Taste is put to the test in the 2014 European Angus Steak Tasting Competition

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Sponsored by Devenish Nutrition

Leading suppliers of top quality beef in Northern Ireland are battling it out to find the Province’s best steaks!

The heats and the final of the 2014 European Angus Steak Tasting Competition sponsored by Devenish Nutrition have taken place at CAFRE Loughry Campus in Cookstown and the countdown is now on to see who will be named ‘Supreme Champion’ in this the fourth year of the prestigious competition, which is open to all breeds of cattle.

Judging the six finalists in this year’s competition was head judge, Michele Shirlow, Chief Executive of Food NI.

The best fillet, sirloin and rib-eye steaks in the Under 15 and Over 15 employees categories had already been decided during the blind tasting heats and Michele was tasked with the job of selecting the Supreme Champion steak.

Commenting on her role as head judge Michele Shirlow said: “It was a very difficult job as all the steaks were excellent, each one having already been selected as a category winner.”

If you are wondering who got Michele’s vote in the taste ‘steaks’ you will have to wait a while longer as all will be revealed at a special charity Gala Dinner and Awards presentation evening being held at the Bannville House Hotel in Banbridge on Saturday, March 15.

Also to be revealed at the Awards night will be the winners of the beef sausage, gourmet beef sausage and beefburger categories of the EACS Devenish Nutrition sponsored event.

The judging of these categories, again carried out as blind tastings, was undertaken by members of Collone Young Farmers Club following the Steak Tasting final.

“While the steak heats are blind tasted by the various contestants we invite members of Young Farmers Clubs to judge the sausages and the beefburgers and this has proved very popular,” explained European Angus Cattle Society Secretary, Harry McGaffin.

This year, for the first time, the competition has a sponsor, leading agri-technology company Devenish Nutrition.

“The competition has grown year-on-year and to such an extent that the support of Devenish Nutrition has been both welcome and necessary,” added Harry.

Commenting on the company’s support for the event, Stephen Agnew, Ruminant Nutritionist at Devenish Nutrition said: “The Steak Tasting Competition is a great opportunity for the local industry to showcase the fantastic produce Northern Ireland has to offer and we are delighted to be involved.”

The winners of all classes, along with ‘the Supreme Champion’ will be revealed at the Awards Dinner.

Entertainment is being provided on the night and an auction and raffle will be held in aid of the European Angus Cattle Society’s chosen charity ‘The Make a Wish Foundation’.

Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased by contacting European Angus Cattle Society Secretary, Harry McGaffin on 0771 558 4887.

 

LegenDerry Food Guide

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Welcome to the LegenDerry Food Guide.

Today Derry boasts one of the finest eating scenes in Ireland. Well, after all, it’s only natural. Just think of the achingly beautiful landscape that surrounds us. These rich pasture lands and meadows feed the world’s luckiest dairy cattle and some of its finest beef herds.

But that is just the start of the story. Our loughs, rivers and coastal waters teem with an abundance of wonderful fish and seafood, such as our Atlantic salmon, among the largest in Western Europe. Lough Foyle nurtures a bounty of slow growing wild mussels and oysters, for local tables and the discerning restaurants of France and further afield. The sea lough, flushed twice a day by the Atlantic, and receiving torrents of fresh water from the mountains of Donegal and the wild Sperrin hills, produces some of the world’s best shellfish. This wonderful array of fish and seafood is brought ashore at charming fishing villages just a hop and skip away from the City of Culture.

With such an abundance of world-class material, our award-winning chefs are making Derry a culinary capital. Bringing global influences to bear, they use the finest local produce to creative simply wonderful food. From sublime modern Irish cuisine at restaurants like Browns and Beech Hill Country Hotel’s Ardmore to inviting Italian, spicy Indian and mouth-watering Lebanese, your palate can taste a world of food in Derry.

You can add to that the best of café society at bustling cosmopolitan cafes and welcoming traditional coffee shops, as well as fantastic gastro fare at many atmospheric pubs and bars. And all this is served up with what Derry does naturally, the friendliest of welcomes.

Come and taste the difference in Derry.

The LegenDerry Food Guide now available in over 1,500 bedrooms across the city and district. The guide promotes the use of local product and highlights local food provenance.

Countryside Alliance Awards – NI Winners!

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Congratulations to Broughgammon Farm on clinching the Northern Ireland title in 2013!

A press release will follow soon, but safe to say the judges were impressed by first generation farmers and brothers Charlie and Sandy Cole who spotted a niche market in goat meat (Cabrito) and have quickly increased their herd from 30 to 300, adding deer management and seaweed exports to their list of accomplishments. Their dedication is definitely paying off!

Please support our local farmers and producers who work so hard to bring quality produce to our tables!

Broughgammon Farm
50 Straid Road
Ballycastle
Antrim
BT54 6NP
028 207 68863
07793 485278
info@broughgammon.com
www.broughgammon.com
Twitter: @BroughgammonFrm

A high commendation has been awarded to Harrisons of Greyabbey, the impressive brasserie, farm shop and nursery on the Ards Peninsula.

Harrisons of Greyabbey

35 Ballybryan Road
Greyabbey
Newtownards
Ards Peninsula
BT22 2RB
028 4278 8088
info@harrisonsofgreyabbey.co.uk
www.harrisonsofgreyabbey.co.uk

Top TV talent to cook up a LegenDerry Feast

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Ireland’s most popular celebrity chefs will be taking a break from the TV studios this weekend, to impress visitors and locals alike with their kitchen secrets when they drop into the city for a culinary celebration to remember at the LegenDerry Food Festival.

Rachel Allen and Neven Maguire will both be here on Saturday afternoon to cook up a storm and sign copies of their latest books during the three day event, which is organised by Derry City Council and sponsored by the DARD NI Regional Food Programme, Invest NI and the City of Culture Legacy Programme.

Rachel Allen never fails to impress food fans with her simple but delicious approach to home cooking, winning her a dedicated following and making her a regular feature on all the best cookery shows. She will be taking a break from the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, where she teaches alongside her famous mother-in-law Darinagh Allen, to star in the Theatre of Food in the Guildhall Square from 2.30pm, (check times from latest menu boards I sent you) and reveal some of the tricks of the trade. Rachel will sign copies of her book following the demonstration at 4pm.

She will be joined on Saturday afternoon by Cavan’s most renowned kitchen aficionado Neven Maguire, who will be creating a stir with his creative twists on classic Irish produce. Neven is another familiar face on our TV screens where he features on RTE’s most popular cookery programme Home Chef. He will sign his latest book at 1pm before impressing the crowds in the kitchen at 1.30pm.

They will be joined by Ian Orr, Irish Chef of The Year 2013 from Browns in Derry and  BBC Radio regulars Paula McIntyre, who brightens up Saturday mornings with her cookery slot on Radio Ulster’s Saturday Magazine Programme. Brian McDermott, the ‘No Salt Chef’, who is a favourite on our airwaves and television screens will demonstrate and compere the event. All chefs will working their magic on some fantastic local produce on Sunday afternoon, and Brian will be back on Monday for second helpings. In addition to the celebrity chefs at the event, 12 local restaurants and more than 20 providers will provide continual cook offs from 12 noon – 6pm.

Tourism Officer with Derry City Council Mary Blake, event organisersaid: “I am delighted to welcome all our chefs to the event this weekend, and in particular Rachel Allen and Neven Maguire who are at the very forefront of Irish cooking. I’m sure they will get a very Derry welcome on Saturday when they show off the skills that have established them as household names.

“We have a wealth of cooking talent here in the city and this weekend is the ideal platform to showcase the innovative and exciting work going on in our top class hotels, cafes and restaurants. The North West is such a bountiful region when it comes to fine produce, so it’s fantastic to be able to support the many producers and suppliers who will be bringing along a cornucopia of culinary treats from handmade fudge and preserves, to chutneys and fresh seafood. I would encourage everyone to come along and savour some of the best food in the country.”

The kitchen action kicks off in the Marquee each day at 12noon, with demonstrations, talks and dishes served hot off the stove until 5.30pm on Monday. A team of top chefs from our best local venues will be manning the stoves on the boulevard of chefs, rustling up mouth watering dishes such as Beef with home cured spices, potato cakes and local greens, and Pork Belly and Seabreem.

For the younger chefs there will be plenty of fun activities and entertainment courtesy of the Singing Chef, the Cake Ladies and the Candy Girls, with face painting, children’s crafts and balloon modelling. And when you’ve filled up on food, there’s plenty on the St Patrick’s Festival programme to entertain throughout the city from the Trad Triangle of music which takes place at three city centre stages each day, to the Magical Storytelling Garden which will transform Ebrington Square each day from 12pm – 5pm.

For more information and a full timetable of the LegenDerry Food Festival events go to www.derrycity.gov.uk/food. And to find out more about all the St Patrick’s Carnival weekend, go to www.derrycity.gov.uk/stpatricksday

Northern Ireland Tourism Awards 2014 – Entries Now Open

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The Northern Ireland Tourism Awards, presented in association with Diageo Northern Ireland are a celebration of the very best in tourism and hospitality. The event will be a glittering celebration of tourism success over the past year.

This year’s Northern Ireland Tourism Awards, the ‘Oscars’ for the tourism sector will be the biggest and best awards ceremony that Northern Ireland Tourist Board has undertaken and will take place at the Ulster Hall Belfast on Thursday 29 May 2014.

For more information check out www.nitourismawards.com/

Irish Pantry on the Shelves!

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Tourism Minister Arlene Foster and Dame Mary Peters were among the many guests at the recent launch of Fermanagh Chef Noel McMeel’s book, Irish Pantry, held on the twelfth floor of Belfast’s Europa Hotel.

He has cooked for presidents and prime ministers at the 2013 G8 Summit, he famously created the celebratory feast for Sir Paul McCartney’s wedding but when it comes to his absolute passion for Food, the full title of Noel McMeel’s book says it all – Irish Pantry: Traditional Breads, Preserves and Goodies to Feed the Ones You Love!

Speaking at the launch event, Minister Foster fully endorse Noel McMeel’s take on food. She said: “Our wonderful food tells a story of Northern Ireland’s culture, heritage, people and landscape. Noel’s recipes are steeped in nostalgia and celebrate a culture of eating home-grown produce of great quality.

“As Noel’s book demonstrates, Northern Ireland food is about so much more than the mouth watering ‘Ulster fry’. Our strength is in our regionally produced, distinctive and provenance-based local food produce.”

The packed event, which welcomed family, friends, colleagues in the hospitality industry and guests from as far away as Washington, was sponsored by Bunzl McLaughlin, a leading supplier to the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland.

Irish  Pantry is published by Running Tree Press, New York and available from all good book shops and online, priced £18.99.