Feb/March - Cover photo from Scarlet Louloubelle - SCENE!
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Feb/March
Cover photo from Scarlet Louloubelle
TRAVEL | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
The Townhouse in Portrush
A homely hostel in the surf friendly seaside town
Located in the heart of When you look around The it’s something a bit special too.
Portrush, within salt air sniffing Townhouse it’s easy to see
distance of the sea, The the guests point of view. The ‘Lots of people say they don’t
Townhouse is a hostel like any rooms are clean, white, and think it’s like other hostel,’
other. spacious, full of colourful art Frankie says. ‘To me it’s just
and bedspreads. They look like the hostels that Andy and I
Or, at least, that’s what like more like something you’d used to stay in.’
proprietor, and local artist, see as aspirational decor in
Frankie Hill, whose husband a lifestyle magazine than a Those hostels, in fact, are
Andy runs the Troggs Surf ‘as seen on TV’ hostel. The why The Townhouse exists.
Shop opposite, claims. Her Townhouse is also the first Frankie and Andy travelled
guests usually disagree. hostel in Ireland to get a 5* the world - following the surf
rating - so they obviously think for him, finding new things to
sketch and use in her artistic
practice for her - and always
stayed in hostels. They wanted
to provide a similar quality of
hospitality on the North Coast.
The Townhouse was the
perfect site for it: in the middle
of Portrush, near the sea,
and they already owned the
building. It had been the Hill’s
home, back before they’d had
kids and moved to the country.
Then it did duty as Frankie’s
studio and gallery. When they
decided to open the hostel, it
changed roles yet again.
‘We’d not lived there for
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eight years by then,’ Frankie passion for the region makes
says. ‘So there wasn’t that con- The Townhouse provides spa- her a great tour guide as well.
nection anymore. The most dif- cious accommodation, with a
ficult part was dealing with all variety of different rooms avail- ‘I love showing off our country,’
the red tape with the planning able for different rooms. There she says. ‘I help a lot of people
and the architecture.’ are dorm rooms, family rooms, plan out their trips here. And
and studio apartments. I’ve kept in touch with a lot of
That was all nearly four years our guests as well over the
ago now, with The Town- ‘We have a lot of local families years.’
house’s anniversary coming who are regular customers,’
up in April. Since then The Frankie says. ‘They come here So, there’s something special
Townhouse has played host to get away.’ The Townhouse - although
to people from all around the whether it’s the accommoda-
world - as can be seen from the Guests at The Townhouse tions or the charming host is up
map hung up in the hall. don’t just get access to some to the guests to decide.
beautiful accommodations,
‘We tend to have trends in na- http://portrushtownhouseac-
tionalities,’ Frankie says. ‘One Frankie is also an active, commodation.com/
year we get mostly Americans, engaging hostess. She enjoys
another Canadians. In 2015, we meeting all the different guests
mostly had visitors.’ from different country, and her
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It’s the Titanic Wee Tram
Explore the Titanic in style with Chris Bennett
It has to be said, the Titanic the Quarter from Titanic Belfast worth, and help with getting the
Quarter is a bit...titanic - it to Samson and Goliath. Dock Market started too.
is the world’s largest urban-
waterfront regeneration. The All thanks to Reverend Chris All of which you’d think would
thought of walking around it ‘I’m a Titanorak’ Bennett. keep him busy enough. Thing
on your own - or even driving is...’Being down here, I just
- can be a bit daunting. What Chris came to the Quarter five got more and more into the
if you walk into the wrong years ago, when the Church Titanic,’ Chris explains. ‘It just
building? Or park somewhere made him the Titanic Quarter’s gets under your skin.’
that you’re not meant to? Chaplin and tasked him with
fostering a community in the So when he noticed that a lot
Thankfully, visitors don’t have area. His commitment to that of visitors to the Quarter only
to worry about that anymore, has seen him found The Dock, got as far as Titanic Belfast,
at least not on weekends. They a popular, eclectically furnished Chris wanted to do something
can just hop onto the ‘Wee honesty coffee shop where you to encourage them to venture
Tram’ and take a guided tour of pay what you think the coffee is further into the Quarter. An old
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picture of the area from May the famous ships were first mouth to let people know
1911 gave him an idea. launched into the water. that it is there, Chris has had
passengers from all over the
‘You can see the Titanic and ‘Everything is marked on the world. He’s got his fingers
SS Nomadic in the picture,’ he ground, and it’s really clever,’ crossed that 2016 will see that
explains. ‘And a tram rattling Chris says. ‘But it’s hard to popularity continue.
down the middle of the road. appreciate without some
That’s what was missing here, explanation.’ So if you’re heading down to
a tram.’ the Titanic Quarter, why not
Another popular location, travel the way that the workers
The ‘Wee Tram’ is a hop although not a stop, are did and grab a seat on the Wee
on and off tour - although Belfast’s famous cranes, Tram?
Chris notes that about ¾ of Samson and Goliath. The ‘Wee
his customers just enjoy the Tram’ passes by the feet of the http://www.theweetram.com/
full ride - that takes visitors iconic landmarks, and it gives
on a figure-8 route around passengers a great photo-
the Titanic Quarter. With AV opportunity.
screens in each carriage and a
live guide, the tour takes in SS ‘If we’re lucky, we’ll even see
Nomadic, Harland and Wolff them move!’
Drawing Offices, T13, and The ‘Wee Tram’ started last
more. year, and so far it has proved
popular.
Chris’s own favourite stop
is at the Slipways, where Even with mostly word of
TRAVEL | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK Food and Fun at Folktown Market Belfast’s Thursday Market gets Ready for 2016 ‘There’s nothing like a market Although, Sophie’s version the community development to bring people to an area,’ of panic involved less group and volunteered to Sophie Rasmussen, the running in circles, screaming be part of the pilot scheme organiser behind Belfast’s and shouting, and more for the Department for nearly a year old Folktown organising a concerted and Social Development (DSD) Market, says. She cracks a grin. effective to revitalise the regeneration scheme. ‘And I love markets.’ area. They helped to form Along with her husband, Joby Fox, Sophie has been front and centre in the effort to regenerate the Folktown area since it started back in 2008. They had opened an independent arts venue in the area ten years earlier, King Street Arts, and fell in love with it. The only thing is, that not a lot of people know about or know that Bank Square - where the market is held - was even there. ‘It’s such an authentic Belfast place,’ she says. ‘There are lots of small indie shops and arts studios. So when we heard talk about knocking things down a few years ago, we panicked.’
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Of course, the support from the potato bread on site using an The market has also helped
DSD was only for a limited time. antique griddle, and a butcher’s to connect Bank Square back
The market is a key part of their stall selling venison and goat to the City Centre. Before the
plans to continue to support burgers among other things. regeneration, Sophie notes, a
Folktown for the future. lot of people - even ones who’d
‘I’m vegetarian so I can’t say been coming to Belfast all their
So far, things are looking good. myself, but people tell me lives - didn’t even know Bank
The market is one of only a the goat burgers are divine,’ Square was there. They would
few weekly markets in Belfast Sophie says. ‘That’s something certainly never have dreamed
and its combination of fresh, I’d love for the future, more of going down the alleys.
local produce, artisan food, and veggie foods on offer.’
crafts is drawing a new stream Other stalls that come and go Now, at least on market day,
of visitors to the Folktown area. at the market have included the they do. The result has been
Blackbird homemade jewellery, to give the neighbourhood a
Some of the regular stall- the Belfast Soap Company, whole new buzz, as well as
holders that you are likely and - for one week - a book generating good feedback from
to see at the market include stall. (Looking at the pictures, I the local shops and restaurants.
Paul Vickery serving coffee will be keeping my eye out for
out of his vintage Citroen van, some of that blackberry syrup!) The market has been closed
the Krazi Baker who cooks over Christmas, but is
reopening in March and Sophie
is already making plans for
2016. In addition to running
markets every week, she is
hoping to do more night-time
and season events.
‘Sometimes I feel like it’s
always Thursday,’ Sophie
admits with a laugh. ‘But all the
hard work is worth it.’
http://www.folktownbelfast.com/
Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK The LegenDerry Food Festival Taste triumphs in Londonderry For two days in March - from Saturday 19 - Sunday 20 - it will all-food all-the-time in Londonderry, as the aptly named Legenderry Festival kicks off at the Guildhall Square and Festival Marquee. There will be mussel tastings, cookery demonstrations, and lots of chances to sample the various local produce and products on offer. The idea for the Legenderry Festival came about during the popular Flavours of the Foyle festival, when Mary Blake of Derry City and Strabane Council and the other organisers thought they should celebrate more than just the area’s seafood. They wanted to celebrate all of the local food and produce, from chocolate to beef, poultry to bread.
Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Brian McDermott from RTE
Food, and nutritionist Jane
McClelland, along with dozens
of other producers, chefs and
restaurateurs.
There will be stalls selling
fudge, Tamnagh cheeses
and relishes, home-made
butter, and a chance to try the
Donegal Prime Fish’s new oak-
dusted salmon - which Mary
says is well worth your while.
With everything that’s
happening in the city, as well
Legenderry Hall hosting over
40 food stalls and chefs,
there’s definitely something for
every palate.
So a celebration of food that on, ‘Local talent, not just big 2016 is the Year of Food
started with six bbqs and six names,’ Mary says, pointing and Drink. So why not try
chefs, the festival now has out that Londonderry was something new?
chefs doing demonstrations runner up ‘Foodie Town’
across the city, hands-on Ireland 2015. ‘Londonderry is
workshops, and brings in a foodie destination of note in
36,000+ visitors it’s own right.
to Londonderry. We have chefs
All free of winning awards
charge. left, right , and
centre. Food
‘Everything is tourism in Derry
local,’ Mary makes sense.’
says. ‘There’s
lots of signage The 2016
everywhere, Legenderry
telling people Food Festival
where will have 22-40
everything chefs cooking
comes from. across the city
We want to for two days,
change people’s encouraging
shopping habits, to encourage people to try new dishes and
them to go to farmer’s markets find out about food. Emmett
and foodie markets.’ McCourt, author of acclaimed
regional cookbook Feast or
The festival also concentrates Famine, will be there, as will
Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK Coffee Corner bob+berts give Starbucks a run for their money Coffee lovers might have customers can always have one of their most iconic posts seen a new challenger pop their say too, whether in the to date - ‘bob’s had a bash’ - up among the familiar coffee one of the cafes or on bob recounts when a bloke broke logos in town. bob & berts is & berts thriving social media in back in September to spend a quirky, home-grown coffee accounts. the night sleeping in the cafe. shop from the North Coast, Asked about bob & berts providing strong coffee, good ‘We’ve got...over 25,000 amazing success Leeann looks food, and homemade desserts. followers on Facebook,’ around. ‘I think it’s just a bit From a single shop on Main Leeann notes. The facebook different,’ she says. ‘We’re a Street in Portrush, opened in is as quirky as the cafes, with coffee shop that serves fresh 2013, bob & berts now boasts ten locations across Northern Ireland - with more to come. Leeann Dallas, Operations Manager of bob & berts, credits her brother Colm with the brand’s success. ‘Our family already had three other coffee shops in town,’ she explains. ‘Then Colm decided to open bob & berts and it’s been mad since it opened.’ Most recently they opened new locations in Bangor and Lisburn, with four more opening in early 2016. There’s a waiting list of hopeful franchisees who’d like to add more locations to their list, but bob & berts is careful about who they add to their roster. ‘We could have a franchise opening every day,’ Leeann says. ‘But they have to be right for us, for bob & berts.’ To make sure everyone stays on the same page there are weekly meetings, and managers and staff get to voice their ideas and feedback. The
Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
food, buns, and a great cooked To date the success of bob now we’ve decided it would be
breakfast. It’s always packed & berts hasn’t impacted best to stick close to home.’
in here, and there’s a great negatively on the rest of the
atmosphere.’ family businesses, with bob http://bobandberts.com
& berts attracting a different
All the food served in bob & clientele to their other shops.
berts is cooked fresh, and the In fact, so far the only brake on
traybakes and cakes - which bob & berts success is that you
look delicious - are all ordered can only visit one if you’re in
from the same local bakery Northern Ireland. That, though,
to make sure there’s no slip is a considered decision by the
in tastiness from one shop to company.
another.
Leeann chuckles when asked
‘I go through wee phases with about Colm’s plans for bob &
the food,’ Leeann laughs when berts future expansion.
asked about her favourite. ‘At
the minute I love the French ‘Oh, I think Colm wants to
Burger and Sweet Potato Fries. take over the world,’ she
As for dessert, the red velvet jokes. ‘Actually we have been
cake is gorgeous!’ approached about opening
branches in the UK, but forFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Belfast Baking Company
Best Bread in the Titanic Quarter
The Belfast Baking Company How did you get into the The Belfast Baking Company
has only been open a few restaurant business? is so well placed given the
months, but the restaurant - passion people have for food
with its Belfast themed, classy- I have always been passionate and baking. We want to get
kitsch decor and unassailably about food, from I was very peoples baking juices flowing
good food - has already made young. I spent eight years with our amazing menus and
its mark on the Titanic Quarter. working with Jonny Taylor who gorgeous freshly made breads
With fresh baked bread, drool- owns Flour Power, working in and craft cakes.
worthy sweet treats, and a the deli. We mainly focused on
bottomless well of enthusiasm corporate clients across Belfast The Bakery is open every day
from proprietors Paul and and the wider area, and I was from 8am so the smell of fresh
Sharon McDonald, the Belfast always involved in the creative bread baking permeates our
Baking Company is well on side of menus and the actual stunning premises overlooking
its way to being a must-stop delivery. My husband owns the marina.
bread shop for locals and IES, so it’s hard not to have
visitors alike. the desire it create something So how did the Belfast Baking
amazing, which for me is the Company turn from an idea into
Earlier this month NI Scene Belfast Baking Company. It a reality?
caught up with Sharon epitomises everything I love
McDonald - co-owner and about Belfast and good locally We have been bubbling this
provider of the restaurant’s sourced food. idea for over a year, and
unique culinary style. working up the vision forFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
baking brilliance. The site excellent. They are creative, Chef.
at the Arc, Titanic Quarter, talented and really passionate
is perfect for us, as it is an about baking and food. The We are really keen to engage
excellent business and social skills the students are bringing with local food, so our menus
location, beside SSE Arena to the bakery, and developing have a seasonal feel and we
and the Titanic. So many working with our head baker, source from the best local
businesses like Citi Group, John Halliday, are wonderful. suppliers as much as possible.
and the local college Belfast John has over 4 decades of
Metropolitan are here too, so baking expertise and he is a So far our clients are loving
we are in great company. great master baker for us and what we do – the restaurant,
for the students. the bakery and the deli
The idea was to create a sandwiches are all doing
bakery, deli and restaurant, We really encourage the very well. We are actually
bringing together wonderful students to bring their developing a Belfast Baking
talent, decades of baking creativity to work, and we are Company App to help make
experience with great food. experimenting continuously customer ordering easier,
We have handpicked a with new products and ideas as we understand how busy
passionate, experienced team, for the baking company. people are.
and work closely with Neil
Graham, Executive Chef, who Did you enjoy creating the menu How would you describe your
has years of food expertise. for the Belfast Baking Company? food?
Didn’t you hire on some students We had so much fun creating Our food is excellent, locally
straight from the Belfast Met? the menu, as it’s a reflection sourced from the best
of the foods that we are suppliers. Our menus are
This has been one our best passionate about, and it was well balanced, sandwiches sit
decisions yet. The students excellent developing the beside fresh soups and healthy
from Belfast Metropolitan are menus with Neil, our Executive lunches. We also create dailyFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
specials. Without sounding We are neighbours and
cliché we have something for business partners within a NI Scene also had a chance
every taste. big Titanic Quarter family, to have a quick chat with Paul
Working with Neil and John, we and so we really just want to McDonald while we were at
have decades of professional settle and have an excellent The Belfast Baking Company.
experience guiding our menu, business here. We are already Although Paul doesn’t share
and adding to this the students, developing some exciting Sharon’s background in the
we have a menu that is fresh ideas about where we can take baking trade, his enthusiasm
and exciting. the Belfast Baking Company for the restaurant is boundless
business and brand even and irresistible.
Unique to the Belfast Baking further, and we hope the
Company is that you can see residents, businesses and ‘I’m loving it,’ he says. ‘I want
our bakers at work, crafting people around us will enjoy the Belfast Baking Company to
superb bespoke cakes to our food, location and lovely become a tourist destination in
order, making fresh breads atmosphere created in a live its own right.’
and tasty treats every day, as working bakery environment.
you while away some time in Like Sharon he is also
the bakery. It’s actually quite Make us mere food mortals unstinting in his praise for the
therapeutic! feel better. Ever had a culinary Belfast Met students who - as
mishap in the kitchen? we chat - are baking up a batch
What’s the one dish you’d of macaroons in the kitchen.
recommend to anyone? Every day! Like Michelangelo,
I am always learning. I once ‘If we had a bigger kitchen,
Without doubt an Ulster Fry forgot to serve the Brussel we’d hire more,’ he says. ‘They
as it is unique to here. The sprouts with Christmas dinner, have an unbelievable work-
combination of our own Belfast and finding them later that ethic and nothing is a hassle.’
Baking Company freshly baked evening in another oven was
traditional potato bread and pretty bad. Brussel sprouts The blend of experienced
soda bread, sat beside free have their unique sensory bakers and young, enthusiastic
range eggs is amazing. Add to experience, so a few hours to students is also, Paul believes,
this locally produced Northern rest didn’t help the aroma at something that contributes to
Ireland pork sausages and Christmas! the Belfast Baking Company’s
bacon bursting with flavour. unique ethos and charm.
Alongside I would recommend For purely selfish reasons, any
a mug of Suki Tea, which is plans to add gluten-free or other ‘It’s a blend of the traditional
also a local product, or our -free items to the menu? and the modern,’ he says.
very own Belfast Balking
Company blend of coffee We are very conscious of food Just like the Belfast Baking
created working in partnership allergies with our team when Company.
with Bewleys. A great start to we are baking and creating
any occasion! menus. We cater for all
major food intolerances here,
What do you have planned for the just make sure and tell us
Belfast Bakery in 2016? when you arrive so we can
accommodate your needs.
For us it is very much about
being part of the Belfast http://www.belfastbaking.com/
business and food landscape.Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Have a Crafty One
Hilden Brewery keeps on brewing on
Owen Hilden has hops in interested in opening their own their family home, they couldn’t
his blood. His family own business, opening their own just walk away if the business
and operate Hilden Brewery craft brewery seemed to be the failed.
in Lisburn, and have done obvious choice. They were the
for over 30 years now. That first in a new movement of craft It wasn’t until the mid-90s that
doesn’t just make Hilden the breweries that opened across other breweries started to
oldest brewery in Northern Northern Ireland at the time, open again, and it was only in
Ireland, it makes it the first although you’d be lucky to find the last 6 or 7 years that craft
brewery in the area. a bottle from any of those
other breweries now.
When Owen was young, he
knew there was a degree in ‘That was the first wave
brewing before he really knew of breweries in Northern
what a degree was. Ireland, and it almost
entirely died out,’ Owen
‘My parents had been living says. ‘Hilden was the only
in Kent and they’d developed one who survived.’
a taste for traditional craft
beer,’ Owen explains, sitting Owen attributes Hilden’s
in the modern, airy Tap Room continued existence to
bar and restaurant attached athe fact they employed
to the brewery. ‘When they a different business
came back here they found strategy. They were never
there wasn’t the same choice. heavily indebted to banks,
Northern Ireland just had the but they were committed
big breweries.’ to the success of their
business. The brewery
With his parents already was based in the back ofFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
concerned, the
more interest ‘I never know how to answer
there is in craft that. Every beer’s the same.
beers, the more It’s all made with hops, yeast,
their sales go up barley, and water,’ Owen says.
and the more it ‘The only unique thing is
drives product in how the ingredients are
development. treated. The unique thing isn’t
the beer, it’s us. We have a
In fact, Owen story to tell about the 30 odd
is hoping to years we’ve been here.’
start working on
developing some http://www.hildenbrewery.com/
new Hilden beers
soon. They’ve
beers in Northern Ireland really
recently invested in a new
took off again.
building for the brewery, with
a new bottling line that will be
‘There’s 80 breweries in
up and running by the end of
Northern Ireland now,’ Owen
February.
says. ‘If you’d told me that
would happen two years ago, I
The increase in production will
wouldn’t have believed you.’
give him more time to work
on new beers and develop
Of course, that means more
the site. Although he baulks at
competition for Hilden, but
saying why Hilden beers are
Owen doesn’t seem too ruffled
unique.
about that. As far as he isFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Shop Local, Eat Well
From burgers to French Rack, Baronscourt has
the game for you
Baronscourt Estate is located When did Baron-
near Newtownstewart in the scourt start selling
foothills of the beautiful Sper- game?
rins in Co. Tyrone. The Estate to Europe. In 2012 we con-
is a progressive and vibrant ru- Baronscourt has been selling ducted extensive research and
ral business that is involved in game for many years mainly created a business plan to en-
farming, forestry, food produc- wholesale to game dealers able us to sell game ourselves
tion, tourism and field sports. who normally export the game to our own clients. This started
in earnest in 2013 and our
products proved very popular
with good quality restaurants
and hotels in Northern Ireland.
The rationale behind this was
to develop our own relationship
with customers and to provide
these customers with what
they wanted which is very high
quality fine butchered game.
In time we want to build on our
food brand with other interest-
ing and delicious products.
What do you think are the
reasons behind the rise in
popularity of game?
Game is a wonderful tasting
and versatile seasonal food.
The increase in popularity
has been greatly assisted by
television chefs such as Hugh
Fearnely-Whittingstall and
Jamie Oliver, who have been
able to show us how easy and
tasty it is to cook. Cooking
game is actually really very
easy, especially when you
have been showed how and
the simple key is not to over
cook it!Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Another significant reason for
game’s rise in popularity is that
people want to eat locally pro-
duced and sourced food that
is also nutritious. Baronscourt
Estates game ticks all these
boxes.
You have sika deer in the
estate, how are they different
from other deer?
Japanese sika deer differ from
red deer in terms of their size,
basically they have fairly small
frames. During the rut the sika
stags whistle rather than roar
like a red deer. Unlike red
deer, sika are not farmed so
their meat is only available from
a limited number of places.
With concerns rising about
the environmental impact
of high intensity farming, is
game a more sustainable
source of protein for people?
This is a very interesting ques-
tion and its arguments could
run into many pages. Game
is a very sustainable source
of protein but is highly limited
in terms of its production and
therefore limited in its scope to year we count the number
feed great numbers of people. of deer in order to create a Has the recent weather
Game was an important source cull target. If there are too caused you any problems?
in our diet when we were many deer they will browse
hunter gathers and it is wonder- and damage the forestry and The recent wet weather has
ful that we can still enjoy it. damage farmers pasture land made it harder to manage the
this creates lasting economic population but weather is a fact
How do you manage the problems. What we strive for is of life and something that we
population of deer on the a balance with just enough deer have to work with! The weather
Estate? to be carried on the available will never be perfect so we just
land for a healthy population of have to adapt and work with
The wild deer on the Estate deer. what we given.
do have to be managed. EachFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Of all the game products,
what is your favorite?
My favourite product is the
French Rack, as it looks beau-
tiful on the plate and tastes
sensational. My children love
the venison sausages and
burgers that are wonderfully
easy to cook and are also
eaten with relish.
To find out more go to http://
barons-court.com/
Photos and video thanks to
the Guild of Fine Food.Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Orchardacre Farm
Eat Healthy, Eat Happy
Unlike the fasting observed by
other societies
during their festive times, most
of us wait until the festivities
die down before we consider
fasting, detoxing or otherwise
applying a healthier lifestyle
once again.
So here we are in 2016 with an
urgent need to detox, shed a
few pounds, and generally get
a bit healthier again.
The Orchard Acre Farm
approach to healthy and
happy eating is to keep it
simple. For many, our lives are
anything but straight forward
thus making it harder to bring
about positive lifestyle change.
Here are a few simple foodie
things to get you closer to good
health.
The key to long term success
is to integrate new food
changes (and exercise) into
your lifestyle. include the whole
family if you can.
The changes should only be
as big as you can cope with
and avoid complete overhaul
new diets (unless medically
prescribed). These reform type
diets are often doomed to fail
from the beginning and in my
opinion best avoided.
In these Northern regions and eat and drink a little too Here are some simple
of Europe winter drives us much. It all seems to reach approaches to a new and
indoors, where we have a a climax over the Christmas healthy you, with recipes to
tendency to do less exercise period.Food | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
chips or pizza AND chips.
• Serve peas including
frozen; high in vitamins
energy and fibre
• Add cooked or grated
raw carrot to the plate
alongside potato mash
• Reward yourself and
others for eating new or
additional veg with NON
food rewards
4. Put plain ordinary drinking
water from the tap on the table.
We all need to drink water, if
your regular diet does not have
5 or more portions of colourful
fruit and vegetables daily,
drinking water becomes even
more important to ease food
through the system.
• Avoid drinking juices with
main meals, it’s just extra
help guide you. every meal. Humans have unnecessary sugar
always consumed vegetables, • Avoid juices made from
1. Add a detoxing juice to fruits and nuts. So it stands to concentrates
your breakfast time routine. reason that this group of foods • If you enjoy alcohol with
Use fresh, local and seasonal are really good for us. This is meals , avoid consumption
ingredients; as they will have easier that it sounds; even in a for 2 days every week
maximum nutritional values. modern world of ready-made.
5. Choose potatoes over pasta
• Green juices made • Serve raw carrot or red (and that’s not just the farmer in
from any member of pepper sticks with dinner me!). Potatoes
the cabbage family are • Serve sliced apple or pear
detoxing with breakfast are just excellent food. Not
• • Serve a small salad with only do they give you energy,
• If time is short in the lunch (and please not but one portion of spuds can
morning, why not make those covered in mayo!) provide you with ½ of you daily
juice the night before and • Consider using lentil based needs of vitamin C along with a
heaven and just store or lentil enhanced dishes host of other beneficial minerals
in the fridge. It retains more often. and vitamins that will boost
incredible health benefits, your immune system.
which none off the shelf 3. Introduce several colours
juice can ever match. onto every dinner plate. Avoid • Cut potatoes up smaller to
plates of tan coloured foods get them to cook faster
2. Introduce a raw food into such as chicken goujons AND • Steam rather than boilFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
• Bake rather than fry. intake to 7 portions per
• Eat the skin! day
• Change to brown rice and
6. Consider adding these brown breads to increase
detoxing foods and making fibre
small changes daily and • Snack on raw veg or fruit;
weekly. (bring a snack bag with
you when doing long
• Spinach (baby spinach has journeys)
a more delicate flavour) • Avoid snacking on biscuits,
• Eat spuds rather than rice, cakes and confectionary.
pasta or bread. Eat fruit or vegetables. The
• Enjoy a breakfast with sugary high in your blood
“carbs” or at least munch from sweet foods lasts for
on some fresh fruit. 15 mins and then drops
• Use raw beetroot in salads lower than before making
and juices. you crave even more
• Include oily fish into the sugar.
menu to boost omega oils
(salmon and mackerel
• Increase your fruit and veg www.orchardacrefarm.co.ukFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Groovy Green Detox Juice Serve in a small glass with a make flavoursome additions
Loving your liver sprig of mint and rind of lime to to other juice drinks, soups,
the side. sauces and gravies!
May green detoxing juices are
purported to be good for your Best consumed within 3 days Remove pips, pith, cores and
liver that may be true. and kept in the fridge. Or freeze woody stems from fruit and veg
before juicing. The left over
But their taste and aroma Teresa’s Tip pulp can be added to breads
are about as appealing as and cakes for extra natural
sniffing the inside of my son’s Consider freezing small fibre.
rugby bag! My clever green quantities of left over juice in
combination catches almost an ice cube tray. A few cubes
everything beneficial that
these kings of green fruit and
veg can give for your liver
without compromising on
taste OR aroma. The celery
and mint bring additional layers
of flavour against the strong
greens and the lime juice
cleanses the palette, whilst
administering an extra dose of
vitamins.
Ingredients
• 4 savoy cabbage leaves
remove the tough core or
use Kale (it has a stronger
taste)
• 2 celery sticks (these
should be a pale emerald
colour NOT yellowy which
has a sour flavour)
• 2 sharp tasting green
apples
• ¼ broccoli spear
• ½ fresh lime (remove pips
and peel off slithers of rind
to decorate glass)
• 1 small handful of fresh
mint
Method
Blitz through a juice extractorFood | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Beetroot Salad Ingredients 20 years old. I’m from Larne
Serves 2-4 and have a condition called
• 2 medium raw beetroot Dystonia. It means that I have
This is one of my favourite peeled. abnormal muscle tone causing
winter salads. Not only is it an • 2 medium carrots peeled muscle spasm and abnormal
amazing colour, it is simply • 2 russet or cox apples posturing.
packed with antioxidants, • Juice from 1 orange
vitamins, minerals, energy and • A splash of oil (any good 2. I haven’t been confirmed
fibre. The mix of fruit and quality) yet, my team (BC1/2 team)
vegetables means you get a • A little seasoning salt, and I recently won gold at the
balance of flavours between pepper, nutmeg European Championship which
earthy beetroot, sweet • 1 table spoon of Sesame confirmed our slot in Rio. The
carrot, and the sharp acidity of seeds individuals who make up the
the apple with a hint of orange team aren’t confirmed until
juice; guaranteed to set your Method May.
tastes buds alive.
Grate all the vegetables 1. My 3. Boccia is a sport designed
name is claire taggart and I’m for athletes with severeFashion | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Kute Kouture
University of Ulster student Jose Varandas talks representing Ulster at Junk Kouture
As the 2016 Bank of Ireland
Junk Kouture competition
gets into gear - entries
closed at the end of January
and the judges are poring
over the designs now - NI
Scene caught up with one
of the North’s previous
representatives for recycled
fashion.
In 2012 Jose Varandas’ Lord
of the Ring’s inspired designs
made from coca-cola cans
won the Ulster heat of the
Junk Kouture competition,
and earned a respectable
second runner-up spot in the
all-Ireland final. Even more
impressively, that was Jose’s
first foray into the world of
fashion. It was only the year
before that sixth former Jose,
who’d been planning a career got the drink, I got the cans, great opportunity for young
in catering, heard about Junk and I made a profit.’ designers.’
Kouture from his tutor.
Don’t worry, Jose put his Four years on, Jose is still in
These days, Jose has hung gains to good use - buying touch with the people running
up his catering cloque and accessories to use for detailing Junk Kouture, although these
is studying fashion at the on his designs. days he’s working in more
University of Ulster. He also traditional fabrics.
credits the competition with In the end, Jose used over
fostering his...entrepreneurial 1000 cans of coke to create ‘I wanted to get into fabrics at
streak. his fantastical gowns and University. I’d never used them
suit - using the 6-pack plastic and I wanted to understand
‘Yeah, that’s a funny story,’ he wrappers to create trousers how to,’ he explains. ‘However,
grins over coffee, remembering and the tab-tops for details. He I do look at designers like
how he sourced the materials even up-cycled old shoes for Gareth Pugh who made a
for his designs. ‘Our school the design. collection out of black bin
was a healthy school, so there bags and think about recycled
were no fizzy or sugary drinks ‘It was Junk Kouture that got materials. I still have a passion
allowed. So I’d buy cans and me into fashion,’ Jose says for it.’
packets of coke in Poundland firmly. ‘Without it I’d have
and Spar, then sell them to never found my talent. It’s a www.junkkouture.com
students in the art room. TheyFashion | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Fashion | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK Hand-made, Home-made, Belfast-made Go ape over Scarlet Louloubelle’s Rockabilly Fashions for kids A year ago Belfast mum - also artist and advertising professional, but the mum part is relevant to this story - went looking for little-girl-appropriate rockabilly clothes for a photoshoot she was doing with her daughters and couldn’t find any. Instead she had to buy a Hell Bunny dress and tailor it for the shoot - along with some cute body-paint tattoos for her daughters. ‘The adult market for Rockabilly fashion is huge,’ Kevina, who’s tall, elegant, and fashionable herself, says. ‘Yet there was nothing for kids. It was a gap in the market.’ A gap that Kevina promptly filled with a cute-as-a-bunny summer range of Rockabilly (rockakiddy?) dresses designed for little girls. ‘They went down a storm. The response has been amazing. People in England want dresses, there’s a huge demand from Australia, and there’s a shop in New York that has taken some samples they’ll be bringing out in the Spring.’ Kevina finds inspiration for her designs in old movies from the 40s and 50s, putting her own PG spin on the fashions. Katherine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn films are among her favourites, and the movie Summer Holiday is another great source for ideas.
Fashion | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
‘It’s great to have an excuse to around and play and generally t-shirts so she’s looking for
watch all those old films again,’ just be children in them. So good fabrics for them.
Kevina laughs. ‘It also gives the clothes have to be durable,
you a chance to see how the functional and - for her winter ‘I have two girls,’ she says.
fabric should move and how to range - warm. ‘I think if I had boys it would
adapt it for children.’ easier to tune into their styles.
‘I want them to look pretty, But I’m going to have some
That’s because it’s just but not for anyone to freeze,’ this year as well as the little
as important for Scarlet Kevina says. girl’s range.’
Louloubelle designs to be
functional as it for them to be Scarlet Louloubelle isn’t just Parents don’t need to feel
fashionable. Kevina doesn’t for little girls, either. Kevina left out either. In addition
just want to dress children up is also working on a range to the children’s range of
for photoshoots, she wants for little boys. Mostly, she dresses, Kevina is working on
them to be able to move explains, these are shirts and an adult line that tie in withFashion | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
the children’s outfits. So a that put the dress together incorporating local landmarks
family could all have matching - and will also offer bespoke and icons.
designs. tailoring for Belfast-based
customers. ‘But I am learning,’ ‘I haven’t slept in a while,’
‘I’m launching that in the Kevina says with a smile. Kevina admits wryly. It’ll be
spring,’ she says. ‘It’s a little worth it though, with Scarlet
more classic Hollywood than She plans to keep Scarlet Louloubelle ready to make an
the children’s line.’ Louloubelle a local brand, even even bigger splash in 2016. So
when it looks set to go global, get hip to the scene, and get
Kevina is responsible for with the clothes designed and yourself some cool threads.
designs while seamstress Irina made here. She even hopes to
Bergite has the ‘magic fingers’ start making her own fabrics https://twitter.com/scarletloulouSport | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Northern Ireland Paralympians
The ABCs of Boccia with Claire Taggart Surf’s Up at Trogg’s Surf School
My name is Claire Taggart and ly and was more passionate or play games.
I'm 20 years old. I'm from Larne about as it was competitive. As
and have a condition called my condition has progressed it Do you play any other
Dystonia. It means that I have has meant that I can no longer sports?
abnormal muscle tone causing play rugby but have the ability
muscle spasm and abnormal to play Boccia and love it as As previously mentioned I
posturing. much as I loved rugby. used to play rugby, which was
a blast, but now I put all of my
Will you be heading to Rio for What are your other team- focus and energy into Boccia.
the Olympics? mates like?
I train or do something Boccia
I haven't been confirmed yet, My team mates are like family, related almost everyday. I'm on
my team (BC1/2 team) and we spend so much time to- court throwing for 12-15 hours
I recently won gold at the gether it's impossible not to all per week plus physio, gym and
European Championship which get on. We all hang out at night hydrotherapy. It's a full time
confirmed our slot in Rio. The after training and watch movies job!
individuals who make up the
team aren't confirmed until
May.
You play Boccia, can you tell
us a bit about the sport?
Boccia is a sport designed for
athletes with severe impair-
ments and has no Olympic
equivalent. It is a target ball
sport similar in principle to
bowls but is played indoors
with soft leather balls. (Quote -
GB Boccia)
I started playing Boccia in the
winter of 2013 at a local club
that had been set up.
Have you always wanted to
play Boccia competatively?
At the beginning no, I was un-
sure whether i would fit into the
classification guidelines. At the
time I was still playing wheel-
chair rugby which I loved dear-Sport | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Have you faced any obstacles What’s the stupidest thing
as a Paralympian? that anyone’s ever said to Talent Coach Development Week
you? 2016
A lot of people are surprised
that I am young and don't go Often I am told that it is,
to uni or college, when the fact 'nice to see me get out of
is that I don't have time! And the house' or asked 'where's
as my sport is basically never your driving licence for that
heard of no one knows what thing?'. My pet peeve is
it is. when people speak to my
assistant or friend instead
What’s the best and worst of me, asking them what I
things about (maybe) going would like to eat or drink,
to Rio? completely ignoring me!
I was in Rio in November for a If you’re ever on Graham
test event and the only thing Norton, who’d you like to
that was bad was the insect be on the show with you?
bites! Apart from that it was a
great trip and we brought home I'm a massive Snow Patrol Sport Northern Ireland will host
a silver medal! fan, so Gary Lightbody the third annual NI Talent Coach
and Nathan Connolly. But Development Event on Sunday
I think the best thing will be the I also love Biffy Clyro so 21 February 2016 and Monday 22
atmosphere, my teammates that would be good also. I February.
who have been to Paralympics wouldn't be sad if Benedict
say that the atmosphere is elec- Cumberbatch was there or This year’s events are being hosted
tric from the opening ceremony Tom Felton. and delivered in partnership with
to the closing ceremony. Ulster University and sports coach
UK, with both events taking place
on Ulster Universities Jordanstown
Campus.
The events are free of charge to
attend and will feature leading
speakers including David Nucifora
(Performance Director, IRFU),
Tom Crick (Director of Coaching
and Athletic Development,
Athletics NI), sports coach UK
Talent and Performance Coaching
staff, Cricket Ireland and Irish
Football Association Performance
Development and Coaching
Development Staff, and Sport
Northern Ireland Sports Institute
Athlete Service Leads.
View the full programme or bookSport | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Surf’s Up at Trogg’s Surf School
Catch some waves with instructor Carl Russell
‘You should give it a go it, a second hand shortboard.’.
sometime,’ Carl Russell, owner Carl is made of sterner stuff. It’s Funnily enough the board
and manager of The Quiksilver 11am and he’s planning to head actually came from Troggs
Troggs Surf School in Portrush, out to sea soon. Of course, he’s Surf Shop in Portrush, bought
says, nodding out to sea. been doing this for a while now. from Andy Hill who’s now Carl’s
partner in the Surf School.
It’s a beautiful view - The ‘Forever,’ he says with a grin Surfing is a small world, and it
Quiksilver Troggs Surf School, when asked how long he’s been was even smaller back then.
which is the only Quiksilver into surfing. ‘My dad had this
approved surf school in Northern old board in the garage, an ‘Back then there were no schools
Ireland, is based on East Strand old-fashioned one, and I was or anything, I had to teach myself
with a view across the sand and fascinated by it. When I was 10, to surf right here,’ he says. ‘These
over the sea to the horizon - but he took me surfing in Donegal days there are a lot more options.’
December is a bit late in the and that was it. I was hooked.’
year to go swimming for me. I’ve Some of which, of course, are
got a hat, a parka, and a pair of It was two years later, at provided by Carl himself through
gloves for the specific purpose of Christmas, that he got his first The Quiksilver Troggs Surf
keeping dry. board of his own,‘I still remember School. In addition to surf classesSport | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
and lessons, Troggs also runs an passionate about it, spending go surfing in Nicaragua or New
afterschool program for local years travelling the world to Guinea - ‘Somewhere new, that
primary schools, teaching them try out the surfing in different not everyone knows about’ - but
ocean safety and getting them countries from Indonesia to there’s world class waves to be
out on surf boards. Don’t worry, Australia, but it wasn’t until had on the North Coast.
Troggs isn’t just accredited by he decided to qualify as an
Quiksilver, all their coaches are instructor that he realised he ‘This is my favourite beach,’ he
also ASI (Academy of Surfing could also make a career out of it. says, nodding out to the choppy
Instructors) qualified and the grey waters. ‘On a good day,
school is audited yearly to make People from all over come to with good surf, I wouldn’t be
sure that it is up to scratch. They The Quiksilver Troggs School anywhere else.’
know what they’re doing. of Surfing to experience the
Portrush surf. Mostly from UK www.troggssurfschool.com/
‘I love instructing,’ Carl says. ‘It’s and Ireland, but Carl gets his
the best part of my job, although share of tourists as well.
with managing this place I don’t
get to do it as much as I’d like ‘There was even a guy from
these days.’ Australia, who’d never surfed
before,’ Carl says, shaking his
Not that he’d ever planned to head. ‘I’d have thought he’d try it
run a surf school. Surfing had there first!’
always been the thing Carl, who
also competed internationally Still, Portrush is a good place
in athletics as a teenager and to learn. Carl spent a year in
young adult, did for fun. He was Australia, and hopes to one daySport | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Rowing Ireland Talent Development Coach John Armstrong on what it takes to row
For 40 years John He’s just in off the river, Development Coach, and
Armstrong has been and outside the occasional is currently on the hunt for
working up and down the canoe skims past along new women rowers.
river. That makes him the water. ‘I was in eight
sound like ye olde canal World Championships, one 2016 was the first time
boat captain, but actually Commonwealth Games, Ireland qualified to send a
he’s in charge of finding, and I won a World Medal in women’s rowing team to
and putting the polish on, 1997. Then in 2014/2015 I the Olympics, and they’re
Northern Ireland’s rowing started coaching.’ eager to keep that up for
hopefuls for the 2020 2020. To that end they
Olympics in Tokyo. The John worked with athletes held open applications in
2016 rowers are already heading to Beijing in January, looking to find
down in Cork practicing. 2008, and post-Beijing he some talented new women
was hired to work as the rowers.
‘I was a competitive rower rowing coach for Ireland’s
for...too many years,’ John Paralympic rowing team. ‘We’re looking for people
laughs, sitting on a sofa in In 2013 he was hired as who seem to have some
the Belfast Boat Club. Rowing Ireland’s Talent talent for rowing,’ JohnSport | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
As for what John’s looking
for in his new crop of
rowers?
Ability to row, strength and
discipline, and availability
to be involved in the sport
are all among the things
John’s looking for. Part of
the application process
is talking to John about
their lifestyle and ability to
balance work/education, 10-
14 hours training, eat, sleep,
and ‘have some sort of life’.
‘And you need a good
sense of humour,’ John
says. ‘It’s challenging out
there when it’s cold, and
you are going to get wet.’
rowingireland.ie
says. ‘Either they’re in the says. ‘Athletes coming
sport already and are ready from other sports have the
to move to the competitive advantage of already having
level, or athletes who are a background in training.’
transferring sports.’
The disadvantage they
That’s something that he have, on the other hand, is
and the other Sports NI that they have developed
coaches discuss fairly the wrong approach to risk.
frequently, if they have John points out this son -
athletes who they think have who’s too young to be afraid
the transferrable skills to of anything - can go out on
excel in different sports. the water and not end up IN
the water once. A 30 year
‘We have already an old athlete, on the other
ex-cyclist who took up hand, can go swimming
rowing instead,’ John three times in an hour.home | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Project 24
Papercraft in the Pod with Paula Batt
Papercraft artist Paula Batt is a creations - most cut from a interest that she made more
resident of Project 24’s Yellow single sheet of paper, like for people.
Pod on Bangor Seafront. a mobius labyrinth - you
abandon that idea. Then she found out that
The colour is an appropriate she’d not received at place at
choice, there is something ‘I actually studied bio-science,’ Queen’s to study nursing, and
oddly, intrinsically joyful about Paula says, perched on a stool her family obligations meant
Paula’s art. in her pod on an uncommonly that she couldn’t move to take
bright day. ‘I wanted to be a place at another university.
Maybe it’s the memory of a nurse, although art was So, that September, instead of
childhood scissors and cut something I’d always done as starting on her nursing course
out shapes - although there’s a hobby.’ she applied for a pod instead.
certainly nothing juvenile
about the work itself - but the Her first papercraft project, ‘At least I still get to use a
intricate, 2-D creations she however, was a gift for a scalpel,’ Paula points out with
carves from sheets of paper friend’s baby shower. Not a laugh.
just make you want to smile. wanting to do the obvious and
give the mother another baby- That was over three years
At first sight, they also make gro, instead Paula created a ago, making Paula one of the
you think ‘I could do that’. hand-cut and framed project longest running residents of
Once you see some of Paula’s for her. The finished piece the Project 24 pods. Her art
more complex, interlocking generated enough praise and has grown in complexity andhome | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
popularity in that time, with the cut by Paula and her scalpel, she underestimated the amount
relatively simple (I couldn’t do so she can’t take on too many of time it would take.
it) cutout poem art being joined commissions.
by more and more complex ‘I thought that four months
creations. ‘I like that connection,’ Paula would be loads of time,’ she
says, pulling a piece of black said. It turned out it wasn’t,
She added objects and people paper over the desk to give me especially since Paula couldn’t
to her art - creating clever, a demonstration of how she stop taking commissions in
elegant ombres chinoises that works. ‘People come in with order to concentrate on the
seem frozen mid-performance - things that move them, with exhibition pieces.
and experimented with layering their favourite poems or their
in colour like stained glass wedding vows.’ This time she’s scheduled out
panels. Lately she’s also started her time, so everything will be
work on 3D models, still using Paula also receives in place.
paper and influenced by art commissions for memorial
from the 50s and 60s. pieces, which is something that If you can’t wait for the
surprised her the first time it exhibition, you can pop in to
Paula’s work has fans around happened. see Paula at the Pod or check
the world, with buyers her work out on facebook.
commissioning pieces from ‘It sounds a bit dark,’ she says. Running the Mill also has
Scandanavia, the Far East ‘It’s really quite lovely though.’ t-shirts with screen-printed
and America. She notes that images of Paula’s work for sale
it’s nice to think that there are Paula is also getting ready for - although she admits that she
‘things I made, in places that I her first solo exhibition this always wonders who bought
will never go’. year. It was something that them.
she actually planned to do two
However, every piece is hand years ago, but she admits thathome | WWW.NISCENE.CO.UK
Project 24
Art from the heart with Elaine McCully
Elaine McCully is an artist who of Ulster. work out their purpose if you
is learning how not to make just five minutes to fiddle
art. Or, rather, how to find the ‘I’ve actually got a bit of a with them. That’s part of their
middle ground between art and background in textiles,’ Elaine intent, to encourage people
selling out. says. ‘But once I got into the to question function and
clayroom, they just couldn’t get form, as well as consider the
The resident of Project 24’s me out.’ sort of skills we’ve lost in an
Purple Pod on Bangor seafront, increasingly industrialised,
Elaine used to own an arts and Elaine uses clay, turned wood, specialised society. Could you
crafts shop. What she wanted and found objects to create make your own shoes? Could
to do, however, was make her ‘tools of ambiguous nature’ - you make the tools you needed
own instead of selling other evoking both neolithic history to make your own shoes?
people’s. So she sold up and and your grandfather’s shed.
went back to school, studying The tools she creates look The pieces in the pod are ugly
Art and Design at the University almost real, as if you could in the way functional objectsYou can also read
