Derry artisan food company to launch two new cheeses
A Derry artisan food company has announced plans to launch two new cheeses to complement its award-winning product range inspired by the rural townlands and natural landscape of the Sperrins.
Tamnagh Foods is finalising production of its new handcrafted Ballydonegan smoked cheese and Tirkeeran long aged cheese to have fully matured and ready for customers to enjoy in time for Christmas.
Kevin and Julie Hickey, who run their cheese manufacturing business in an idyllic setting at the family’s home in the heart of the countryside near the village of Park, already make four popular cheeses which have won prestigious awards in Ireland and Britain.
Mary Blake, Tourism Development Officer with Derry City and Strabane District Council, said the news was an exciting development for Tamnagh Foods during Northern Ireland Year of Food and Drink 2016.
She continued: “Full credit goes to Kevin and Julie Hickey as they get ready to launch two new exciting handcrafted cheeses to add to their hugely successful portfolio of four delicious award-winning cheeses.
“Tamnagh Foods epitomise NI Year of Food and Drink’s most recent monthly themes, Landscape and Places which we celebrated during the month of May and, Love Dairy, which is the theme for June.
“We wish Kevin and Julie continued success with their artisan food business, especially during this special Year of Food dedicated to everything that is delicious and local about Northern Ireland.”
Tamnagh Foods was established in 2010 and all of their cheeses are inspired by the names of local townlands and the landscape which surrounds their home nestled in the heart of the Sperrins overlooking the River Faughan.
Kevin explained: “We set out to try and create something unique that reflected where we were from. We launched our first cheese, Sperrin Blue, in June 2014.” The rich, creamy pasteurised cow’s milk cheese with blue veining, won gold at the 2015 Irish Food Awards in Dingle, Co Kerry.
Dart Mt. Dusk, inspired by the way the light falls on Dart Mountain in the evenings and characterised by its charcoal ash coating, followed in November 2014 and won Bronze at the World Cheese Awards.
Kilcreen, an Alpine-style cheese named after the townland directly opposite Tamnagh, was released in February 2015, winning the Great Taste Awards in London.
In November 2015, Tamnagh Foods launched its creamy Banagher Bold beer-washed cheese using No 26 pale ale from Northbound Brewery in Campsie.
The addition of Tirkeeran, named after an old barony which included all the townlands from the top of the Sperrins to the Foyle, and Ballydonegan, named after a local smoke house, will complete their original plans for a range of six cheeses.
Their Tirkeeran cheese was successfully trialled at Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Big Cheese and Beer Expo held in Guildhall Square in April.
The couple revealed that they have quadrupled production in order to satisfy demand from restaurants in the north west keen to use local produce on their menus. They use a local milk company based in Omagh, taking delivery of 500 litres at a time.
Tamnagh Foods’ two granola ranges – maple nut and fruit and, honey nut and seed – are stocked in Switzerland through a chain of 14 stores, having previously been on sale in Harrods. Their cheese range was recently part of a Taste of Northern Ireland showcase at Fortnum & Mason in London.
They have also secured what Kevin described as “a big chutney order” from a major Irish wholesaler but the good news is that while the cheese making may be a lengthy process, chutney and granola can be made much more quickly.
Kevin added: “NI Year of Food and Drink is recognition of where Northern Ireland is at after a long period of time when there were no tourists coming here. Food is one of the big touchpoints when people visit and tourists want to taste local food.”
Group tours of Tamnagh Foods are available by booking in advance. For more information, visit www.tamnaghfoods.com
