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Devil’s Churn Campfire Salted Caramel Sauce, proudly produced in Ballycastle by Seasons of the Glens Farm Shop, has been selected as a finalist in the Preserves and Sweet Spreads Category at the Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards 2023.
These prestigious awards recognize and celebrate the finest food and drink products available in Ireland, encompassing retail, wholesale, and foodservice sectors. Each entry undergoes rigorous evaluation by a panel of industry experts, with a focus on key criteria such as taste, flavor, provenance, and innovation.
Devil’s Churn Caramel Sauce is crafted in small batches by Seasons of the Glens Farm Shop, using locally smoked salt sourced from the acclaimed North Coast Smokehouse, owned by Ruraidh Morrison. This ingredient lends the sauce its distinctive name ‘Campfire Salted’, offering a perfect harmony of depth, subtle smokiness, and salted sweetness.
Seasons of the Glens Farm Shop operates under the umbrella of Naturally North Coast and Glens CIC, an award winning not-for-profit social enterprise based in the Causeway Coast and Glens region of Northern Ireland. This product has previously earned recognition, winning the Gold Award at the 2022 Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards.
Eoin Mc Connell, of Naturally North Coast and Glens stated: “We developed this product to fill a market gap and raise funds for our artisan markets. Devil’s Churn presents a rich, luxurious, and irresistibly indulgent caramel sauce, salted with North Coast Smokehouse Beechwood Smoked Salt. All proceeds from its sale are reinvested to support small businesses and bring about community cohesion through the delivery of Naturally North Coast & Glens Artisan Markets. Being shortlisted among many larger producers as a finalist in The Irish Quality Food and Drinks Awards is a tremendous achievement, especially considering the exceptional standard of entries this year.”
Shauna Mc Fall, of Naturally North Coast and Glens said:“We’re thrilled to be shortlisted for an Irish Quality Food Award.
“We’re very proud of Devil’s Churn, it has only been on the shelves since 2021 and the local reaction has been extremely positive, resulting in the product being rolled out to a number of local stores, including Mc Listers in Ballycastle, Bushmills Distillery Gift Shop, The Orangery at Drenagh Estate, Mc Atamneys Traditional Butchers, The Designerie in Bushmills, The Rock Craft and Coffee in Castlerock, and D. Kearney and Sons butchers in Cushendall, and all the Visitor information Centres across Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
“Within our team, we possess a wealth of knowledge and experience, which we used in developing a product that is enjoyed by many while also giving back to the local community with each jar sold. We currently have over 400 artisans registered to trade with us at our markets, with numerous new and young businesses from around Northern Ireland registering with us each month. Additionally, we also support approximately 100 makers and producers through our online store and farm shop.”
As the awards commemorate their 10th anniversary, the winners of the Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards 2023 will be unveiled during a prestigious ceremony in Dublin on Wednesday, September 6th, 2023.
