Ummera news update...

December 2002

Welcome to our Christmas Newsletter.

In August we received a wonderful e-mail from a new customer in Chicago and we couldn't resist including an extract to enthuse you!

"I want to tell you that as a lifelong aficionado of smoked salmon (mostly Scottish), from Petrossian to Boulud (America's latest arrival), from Harrods to Fortnum's and all the fine restaurants, gourmet food shops and catalogues in between, your salmon is the finest I have ever tasted!"

Before you go to our secure online ordering page to order your Christmas gifts and supplies, perhaps you might like to catch up on what's been happening with Ummera over the last year.

The major events this year - once we recovered from last Christmas - started early in the year in January when we decided to take part in the Kinsale Speciality Food Fair and Forum to be held in April. As our stocks of wild salmon were exhausted after a very busy Christmas and, faced with no salmon to smoke until the new season began in June, we decided to investigate the possibilities of smoking organically grown salmon.

In April, we were awarded the Organic Trust symbol for sourcing, processing and distribution of Certified Organic Smoked Salmon. We launched our range of Ummera Smoked Irish Certified Organic Salmon at the Kinsale Speciality Food Fair, along with our newly designed packaging. Click here for more about our Smoked Organic Salmon.

In May, we took part in the Baltimore Sea Food Festival in some very extreme weather conditions. The photograph below entitled Fishheads shows Anthony Creswell listening to Mrs Nolan, fish smoker from Union Hall, with Sally Barnes and Alan Murray of Woodcock Smokery in the background.

June began in a most productive way, but the commercial salmon fishing season started very badly. The weather was all wrong and the fish just weren't there. But by the end of June the weather was improving and the Salmon were running. The famous Manning's Food Fair in Ballylickey, West Cork took place early in June and despite un-seasonal weather was as enjoyable as ever. Val always seems to attract a wide variety of food producers from all over Ireland to enjoy a weekend of craic!

In July there was a Forum and street market organised by Euro-Toques Ireland (European Community of Chefs) in Co. Wicklow to highlight the problems small food producers have with EU Bureaucracy. David Byrne, Commissioner for Health & Consumer Protection made an encouraging speech hinting at some degree of flexibility and Dr. Patrick Wall of the Food Safety Authority was understanding of the difficulties facing small producers.

Most of the fishery regions had filled their quota before the fishing season ended on the 31st of July. Prices were up on the previous year, but the quality of the salmon had also risen as we encouraged fishermen to 'bleed' their fish and ice them as soon as possible after capture. A full report of the season can be found on our web site, including comments on the quotas introduced this year. Please click here: Fishing Report 2002

Also in July, the Fuchsia Brands West Cork Awards of Excellence were held for the first time. Ummera, who joined the Fuchsia Group this year, were nominated for three of the eleven awards: Excellence in Design, Excellence in Information Technology; Excellence in Environmental Practice. We were delighted to be presented with the Award for Environmental Excellence by Mr Joe Walsh, Minister of Agriculture.

During the year ourselves and three other smokers of Irish Wild Atlantic Salmon, Sally Barnes of Castletownsend, Peter Dunn of Dublin, and Frank Hederman of Belvelly, Cobh, working with Mark Boyden of the salmon conservation and education programme "Streamscapes", have established a Presidium, under the guidance of Slow Food, to address the challenges to the sustainability of the Wild Atlantic Salmon and the Irish smoking tradition.

The Irish Smoked Wild Atlantic Presidium was launched at this year's Salone del Gusto in Turin, Italy at the end of October. Words can hardly describe the Salone del Gusto, Slow Foods bi-annual showing of all that is fantastic in the world of food and wine. The next Salone will be in October 2004 and if you love real food, you will have to be there!

And so we are back to Christmas once again!

Please get your orders in as soon as possible; we have good stocks of salmon this year - but it is time which is short; we will try to meet last minute orders, but those who order before December 9th will be assured of supply.