Ballyhoura Apple Farm,

Ballyhoura Apple Farm, located near Churchtown, Mallow, is an award-winning artisan producer of a unique variety of apple juices, syrups and vinegars for use by the home cook or professional chef.

Try boiling bacon and cabbage in Ballyhoura Pure Apple Juice for a culinary delight. Apple Beetroot can be used as a gentle detox or added to chocolate brownies. Apple Parsnip is reputed to help lower cholesterol, while Ballyhoura FRoot Juice is an exquisite award winning blend of fruit and root vegetables.

Red Mulled Apple juice is a seasonal favourite and is a blend of 12 spices ready-mulled. Simply heat in a glass in the microwave or in a pot and it’s perfect for Christmas treats, drivers, kids or expectant mums.

Try the Red Roast syrup on ice-cream, desserts and cold meats. Mulled Glazing syrup is delicious on hams and pork. For seafoods and salads, use the Atlantic Apple syrup with apple, seaweed, ginger and garlic.

Ballyhoura Apple Farm also produces a unique range of full-flavoured apple cider vinegars for culinary and cocktail use. Contact Maurice on 087-2741863 or visit www.ballyhouraapplefarm.com

Hegarty’s Farmhouse Cheddar

Dan and John Hegarty first hit upon the idea of making cheese on the family farm near Whitechurch, north Cork, in 2000. Both brothers wanted to stay on and farm the land, but the farm income wasn’t enough to support two families. They decided to add value to their milk by producing traditional farmhouse cheddar. The first wheels of Hegarty’s cheddar came on the market in 2002.

The Hegartys have a herd of 250 cattle, of which 90 are milk cows. All the cheese is produced using 100% natural ingredients and only milk produced on the Hegarty farm is used in the production of the cheese. From this, the brothers produce around 8t of cheese a year.

All their cheddar is matured for a minimum of 12 months, with some mature wheels being held for over 15 months before release. Dan and John have tweaked and experimented a lot with their cheddar over the years, but have now settled on a recipe which yields more consistent results.

Hegarty’s Cheddar is a traditional, cloth-bound cheddar made using pasteurised cow’s milk and vegetarian rennet. The flavour is smooth and nutty with a cheddar tang. Call 021-4884238 or email whitechurchfoods@eircom.net

Horgan’s Delicatessen Supplies

Horgan’s Delicatessen Supplies, Mitchelstown, are specialists and innovators in the sales, marketing and distribution of chilled food products.

The extensive product portfolio ranges from Irish farmhouse and continental cheeses to speciality cooked and fermented meats, pates, salami, antipasto and fresh pasta.

Managing director Michael Horgan is the third generation of a butchering family founded by his grandfather in Mitchelstown in 1921. The family name has become synonymous with premium quality meats.

“I am delighted to announce our award-winning cooked ham range for the forthcoming festive season, which includes unsmoked ham on bone, lightly smoked cooked ham on bone and honey-baked ham on bone. All are cooked to my own recipes,” said Michael.

Horgan’s top seller is honey-baked ham on the bone. It is prepared using a traditional method of curing whereby the pork leg is immersed in brine for some days, which gives it a wonderfully moist texture.

The addition of unrefined brown sugar adds a subtle sweetness to this mild and delicious ham, which is steamed-cooked and then baked with a honey, brown sugar, mustard and ground cloves glaze.

Horgan’s hams are only produced from Irish pork and sourced from selected producers with full traceability. All meats can be ordered by calling customer service at 025-41200 or at www.horgans.com.

Stonewell Cider, Nohoval

Daniel and Geraldine Emerson created their first craft cider blend in 2010 and so Stonewell Cider was given life. Today, they have three ciders on the market – Stonewell Medium Dry, Stonewell Dry and Stonewell Tobairín (low alcohol).

Apples are conscientiously sourced from Good Food Ireland Approved Producer Cornelius Traas in Tipperary, as well as other apple growers in Cork, Waterford and Kilkenny. Five varieties are used to make these carefully created blends, including cider apples which have the required tannins to give depth of flavour. Daniel and Geraldine’s three artisan ciders are now widely available across Ireland and in select locations in Italy, France and Spain. A new launch is expected at the end of the year.

Stonewell Cider is also exported under the name of Finnbarra Cider to the UK, Holland, Estonia, France and Nova Scotia (Canada), and soon will include more countries.

The ciders have won multiple awards, including the Irish Food Writer’s Guild prize for the beverage category in July 2014. For further information visit www.stonewellcider.com or contact geraldine@stonewellcider.com

Woodcock Smokery

Sally Barnes began smoking fish in 1981 close to Castletownshend and Skibbereen in west Cork and built up a strong and respected business. She raised two daughters, while juggling a career in fish-smoking and being the land-based part of a commercial fishing enterprise. Her younger daughter Joleine came into the business in 2000 and she is now in charge of all production. Testament to her skills are the many Great Taste Awards which she has brought to the business, especially in 2006, when the smokery won the highest accolade granted by the Guild of Fine Food, the Supreme Champion Award, for her smoked wild Irish salmon. Woodcock’s range of products include Cold Smoked Haddock, Cold Smoked Pollack, Hot Smoked Mackerel, Hot Smoked Tuna, Kippers, Matured Wild Smoked Salmon and Wild Smoked Salmon. All are available in retail outlets and restaurants throughout West Cork as well as both nationally and in the UK. Contact sally@woodcocksmokery.com