The West’s Awake. Find it Fresh in Bradley’s

The  West’s Awake.

Find it Fresh in Bradley’s

Opening day in Bradley's

Fresh from West Cork is back in town and you’ll find it installed in Bradley’s, North Main Street. Walter, familiar to many of you from his stint last year in the English Market, fronts the operation and is as enthusiastic as ever.

And why wouldn't he be? He has some great produce in Bradley's; all the familiar names are there including Irish Atlantic Sea Salt, Rosscarbery Recipes, Gubbeen, Ummera, Glenilen, Sally Barnes (he especially recommends her smoked mackerel, “a big seller”), West Cork Pies, Culture Foods (the Sauerkraut people, who are now exporting) and more.

June Kingston’s Soda Wheaten loaf is a best seller and there are tasty apple tarts from the Walshes of Caheragh (near Drimoleague). And don't forget the Loughbeg Tea Brack and be sure to get some Glenilen clotted cream to go with that! Then you have yogurts and Lemon Labneh from McCarthy’s Dairy not to mention the many fish products from Union Hall including Smoked Mackerel Paté and Smoked Salmon Paté.

No shortage of honey and jam. The honey comes from Noel and Patricia Love of Knockeen (Skibbereen) while jams are supplied by Kathleen McCarthy of Drimoleague and Eithne McCarthy from Skibbereen. And watch out too for the Loughbeg chutneys, quite a few but the star is the Yellow Zucchini Relish which was adored by a bunch of “nine Michelin chefs from London when they sampled it at the English Market last year”.

And the good news is that you can get these six days a week, from 8.00am to 9.30pm! And more good news. If you like your vegetables fresh (and who doesn't?), Colm O’Regan of Horizon Farms will be making three deliveries a week to North Main Street.

And from next Friday, you'll be able to get raw pressed juice here: carrot, beetroot and a vegetable and fruit blend! “And the week after that, we'll have mini-meals,” he said. I looked puzzled! “Especially for toddlers,” he clarified. So there you are. Walter and Fresh from West Cork will feed you all, big and small.

Bradley's Have The Country Covered

Bradley's Have Your Food and Drink

Michael has the country covered

Amazed at the selection of Irish foods now available in Bradley’s, North Main Street, Cork. The customers are obviously enjoying it all and so too is Michael Creedon, a Bradley himself. It is turning out to be quite an adventure and Michael loves meeting the small producers and seeing what they have to offer. New ones are being added all the time; Wilkie’s Chocolates and the Amodeo Salad Dressing are among the latest arrivals.

From the south

Bradley’s started out as a dairy in 1850 but, in more recent years, became well known as one of the best drinks specialists in Cork. Wine or Whiskey, Vodka or Gin, Bradleys was and is yer only man. Then along came the craft beer revolution and the small producers soon found they had a friend in Michael and his collection of beers just grew and grew. Now they all talk about the famous “wall of beer”.

And just as Michael extended a friendly hand to the local brewers, he was at the same time doing the very same with regard to food producers. “The small producers have time to talk, take the trouble to ring back. The contacts are personal and encouraging.” And the result is that he is well on his way to covering the whole country. And remember, you can shop online.

The eastern bloc!

I picked, more or less at random, a few baskets during a recent visit. These photos represent only a small part of the offering of beers and foods (and, by the way, are not meant to be matching suggestions!).

In the South selection, you’ll see bigger names such as Gubbeen and Atlantic Sea Salt along with that new Amodeo dressing. Mella’s Fudge is a personal favourite as is that fabulous Lisanley Honey from East Cork. Seymour’s Biscuits, Cookies of Character and Ballybrado’s Crisp Breads are all recommended. And for drinks, you're spoiled for choice and we had room for very few in the shot.

West by North West

Let’s now have a look at that packed basket from the East. Not much room for beer but we did squeeze in a couple from the packed shelves. Second Nature's Rapeseed OIl and the versatile and delicious Highbank Orchard Syrup are prominent and then you've got the tasty products of Big Red Kitchen, Dalkey Mustard and Just Delicious. Goodness from the grain by Ballybrado and Ballyminane and, after all that, you might like a cuppa from Niks Teas or maybe one of the beers!

No shortage of beers in the North West selection with an explosion of brewers in Galway, Roscommon and Donegal. The Foods of Athenry are well represented with their granolas and crackers and no shortage of seaweed products by Carraig Fhada. And, of course, that well known Donegal Rapeseed oil.

Quite a selection, I’m sure you'll agree. But there is much more in the shop, so do drop in and have a look.

Thirsty now after all that but what beer will I have? Such a choice!

Local Food Companies Shortlisted for Bord Bia Awards

Local Food Companies Shortlisted for Bord Bia Awards

Margaret (Founder) & DJ Kelleher (MD)

Riverview Eggs, Glenmar Shellfish, Irish Atlantic Salt and Irish Distillers are the four Cork based food and drink companies who have been shortlisted in Bord Bia’s Food and Drink Awards (2013). The awars recognise excellence in export development; branding; innovation; sustainability; entrepreneurship, success on the domestic market and use of consumer research.

·         Irish Distillers’ Jameson Irish Whiskey, with an expanding and renowned distillery in Midleton, has been shortlisted for two awards; the Export Award and the Innovation Award. Jameson reached the milestone of 4 million cases sold globally in 2012 and is the No. 1 Irish whiskey in the world sold in 108 markets. In terms of innovation, the Yellow Spot 12 Year Old, within the Single Pot Still Whiskeys of the Midleton range, is unique to Ireland and to the Midleton Distillery in particular. The whiskey is produced annually in batches of 500 cases, making it a true collectors item and is available in limited quantities in Ireland, France, the UK and Germany.

·         Alongside Jameson, Union Hall’s Glenmar Shellfish have also been shortlisted for the Export Award. The company is currently exporting 550 tons to markets such as China, Hong Kong, Korea, Italy, Spain, France and Croatia.

Irish Atlantic Salt - Michael and Aileen O'Neill

·         Watergrasshill based, Riverview Eggs, have been shortlisted for the Consumer Insight Award for their use of consumer research to develop the Amazing Egg brand. Faced with the challenge of innovating in a competitive and commoditized category, the company invested in extensive category research from which they use the insights to inform their strategy. The result of which is that the Riverview brand is now the second largest brand by market share in the Irish egg market (Kantar, July 2013).

·         Irish Atlantic Sea Salt, located on the Beara Peninsula, has been shortlisted for the Entrepreneurial Award. The O'Neill family developed this range of organic, gourmet Irish sea salt products, using the highest quality waters surrounding the Peninsula to create the only Irish-made white sea salt products available.

Visit profile interviews with the companies here: www.bordbia.ie/awards

This year’s awards will be presented at Bord Bia’s Annual Brand Forum end of year event taking place in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on Thursday, 14^th November. Paul Duffy, Chairman and CEO of The Absolut Company, will be the keynote speaker on the night and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney T.D. will present the awards. RTE presenter Keelin Shanley will be MC for the evening. 

In total, Bord Bia received over 150 entries across the seven categories. The three shortlisted companies under each category are as follows: