Extra-virgin oils from Harnett’s
Posted: 27 July '10 by Niall
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.
Categories: Local Food Heroes > Northern Ireland > United Kingdom
No Comments - Click to Add Yours
Fresh cupcakes! Luvverly fresh cupcakes!
Posted: 16 July '10 by Kelly
Cupcakes and Fairycakes at St. George's Market
Niall and I are regulars at St. George’s Market and love going to find some tasty ingredients for a dinner party or some tasty snacks – it’s always a great day out, what with the live music and the many, many food stalls. We’ve even entertained thoughts of getting our own stall – so, when Bernadette and Martine from Cupcakes and Fairycakes suggested I join them on their busy Sunday market stall, I jumped at the chance to get involved and see how it all comes together. This is how my day went..
You can see more photos hereImage 1Image 2Image 3Image 4
An 8am start!! OK, it’s hardly the crack of dawn (Bernadette and Martine had been baking since 6am!!), but after a few glasses of wine the night before it certainly felt like it!
As soon as I arrived at St George’s Market I helped set up the stall: putting up the banner, arranging the stands and laying out the samples. The delicious, sugar-y aroma of all of those freshly baked cupcakes made my stomach rumble. A cupcake for breakfast?? Could I?!! Of course I could!! After a restorative cup of tea and a flour-less chocolate cupcake with white chocolate topping (yummy) I felt half-human again and began to learn the ropes.
The first thing to get to grips with was the menu – Strawberry Shake, Dime Bar, Oreo Choc Cream, Vanilla Pod, Kiddies’ Suprise and a flour-less dark chocolate with white chocolate topped with a glittery strawberry. All of the cupcakes were beautifully iced and decorated, like little works of art and almost too good to eat.. I ate my way through all the flavours (purely for research purposes) and I can confirm that each and every one of them are superbly moist and fluffy.
With this intimate knowledge of the Cupcakes and Fairycakes range I quickly got up to speed on the prices and how the cupcakes and fairycakes were made. As the doors opened and the music started I could feel my hangover slowly begin to fade away as the whole buzz of the market took over. I got off to a great start, chatting to a few people and selling box after box of those delicious buns. I think the best thing about working at the market are the colourful characters you meet and believe me, I met quite a few that day. I think my most memorable was the man who asked me could I sprinkle some arsenic on top for ‘the wife’… I don’t think he was serious though!!
There really was a great atmosphere about the market that day and I got chatting to the lovely girls that were working on the bakery stall beside us. They were so friendly and the day really flew by. I even brokered a food-swap with them during a tea-break – a cupcake for Katie’s amazing, melt-in-the-mouth carrot cake!!
As the day came to a close and we counted up the profits from the days’ trading, my feet ached and I longed for a cup of tea and a foot massage. Mind you, I wouldn’t have missed the chance to see what life on the other side of the stall is like – I met some great people, ate my way through far too many cupcakes, listened to some great stories, and generally had great fun.
If you are looking for something to do on a Sunday you could do a lot worse than to head down to St George’s market for some live music, good atmosphere and delicious food! Don’t forget to pop by the Cupcakes and Fairycakes stall to say ‘Hi’ to Bernadette and Martine and to sample their delicious cupcakes.. they’re honestly worth the journey alone.
Make sure you visit the site again for my interview with Bernadette and Martine where they show me how to bake the ‘perfect’ cupcake.
Other information
St. George’s Market is now open on Sundays, from 10am to 4pm. You can click here to find out more information about the market.
If you would like to try some of Bernadette and Martine’s delicious cupcakes you can get in touch by:
Cupcakes and Fairycakes
T: 07879400177 or 07968225732
E: info@cupcakesandfairycakes.com
W: www.cupcakesandfairycakes.com
Categories: Things to do
1 Comment
They’re tasty, tasty, berry berry tasty
Posted: 28 June '10 by Niall and Kelly
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.
You can see more photos hereImage 1Image 2
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
Categories: Local Food Heroes > Northern Ireland > United Kingdom
No Comments - Click to Add Yours
More tea vicar?
Posted: 11 December '09 by Kelly
SUKI Tea
We were recently sent some tea to try from Oscar and Anne, owners of ‘Suki Tea’. To be completely honest I was a bit sceptical… what difference could there be?!
One thing that you should now before reading further.. I LOVE tea! It’s one of my favourite things, especially on a cold day to help you thaw out and relax. BUT to be honest, like most of us, I like my basic, shop-bought tea (with Nambarrie being my preferred choice!!). When I lived in England it was one of the things I missed most (apart from Niall obviously, haha!) so I used to get my mum and Niall to bring me my teabag supply whenever they were visiting. So it fell to me to give the final verdict in this tasting.
Suki Tea is a fairtrade, organic company based in Belfast, with ethical sourcing as their priority. They first started in 2005 at St George’s market in their quest to find the ‘perfect cuppa’. They now sell speciality teas, tisanes and hearbal infusions from around the world such as White Tea, Pu-erh, and Oolong Tea.
Niall and I tried quite a few of the teas over a few days and Niall’s favourite was the ‘China Jasmine Dragon Phoenix Pearl’ or the ‘Earl Grey Blue Flower’. The ‘pearls’ were really unusual, the leaves being hand rolled into pearl shapes and then they unravel as they fuse the water. They can also be used up to three times.
My own favourite had to be the ‘Christmas tea’. It reminded me of mulled wine, it had that spiced citrus-y taste to it. You could add some brandy or honey to add a bit of a kick to the tea but to be honest it doesn’t need anything added to it, it is a beautiful tea. The Christmas tea is also a ‘black tea’ which is probably why I like it so much – I love my tea strong and black and often leave the tea bag in…
Suki Tea have so many different types of tea, all full of flavour and wonderful aromas, so treat yourself and get down to see Oscar or Anne at the Belfast Christmas market or St George’s market and try them.
Other information
You can visit SUKI Tea online at: www.suki-tea.com
Chilli and Chocolate members:
Suki Tea have been kind enough to give our members a discount on purchases from their website. Visit the Members’ Section for more details
Categories: Local Food Heroes
No Comments - Click to Add Yours
Let them eat.. Cupcakes and Fairycakes
Posted: 05 October '09 by Kelly
Cupcakes and Fairycakes
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, it’s not a birthday party without a moist, sinfully sweet cake! Mind you, I can never decide what I want – should the cake be chocolate, lemon, white chocolate, strawberry, plain, double chocolate…?? It’s a real dilemma!
This is where cupcakes, and in particular Cupcakes and Fairycakes, 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 specialise in celebratory cupcakes for birthdays, weddings, christenings, or any other excuse you can find to eat cake… and I have many.
To satisfy my indecisive sweet tooth I wanted all 14 to be different flavours and thought this might prove difficult, but Bernadette and Martine were extremely helpful and put my mind at rest, even suggesting flavours they thought would be big hits at the party.
Needless to say, the cupcakes went down a treat and, with all those flavours, there were almost no disagreements over who got what: Niall’s favourite was the Strawberry cupcake (it had homemade strawberry jam mixed through the cupcake batter. making it really moist and sweet); Ciara and Orlaith loved anything with buttercream frosting; and I preferred the chocolate ganache… no suprise there then! :)
Now, we’re no novices when it comes to baking (or eating!) sweet treats, but I can safely say that everything that we tried from ‘Cupcakes and Fairycakes’ was deliciously moist and fluffy – I wonder what their secret is?!
We’ve have already placed our order for Halloween..
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.
Contact information
Cupcakes and Fairycakes
T: 07879400177 or 07968225732
E: info@cupcakesandfairycakes.com
W: www.cupcakesandfairycakes.com
Categories: Local Food Heroes > Northern Ireland > United Kingdom
