Caravan treat for tourists as former nurse offers Bellaghy cookery school

Tourists from around the world to the Bellaghy area have been enjoying delicious handcrafted afternoon teas in a luxury gypsy caravan created by former theatre nurse Bronagh Duffin, now the owner of the thriving and acclaimed Bakehouse NI Cookery School.

The caravan experience is one of a number of original activities that Bronagh has developed successfully for tourists, other visitors and locals to a picturesque part of Co Derry over the past few years

“It’s a gypsy caravan that I’ve fitted out for afternoon tea and food demonstrations for small groups of around 20 people at a time keen on something very unusual in a luxury setting,” explains Bronagh.

“Afternoon teas have become immensely popular across the UK. Participants can also learn how we make the ingredients for each tea including traditional Northern Irish breads and cakes. We love to promote our own superb Northern Irish food.

“Customers can watch their five-course afternoon tea being prepared in front of them, using local ingredients and my family recipes. It’s a live demonstration before they enjoy the food in the quirky gypsy caravan."

She turned from a career in nursing to create her own small business based on her passion for cooking especially traditional breads. Her ‘Soda on the Scribe’

experience shows participants how to bake sodas, potato and other traditional breads.

“Scribe is the name of my road and also lends itself to a Seamus Heaney theme,” adds enterprising Bronagh, who has also featured in Tourism NI promotions.

“Foraging is another of my most popular experiences in autumn. Digging for Bread and Gin” which is my Embrace a Giant spirit aligned experience through Tourism NI. In this experience, visitors make their own bread before foraging for autumn berries damsons, blackberries and sloes to create an infused gin,” she continues.

“We are a small family business that’s passionate about food, our beautiful countryside and especially locally sourced produce.

“We love to turn our fabulous local, seasonal ingredients into delicious dishes and to share these skills in a fun, learning experience with visitors and locals to the area,” adds Bronagh.“Our workshops are relaxing, fun experiences in which participants can take time out for themselves, maybe make a few new friends and surprise themselves with new skills while producing tasty, nutritious and simple foods that can be recreated easily at home.”

Some examples of other classes include traditional Irish soda bread made on a griddle and served with local cheese and chutney or foraging for seasonal

ingredients to make a meal special.

“We do get very excited about autumn and winter which totally gives us an excuse to have cosy afternoon cakes, scones or bread classes with freshly prepared breads baking over a roaring fire,” she continues.

“A bit of autumn blackberry foraging develops an appetite in the fresh air, before making jam and scones or foraging for sloes to make a delicious Christmas sloe gin. In springtime there is nothing more delicious than foraging for wild garlic to create a delicious garlic butter to make delicious new potatoes even more gorgeous. When summer finally arrives we love elderflower foraging for delicious cordials to add to deserts or drinks,” she adds.

Children’s classes run all year round, focusing on healthy eating, basic baking and cooking classes such as pizza, bread making, cake or cupcake decorating or cookie making.

Bronagh also offers cake decorating classes and is happy to create a bespoke experiences as well for participants particularly interested in learning something

different.

Bronagh cooks delicious, home-made food that is seasonal, wholesome and grounded in the traditional recipes that she grew up with at home in the Co Derry town, home of the legendary and globally acclaimed poet and writer Seamus Heaney.

She’s a successful teacher who has the knack of passing her extensive culinary skills, knowledge and her love of local food on to others in ways that are deeply life enhancing.

“For as long as I can remember my life has been about delicious, nutritious food. One of my favourite childhood memories is eating my granny’s freshly baked scones, straight from the oven and dripping with butter. I remember the happy, safe feeling it gave me at that time. Those experiences helped to shape my perception and my understanding of food.

“You see, for me food heals and comforts us in so many ways, from the simple act of choosing wholesome ingredients, to cooking them for those we love and sharing a meal together. I want to keep discovering new ingredients, new recipes and new ways to share my passion for good, local food with others. My overwhelming desire is to help others to enjoy cooking and eating delicious local food,” adds Bronagh.