Jenny Bristow

Castledawson's Cookin' Up a Treat – Again!

Jennys Welcome

It's good to build on the success of Castledawson's Lough Neagh Food Festival. This event set in the enterprising and picturesque village of Castledawson has a strong and very positive support of the importance of locally produced food. This is an arena very close to my heart and one I have been working very closely with over the past years.

Here at this unique event I will be cooking up in my Masterclass a selection of recipes totally based on local sourced produce in all its variety from Lough Neagh Eels, local breads, meats and all with its own individual story all part of the rich tapestry of rural life throughout Ireland.

The recipes this year have a strong reflection of our economic climate, low cost, convenient and ideal for everyone to replicate in their own way. Unique recipes will be available here on my website.

Come along and see me cook up a real treat at 12:30pm. There will be a

• Mother Hubbard's Pie
• Prime Local Sausages with Mustard and Red Onion Gravy
• Lemon and Rosehip Pannacotta with Spiced Crab Apples
• Damson Plum Cardamon Cake

and many more

Download the Castledawson PDF Recipe Booklet

I will also be hosting and cooking up a Breakfast Launch event for local producers to share breakfast with me. This will be a great opportunity to network and meet key people involved in buying and marketing of local produce. This year it is great to see the additional interest and respect that this festival has gained with regard to involving tourism, catering and retailing.

I am convinced this colourful food festival will result in many coming to the village, having a fun day as well as understanding and investing in their community and the vision of Castledawson.

I look forward to meeting you all.

Jenny Bristow

Lough Neagh Food Festival set for 6th September – Get Ready for a Gourmet Great Day Out

Castledawson gets ready to cook up a treat once again - with the second Lough Neagh Food festival set to take place on Saturday 6th September 2008. Following on the success of last year's one day culinary event, this year's festival will once again see Castledawson's Main Street converted into a colourful culinary celebration.

Like last year, the Main Street will be full to burstin' with foodie stalls offering all sorts of taste sensations, plus culinary demonstrations by leading chefs. There will be all the usual festival fringe activities - including attractions for children of all ages.

TV celebrity cook Jenny Bristow and Northern Ireland Good Food Ambassador Jenny Bristow will be serving up special dishes created specially for the festival.

Along with the much loved cookery demonstrations, a wide range of local food manufacturers and suppliers will be getting into the food festival mood, fusing local produce with tastes and flavours from all around the globe.

Robert Ditty of Castledawson Development Enterprises said

"The world will come to Castledawson on Saturday 6th September - not just all the people who will flock to the village for the day, but foods and flavours from all over the planet will blend with the finest foods that this area has to offer,"

"Not only does the one day event give the local community a chance to celebrate its rich and diverse food traditions and the contribution the area's food producers make to the local economy, it's also an opportunity for Castledawson and its surrounds to welcome visitors and offer fine food and hospitality."

Jenny Bristow said she is looking forward to the Castledawson food festival once again.

"I particularly enjoyed last year's festival. There was an amazing atmosphere throughout the village - it was full of vitality and delicious aromas. I'll be cooking up a few new dishes - but I'll be keeping it all under wraps until the day."

Chris McCarney of organising company Your Event said

"Last year's food festival in Castledawson was such a resounding success that it is essential that we continue to develop this event. It is a lively, fresh and innovative festival that not only promotes good food and drink, it encourages a sense of community and pride in local produce.

"I'm sure that both local people and visitors from further afield will make a date with Castledawson for Saturday 6th September."

See www.loughneaghfoodfestival.com for further details. The festival is sponsored by Ardboe Cold Store, Ditty's Home Bakery, MDC Tiles and Bathrooms Magherafelt and Mullan & Co Chartered Accountants in Castledawson, and is made possible with funding from the EU Regional Development Programme and the Northern Ireland Regional Food Programme.

The Great Sunday Lunch - 19th October, 2008

A host of celebrities are supporting Age Concern at the launch of the first ever Great Sunday Lunch. Our very own Local good food ambassador Jenny Bristow along with Tess Daly, Barbara Windsor, Anthony Worrall Thompson are all encouraging us to cook up a feast and raise funds for Age Concern. The gastronomic event designed to celebrate the national institution that is Sunday Lunch will raise funds for older people for whom Sunday Lunch can be a difficult and lonely time.

The Great Sunday Lunch will take place on Sunday 19th October, 2008.

Jenny launches the campaign in August for Age Concern Northern Ireland and will supply her own top tips and recipes for creating the perfect Sunday Lunch on www.ageconcernni.org. As a local good food ambassador, Jenny will judge the best Sunday Lunch as part of a region-wide competition. She will be looking out for the lunch that uses the best recipes and local produce. You can enter by emailing your Sunday Lunch menu to greatsundaylunch@ageconcernni.org. All menus must be submitted no later than Friday 3rd October, 2008.

Sunday lunch is often the most socially significant event of the week, where millions of people gather with friends and family to catch up, relax, have fun, and make plans. It is about communication and getting together. Sadly, this doesn’t apply to everyone. Older people are particularly likely to be isolated: one in 10 over 65's live with constant loneliness. Over 20% of over 80's live alone, and almost one in five pensioners live in poverty.

Jenny said:

Sunday Lunch in our home has always been a way of life. I firmly believe its part of the cement of the better things in life. A time for those around the table to share food is one of lifes greatest pleasures whatever the choice of meal.

The Great Sunday Lunch is I feel a unique opportunity for everyone to contribute to this event whether you are cooking and eating for 1, a family, groups of people who simply come together to share and eat at home, at work, in restaurants and best of all to extend a warmth of friendship and share your meal particularly with those who are perhaps alone.

Look out for my suggestions and inspiration on Jennys Take on a Sunday Lunch or Jennybristow.com where I have new inspirational suggestions on low cost lunches, best local produce, cooking on a budget and recipes for all ages that are not time consuming and will embrace the wider community here in Northern Ireland and their tastes.

You can get involved by inviting your friends and family round for dinner and donating to Age Concern, you can gather in your local Church or commmunity group, or attend one of our participating venues and they will donate on your behalf.

Anne O'Reilly, Chief Executive of Age Concern Northern Ireland said:

"The Great Sunday Lunch is a fun event that will raise vital funds for our work with older people. This is a wonderful opportunity for people to get together with older relatives and friends who usually eat Sunday Lunch alone. The sense of isolation experienced by older people can be particularly acute at a time when family members traditionally spend time with each other."

For more details on the campaign or to register your involvement please call 02890245729, or email greatsundaylunch@ageconcernni.org

Cooking for Fun Cooking for Life - Educational workshop at W5

With the emphasis on local produce, convenience and encouraging everyone today to have a great hearty breakfast Jenny will be cooking up a feast of early morning recipes for the latest Cooking for Fun Cooking for Life educational workshop at W5. These recipe ideas are cost effective in time, money and ingredients. They include Jenny's take on a healthy Ulster Breakfast with the emphasis on health and 5 a day in a simple breakfast fruit salad dish. As is always popular Jenny will be demonstrating food on the go in the form of a hearty toasty Muffelletta sandwich packed with bananas and strawberries.

To download W5 masterclass recipes click here

Jenny Bristow cooks up a treat at McGees Butchers

Jenny will be joining Joe McGee on Friday 13th June between 12pm and 1pm at McGee's Butcher in Bloomfield Shopping Centre, Bangor to cook up some amazing dishes for everyone to have a taste. Jenny will be cooking alongside a BBQ and everyone is invited. Jenny has especially designed these wonderful healthy low cost prime recipes for McGees Butchers based on convenience and cost both in ingredients and fuel.

To download Summer low cost recipes in association with McGees Butchers click here

Jenny Bristow states:

"Joe is a great visionary and has understood the need for everyone to appreciate great quality assured produce. As well as Farm Assured meat, straight from his very own farm in Gortnagarn, he has taken great care and thought in establishing his butcher shops. The recipes I am going to cook up are based on good sense home economics which tackles good healthy prime produce, comforting and easily priced ideas, combined with filler foods such as potatoes, pasta and tortilla wraps to provide many nutritious meals."

Joe McGee, Proprietor, comments

"At McGee’s we are passionate about our meat and where it comes from. We are delighted Jenny is going to come to our largest store in Bloomfield Shopping Centre to cook with our produce and demonstrate how good it is. This new selection of recipe ideas should take you right through the summer season."

Cooking for Fun Cooking for Life - Educational workshop at W5

With the emphasis on local produce, convenience and encouraging everyone today to have a great hearty breakfast Jenny will be cooking up a feast of early morning recipes for the latest Cooking for Fun Cooking for Life educational workshop at W5. These recipe ideas are cost effective in time, money and ingredients. They include Jenny's take on a healthy Ulster Breakfast with the emphasis on health and 5 a day in a simple breakfast fruit salad dish. As is always popular Jenny will be demonstrating food on the go in the form of a hearty toasty Muffelletta sandwich packed with bananas and strawberries.

To download W5 masterclass recipes click here

Bloom is Back....Bigger and Better

Following its hugely successful debut last year, Bloom 2008, hosted by Bord Bia will return to the Phoenix Park this June Bank Holiday weekend along with Jenny Bristow, Ireland's Good Food Ambassador, celebrated chef and Author.

Bloom, which takes place in the Phoenix Park in Dublin 29 May to 2nd June, is a stunning show of garden designs, magnificient floral displays, interactive garden installations, farmer's markets, entertainment, fabulous food pavilion, family activities and much more.

More than 50,000 people visited the spectacular gardening extravaganza during last year's event.

Bord Bia supporting Bloom 2008 will also introduce a new Health and Wellness Arena and an Irish food market where Jenny Bristow and other leading chefs including Neven Maguire wil create and inspire helping to promote the best of local Irish produce.

To download the recipes Jenny will be cooking in the Health and Wellness Arena click here

Central to Bloom 2008 will be the 30 exquisite gardens. A team of experts will judge the show gardens and medals will be awarded.

On the Saturday, Jenny Bristow will be creating something wonderful in a wonderful garden designed by Paul Martin and supported by Pfizer.

To download the menu Jenny will be serving up in the garden click here.

Jenny Bristow states:

"This is a first for me to be working alongside the Bloom Festival at Phoenix Park where I am delighted to be cooking up a treat. This will truly be a stunning event with the wonderful backdrop of a festival in bloom. It is exciting to have the opportunity of sharing in a vision in addressing issues that we are all today very passionate about. It is a pleasure to be working alongside Bord Bia in support of the Irish Food Industry in the Chefs Summer Kitchen and Pfizer addressing the issues of good health in a garden setting designed by Paul Martin which will be absolutely stunning."

"The overall theme of my recipes will be local goodness and summer fayre. There will be cooking alfresco style on a BBQ and stunning desserts. We all long for warm sunny days, sizzling barbecues and cool salads and there is really no better time to cook. With the abundance of fresh herbs, tender lamb full of flavour, succulent beef, pork and a great range of fruit and vegetables, everyone is tempted to add a little sparkle and zest to their summer cooking. This will be a wonderful day for the entire family and I look forward to seeing you all there. In the mean time I wish everyone 'Happy Cooking'."

All Jenny's recipes are guaranteed to deliver maximum flavour and eating pleasure. So whether the time factor, the budget, healthy eating or just delicious meals are your concern, as always Jenny will have options for you.

Speaking at the launch, Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia commented

"The immense public response to Bloom 2007 confirmed the need for a world class gardening event in Ireland. It proved that we have both the indigenous design talent and the demand among the Irish public for an outstanding event of scale and quality. Bloom has put horticulture and gardening on the Irish social calendar and I am confident that as the event develops in years to come it will put Irish designers and horticulturists on the international map."

"Bord Bia is committed to further developing this outstanding showcase and for anyone with an interest in flowers, gardening, crafts, fine food or simply outdoor life, Bloom 2008 offers a memorable day out for all the family. We look forward to welcoming the public to what promises to be a remarkable and unmissable event."

Bloom has again secured a number of high profile partners including Keelings, Tesco and Pfizer who will contribute, among others, to an eclectic mix of advice and expertise throughout the weekend. The event is also being run in association with the Office of Public Works (OPW) who has provided the picturesque setting of Phoenix Park Visitors Centre.

Tickets are now available by calling 0818 300 260 or log onto www.bloominthepark.com. Adult ticket prices start at €18 and there are a number of discounted family orientated packages.

Bloom will run from the Preview Day on Thursday 29th May to Monday 2nd June inclusive.

Waste - It's Not Rubbish

Final Preparations underday for Waste Week

Local Good Food Ambassador Jenny Bristow joins Sonia Boal from Belfast City Council's Waste Management team and Reg Maxwell, Parks Manager with the council, to sow the seeds for this year's Waste Week (June 2-7). The annual event is now in its sixth year, growing from strength to strength with thousands of visitors attending last summer's event at City Hall. This year Waste Week is branching out into the four corners of the city with community events to get people of all ages involved in activities to highlight the council's 'Waste - it's not rubbish' message. The theme of this year's event is 'change one thing' with a particular focus on cutting down on waste food.

Download the Waste It's not Rubbish PDF Recipe Booklet

Find out how to save money by saving the planet at this year's Belfast City Councils waste fair!

Join Jenny Bristow and the Waste Management team as we demonstrate how to make your leftovers go further while cutting down your food miles.

We will show you all our eco tricks in our gourmet allotment and Jenny Bristow will show you how to make the most of what you grow in her specially adapted MasterClass.

If you are passing at lunch time, why not change one thing, and reduce your wasteline at our waste free barbeque or explore our fair and be amazed at the variety of goods for sale made from recycled items or feel the guilt in our pod of shame!

The fair is open from 10am until 6pm Thursday 5th June - Saturday 7th June, remember.

Jenny Comments

"It's wonderful to be able to help Belfast City Council in their 'Waste is not Rubbish' campaign. Following on the success from last year, I have been working alongside the organisers and their head gardener and have really planned something special for this years event. So come along to the MasterClass kitchen in front of the Belfast City Hall and see what I have been up to!!"

Jenny's cooking something up in Down

Jenny Bristow will be visiting the picturesque village of Rostrevor in County Down during the month of May and demonstrating her culinary skills to help raise funds for the Chest Heart and Stroke Association.

On Wednesday 28th May Jenny Bristow, one of our best loved television personalities, will be delivering a cookery demonstration in Rostrevor Presbyterian Church Hall.

The Rostrevor members are very enthusiastic about the forthcoming Jenny Bristow Masterclass and are extremely grateful to Alwood Kitchens for bringing the event to Rostrevor.

The evening has been arranged to raise funds for the Chest Heart and Stroke Association.

Download the Rostrevor Masterclass PDF Recipe Booklet

Download the Rostrevor Newsletter

Jenny will prepare dishes, using locally sourced and supplied produce, all in the special purpose built Masterclass Kitchen supplied by Alwoods Kitchens of Lurgan.

Why not come along and support a very worthy cause, enjoy a professional cookery demonstration and afterwards meet one of Ireland's own TV personalities. During the course of the evening you will have a chance to purchase from Jenny's own range of biscuits and coffee, as well as her lastest cookery book, which she will be happy to sign for you.

Seating for the event is limited and admission is by ticket only. If you would like tickets for the event contact Doreen via telephone on 0771 525 2355 - book early to avoid disappointment.

The aim of the NI Chest Heart & Stroke Association is to promote the prevention of and alleviate the suffering resulting from chest, heart and stroke related illnesses.

This year the Church has undertaken to help two charities: in May the Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke and in November the Diabetes UK Society. For more information please visit our website.

Good Food Is In Balmoral Show's Nature!

Balmoral show has a strong track record of supporting local producers and processors. Reinforcing the show's belief that 'Good Food Is In Our Nature', Jenny Bristow, Northern Ireland's Good Food Ambassador and celebrated chef, will take up residence at this year's Food Pavilion from the 14th-16th May 2008.

Using premium local produce, Jenny will be delivering a series of Masterclasses. Audiences can pick up helpful tips on creating a range of recipes that can be used in a variety of settings from dinner to barbecues.

Download the Balmoral PDF Recipe Booklet

Jenny discusses:

"I'm really looking forward to being at the Balmoral Show and offering visitors some tips on preparing healthy, interesting dishes, which take into account the pressures of modern day life. We will be blending the traditional with the modern, healthy with convenience and value with style."

Jenny adds:

"There will be three Masterclass events per day, but I will also be available in the Food Pavilion to answer questions or offer advice to individuals who may be keen to try new dishes or explore how they go about introducing new flavours into their diet."

Fans may also wish to avail of the opportunity to get a book signed by the TV chef.

In addition to hosting live cookery demonstrations, over 20 exhibitors will be present in the Food Pavilion from Golden Cow, Coleraine Cheese, Taylor's Ice Cream, Mash Direct, Genesis, Cooley Distillery, Clandeboye Yoghurt, Armagh Cider, Davison Canners and Forthill Meats, right through to Shazzam Chutneys.

A limited number of exhibitor spaces are still left. If you would like to book a trade stand in the Food Pavilion contact Jenny McNeill, Trade Stand Co-Ordinator on 028 9066 5225 or email jenny@kingshall.co.uk