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.

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

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.

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.

We decided to head off to the West Coast of Ireland at the weekend to celebrate our friend Orlaith turning 21 again:)  As you all I’m sure would agree, no birthday celebration is the same without a nice cake.  But if your like me and cant decide between chocolate, lemon, white chocolate, strawberry, plain, double chocolate… well you get my dilemma…. Then cupcakes are the perfect choice. 

As both Niall and I were working all week we decided that instead of baking them ourselves we would order them.  We found a company in Belfast called ‘Cupcakes and Fairy Cakes’ that specialised in celebratory cupcakes for birthdays, weddings, christenings, or any other excuse you can find to eat cake… I have many. 

I wanted all 14 I had ordered to be different flavours and thought this might prove difficult but Bernadette and Martine from ‘Cupcakes and Fairy Cakes’ were extremely helpful even suggesting flavours they thought would be nice…. I particularly loved the alcohol infused cupcakes. 

The cupcakes went down a treat at the party and everyone had their favourite flavour.  Niall’s favourite was the Strawberry cupcake – it had strawberry jam mixed through the cupcake mixture which made it really moist and sweet.  Ciara and Orlaith loved the Buttercream ones And I preferred the chocolate… no suprise there then :)

Everything that we tried from ‘Cupcakes and Fairy Cakes’ was moist, fluffy and packed with flavour and I have already put my order in for Halloween.  I’m looking forward to see how they are decorated – i’ll post the photos as soon as we get them.

Other Information

If you would like to order cupcakes or a cake from Bernadette and Martine you can contact them on 07879400177 or Email them at info@cupcakesandfairycakes.com.

Prices start from £1.00 per cupcake and they also do gorgeous gift-boxes if you are giving them as a gift.

Contact information

Cupcakes and Fairycakes
T: 07879400177 or 07968225732
E: info@cupcakesandfairycakes.com
W: www.cupcakesandfairycakes.com

Find out more at biostore.ie

I remember the first time we realised that the world of olive oil was more complex and enjoyable than the litre bottles of oil from your local supermarket. At Locanda Locatelli in London our waiter had a menu of oils, all with different flavours and aromas – it was a revelation! We raved about the various olive oils for days afterwards but, returning to Belfast, I didn’t think that we’d get the chance to continue our exploration any further. Well, it has been a while – but help is here at last.

A recent trip to St. George’s Market in Belfast unearthed a real gem. BioStore have a range of olive oils from the regions around the Mediterranean – Sicilian, Italian, Greek and Middle Eastern. The differences in the flavours are truly amazing, and you’re fully encouraged to sample the different oils. Having tried them all I can safely say that we prefer the Foggia (fruity, but with a real pepper-y kick) and the Sicilian (a nutty oil with some lemon and herbal undertones). Once decanted into your bottle, the oil develops a thick layer of sediment – a sure sign that the oil is of the best possible quality – extra virgin from the first few pressings of the olives.

But what makes the whole experience of buying your oil in this way even better is the stall-owners enthusiasm for his product, and the fact that Ronan clearly enjoys talking to people. To be fair, it’s completely reciprocal – you do tend to day-dream as he describes trekking across the Med, unearthing small co-ops of local farmers and buying their olive oil – and the strange and startling sights along the way!

At £10 a litre (less if you’re returning the bottles) the price really is competitive, being less than we’ve found elsewhere – and the oil is simply delicious. The flavours can be pronounced or subtle, depending on the oil that you’re tasting – but it’s always good. We’ve used the oil for drizzling over foccaccia and ciabatta as appetisers at several parties, and it never fails to impress.

The process of tasting olive oil has as many peculiarities and rituals associated with it as has wine – in the next few weeks we’ll do a step-by-step guide through Ronan’s whole stock with tasting notes and a guide to sampling and savouring your olive oil.

So call down to St. George’s Market some Saturday and, as your explore what the market has to offer, set aside 10 or 20 minutes and to speak to Ronan and try his olive oil.. you won’t regret it!

The website is still under construction, but you should visit: www.biostore.ie