I’m a sucker for a ‘nice’ shop, especially the sort you find unexpectedly, the sort that’s filled with goodies (of the edible kind), the sort of shop that makes you go ooh and aah as you see shelves filled with tasty treats. Well, on a recent day trip to the town of Comber, we found such a shop – a lovely deli called ‘Indie Fude’ (love the name) which we came across by accident while having a bit of a walk around. It’s that rare kind of place that hubby and I can enjoy together as we both share a love of food (and frankly, who doesn’t ?).
Indie Fude ( a hybrid of their two main philosophies – indigenous and independent) is a deli and online store selling only Irish, small batch artisanal food and drink – around 600 products. We followed the sign which took us up a flight of stairs and into a small shop filled to the brim with local produce (everything from meat to tea, from chocolate to cheese).
(lovely little touch – fresh rosemary, free of charge)
We wandered around for quite a while, discovering new brands and recognising some more familiar ones. Here’s just a small sample of what was on offer.
Belfast based Suki Tea which sources and blends loose leaf teas, herbal infusions and fruit blends from all over the world. I like their traditional Belfast brew whereas hubby has a more exotic taste, preferring their Russian Caravan tea (a real smoky blend, perfect for a winter’s day).
Apple juice from Armagh ( a county known as Orchard County, or the Orchard of Ireland).
And who could resist chocolate in this lovely pink packaging ?
There is also a chocolate shop in store, by the lovely name of La Coquine (that’s French for naughty, how appropriate !). Hand made just a few miles outside of Belfast, the lady who makes them was happy to tell us more about her flavour combinations (eg gin and ginger, goat’s cheese and lemon) and treated us to a little sample.
I knew it was dangerous to linger and before too long I had indulged in a little purchase (for mum, of course !!). She is particularly fond of fruity chocolates so I chose some violet fondants and rhubarb and custard chocolates. All this time, hubby had disappeared into the cheese section and he re-emerged a while later with some Kearney Blue and Young Buck cheese, again both made locally near Belfast and devoured within a day or two.
I also spotted this lovely book for sale – The Irish Countrywomen’s Association Book of Tea and Company. A flick through the pages revealed a beautiful book packed full of tea time recipes, interspersed with lines of poetry and little nuggets of wisdom. The perfect book to read, snuggled up on the sofa with a cup of tea.
All in all, Indie Fude is a lovely little find and well worth a visit if you are in that neck of the woods. If not, and you fancy a little taste of Ireland, you can visit their website as they deliver all over the world www.indiefude.com .
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