Proper butter takes time. This unctuous stuff, churned by hand in Dromara, graces the tables of fine restaurants all over the place. We just love to see that little circle of waxed paper on top of the butter dish. It means the butter will taste like it ought to.
Will and Allison Abernethy inherited those buttermaking skills from family members. In 2005, they decided to turn what was a hobby into a business. That all-important cream comes from cows who graze on the lush grass of the Lagan Valley.
It’s just on the right side of salty and tastes fantastic slathered on crusty bread. It makes mighty fine fudge too. It’s also a key ingredient in the 3 star Great Taste Award-winning Sea Salted Caramel from En Place Foods. We just love Christmas when they make brandy butter.
They started as a small family run sandwich bar in Newry more than 20 years ago and have grown to become a major presence in both the café and convenience food sector throughout Ireland.
Deli Lites supply a wide range of customers including convenience stores, major supermarkets, airlines, ferry terminals, universities and major European coffee chains.
We love their branding. The sandwiches are divided up into ranges such as The Day Brightener, The Happiness Restorer, The Rumbling Corrector and The Satisfaction Generator. Where possible they use local ingredients to create exciting flavour combinations like Piri Piri Chicken, Spanish Supreme and Spicy Rocks.
Operating from their central location in Warrenpoint, Co Down, they deliver overnight throughout Ireland seven days a week. They also pack products for customers under their own brand as well as the Deli Lites brand.
Their range of products include sandwiches, wraps, salads and other freshly made products like tray bakes and muffins from their on-site pastry kitchen.
Claire Kelly was a chartered accountant before she decided to turn her passion for preserves into a business. She had grown up around people who preserved the harvest for later and so in turn she did the same.
Grateful friends who received hampers at Christmas encouraged this passion and she decided to try selling – then everything grew from there
Her products have been described as “deliciously different”. Inspired by something she’s eaten or by an ingredient a recipe develops and another product reaches the shelves. She loves to grow chillies and experiment – not just with their heat but their flavours!
Long Meadow Cider is a true Armagh craft cider. Father and son duo, Pat and Peter McKeever, work together all year round to produce the perfect apples for their apple-icious drink.
For three generations the McKeever men have been tending to the farm at Long Meadow, growing and producing a variety of apples including tart Bramleys, sweet Keadys and Golden Delicious.
The orchards are maintained all year round to create a healthy and substantial crop. Harvest season begins in August/September and once they are picked they are pressed, left to ferment over the winter months and to mature.
In 2012, Long Meadow Farm diversified into the cider industry producing two varieties, Medium and Blossom Burst, they now have a third limited edition, Dry Oak Aged Cider. Their Medium Cider is sharp and refreshing, a real thirst quencher, Blossom Burst has a soft, smooth mellow taste, a great accompaniment with any meal and their Oak Aged Cider has been stored in oak aged barrels allowing apple and oak to infuse with each other leaving a boisterous dry cider. All made from 100% natural apple grown on the home farm.
FROM PLANT TO POUR – THE PERFECT DRINK”
Kristina Loughridge has been manufacturing this delicious crumbly fudge for six years now, and business is going well. She has recently relocated the business to Ballycarry and has taken on staff.
There are a wide range of flavours to choose from with three more being launched this year. Why not try the Original, Vanilla, Banoffee, Apple, Cookie Crumble and our favourite; Apple and Cinnamon.
The recipe has been in Kristina’s family for more than 50 years. It has never been altered or changed – has it never had to be.
They are currently distributing across Northern Ireland and by 2014 we have been exporting to the ROI. Kristina specialises in personalised corporate gifts for small, medium and large business, if you wish to find out more why not visit their new website www.craigsfudge.com which they have just launched this year.
Passionate about N.Irish produce and helping avid artisan producers get their products to market, BitetoSavour is a showcase business that takes great pride in showcasing Northern Ireland Food & Drink. BitetoSavour not only offer artisan producers a direct route to market, but also promote them through the use of social media, photography, videography, their blog and their industry newsletter called LITEBITE which keeps industry individuals up to date with all the latest happenings.
In terms of retail, BitetoSavour have a dedicated retail space in Studio Souk, Belfast and an online market place offering a great range of N.Irish produce and a subscription service which enables good food lovers to discover new products throughout the year. They have also recently developed an exciting new range of boxes for the gifting market and tourism industry which we think will be of particular interest in the Year of Food and Drink 2016.
Founder Jenna Stevenson is also the lead spokesperson for #artisanNI, a hands-on creative campaign which aims to bring Northern Irish artisans together to create one voice, so that they can explore new ways of overcoming common problems and work together to maximise the potential Food and Drink industry in Northern Ireland.
