Caribbean flavours from Belfast attract English delis
Jerk Sauce, Mango Tango, Runup and Rundown Sauce are just some of the spicy sensations from a Northern Ireland company now being savoured by deli customers in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Among the delis now stocking sauces and other Caribbean delicacies from Windrush Cuisine in Belfast, ideal for summer barbecues, is Mmm in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Qualified chef Wendy McGuire, the owner of Windrush Cuisine, has been influencing local cuisine for over six years and has recently launched her own range of Windrush spicy sauces, some fiery, all richly flavoured.
The new business in Britain and the Republic is the result of an extensive marketing campaign targeted at delis and farm shops in both countries and also from her participation in food exhibitions including SHOP in Dublin.
In addition to her new products, Wendy, whose family roots are in Jamaica, offers a unique catering service as well as providing Caribbean outside catering for weddings, parties, and business lunches.
"I named the business after the Windrush pioneers to Britain and was also influenced by childhood memories of wonderful smells and creations coming from the kitchens of my family and friends in Jamaica.
"They were celebrating and commiserating life and love with pots full of curry goat, fried chicken and Guinness punch, brown fish stew, fried chicken, patties and much, much more.
"With my family roots deep in the soil of Jamaica, I couldn't be anything but enthusiastic about Caribbean food! I love cooking, eating it and helping others to enjoy the rich flavours of food from all over the Caribbean. It's varied and its vibrant flavours challenge and delight taste buds.
"The business now developing with delis in Great Britain and the Irish Republic is the result of a campaign of telephone calls to the food shops in key centres such as Newcastle, Brighton and London in Britain as well as Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick in Ireland.
"I've found a tremendous interest among owners keen to try something quite different. Repeat business has also resulted from delis which have stocked the sauces in particular.
"Caribbean cuisine is essentially a fusion of Spanish, French and African cuisines. These traditions were brought from the many homelands of this region's population. In addition, the population has created from this vast wealth of tradition many styles that are unique to the region.
"Like other popular regional cuisines, Caribbean cooking is not only richly flavoured but flexible, too. It relies on basic ingredients cooked in simple ways. After all, it originated, as most cuisines we enjoy today did, with mothers and grandmothers in the family kitchen making use of whatever they had on hand," she adds.
Windrush Cuisine specialises in Caribbean cuisine from the many and quite different islands including Cuba, Barbados, Jamaica, Guadaloupe and Guyana.
The names of the sauces help to show what Windrush Cuisine is all about. They include 'Blazin' Extra Hot Pepper'. As well as its colourfully named sauces, Windrush produces jams and chutneys such as Coconut, Coconut and Mango, Pawpaw and Mango Chutney and Jammin Chilli Jam. Other expertise covers Caribbean breads including Haitian Corn bread, and cakes.