News, Stories and Comments from a Smoker

Last night, RTE’s Nationwide had a piece on Val Manning of that famous institution, Mannings Emporium at Ballylicky, West Cork.

Anyone travelling on the road north of Bantry on the way to Glengarrif, Kenmare and Killarney will have passed this little shop with the grand name; anyone with a modicum of interest in food will have been compelled to stop and enjoy Val’s company and stories.

To those of us working with food in West Cork ( and further afield) Val has been the mecca for artisan producers over the last 30 years and it is right that he should have been given such warm coverage last night. Val gave support and encouragement to many over the years.

Click Nationwide to watch the clip.

And I’ve just heard that Carmel Somers of The Good Things Cafe in Durrus has just been on TV3, s0 West Cork really hitting the news!

And a reminder to those readers in the UK that as from March 1st we have our very own Swansea Cork Ferry coming back.

A London meeting was to be arranged; a flight from Cork was booked ahead of confirmation of meeting; meeting was delayed; what to do with 6 hours spare in London?

Quick phone call to Dan Mortimer of Mortimer & Bennett Delicatessen in Turnham Green Terrace and six hours filled! A tasting was arranged and so Anthony will be there available to talk, taste and answer questions.

Time: 10:30am to 3:00pm (maybe later!)

Smoked Organic Salmon, Organic Gravadlax, Smoked Chicken and Smoke Duck will be available.

“This holiday season we would like to give thanks to those responsible for real change in the choices available to us for food.
These individuals and businesses do not author feasibility studies, they do not organize conferences or write newspaper articles to talk about the change they want to see.
They are the change.
Oftentimes we forget the names of the real soldiers who create alternatives to commodity standards and remember the names of those who write about them.”

This quote comes from today’s Newsletter from Heritage Foods USA and applies equally to many producers in Ireland and across Europe. It is thanks to these “soldiers” that we continue to have real food here. Support them this Christmas and throughout the year.

Congratulations to Flahavans for winning the Exporter of the Year Award 2009 last night; their organic porridge gets me going these dark and damp mornings!

Ummera Smokehouse was one of the Nominees for the Seafood Exporter of the Year Award along with Burren Smokehouse in Co. Clare and Glenmar Shellfish in Co. Cork. The winner was Burren Smokehouse for its success in exporting 60% of its products. Congratulations!

One of the challenges that we, as a small producer and player in the export field, have to face continuously is the amount of paper work; certainly since the EU this has been reduced dramatically for exports within the EU, but move outside the EU and it’s a minefield!

When exporting to the USA, for example, not only do we have to be registered with the US FDA, but for every shipment, be it 1 kg of Smoked Salmon heading over to the US as a Christmas present or a 40′ container, we have to apply to the US for a Prior Notice approval; this can be done on line and is reasonably speedy. However, that’s the easy part. We also have to apply to the Irish SFPA (Sea Food Protection Authority) for a Health Certificate and a Certificate of Origin 48 hours before shipment. The inspector from the SFPA then has to visit us and physically inspect the Smoked Salmon and then issue us with 3 sheets of paper.

Apart from the infuriating delay in waiting 48 hours to get the paperwork, there is also the unbelievable cost factor of sending an inspector from the SFPA to inspect 1 kg of product with a value of €50.00; if it was a pallet or a container, then fair enough but for one small pack! Whilst we enjoy the visit of our inspectors, we do feel that their time would be better employed in more cost effective operations.

It is the “One Shoe Fits All” mentality of bureaucracy that persists in making life very difficult for small producers.

By Clodagh McKenna

Can’tlivewithout

Ummera Smokehouse is run and owned by the wonderful Anthony Creswell. The  smokehouse has been in the Creswell family for the past 30 years. In 1988 Anthony took over the running of the business from his father. Anthony’s father, Keith, started smoking salmon at the smokery that he and his friends caught in the local rivers Argideen, Bandon and the Blackwater, and also chicken as he had a chicken farm. Anthony keeps the tradition, but has also started dry cured bacon that is so good it makes your toes curl!

I adore the Ummera smoked chicken, and you must try it – it’s amazing in a paella, risotto or just with a salad. Ummera also produce a wicked Gravadlax, so make sure you get your orders in soon for Christmas, as its a much sought after food! The smokehouse is in Timoleague, Co. Cork and you can buy direct from Anthony by calling 023 8846644 or by e-mail info@ummera.com. See ummera.com for delicious recipes which also includes one of mine for a West Cork Paella!.

Last night many West Cork entrepreneurs gathered  for the third Network West Cork event at the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery to listen to the highly respected and articulate social media marketing and branding expert,  Krishna De.

Ummera and the Celtic Ross Hotel were the nominated Business Box featured, so we each had 5 minutes to give a brief presentation! Initially, we were to come after the keynote speaker, Krishna De, which would have been a hard act to follow, but happily at Krishna’s request, we were the first to go! We could then relax and  learn much from Krishna’s pearls of wisdom!

I did make a special offer to those attending the meeting, so if you are reading this and were there, remember you will have to subscribe to our Newsletter or join us on Twitter (@ummera) to take advantage of it!!!

If you are really adventurous, come and Wave at anthonycreswell@googlewave.com!

It was a great surprise when I got back home to see that Krishna had posted to her blog during the evening, and I was much encouraged by her comments!

So what else can I say but introduce you to Krishna’s blog page!

Tonight at 9pm on the Welsh Language TV Channel, S4C, you can watch the first of a seven part series on a cookng competition which was filmed at Ballinacura Manor House, Kinsale last July.

Ummera and some other producers took part in a mini Farmer’s Market to welcome the contestants and to show just how brilliant the food products of West Cork are.

To quote from their website:

“To lift your spirits what could be better than some Irish ‘craic’! Yes the Emerald Isle awaits you – Welcome to Tigh Dudley!

But, before even contemplating Ireland, Llandrillo’s kitchen beckons where not only are the twelve given master classes by Dudley, Bryn and Llinos they also experience some wine tasting courtesy of Arwel from Gwinology, Mold. Amazing, unforgettable experiences for the twelve competitors out of whom only eight go to Ireland and only one can be crowned the champion of Tigh Dudley 2009!”

Check out their website: http://www.s4c.co.uk/tighdudley/e_index.shtml and it should be in English!!

Yesterday, October 15th.,  started off with the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) Networking event in the Ambassador Hotel in Cork; good to meet up with a number of County Cork restaurateurs and some of their suppliers. this was one of nine roadshows around Ireland in conjunction with Failte Ireland and Bord Bia.

A quick drive down to the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery  for the monthly meeting of West Cork Open Coffee; having been alerted of speed traps it took slightly longer than expected!

For any readers of this in the West Cork area and are wondering what West Cork Open Coffee is all about I quote the following from Calvin Jones, one of the forces behind it:

“West Cork Open Coffee is an on-line and off-line group who enjoy regular meet ups in West Cork. We are mostly innovation and entrepreneurial people who work in or from home or in small businesses in the area.

“Micro enterprise is easy to overlook when it comes to investment and support from state agencies,” said Calvin Jones, a West Cork based freelance writer and core group member of Open Coffee West Cork. “They’re simply too small to register on the radar, and yet they have a disaproportionately beneficial impact on the local economy.

“If you look at the scope, diversity and ingenuity of very small businesses across Ireland, it’s simply staggering. I’m not sure if there is data out there, but I suspect that collectively, micro-enterprise contributes a significant chunk to the national economy. I’m convinced that the little guys, if properly nurtured and supported, can make a real difference,” he said.

Open Coffee West Cork is now attempting to do just that, harnessing the potential of independent enterprise throughout Ireland’s southwest, and providing a forum for interaction, innovation, collaboration and learning both through online and  regular off-line networking opportunities. Join now and help expand the network for yourself and everyone else.”

So if this fits you, then register your interest at WestCorkOpenCoffee.Com.

This Saturday, September 19th., we are taking part in celebrating the Artisan Harvest at two of the renowned Butler’s Pantry shops in Dublin.

I will be at their Monkstown shop at 1a Montpellier Place, Temple Hill, Blackrock from 11.30 to 2.00pm and then at the Sandycove shop (19 Sandycove Road, Sandycove) from 2.30pm to 4.30pm. There will also be tastings of our Award winning Smoked Salmon and our Smoked Chicken, not just at these two shops, but at all the Butler’s Pantry shops all day on Saturday.

Do call by and say hello!

If you can’t make it,  Butler’s Pantry have a lovely recipe for Ummera Organic Smoked Salmon with Orange Dressing and Avocado Pate . Try it!

National Organic Award 2009

Last week we were invited to Dublin for lunch yesterday by Bord Bia to celebrate the National Organic Awards 2009. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it so imagine our surprise (and delight) when we received a phone call from the Sunday Tribune congratulating us on our award!

Ummera’s Smoked Organic Salmon had received a Highly Commended in the Best Organic  Retail Product, coming second to Glenisk’s Organic Greek Style Natural Yoghurt.

The other Awards were:

Best Overall Product

Winner: Moon Shine Farmhouse Milk Company, Kelly’s Organics, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

Best Organic Retail Product

Winner: Organic Greek Style Natural Yoghurt, Glenisk, Killeigh, Co. Offaly

Highly Commended: Irish Smoked Organic Salmon, Ummera Smoked Products Ltd, Timoleague, Co. Cork

Best Organic Local Product

Winner: Moon Shine Farmhouse Milk, Kelly’s Organics, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath

Highly Commended: Dark Choc Almond Cake, Organic Choice, Stillorgan, Co. Dublin

Best Organic Export Product

Winner: St Tola Goats Log Company, Inagh Farmhouse Cheese, Co. Clare

Highly Commended: Flahavans Organic Jumbo Oats 1kg, Flahavans, Co. Waterford

Best Organic New Product

Winner: Organic Gluten Free Real Wholegrain Bread Mix , Sowan’s Organic Bread mix, Dublin

Highly Commended: Original Steakhouse Company, Goodherdsmen, Cahir, Co. Tipperary

Best Organic Sustainable Product

Winner: Happy Heart Oil Rapeseed Oil, Drumeen Farm, Urlingford, Co. Kilkenny

Highly Commended: Organic Galloway Steakburger, Omega Beef Direct, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary

The independent judging panel chaired by Hugo Arnold, journalist and Food Consultant included Cian Doorley, Musgrave Retail Partners Ireland; Evan Doyle, Proprietor Brooklodge Wells and Spa; Darren Grant, Proprietor, The Organic Supermarket Blackrock, Co Dublin and Oliver Moore, journalist, researcher and organic blogger.

Today’s Awards took place on the first day of National Organic Week, which runs from the 14^th – 20^th September. “To celebrate organic producers, retailers and farmers markets nationwide will host over 50 events including cookery demonstrations; workshops; BBQs; farm walks and in store tastings” commented Teresa Brophy, Ireland Market Manager, Bord Bia. “It is an ideal opportunity for organic producers and processors to organise events at a national and local level to increase consumer awareness of locally produced organic food.”

Event highlights include Clodagh McKenna’s cookery demonstration at the Nano Nagle Centre, Co, Cork on Wednesday 16th; Women in Organic Horticultural Training (WOHT) training courses and seminars at the Organic Centre, Rossinver, Co. Leitrim on the 16th and the Organic Centre’s Annual Harvest Celebration on Thursday 17th. Jenny and Peter Young, Castlefarm Shop, Athy, Co. Kildare, will host an organic farm walk on Saturday 19^th including vegetable harvesting and cookery demonstrations, whilst Peter Ward from Country Choice, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary is organising the annual Blas an Fhomhair organic lunch, also on the 19^th. (Full list of events on the Bord Bia website)