Experienced botanist Dr Peter Barrett, the owner of Steeper Culture, a small brewer of healthy teas in Drumbo, Co Down, believes in making “drinks to be enjoyed with food, for good times, and always for your good health”.

Peter, who has an extensive scientific background, has just rebranded and relaunched the business, a producer of a range of kombucha, a non-alcoholic drink from a fermented tea base that he launched almost a decade ago under the Craft Tea Brew Company identity.

The new Steeper Culture branding has been developed to reflect the essential nature of the beverages as drinks that have been steeped and cultured or fermented.  “That’s the unique selling point of the products and it’s very rare for a non-alcoholic beverage,” Peter says. The company is a Food NI member.

“I also like the alternative meaning of culture in terms of a craft and traditional culture,” he adds. “Our mission is to brew healthy, clean-label but interesting drinks with a tea base. Craft drinks that are literally ‘steeped’ (infused) and ‘cultured’ (fermented).”

Kombucha, a unique beverage, is a fermented fizzy tea drink, which many nutritionists reckon really is good for you.

The canned beverages, which are readily available in many delis and farm shops, is brewed using tea sourced from a single Kenyan estate with added healthy bacteria and yeast and then left for a period to ferment.

 It’s completely natural. The probiotic bacteria and yeast absorb sugars into ethanol and acetic acid. Probiotic bacteria can help to balance the gut microbiome in humans and improve digestion.

Kombucha has been found to contain antioxidants that help to protect the body. It also contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals which are produced when the yeast breaks down the sugars, including vitamin C and B, B1, B6 and B12.

The teas come in a range of refreshing fruity flavours including strawberry lemonade, cherry lime, and Lightning McGreen,

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Customers include delis Sawers, Arcadia, Oliver’s, Framar Health and Nature’s Way and coffee shops Established, Brew and Bake and Kaffe O, all in Belfast.

Peter’s interest in botanicals comes from his career as a botanist/agronomist. He graduated from Queen’s University in Plant Science and subsequently gained a doctorate in Agronomy in 2000. A research post with QUB’s Department of Applied Plant Science and then an agency, now the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, followed.

Peter was there for five years before moving to a business development role throughout Europe with a sustainable soil and plant nutrition company in Brittany.

His other expertise includes anaerobic digestion, a fermentation process that breaks down organic matter to generate renewable and sustainable energy. He subsequently set up his own consultancy here.

This knowledge of fermentation was a useful insight when he began to produce kombucha.

“It took time for me to create a kombucha that I enjoy,” he continues. ”It was only ever intended for my consumption. More recently I found myself gradually increasing volume as more friends also enjoy it. Then it just seemed to snowball in what has become a bit of a blur until the point, several years ago, when it first went to market,” he explains.

Another influence on his thinking was time spent in health and exercise conscious California, where Kombucha is commonplace in food stores and cafes.

Of all the teas he experimented with over the years, he found one he really liked from a local importer. So, he approached them for guidance in sourcing the best tea for commercial brewing.

“I knew the tea I liked but still did some tasting of different products. This confirmed my choice and gave me a better understanding of tea,” he adds. 

It means the tea for Peter’s kombucha is premium quality, from a reliable source and fully traceable. Added to the tea is his special bio culture nurtured for almost five years. “The product is a true craft brew. I brew everything myself in small batches and have total control over everything.”

He launched Lightning McGreen kombucha as his first under the overall branding of Bucha’s Dog, Craft Tonic Brews. “I wanted an identity that is quirky, a bit of fun and appealed particularly to younger consumers. It’s a play on words of the saying ‘as fit as a butcher’s dog’ with Buchas an abbreviation of kombucha. Generally, kombucha drinkers are fit too! Or at least have good aspirations.

“Lightning McGreen reflected the green tea base and the name of the gardens where it was sourced, known locally as The Place of Lightning,” he says.

He also launched another variety, Assamson and Goliath, brewed with a black tea from India’s Assam. He chose this brand for a local identity. “And there’s no stronger identity than the huge cranes at the iconic Harland and Wolff shipyard,” he adds.

“There’s a long and exciting list of botanical infused kombuchas to come from other teas with the addition of spice, fruit and herbs. I always want the kombuchas to be more craft tonic than soft drink,” he adds.

Our Taste of Ulster members were out in force at the Ulster Regional Final of the Irish Restaurant Awards in the Armagh City Hotel on Wednesday, 10^th April, 2024.

Wine and Brine triumphed yet again with the Best Restaurant Award.

The Muddlers Club in Belfast took Best Restaurant in Antrim.

The Best Chef in Armagh was Darragh Dooley at Killeavy Castle Estate. Stephen Holland at Lough Erne Resort took the gong for Fermanagh, while Gemma Austin from A Peculiar Tea was named Best Chef in Antrim.

The Best Restaurant Manager in Antrim went to Conor McHugh at Waterman Restaurant.

Killeavy Castle Estate was named Best Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant in Armagh, while in Tyrone, that award went to Carleton Restaurant at the Corick Hotel and Spa. The Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort was awarded Best Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant in Fermanagh, while the Cuan won that prize of Best Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant for County Down.

In the Employee Excellence sector, Liam McKenna won the Armagh award for his work at the Armagh City Hotel.

The Poachers, Lisbane won Best Casual Dining in County Down. The Square Bistro in Lisburn won Best Casual Dining in County Antrim, and The Tailor’s House took it home for Tyrone.

The Best Gastro Pub in Antrim went to The Fullerton Arms, while James Street took the award for Best Contemporary Dining in Antrim. Waterman House was named Best Newcomer in Antrim.

Wine and Brine won the Best Wine Experience in Armagh. The Fermanagh award for Best Wine Experience was won by the Catalina Restaurant at Lough Erne Resort. Quay West won the Derry award for Best Wine Experience.

Best Sustainable Practices in Down was won by No14 at The Georgian House. The Ebrington Hotel took the Best Sustainable Practices prize for Derry.

The Yellow Door Deli was named Innovator of the Year in Armagh. Simon Dougan was named Local Food Hero in Armagh. Johnny McDowell from Indie Fude was awarded the Local Food Hero prize for Down, while Emily McCorkell was awarded the accolade for Derry. The Antrim Innovator of the Year went to A Peculiar Tea.

Congratulations to all!

A range of delicious Salt Moss Dry Aged Beef from Kettyle Irish Foods in Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh is now available in selected Tesco Ireland stores in the Republic of Ireland.

FoodNI member Kettyle is an award-winning producer of premium beef products aged in a unique salt moss chamber developed by Maurice Kettyle, the company’s managing director and founder. He is among the most successful and respected entrepreneurs within the Irish beef industry.

Tesco Ireland has listed: Salt Moss Dry Aged Fillet Steak; Salt Moss Dry Aged Ribeye Steak; Salt Moss Dry Aged Striploin Steak; Salt Moss Dry Aged Sirloin Steak; and Dry Aged Burgers

The quality meat is 100 percent from Irish, Bord Bia approved farms. Ireland is known worldwide for its premium quality, grass fed beef.

Grass fed beef is nutrient-rich with health benefits including fewer calories, greater Omegas, Vitamin A, E and micronutrients – all of which stem from a healthy life in the field

Kettyle’s master butchers carefully select each animal and hand cut with unique specialisation. The butchers’ knowledge, along with the company’s processes, always deliver supreme tenderness that carries through to an exquisitely tender eating experience.

As the original dry aged company established in 2004, the company knew it needed to do something even better, so it created its own unique Salt Moss Dry Ageing Chambers.  These chambers house a wall of handcrafted salt bricks – using Virgin Organic Irish Sea Salt, held together by a natural binder – Irish Organic Sea Weed (Carrageen).

“Over the years, our chambers have developed a unique culture and environment, providing a distinct flavour profile unique to Kettyle,” the company says.

The meat is hung naked in the chambers, allowing it meat to breathe.
“As the salt walls are hygroscopic (absorbs moisture), the moisture is drawn out of the meat, ensuring it becomes under stable control quicker than non-Salt Aged Meat.
Due to the high potassium levels in the salt walls, the dry culture within the chill is maintained and self-managed.

“Our Salt Moss process concentrates the flavour of the meat and almost renders the fat to a dry flakiness. This dry nature enables it to caramelise quickly on the pan, sealing and locking in the sweet yet nutty beefiness. Often our meat is described as beef of yesteryear, true to flavour with a depth that bursts on the palette.”

Influential retailer Marks and Spencer (M&S) has listed six yoghurt products from Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt in Bangor for its 22 stores across Northern Ireland.

The important listing is the outcome of discussions over several months between the successful food retailer and Clandeboye, the only substantial producer in Northern Ireland of a range of award-winning yoghurts.

Food NI member M&S has listed the following Clandeboye yoghurts, many of which have won Great Taste, Blas na hEireann and UK & Irish Quality Awards over the past five years: Natural, Authentically Strained Greek Style and Madagascan Vanilla Greek Style in 450g pots and premium flavoured Mandarin and Lime, Mango and Nectarine, and Raspberry and White Chocolate in 150g pots.

Bryan Boggs, Clandeboye Yoghurt general manager, commenting on the latest listing for the range of yoghurts, says: “We are thrilled to have won this important business from M&S for its popular food halls across Northern Ireland. The listing is a further recognition of the quality, variety and, above all, the outstanding taste of our yoghurts which has been endorsed in awards for excellence in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

“We look forward to working with M&S and are delighted that our products will now be available on their shelves locally. It’s a tremendous business opportunity for us,” he adds.

Established in 2008 by the late Lady Dufferin as a farm diversification project, Clandeboye Estate Yoghurt operates from a recently completed state-of-the-art dairy on the estate outside Bangor. Much of the milk for the yoghurt is sourced from the 670-acre farm’s award-winning pedigree dairy herd in addition to other farms in County Down.

The yoghurt business and farm are focused on preserving the local environment and sustainability. Power for estate, for instance, is provided by an anaerobic digester which turns silage, purpose grown crops and waste material into electricity.

   

Enterprising chef/businesswoman Emily Marschall is planning to bring her American influenced culinary expertise, especially in barbecues and grilling, to a café she’s just taken over in the Culturlann, Derry’s dynamic Irish language and cultural centre.

Emily, the owner of the city’s Lo&Slo, a small enterprise that’s won widespread acclaim, including UK Great Taste Awards, for its range of unique American BBQ sauces that owe much to her upbringing in Philadelphia, Pennyslvania’s largest city and home of iconic Philly cheesesteak sandwich.

“Our cafe is called Sos Caifé (Coffee Break) and will open its doors this month,” Emily says. “Our menu, which we are finalising at the moment, will be original and will feature the best seasonal and local ingredients especially from artisan companies in Derry and the wider North West. There’s certainly plenty of choice from artisans here which can be enjoyed by locals and visitors,” she adds.

The centre, Emily continues, “does a marvellous job, which we are keen to support, in teaching Irish and Ulster Scots as well as renting space to the North West Academy to teach English to workers from the likes of Poland and Spain”.

Emily, who has a successful track record in street food, has also just launched a unique BBQ school within the walled garden at Brook Hall Estate and Gardens outside the city.

“It’s a four-hour class cooking local ingredients over five different types of grills,” explains Emily, a graduate of the University of Missouri. She came to Derry as a volunteer in 2005 to mentor teenagers on what she intended to be a short stint, married and stayed, becoming one of the city’s most enterprising foodies.

 ”We aim to have a different theme each month and collaborate with a different food or drink producer to showcase what they do and how it complements the menu. This month is a beer pairing with Northbound Brewery! And in June we’re featuring a vegan BBQ.”

As a firm favourite at the Balmoral Show, the Award-Winning NI Food & Drink Pavilion will return to the province’s largest agri-food event this year with over 90 local food and drink companies.

Organised by food and drink membership organisation Food NI, the NI Food & Drink Pavilion offers visitors an endless variety of mouthwatering tastes and treats from local producers. With an array of original food and drink available including award winning, innovative and well-established brands, it’s not surprising that there is something to suit all tastes.

This year, Food NI is excited to welcome a wealth of local exhibitors including Howell House, Tayto, Punjana, Long Meadow Cider, Ballylisk of Armagh, White’s, Bro Coffee, The Krazi Baker, Melting Pot Fudge, Cloughbane Farm, Glastry Farm Ice Cream, Marshall Beekeeping, Papa’s Mineral Company, Morellis, Linwoods, Irish Black Butter, Fluffy Meringue, Kettyle Irish Foods, Lecale Harvest and Gold and Browne’s.

The NI Drinks Area will be returning due to popular demand in celebration of excellent local beer, cider, gin and whiskey producers including Long Meadow Cider, Basalt Distillery, Shortcross Gin, Wild Atlantic Distillery, Copeland Distillery and Black Arch Distillery.

Visitors will be delighted with the return of the Moy Park Theatre Kitchen, where they will find inspiration for quick and delicious chicken recipes, as well as new ways to spice up family mealtimes, throughout the four days of the Show. The Moy Park team will be joined by another two Theatre Kitchens, all with an action-packed programme for visitors featuring interactive sessions with local producers and makers, as well as tastings from both much loved, and new NI food and drink brands.  Returning again in 2024 is the TESCO Theatre Kitchen which will host the much loved and highly competitive Steak Competition on Thursday 16th May. The TESCO Theatre Kitchen will also host ‘Female Friday’, a day dedicated to celebrating female chefs, and food and drink producers from Northern Ireland. New to the Pavilion this year is the Talks & Tastings Stage. This stage will host over 20 producers over the 4 day event, giving visitors a real insight into the makers and stories behind much loved and award winning food and drink, and promoting food and drink experiences in Northern Ireland.

Local food influencer, ambassador for local produce and recent winner of Channel 4 ‘Come Dine With Me’ Julie Fitzpatrick will be on stage, and one of Northern Ireland’s top chefs Noel McMeel will be there all week, with a host of award winning local chefs, talented producers, foodie influencers and well known personalities.

Recognised as being an excellent platform for artisan food and drinks companies, there will be four regions represented by their councils in this year’s Pavilion to include Mid and East Antrim Food Network, Antrim and Newtownabbey, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, and Lisburn and Castlereagh City Councils. With dozens of exciting and talented food innovators confirmed, it’s a fantastic opportunity to meet the people behind the produce.

Also the perfect place for a quick bite, visitors are welcome to check out the Food to Go Area within the Pavilion for tasty, locally inspired breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Food NI Chief Executive Michele Shirlow, commented, “We are delighted to bring over 90 local companies together this May for a real showcase of excellent quality food and drink. The NI Food & Drink Pavilion at Balmoral Show is the highlight of the agri-food calendar in Northern Ireland and the Pavilion provides an excellent platform for local producers, makers and entrepreneurs to meet consumers, promote and sell their products to thousands of people and also to talk to potential buyers and do real business. We are very proud of the skill and expertise here in Northern Ireland and the food Pavilion is the best place to see local food and drink under one roof.’’ 

The Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank will return to the Eikon Exhibition Centre showgrounds from Wednesday 15^th May to Saturday 18^th May 2024.

Tickets are now available online at www.balmoralshow.co.uk. For further updates you can follow the Balmoral Show on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.