Symphonia Spirits in Moy, a Food NI member, has hit the right notes with Tesco Northern Ireland, announcing a significant listing for its Irish Apple Gin, which is now available across the majority of Tesco stores in Northern Ireland and via Tesco online. 

A sustainable distillery developed by organic chemist, Dr Ulrich Dyer, Symphonia Spirits makes its products using a unique cold distillation process that uses only two percent of the energy required for traditional distilling*, making it the most sustainable distillation process across the industry.

Combining the purity of science with flavours from nature, two-star Great Taste award-winning Symphonia Irish Apple Gin uses the Armagh Bramley Apple, an ingredient unique to Northern Ireland. It sits alongside Symphonia’s Irish Dry Gin – named as Champion of Champions at the Irish Gin Awards – and Symphonia Raspberry Gin Liqueur and Symphonia Irish Apple Rum. 

Tesco is the first major retailer to list Symphonia Spirits’ gin and complements a strong network of independent off-sales and hospitality customers that stock the gin across Northern Ireland. 

Dr Ulrich Dyer adds: “We are delighted to have secured this listing with Tesco which will give shoppers across Northern Ireland a convenient way to purchase Symphonia Irish Apple Gin from their local Tesco store. “We are particularly excited by this listing as it comes on the cusp of an important phase of growth for the business, which will be supported by an ambitious marketing campaign and the development of new flavours. Our goal is for Symphonia Spirits to bottle the rich flavours of Northern Ireland, and to make this available across the world for people to enjoy. This is the first step in a new chapter for the business”.

Symphonia Spirits creates the best-tasting spirits possible by capturing the flavours and fragrances of botanicals in the most eco-efficient way. Its unique distillation process uses three techniques – cold distillation, hydro-distillation, and molecular analysis – which extract botanicals with maximum efficiency, preserving their taste and quality. 

Committed to sourcing Northern Irish products, Michael Crealey, Tesco buying manager for NI, says: “Tesco is a major supporter of Northern Ireland producers and we now list thousands of products from over 100 local suppliers. I’ve been watching Symphonia’s growth over the past few years and am delighted that due to the company’s upscaling of production, we can now offer its award-winning, and distinctive Irish apple gin to our customers, giving our shoppers even greater choice and quality with our alcohol aisles.”

 
After working at the cutting-edge of drug discovery for 30 years, Dr Ulrich Dyer founded Symphonia Spirits five years ago, determined to find a more sustainable method of distilling alcohol.  He combined his love of food and drink with his understanding of molecular science to create Symphonia Irish gin – ironically a spirit originally invented by chemists.

Over the past five years, the company has added to its product range, and in addition to gin and rum, Symphonia Spirits has plans to introduce innovative new products in 2024.

Food NI member Irish Black Butter has been shortlisted in the prestigious Quality Food Awards which recognise the finest food products, available to purchase in the UK.

Irish Black Butter, a sweet/savoury spread from Portrush, Co Antrim, is shortlisted in the relishes category. The artisan company, owned by Alastair Bell, has won a host of UK Great Taste and Blas na hEireann awards for the spread which features Armagh bramley apples and spices. The sauce is now on sale in Britain, Ireland and the US.

Food NI’s chief executive Michele Shirlow said: “This is another important achievement for Irish Black Butter and is a tremendous endorsement of the product and the professionalism of this artisan business.”

Now in its 44th year, the Quality Food Awards are the longest-running, most prestigious food awards in the UK; they cast a spotlight on products that offer fine ingredients, great taste and aroma, beautiful packaging and amazing value for money.

The Quality Food Awards are not just about new products – judges are looking to reward excellence in food and soft drinks, regardless of when a product was launched. If it tastes great and looks great, a well-established product is as eligible to win an award as one that was launched in the past 12 months.

Winning a Quality Food Award is an outstanding achievement. It means that a product has been judged to be the very best by renowned industry experts – and that really is something to shout about.

Other local companies shortlisted are meat processor Dunbia in Dungannon, WD Meats in Coleraine and Seasons of the Glens in Ballycastle for its Devil’s Churn Campfire Caramel Sauce.

Chef Rob Curley & Slemish Market Supper Club had their 4 Hands dining experience with Les Gens Heureux Bistro Tours, Loire Valley France. It was a wonderful  evening of gastronomic food , service, fun  & fine Loire Valley wine with Head Chef Gilles Hemart  his kitchen team &  owner Lucie Plisson + her front of house team.

The day of the 4 hands Dinner there was a 6.30 am  start for Chef Gilles & Rob to Tours market to choose all the ingredients for the menu, back to the restaurant to prep for the evening.

Many thanks to everyone who dined with us  and to owner Lucie ,Chef Gilles , the restaurant team and the people of Tours who welcomed me like family. It is an amazing city of hospitality , culture & home to the Ireland Rugby team for their Rugby World Cup France 2023 .( a little secret the Irish coaches and Management dined in the bistro).

Allez Les Verts! Allez Les Bleus!

The 4 hands Menu:

The Irish Coconut Cocktail 

Poiteen / Gorse Cordial / Potato 

Wee bites: Amuse Bouche

“ The Hangover Sandwich”

Black pudding / Potato Bread / Egg Yolk Jam / Apple Ketchup / Bushmills Whiskey Pipette 

Pig Potato Souffle/ Ham Cream 

Tapioca Cracker

Irish & French Oysters

Guinness & Oyster /  Crisp Oatmeal crumbed Oyster/ Pickled Rathlin Island Sea Lettuce / Guinness Gel / Oyster Sea Foam

Oyster/ Gin Jelly / Salmon Caviar / Tagette Flowers / Citrus Foam 

Shamrock Spirulina Mousse / Fine Herbs / Green Corsican Jus

 Loire Pike Perch / Tour Honey / Porridge of Baby Vegetables / Brown Beer Jus 

Mille Feuile of Cabbage and Apple 

Tenderloin of Pork / Potato Cube / Malt Sauce 

Ruck & Maul

White Chocolate Cremeaux Rugby Ball /  Poached Pear / Oat Crumble / Pear & Apple Shamrock 

Petite Fours

The shortlists are out for the Food and Wine Ireland Magazine Awards and as ever, Taste of Ulster members are well-represented.

In the running for Best Restaurant are OX, Waterman and Roam- all in Belfast and Wine and Brine, Moira. Best Chef nominees include Stevie Toman; OX, Ryan Jenkins; Roam, Aaron McNeice; Waterman, Ian Orr; Ardtara, Gemma Austin; A Peculiar Tea and Chris Magowan; Wine and Brine.

Stove Bistro, Belfast, is shortlisted for Best Casual Dining. EIPIC is up for Best Wine Experience, plus OX. Ardtara is nominated for Hotel Restaurant of the Year as is The Seahorse at the Grand Central. Slemish Market Supper Club has been shortlisted for Best Casual Dining, and their Chef Rob Curley for Innovator of the Year.

The 2023 Food and Wine Awards will take place on Sunday November 5 th .

Shoppers at Selfridges in London, one of the UK’s most prestigious and influential stores, are now enjoying instant rice noodles developed by Coleraine chef/entrepreneur Thana Thammavongsa.

Thana, owner of Whoosh, a successful and popular food production business and café, near Coleraine town centre, has supplied a range of noodles to Selfridges following an approach from the high-end department store’s senior buyer back in May of this year. Whoosh is a Food NI member.

The approach eventually to an agreement to supply the noodles which went on sale in the hugely popular store in early September. Commenting on the new business, which is the first for Whoosh outside Northern Ireland, Thana says: “I was thrilled to receive the approach from such a prestigious and influential food store as Selfridges, one of the biggest stores in the world and one with a great commitment to quality and innovative food.”

Cartons of Whoosh Vietnamese instant curry, Thai red curry and Thai Tom Yum noodles are now on the shelves of the top store. Thana continues: “This is a tremendously exciting business for us. At Whoosh, we love cooking, we love eating! We always think about food, we dream about food…Thai and Vietnamese food.”

Whoosh was founded in 2008 in Coleraine by Thana with the aim “to share a love of food, our culture and the stories behind every recipe and every dish we cook”. “We began our journey with private and corporate event catering, which led to the opening of our own Thai and Vietnamese street food café. Our belief is in fresh, delicious food that’s cooked with love and really makes a difference, keeping consumers healthy. Over the years, we gradually won the hearts and appetites of so many foodies here,” she adds.

2022 marked the launch of Whoosh’s own range of instant rice noodle pots that can be eaten everywhere. “The noodles are authentic, three-minute meals that have been handcrafted with care, using only the best quality and purest ingredients,” continues Thana. She believes in “eating healthy, eating happy, eating together”.

UK MINISTER FOR EXPORTS Lord Offord visited Titanic Distillers at Thompson Dock today to officially open Belfast’s first working whiskey distillery in almost 90 years.

The Minister, who took up his position at the Department of Business and Trade in April this year, performed the opening ceremony at the new distillery, where whiskey production is now under way for the first time in Belfast since the days of prohibition in the 1930s.

Lord Offord unveiled a commemorative plaque at the distillery which is based on the site of the historic Thompson Dock and Pumphouse, the birthplace of the Titanic.

As well as meeting with Titanic Distillers directors, the Lord enjoyed a brief tour of the £8M distillery and visitor centre, including a whiskey tasting with Head Distiller Damien Rafferty.

He also took time to chat with attending members of the Dockers Club in Pilot Street and Welders Club in Dee Street, in keeping with the company’s ‘Blood, Sweat And Years’ theme which celebrates Belfast’s industrial and maritime past, and is inspired by the people who worked in the city’s shipyard more than a century ago.

The retired workers, from both sides of the community, shared their stories with the Minister, who said he was honoured to be invited to perform the official opening.

“It is an honour to officially open Titanic Distillers at the iconic Thompson Dock today in Belfast,” said Minister for Exports Lord Offord.

“The distilling industry has been part of Northern Ireland’s fabric for generations, and it’s been a pleasure to meet with the team and members of the community to see their skills first-hand.”

The visitor centre at Titanic Distillers opened its doors to tourists in April this year.  Last month (August), the company received its Distillers License to start producing spirits and the stills have been fired up and pouring ever since. 

Titanic Distillers director Peter Lavery reflected on the company’s journey to date.

“We are delighted to welcome Lord Offord here today to perform the Official Opening of Titanic Distillers at Thompson Dock,” said Peter.

“Today is the culmination of many years’ hard graft to bring this amazing project to life – and while it marks the end of the first ‘construction’ phase, it also signals the start of another phase as we start producing a whiskey and a brand that the people of Belfast and Northern Ireland can be proud of, and that will represent us well all over the world.”

Fellow director Stephen Symington added: “We believe the famous Titanic name resonates around the world and we have very ambitious plans to take the product to a global audience – with coast to coast distribution in the US identified as a major commercial objective for the brand.

“With this in mind, it is very fitting that Lord Offord, in his role as UK Minister for Export, be here today to officially open our new distillery. Outside of our location’s massive tourism appeal and historic significance, we’re very aware that we are now a working distillery and we are all focussed on producing our own products to build on our success to date and make the most of the growing global demand for Irish Whiskey.”

The new distillery will produce single malt premium whiskey made from ingredients that have been carefully selected to produce the best possible flavour.

A unique house blend of malted barley and yeast is used to produce the ‘wash’ which is then distilled in the three Forsyth’s stills, situated on a mezzanine floor overlooking the Pumphouse’s original Gwynne pumping engines which are deep in the building’s pump-well.

The Thompson Dry Dock first opened in 1911 to service and accommodate the massive White Star transatlantic liners Olympic and Titanic.

All of the original pump equipment and associated internal historic features in the adjacent Pumphouse have been retained and are available to view as part of the associated visitor tours, while the exterior includes a new food and beverage area.

Titanic Distillers at Thompson Dock is within walking distance of Titanic Belfast, the world’s biggest Titanic exhibition centre and Northern Ireland’s number one tourist attraction, having welcomed more than 7.5 million visitors since opening its doors in 2012. 

Also resident in the Titanic Quarter is the SS Nomadic tender ship which ferried passengers to the great liner, and HMS Caroline, a decommissioned C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw combat service in the First World War and served as an administrative centre in the Second World War. 

For more information, visit www.titanicdistillers.com.