Posts in: 'Things to do'
Make a date with St. George’s Market this Valentine’s Day
Posted: 11 February '10 by Niall
Congratulations and be prosperous
Congratulations and be prosperous in the Year of the Tiger!
Goodwill might be thin on the ground in St. George’s Market this weekend, however, with chefs from Chinese restaurants across Belfast competing in a special masterchef event organised by Belfast City Council. The challenge will take place this Sunday (February 14th 2010) as part of the annual Chinese New Year celebrations.
As well as providing some entertainment on Valentine’s Day, the event is another stage in a successful campaign by the council’s food safety team to encourage Chinese takeaways to include healthier options on their menus.
High Sherriff of Belfast Councillor Christopher Stalford, who will be on the judges’ tasting panel, said: “More than 50 chefs from Chinese restaurants across Belfast took part in our healthy cooking workshops last year, with celebrity chef Nancy Lam; and to build on that success, we thought this would be another way of getting the ‘healthy’ message out there.
“Research shows that Chinese food is the takeaway of choice across the UK but very often the nutritional value is reduced because the recipes have been adapted to suit our ‘westernised’ palette.
“The aim of this project is to encourage takeaways to include healthier options on their menus and for chefs to go back to their traditional, healthy roots.”
This Sunday’s competition will see chefs prepare one meal which will be judged on its taste, nutritional value, and how hygienically it has been prepared.
Joining the High Sherriff on the judging panel is Jeremy Chan, owner and chef of Sinley restaurant in Cookstown, and William Lam from the Chinese Chamber of Commerce.
The winning chef will be announced at the event and they’ll enjoy a two night stay at Galgorm Manor in Ballymena, sponsored by Firmus Energy. The winner will also be invited to the annual Chinese New Year gala dinner at Belfast’s Europa Hotel.
Details
- The masterchef event runs from 12pm to 2:30pm.
- There’ll be a spectacular Lion Dance from 1pm to 3pm.
- Entertainment includes acrobats, jugglers, martial arts demonstrations and Chinese arts and craft workshops.
- If you’re hungry there will also be lots of food stalls selling local and global cuisine.
More information
For more information visit www.belfastcity.gov.uk/events.
Tags: belfast, event, st georges market
Categories: News > Things to do
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Wine-tasting evening at Direct Wine Shipments
Posted: 10 February '10 by Kelly
Wine-tasting at Direct Wine Shipments
In our last post we mentioned the exciting work that we’re doing with Direct Wine Shipments and that there was another announcement to come..
Chilli and Chocolate are holding a wine-tasting evening at Direct Wine Shipments on Friday the 12th of March 2010!!
Not only will you get to taste an array of selected wines but there will also be some of our favourite producers and stores there too – with samples for you to enjoy.
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Susan Rees from Direct Wine Shipments |
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Deirdre McCanny from Co Couture, the gourmet chocolatiers |
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Antoinette Morrow from Clydesdale and Morrow, purveyors of fine cheese |
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Ronan McElherron from Biostore, specialising in imported olive oil and balsamic vinegar |
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Bernadette McIlhatton from Cupcakes and Fairycakes |
As well as getting to taste all of the delicious treats on display there’ll be some short introductions to the owners (who are more than willing to chat away to you), a bit of a discussion about how to properly taste wine, how to select the perfect cheeseboard, and more.
It’s an informal evening and a chance for all our members to meet over a good glass of wine. It certainly is an alternative to your usual Friday night out in Belfast.. We’re really looking forward to it!
DWS have also been good enough to give you an extra incentive to become a member of Chilli and Chocolate – any wine purchased that night comes with a 15% discount!
The details:
- All attendees must be members of Chilli and Chocolate;
- Tickets cost £10.00 per person – just a little more if you’re paying by PayPal. You can buy your tickets online through the member’s page. You do not need to have a PayPal account to pay using this method;
- The evening will start at 7pm at the Direct Wine Shipments premises: Direct Wine Shipments, 5-7 Corporation Square, Belfast BT1 3AJ;
- There won’t be any ticket sales on the night – you have to have bought your tickets before the evening itself – and ticket sales will stop on Wednesday 10th of March; and
- We’ll send everyone that is attending an email on Thursday 11th of March with details of the event.
Hopefully we’ll see you there!
Kelly and Niall
Other information
You can find the DWS store at:
Direct Wine Shipments
5-7 Corporation Square,
Belfast
BT1 3AJ
T: 028 9050 8000
E: shop@directwine.co.uk
W: www.directwine.co.uk
You can also find DWS on Google Maps.
Chilli and Chocolate members:
You can buy your ticket for the wine-tasting evening by visiting the Members’ Section.
Tags: direct wine shipments, event, Site Message, wine tasting
Categories: Site Messages > Things to do
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Belfast Christmas Continental Market 2009 – breaching the Trade Descriptions Act?
Posted: 21 December '09 by Niall
Belfast City Council events
When I wrote the post about the Belfast Christmas Continental Market 2009 I did say that I had two misgivings about the event: the cost of everything at the market and, more importantly, the increasing prominence of the beer tents in the event. Now that the Christmas Market has closed for another year, perhaps it’s time to review..
We went to the market once this year, and once was more than enough. The huge queues for the Laverys beer tent which blocked other stalls, the drunken revellers falling about the City Hall grounds and the streets beyond, and the smell of stale beer and puddles vomit meant that it was also a flying visit.
I’ve never quite understood how Laverys beer tent – and the term “tent” hardly does the sprawling, canvas covered bar area credit – came to be part of the “Continental” market. Are Frogs’ Legs or Pretzels sold as bar snacks? Perhaps the sale of French beer is all that is required? Or maybe it just comes down to how much money is being paid for the premier location that the vast marquee seems to be provided with. Whatever the reason – and it really doesn’t matter what the rationale is – the beer tent doesn’t contribute to the enjoyment, to the festive atmosphere, to the (much publicised) family-safe character, nor the “continental” content of the Belfast Christmas Continental Market.
Given the sheer size of the Laverys tent in what is a very limited space it felt that there was very little which was “continental” about the market. I’m no marketing copy-writer, so I’ll leave it to someone else to come-up with a snappier strapline than what would be a more accurate description of what the Christmas Market has turned into: The Belfast City Hall Booze-Up-with-Crepes-which-happens-to-be-at-Christmas.
It’s partly our fault too. Every time that there’s a bar at these events it’s absolutely stuffed with thirsty customers and the whole thing seems to become all about the drink – just look at the Belfast Taste and Music Festival 2009. I know that having a drink is part of our culture, but does it have to dominate an event to the detriment of everything else? Both Kelly and I love St. George’s Market and really enjoy the cosmopolitan and friendly the atmosphere – and we’ve wondered whether Belfast could carry-off the sort of frenetic, energetic celebration of food that la Boqueria in Barcelona seems to manage so effortlessly, where you can buy still-twitching fish from one stall and stop for a refreshing glass of prosecco or beer and a bite to eat at another. Sadly, probably not – the addition of alcohol would probably spoil what we already have.
The Christmas Continental Market could be a truly enjoyable, welcoming event, one that does become part of everyone’s festive calendar – but it needs someone to be brave and to have some vision for the City Centre and what the majority of people really want from their city at Christmas-time. So, come on BCC – next year, give us a real Christmas treat – a Christmas Market that is about the people, not about how much money can be generated from selling pitches to local bars. Maybe then you’ll have some real Christmas cheer in the city centre.
Tags: christmas, continental market, review
Categories: Things to do
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Belfast Christmas Continental Market 2009
Posted: 12 November '09 by Niall
Belfast Christmas Continental Market 2009
If you’ve walked past Belfast City Hall in the last week you can’t have helped noticing that it’s time for the Belfast Christmas Continental Market again!
Kelly and I love seeing the market come to town – apart from the chance to taste food from around the world, the atmosphere is usually fairly festive. It might sound strange but standing in the freezing cold, browsing through the stalls with a warming glass of “gluhwein” (mulled wine) always puts me in the mood for Christmas.
This year the stalls include:
- Bratwurst sausages and German beers
- Gluhwein stall
- Liqueur coffees
- Gourmet burgers
- Spanish paella
- Toasted baguettes
- Waffles, crêpes and Dutch pancakes
- Continental and Irish cheeses
- Charcuterie with meats from around the world
- Greek dips
- Garlic soup from Switzerland
- Polish bigos (a traditional stew)
- Franzisskaaner German bar
- Hilden Brewery
My one gripe is that it can be expensive – you can literally watch the pounds flowing from your wallet – and the presence of the Laverys beer tent is a bit strange, and seems to monopolise proceedings with massive queues outside the tent and some very un-continental quaffing going on (I know that that’s two complaints, but who’s counting). That said, it’s nothing that should discourage you from heading down and having a look – over 750,000 people visited the Belfast Christmas Continental Market last year, so they’re doing something right – and it’s worth the trip for those French crepes alone!
We’ll report back after our visit with some photos and some advice on the stalls that you should make a point of visiting.
See you there!
Event details:
Date: 17 November – 19 December 2009
Venue: Belfast City Hall grounds
Opening times:
Monday – Wednesday: 9am – 8pm
Thursday – Saturday: 9am – 10pm
Sunday: 1pm – 6pm
Just remember that the market will start at 10am on Tuesday 17 November and close at 8pm on Saturday 19 December.
Other information:
Apart from the Big Wheel and a children’s carousel, Santa’s Grotto and magical forest will be at the market every day between 3pm and 6pm Monday – Friday, 10am – 7pm on Saturdays and 1pm – 6pm on Sundays.
Tags: belfast, christmas, continental market, event
Categories: Things to do
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Sydney Harbour Bridge welcomes 6000 picnickers for Breakfast on the Bridge
Posted: 26 October '09 by Kelly
Sydney Harbour Bridge picnic 09
Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed yesterday morning and the eight lanes of tarmac given a temporary make-over – with 10,000 metres of turf, and a small herd of cows.
As part of “Crave Sydney”, an event to celebrate Sydney’s unmatched way of life with 31 days of food, outdoor art and fun during the month of October and raise the Australian city’s profile among tourists, 6000 lucky winners were selected from a ballot of 45,000 hopefuls to enjoy a Sunday morning picnic on the bridge. And all for free.
The carnival atmosphere was helped by live music – and cows wandering around the happy picnickers!
The event – dubbed “Breakfast on the Bridge” – was such a great success and so well received that it’s likely to become an annual event.
So come on Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board – get your thinking caps on – why can’t Belfast compete with Sydney?!
Other information:
You can click here to read more about the picnic on Sydney Harbour Bridge
Tags: australia, events, sydney
Categories: News > Things to do
