocking in all Tesco stores.”

Sandra Weir from Tesco said: “These products prove that you don’t have to go further afield to find amazing onions. They really are first class and are already selling well.”

Milgro has recently undertaken a re-branding project to highlight the fact its products are made with onions from Northern Ireland.

Tesco spends nearly £600million on Northern Ireland products each year, it has more than 90 local suppliers and it stocks more than 1,200 local products.

 
ENDS
 
CAPTION: Ian Miller and Gerald Miller from Limavady-based Milgro show Michael Creighton, manager of Tesco’s Limavady store, some of the tonnes of onions they grow each year in the Roe Valley. Milgro has just secured its first listing with the leading retailer, which is now stocking its crispy tobacco onions and crispy chilli onions.