Mackle Snacks

Sitting in the office with a full day’s work ahead of you, there are times when the lunch-time break seems very far away, and the vending machine seems to say “try me.. try me..”.

They may be handy for a quick fix, but all those sugary treats pile on the pounds really easily.

Mackle Snacks have launched a new range of healthier, nutritionally-balanced snacks called All Yours with this in mind.

There are three flavours in the range, the bite-sized clusters of crisped rice mixed with either cranberries or blueberries and smothered in yoghurt or dark chocolate.

Rice Clusters from Mackle Snacks

We’ve tried them all (it’s a tough old life, sometimes), and although the chocolate & cranberry clusters are delicious, our faves are the blueberry or cranberry and yoghurt. The creamy yoghurt and dried fruit are a tasty combination, and the crisped rice is nice and light, so they’re not too filling.

The pouches come in 50g servings and have an introductory price of 99p.

They could be All Yours!

Mackle Snacks have kindly given us a few packets of their new All Yours range to give away.

Just comment on the All Yours post on our Facebook page to enter the draw. We’ll announce the six winners on Facebook on Friday 2 December 2011 – each one will get a packet of each of the three flavours to try.

You can visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Chilli.And.Chocolate.Belfast.

Mackle Snacks

Mackle Snacks are a local company, producing snack products for retailers throughout the UK and Ireland.

Mackle Snacks
40 Corrigan Hill Rd,
Dungannon,
Northern Ireland
BT71 6SL

T: +44 (0)28 8778 9338
W: www.macklesnacks.co.uk

All Yours rice clusters from Mackle Snacks

Abernethy Butter from County Down, Northern Ireland

Last week we noticed that we were being followed by Abernethy Butter on Twitter. It never ceases to amaze me how many great companies you’ve never heard of exist out there!

Being inquisitive people, we thought we’d do a bit on sleuthing to find out who our newest followers were.

It all began in 2005 for husband and wife team Will and Allison. While doing churning demos at local shows they discovered that there’s a market for traditional, hand-churned butter – and Abernethy Butter was born.

Abernethy Butter comes in 125g packs, a log of creamy yellow butter wrapped in brown wax-paper. Ours cost us £1.99 in Sawer’s delicatessen in Belfast City centre, but apparently this price can change, depending on which supplier you go to – the website has a list of stockists across Northern Ireland.

You can see the photos here:

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Now, both Kelly and I are big fans of butter – the tasteless abomination that is spreadable butter shall never enter our shopping basket. So it means something when we were both smacking our lips and reaching for the butter-knife after the first taste.

The colour is whiter than we were expecting, almost mid-way between the deep yellow of store-bought brands and the white of continental butter. The consistency is noticeably lighter too, almost churned to fluffiness, but not quite.

Most importantly, the flavour is good, really good – a delicious lingering creaminess, with just a little saltiness in there too.

It probably shouldn’t be surprising that the butter is so tasty. I mean, between the amount of rain we get and having plenty of big green fields for grazing, Northern Ireland should be able to produce some fantastically tasty butter – and that’s just what Will and Allison have done.

At £1.99 a pack, Abernethy Butter isn’t something that we’d use willy-nilly – it’s fantastic on something like toast when you get to really enjoy the flavours, but cooking with it would be extravagant. It’s a treat, but there’s nothing wrong with that.

Abernethy Butter from County Down, Northern Ireland

Other information

We bought our pack of Abernethy Butter from Sawer’s Delicatessen in Belfast City Centre: Sawer’s
Unit 7 College Street,
Fountain Centre,
Belfast
Northern Ireland
BT1 1HF

You can visit the Abernethy Butter website to find out more about their butter and to find their suppliers around Northern Ireland.

You can also follow Abernethy Butter on Twitter – http://twitter.com/AbernethyButter

Harnett's Oils

One of my favourite programmes on TV in the last couple of years was “The Urban Chef” in which Ollie Rowe opened his Konstam restaurant in London and attempted to source all of his ingredients from within the M25. One of the most difficult tasks was finding cooking oil. I’d never seen that many olive trees within the M25 so I thought he was stuck – but when Ollie found a rapeseed producer and a local pressing works it got me thinking – do we have something like that in Northern Ireland?

I’ve always been a devotee of Olive Oil, but Ollie certainly made a case for Rapeseed oil: rapeseed and hemp oil can be produced locally; and there are lots of health benefits.

It was almost by chance that I came across Harnett’s Oils, who more than fit the bill. A quick internet-search later and I was chatting to Jane..

N: Who are Harnett’s Oils?

J: Harnett’s Oils is a family-run business on the Waring Estate, a working arable farm. There are 4 of us: I produce the final product and selling, marketing the business; My father Michael is in charge of growing the crops and caring for the harvesting of the crop; My mother Ann manages the food safety element of the plant as well as the marketing of the products; and my brother William is creative director looking after the different aspects of the website and marketing literature.

N: Where are you based?

J: we live on the Waring Estate based in Waringstown which is between Lurgan and Banbridge in County Down. The oilseeds are grown here and on our out-farm in Lisnacree, Kilkeel in County Down.

N: You can’t much more local than that.. What sort of oils do you produce?

J: At the minute we produce Hemp Oil and Rapeseed Oil and we’re trialling dressings (hemp vinaigrette and a garlic dressing) and flavoured oils (hot chilli & garlic and orange & rosemary) in St. George’s Market over the Summer months.

N: I read that you use “cold-pressing” to extract the oil.. What’s that?

J: A cold-pressed oil is when an oilseed like Rape or Hemp is pressed together to crush the majority of oil out of the seed. About 90% of the seed’s oil is squeezed out like this, which is filtered to produce an “extra-virgin” oil. Industry uses heat and chemicals to “hot-press” so they can get the remaining 10% but this releases phosphates and unwanted saturates into the oil taking away all the goodness that would have been produced if cold-pressed. The majority of vegetable oils and palm oils use this method.

N: Kelly and I are really concerned about GM crops. You don’t use any, do you?

J: We don’t use GM crops – we’re against the idea and believe in promoting biodiversity and the local wildlife. Not only are we actively involved with the Farming, Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) but don’t use pesticides or insecticides on the crops. Over the last 30 years we are proud to say we have seen an increase in insects, birds and mammals on the Estate and proud to be working close beside them. In regards with Organic Status the farm has decided not to go down with this scheme however we do adhere to such principles encouraging wildlife and biodiversity. Harnett’s Oils is also a strong supporter of local produce and is proud to be a member of the Slow Food Movement which wholly believes in producing a product that is GOOD, CLEAN and FAIR.

N: That all sounds good to me! So, the important question is where can our readers buy your products?

J: Harnett’s Oils have a stand in St Georges every Saturday where you can talk to us direct. Over the summer we will be at a few shows which will be updated on the website. We do sell from the website and it is possible to buy from the farm itself. We are trying to stock our products across the country in delis, butchers, farm shops and health shops. We also produce oils for trade and sell into restaurants and other food-based businesses – everything from 3 litres up to 20 litres.

N: Lastly, what are your big hopes for the future?

J: We’d like more people to know about and use our oils! They’re a quality product and compliment good food and good cooking, and have a really worthwhile ethic behind them: supporting the local countryside. On top of that we’re a local business. So, by buying our oils, everyone wins!

Thanks Jane!

We’re making Tuna seared using Harnett’s rapeseed oil and a hemp-oil pesto tonight.. Make sure you check the site later this week to see how we got on!

Other information

Hemp Oil has lots of health benefits including Omega 3, 6 and 9 and vitamins C, E, B1, B2 and carotene. It’s smoking point is too low to be used in cooking, but it’s nutty flavour makes it perfect for salad dressings and the like.

Rapeseed Oil (also known as “Canola Oil” which you’ll see in American recipes) is a good alternative to Olive Oil and can be used in cooking or as a dressing, having little taste. It has Omega 3, 6 and 9, vitamins E and K, and is low in cholesterol.

Harnett’s Oils
Waring Estate,
15 Banbridge Road,
Waringstown,
County Down
BT66 7QA
T: 028 38 881210
E: info@harnettoils.com
W: www.harnettoils.co.uk
You can also find Harnett’s Oils on Google Maps.

Rapeseed and Hemp oil from Harnett's Oils

Boozeberries - Irish Liqueurs

Kelly and I are constantly amazed at the number of great local producers that are out there and that we rarely hear about. Getting the chance to talk to them and tell you about their products is one of the main reasons why we started Chilli and Chocolate. When we noticed that Boozeberries were following us on Twitter we thought we’d do a little research and get in touch..

“Boozeberries” is owned by husband and wife team Stuart and Barbara Hughes and is based in Dromore, County Down. Served as an after dinner drink or as a delicious addition to your favourite cocktails, the Boozeberry range includes three flavours: Wild Blueberries, Wild Cranberries, and Zesty Blackcurrant. These sophisticated tipples have already picked up several awards including the prestigious overall winner at the Mitchelstown Food Fair.

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After sending a short email we got chatting to Barbara and got to know a little more about another of our local producers..

N: Hi Barbara. So, what’s Boozeberries all about?

B: Well, our liqueurs are unique in the fact that every single bottle is hand-crafted. They’re extremely versatile, allowing you to customise your drinks and add a little bit of summer to every glass. We have three flavours: Zesty Blackcurrant, Wild Blueberry, and Wild Cranberry. They’re delicious when chilled and served as an aperitif, and make the most wonderful champagne cocktails when entertaining or celebrating with friends. They also make the perfect Summers’ drink for a day in the garden – just poured into a large pitcher of ice and garnished with a twist of lime.

N: I really like all of the berries in the bottle! How is the liqueur made?

B: The whole process is done by hand. Basically, the berries are fed into the base of the bottle, a very smooth Irish grain spirit is added, and the cork goes on. All the magic happens in the bottle over a 4 month period as the wild berries and the spirit infuse.

N: And Boozeberries is an Irish product?

B: Yip – Everything is sourced within Ireland. After all we have the best ingredients on our door-step!

N: What’s your favourite way of enjoying them?

B: My personal fav is the ‘Boozeberries Wild Blueberry Fizz’ – 1 or 2 shots of Boozeberries Wild Blueberries in a champagne flute topped-up with chilled Prosecco. It’s such a treat to watch the berries dance in the glass with the bubbles.. Stuart’s favourite is Zesty Blackcurrant Boozeberries over ice.

N: Where can our readers buy their own Boozeberry liqueurs?

B: There is a list of stockist on the web site. At the moment, Boozeberries are available throughout Northern Ireland in all of the Sainsbury’s stores and in the Republic of Ireland in O’Briens beers & wines. We’re encouraging the independent off-licenses and style-bars to stock Boozeberries. Maybe your readers can help by requesting it from their local, or by send us the request at info@boozeberries.com and we’ll try our best to facilitate.

N: What’s on the cards for Boozeberries in the future?

B: We do have a few new flavours up our sleeve but they won’t be available until early 2011. We’re confident that we’ll have some major mainland UK stockists on-board before Christmas. We’re also very excited about enquiries we have received from the USA, Canada and Cyprus.

Thanks Barbara!

Make sure you keep checking the site this week – we’ll have a review of the Boozeberry range (yes, it’s hard work being a food-blogger!) and you might even get to try them for yourself!

Other information

Boozeberries,
62, The Belfry,
Dromore,
Co Down
BT25 1TR
T: +44 (0) 7780117737
E: info@boozeberries.com
W: www.boozeberries.com

Brewdog Brewery

You mightn’t be familiar with the name BrewDog Brewery but you’ve probably have heard about a couple of their beers in the news. “Tactical Nuclear Penguin” is probably the most memorably-named, a 32% ABV. stout that’s designed to be drunk in whiskey-sized measures. Brewdog have the distinction of making the world’s strongest beer – “Sink the Bismarck!” – an India Pale Ale that has a whopping 41% ABV, reclaiming the title in February 2010 after a German brewery tried to take the record from BrewDog.

There’s a bit of a marketing war raging at the minute – the Schorschbrau brewery trumped BrewDog’s “Tactical Nuclear Penguin” with a 40% ABV beer, only to be beaten by “Sink the Bismarck!”. There has been some talk recently of a retaliatory strike with a 45% ABV beer being developed by the German outfit.

It can feel like we’re isolated from such goings-on in the outside world here in Northern Ireland, so we thought we’d investigate further and find out more about the title-holders. We spoke to James Watt, co-founder of the micro-brewery, and discovered that BrewDog is about a lot more than just strong beer and clever marketing..

Niall: Who are “BrewDog” and how did you start?

James: Martin and I were bored of the industrially brewed lagers and stuffy ales that dominate the UK market. We decided the best way to fix this was to brew our own beers – in April 2007 BrewDog was born. We were only 24 at the time, we leased a building, got some scary bank loans, spent all our money on stainless steel and started making some hardcore beers. We’re all about making cool, contemporary and progressive beers which showcase some of the world’s classic beer styles – but with an innovative twist and customary BrewDog bite. Despite being less than 3 years old, our brewery is the largest independent brewery in Scotland.

Niall: Your site talks about “high quality beers” – but surely beer is beer?

James: Is chocolate just chocolate too then? We want to change people’s perceptions about beer and make as many people as passionate about great craft beer as possible. The lagers which dominate the UK market are bland, tasteless and apathetic. They are pumped full of all types of horrible things, adjunts, head retention chemicals, cheap substitutes and pasteurized into oblivion. We don’t do any of that. Our beers are hand-crafted in small batches using only the finest fresh natural ingredients – malt, water, hops, yeast and nothing else – and are loaded with flavour and bite as opposed to mainstream beers which are merely fizzy water!

Niall: Do you find that most people are open to new tastes in beer?

James: It depends, most are closed at the moment. They are seduced by the multi-national brewers huge advertising budget and can’t help but be sucked down the rabbit hole. We are on a mission to open as many peoples eyes as possible.

Niall: Where can our readers find your beers? Are they available in pubs?

James: The best place to buy our beers is our online shop at www.brewdog.com/shop.php. You can also buy our beers in tesco, sainsburys and oddbins.

Niall: Of all the beer you make, what is your favourite, and why?

James: That’s like asking if someone has a favourite child. I love all our beers and my favourite depends on the occasion: Our 6% “Punk IPA” is my favourite with a chorizio and spicy pepper pizza; “Trashy Blonde” is a great thirst quencher on a hot summers day (not that we get many in the north of Scotland!); “Hardcore IPA”, our US west coast style double IPA is great when I have a craving for hops; and “Paradox”, our whisky cask aged stout is an awesome accompaniment to chocolate after dinner.

Niall: What is your strongest beer? Is it still drinkable? Why make it so strong?

James: With “Sink!” the idea which fascinated us was to make an IPA which was as strong as a whisky. It was not as much about posting a high number, rather than taking beer to a whole new level and challenging people’s perceptions about what beer is and how it can be enjoyed. We love pushing the envelope and taking innovation in beer to places where it has never before beer, Sink! And TNP are great examples of that. With Sink we wanted to take IPA, which is our favourite beer style, and amplify the hell out of it. Sink the Bismarck is a quadruple IPA that contains four times the hops, four times the bitterness and frozen four times to create at a staggering 41% ABV. This is the most evocative style of the craft beer resistance with the volume cranked off the scale. Kettle hopped, dry hopped then freeze hopped for a deep fruit, resinous and spicy aroma. A full out attack on your taste-buds ensues as the incredibly smooth liquid delivers a crescendo of malt, sweet honey, hop oils and a torpedo of hop bitterness which lasts and lasts.

Niall: How did you come up with the name “Tactical Nuclear Penguin”? What is it?

James: We just wanted an excuse to put Bracken in a penguin suit…

Niall: I’ve read about how important “Bracken” is your your business.. Who or what is Bracken?

James: Bracken is my three year old chocolate lab. He recently appeared on Mastermind and progressed to the semi final with his specialist subject of ‘The origins of Constitutional Democratic Government: Europe 1846-1912′. Unfortunately he missed the semi-final because he was busy chasing a stick. He is our guard dog, head-taster, accountant and general buddy! Be sure to say hi if you see him – he is very friendly!

Niall: What’s the future for BrewDog? Any big announcements/plans for 2010?

James: We are currently working on renovating our first ever BrewDog Bar in Aberdeen, we are also working on building our new brewery just outside Aberdeen. We’re always up to some crazy things with beer too and are prone to causing the occasional bit of controversy.. watch this space!

Niall: Thanks James!

Kelly and I will be tasting and reviewing some BrewDog beers shortly – make sure you check back to see what we thought.

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Contact BrewDog Brewery

BrewDog Ltd.
Unit 1, Kessock Workshops,
Fraserburgh,
AB43 8UE
T: +44 (0) 1346 519 009
W: www.brewdog.com
Blog: www.brewdog.com/blog.php
You can also find Brewdog Brewery on Google Maps.

Get Fresh

After reading Niall’s article about Carluccio’s I felt that I had to mention one of my favourites: “Get Fresh” in Rathfarnham, Dublin 14.

It is possibly my favourite food place to shop in Dublin. If I’m cooking or baking something that requires extra-special ingredients or if I need the freshest fruit or vegetables, this is the place I go to.

Founded by Colm Eadie, his inspiration for setting up the store arose from his frustration at finding it extremely difficult to locate certain foods/ingredients in stores throughout Dublin.

It certainly is an impressive store with a bit of everything in it. If you are bored with the normal brands of food stocked in the supermarket this is the place to go to for something a bit different.

It’s stocked daily with the freshest fruit and vegetables to include the likes of porcini, chestnut and shitake mushrooms. They stock a wide range of cheeses such as halloumi, wensleysdale, French brie and parmesan which are also available in large quantities at great value, much cheaper than any store brand that I’ve tried. They also stock various hams, various salamis and a wide range of fresh pasta which I find hard to come by in supermarkets. From different organic pestos, homemade chutneys and soups to large quantities of spices also at a great price, I have yet to go to their store and not find something that I was looking for. All of your baking and cooking needs are catered for.

If you didn’t feel like baking, you could always pick up lovely treats from homemade tea brack or panettone bread, lemon drizzle cakes, mini coconut macaroons, various types of nougats or bread sticks in different flavours including a personal favourite of ours, mini garlic and pesto bread sticks.

At the weekends they also have a special treat in store stocking baskets of assorted fresh bread around the shop, from ciabatta, croissants, muffins, scones to “Belfast baps” or in this case Dublin baps, the selection is too hard to resist.

A personal favourite of mine is the way they present their “Christmas” ingredients around the store. They have a large table in the centre of the  shop stashed with an array of ingredients to cater for your christmas recipes, all of which can be weighed and measured by the customer. If you didn’t feel like baking it yourself they have a wide range of Christmas cakes to cranberry sauces available to purchase as well as hampers which you can make up yourself.

It is definitely worth a trip.

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Get Fresh
6 Rosemount Shopping Centre,
Ballyroan,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 14
T: 01 4937148 or 0877755645
E: getfresh6@eircom.net
You can also find Get Fresh on Google Maps.

Just ask for Niall Dermody or Colm Eadie.

What I Bought..

Enjoy!

Clydesdale and Morrow

Niall and I recently visited Clydesdale & Morrow, Belfast’s only fromagerie. It wasn’t our first time there – we go there when we need a particular cheese for a recipe, or as a treat for ourselves – but this time we thought we’d tell you all about it.

When we first walked into the Lisburn Road shop we were greeted by one of the owners, Antoinette Morrow – and by the smell of all that cheese which is like a tangible, marvelous assault on your senses. The shop is small but packed to the rafters with lots and lots of goodies, far too much to take in at first glance. It’s a real foodie’s dream – you’ll find yourself spending some time just looking around the store, just as we did. 

What we particularly liked was that they stock a good range of British and Irish cheese – although there are plenty of continental varieties too. All of this choice might make selecting your purchase difficult, but help is at hand – Antoinette and Anne are very passionate about their stock and clearly enjoy talking to their customers. You’re also encouraged to ‘try before you buy’ which is a great way of making sure you choose the perfect cheese. You’ll also find lots of different types of biscuits, crackers and chutneys, perfect for that after-dinner treat.

You can catch up with Antoinette at our wine tasting night on March 12th, but until then here is a taster of how and why she got in to the world of cheese…

Kelly: Who are “Clydesdale & Morrow”? What are your backgrounds?

Antoinette: Anne Clydesdale and I have worked together since 2001 when Antoinette joined BIC Systems, one of NI’s most successful indigenous IT companies, and where Anne was already working as one of the company’s directors.

Kelly: How did you make the decision to open a specialist cheese store? What was your inspiration?

Antoinette: We both shared a love of good food and wine and in late 2007 saw an opportunity to indulge in this passion on a commercial basis. Inspired by Sheridans in Galway where customers can combine their purchases with a glass of wine in the winebar above the shop, we initially thought to replicate this set-up. Unfortunately, licencing costs in Northern Ireland ruled out this option but, undeterred, Anne and I still saw an opening for a specialist cheese shop.

Kelly: Your site mentions “artisan cheese” – what does that mean?

Antoinette: As far as possible, we try to stock cheeses that are made in small, family run dairies where the provenance and quality of the milk is guaranteed. Sometimes, we have to opt for more commercial cheeses but we still endeavour at all times to stock high quality products.

Kelly: You’re Belfast’s only fromagerie – did you see a niche in the market? Two years on, have you noticed a growing interest in food in the public?

Antoinette: There are a few delicatessens in Belfast selling cheese, but we wanted to bring a new experience to customers. We pride ourselves on our knowledge of the cheeses we stock and encourage people to taste and experiment with difference cheeses in a relaxed atmosphere. We believe this is one of the reasons why our reputation has grown within and beyond Belfast.

Kelly: How open are most people to new tastes?

Antoinette: People love to experiment and, again, it is down to the unpretentious and relaxed nature of our customer service.

Kelly: Is there much knowledge about the selection and serving of cheese out there?

Antoinette: For the most part, people know the rule of thumb in terms of selection for a cheeseboard – a hard, a soft and a blue. We just help customers be a bit more adventurous. However, there are no hard and fast rules – good quality cheese that the customer enjoys is more important than sticking to specific rules.

Kelly: Where and how do you source your cheese from?

Antoinette: I would love to say that we travel around Europe choosing cheeses from artisan cheesemakers but, unfortunately, we would not make any money at all! We depend on a few trusted suppliers in Ireland and the UK to provide us with quality cheese and other artisan foods.

Kelly: Your site mentions “wedding cheese cakes” – what are they? Have you been commissioned to make many?

Antoinette: This is an offering which has met with great success and we regularly recieve commissions. A cheese wedding cake is definitely a talking point. We consult and advise the couple on what cheeses would suit within their remit and budget – some cheeses are more suitable than others. We suggest appropriate decoration and accompaniments and deliver to the venue.

Kelly: What are your favourite cheeses?

Antoinette: Wow – that’s a difficult one. I adore blue cheese and, to be honest, a really good Stilton – Colston Bassett or Stichelton for instance – is hard to beat. However, I also love flavourful mild cheeses like Ossau Iraty, a Basque sheep’s milk cheese. Or, Ardrahan, a fantastic Irish washed rind cheese. Or….I could go on!

Kelly: Which accompaniments would you choose to go with them?

Antoinette: We have a fabulous range of crackers, from the locally made Ditty’s Oatcakes to crackers with Fig or Fennel – all of which are great with cheese. We also stock fantastic chutneys from small producers in Ireland and England.

Kelly: Are there any tips you could give about creating the perfect cheeseboard?

Antoinette: A cheeseboard can be an informal and sociable ending to a dinner party with everyone hacking away at a selection of perhaps three large pieces of cheese. Or it can be more elegant with small portions laid out on each guest’s plate – again three to four pieces. The cheese should be chosen to represent a balanced range of cheese types, levels of flavour and milk types (goat, cow, sheep).

Kelly: To your mind what are the greatest difficulties and joys in owning a business and a specialist cheese shop in particular?

Antoinette: Probably the greatest difficulty for us in the past year or so was starting a business in the middle of a recession. We are so grateful to our customers for supporting us during this time and for spreading the word about what we do. The most enjoyable part of the business is talking to and establishing relationships with customers, tasting cheese, introducing new cheeses, tasting more cheese…!

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What we think

Clydesdale & Morrow is great – just the sort of store that Belfast needs, and the sort of friendly and interested store-owners we need too!

It’s quickly become one of our favourite places.

Other information

You can find Clydesdale & Morrow at:
Clydesdale & Morrow
581 Lisburn Road
Belfast
BT9 7GS
T: 028 9066 2790
E: enjoy@clydesdaleandmorrow.com
W: www.clydesdaleandmorrow.com
You can alsofind Clydesdale & Morrow on Google Maps.

Carluccio's delivering to Northern Ireland

When Kelly and I visit London our itinerary always includes at least one meal (and a bottle of wine or two) at a Carluccio’s restaurant. Aside from the delicious, authentic Italian food, the friendly staff, and the pocket-saving prices, the in-store deli is a treasure-trove of mouth-watering treats: from truffle butter to dried porcini, imported Italian liqueurs and wines to specialty chocolates.

Carluccio’s was founded in 1991 by chef Antonio Carluccio and has flourished ever since, with 43 locations across mainland UK. When we noticed that they had opened a branch in Dublin (March 2008) Kelly and I were over-the-moon, hoping that a Belfast location was on the cards.

While we’re waiting, however, we can now get our Carluccio’s “fix” online. Until recently they couldn’t deliver to Northern Ireland – but that has all changed! So, as a special treat for Kelly, I ordered a box of Italian delicacies..

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The delivery from Carluccio’s

• Limoncello Di Sorrento 70cl – £19.50
• Vin Santo D.o.c. 37.5 Cl – £16.50
• Cantucci Al Cioccolato (Chocolate Cantucci Tuscan Biscuits) 300g – £4.95
• Burro Al Tartufo (Truffle Butter) 80g – £4.95
• Sugo Al Nero Di Seppia (Cuttlefish Ink Sauce) 140g – £2.95

Limoncello Di Sorrento

Limoncello is a lemon liqueur from Southern Italy, and Sorrento in particular. Served after a meal, it’s an intensely lemon-flavoured digestif that was particularly to Kelly’s liking.

Vin Santo and Cantucci Al Cioccolato

A Tuscan dessert wine, and similar in some ways to sherry. We followed the directions from Carluccio’s an dunked our Cantucci biscuits into the sweet, fiery drink which really enhanced the almond flavour of the biscuits. Delicious, and a nice way to finish a meal when you have guests for dinner.

Burro Al Tartufo

The truffle butter is the one product that we longed for when Carluccio’s didn’t deliver to Northern Ireland – we’d lament the delivery policy as we salivated over the thought of the white, creamy butter infused with the dark, earthy flavours and aromas of the truffle. We enjoyed ours on toasted crusty bread, which was delicious – but I have a feeling that the scrambled eggs with a dollop of truffle-butter melting over the top that we have planned will be amazing.

Sugo Al Nero Di Seppia

We haven’t tried this yet – but I have a great recipe for Spaghetti in Squid Ink Sauce. Make sure you check the blog in the near future for the recipe and photos of how I got on.

What we thought

Finding ingredients and specialist goods in Northern Ireland can be frustrating – impossible, at times – but with the change in the delivery policy at Carluccio’s a world of authentic Italian tastes are a mouse-click away.

We both loved the various products – each and every one was delicious and had us looking up the site to see what else we could order.

The delivery charge was £5.60 – it sounds a lot but, considering the weight of our parcel, I thought that it was fair enough.

You might have already picked up on the fact that we love Carluccio’s.

Other information

You can visit Carluccio’s online at: www.carluccios.com/.

After some wrangling over their rental agreement for the Dawson Street premises in Dublin, and after the reported closure of the Dublin branch, I’m pleased to report that all is well. A week after closing it’s doors an agreement was reached between the restaurant chain and the landlord, saving around 60 jobs and ensuring the future of one of our favourite restaurants in Dublin.

You can find Carluccio’s in Dublin at:
Carluccio’s
53 Dawson Street
Dublin 2
T: (01) 6333957
W: www.carluccios.com
You can also find Carluccio’s – Dublin on Google Maps.

St. George's Market, Belfast

The City Food and Garden Market in St. George’s Market is one of the highlights of our week – it’s a great start to the weekend – and is seems that The Guardian think so too, having named St. George’s as one of the top 10 markets in the UK. You can read the original post in The Guardian here.

The Saturday market is a real treat for all the senses: the air is full of exotic spices and the aroma of exotic delicacies for you to try; the happy murmur of shoppers talking to stall-holders about their produce; the sense of expectation that turning the next corner will reveal another stall of new and never-tried-before cuisine; and the strains of the live musical entertainment weaving through the crowds. Perhaps the best thing about the market, however, is the atmosphere – people genuinely care about the produce on display, from the proprietors to the customers. Freshness and flavour is the order of the day.

Many of the stalls actively encourage you to “try before you buy” too, with plates of free-to-sample food allowing customers to mull over their choice before handing over their hard-earned money. The choice is really bewildering, and everything looks so good. A word to the wise though – you will want to buy everything – like a recovering compulsive gambler in Las Vegas, you will have to take yourself aside and have a quiet word with yourself (or with your partner when your monthly statement comes in)!

Our favourite stalls include: the olive oil from Biostore; artisan chocolate from Co Couture; cold meats, olives, and cheese from Love Olive; bread from The Yellow Door; and free-range, organic rare-breed meat from Pheasants Hill Farm.

All of this walking about and tasting is hard work mind you. Fortunately, there are also a wide variety of hot food stalls (and seated areas) for you to take a break. You’ll often find us enjoying those tasty crepes from the French crepe stall, or trying something a little more fiery from the Jamaican food stall (the heat from those little pasties really sneak up on you!). There are also stalls selling filled sodas, tea, and coffee.

Having criticised the poor organisation of and motives behind the Belfast Christmas Continental Market and the Belfast Taste and Music Fest 2009 I think it’s only fair to say that Belfast City Council have really gotten this one right – St. George’s Market is something for Belfast to be proud of. Well done BCC!

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Other information

Variety Market
Day: Friday
Opening hours: 6am – 1pm
Details: Stalls sell a variety of products including fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, antiques, books and clothes.

City Food and Garden market
Day: Saturday
Opening hours: 9am – 3pm
Details: The market offers a huge range of local, continental and specialty foods including meat and fish, cheese, coffee beans, tapas and organic products. There’s also entertainment and music on most Saturdays.

St. George’s Market
12-20 East Bridge Street,
Belfast
BT1 3NQ
T: 028 9032 0202
W: www.belfastcity.gov.uk/stgeorgesmarket
You can also see St. George’s Market on Google Maps.

Graze.com - Nature Delivered

Now, if your New Years’ resolution is anything like mine (to eat less!!), then listen up! With all the food and drink I consumed over the Christmas and New Year celebrations nothing now seems to fill me for long and I am constantly thinking about eating.

So when Niall told me about the ‘Graze box’ I was quite excited.

Graze.com are a UK based company that deliver (by post) different boxes of food to your desk for as little as £2.99. You can choose what you want in your box, ranging from fresh fruit to nuts and Olives. Your food is then hand picked, boxed and sent to your home or your office with free (yes free!!) first class delivery – far better than picking up a curly pre-packed sandwich from a garage on the way into work.

It is also worth adding that ‘Graze’ boxes are from a sustainable forest, bio-degradable and recyclable.

Niall’s mum is a big fan of grazing throughout the day, instead of eating three big meals a day she snacks regularly. Research shows that snacking on natural foods throughout the day can maintain and control blood sugar which helps to lose weight.

Graze were kind enough to send us a ‘nibble box’ to try and I absolutely loved it! In my box of treats I got:

• Apple strudel – Dried Apple, naturally dried apricots and dried cranberries
• Macadamia nuts
• Yin and Yang -  extra dark chocolate buttons with cherries and almonds
• Cajun seed mix

Now, I thought I would be able to eat them all in one go, but they are surprisingly filling.  So I was able to snack throughout the week with them.

I have to say my favourite was the ying & yang, it was delicious.  Meaning the unity of opposites – the dark chocolate is in perfect contrast to the blanched almonds and the sweet dried cherries, and makes a really tasty snack.

For the calorie-conscious it’s important to remember that even though it’s healthy the content still has calories. Nuts have a high fat content as well as dried fruit being high in sugars – even though it’s natural. The Yin & Yang pot, for instance, was 296 calories.  Now this may seem slightly high for a snack but keep in mind you are getting some chocolate (which is extra dark so therefore has many health benefits), you are also getting lots of nuts and dried fruit.  More importantly this will keep you sustained until your next meal and you wont feel tempted to snack again in between. If you thought that the 296 calories was too high then the apple strudel of Dried Apple, naturally dried apricots and dried cranberries could be the one for you.  This only had 172 calories (but unfortunately no chocolate)!!

You can personalise your Graze box by choosing what goes into it, so you can have as many or as few calories in your box as you want. I’ll be ordering another box for sure – the only problem I’m having is what to order?

You can see the photos here:

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Our verdict:
I really loved the Graze nibble box – it’s a healthy way of snacking throughout the week.  They never use any artificial colours, flavours or preservatives in their products and the boxes are environmentaly friendly.  The box also provided me with a few of my ’5 a day’ which is a real bonus.

You can find out more by visiting www.graze.com

So get grazing!!

Important information

One thing that caught us by surprise was that, when you set-up your account on Graze.com, you’re automatically creating a customer account – in other words you will start to receive Graze boxes, and you’ll be billed for them. Now, we didn’t have any problem cancelling the account, but I’m glad I noticed this behaviour before we were surprised by money coming out of our account.

You can change your Graze.com account, or contact them to cancel your scheduled deliveries, by visiting www.graze.com/help/contact.

Graze snack boxes - nature delivered