Unique Irish wheaten in Taste of North West
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An Irish wheaten loaf, long a mainstay of homes, restaurants and hotels across the island of Ireland, has been named ‘The Taste of the North West of Northern Ireland. But the wheaten developed by chef/entrepreneur John Crowe is a loaf with a difference.
John, the owner of Carrick Foods in Londonderry picked up the title at the recent North West Business Awards, for the loaf, sometimes known as a brown soda, which includes among its ingredients flat oysters from the River Foyle near Northern Ireland’s second city. The company is a FoodNI member.
John’s Stout City Loaf includes the distinctive Foyster’s Stout that’s brewed by Wall City Brewery in Derry. The stout that’s also filtered from oyster shells is popular across the North West.
The loaf is one of the signature products of John’s Carrick Foods – the other is a cured local salmon with lemon and dill – a small business that John started while he continues to lecture and mentor culinary students at Derry’s North West Regional College.
A much travelled and vastly experienced chef, John has won widespread acclaim for his business and especially the award-winning Stout City Loaf, a two-star winner in last year’s Great Taste Awards.