Posted 26th January 2010

I Love Manx is launching this year’s guide to Manx Produce  - a bumper edition that details the full range of fresh, quality, seasonal locally produced food available right here on the Isle of Man.

Covering everything from Manx baked bread to homegrown vegetables, succulent Manx reared meat, fresh fish, herbs and cooking oil, the full range of Isle of Man Creamery dairy produce, to local brews and bottled water, naughty but very nice confectionary treats, right through to wool from Manx reared sheep, Your Guide to Manx Produce tells you all you need to know to buy local.

The guide includes essential details of retailers across the Island who champion Manx, information about Farmers’ Markets, contacts for producers and processors of Manx food and drink. New this year is a listing of restaurants across the Island that have been recognised for their commitment to Manx produce in the Harvest Isle of Man awards.

This year’s publication again features the popular Seasonal Guide to help you find what is the pick of the crop throughout the Manx food year. Whether its instant inspiration to cook up a winter warming Manx hotpot or dreams of digging into a bowl full of sweet Manx grown strawberries with a good dollop of Manx ice cream or a covering of fresh cream with a drizzle of Manx honey this summer, the guide will help you find all the ingredients to enjoy the full flavours on offer.

A must for true Manx foodies the booklet is endorsed by celebratory chefs The Hairy Bikers who comment: “We’ve been visiting the Island for years and have really fallen under its spell. For a small island it produces an impressive range of great local food – banging fresh vegetables, sustainably harvested queenies, flours for all purposes, quality meat and cheeses and the unique Manx Loaghtan lamb. In our travels around the British Isles we’ve come across some fabulous local foods, we think that what’s on offer on the Isle of Man can hold its own against the best. Your support will keep producers in business, help the local economy and keep visitors like us coming back for more.”

Agriculture Minister, Phil Gawne, said: “Our bigger and better guide provides anyone with an appetite for quality Manx food with easy access to a wide range of locally produced food. It is great that we have now been able to include restaurants which serve tasty Manx sourced meals. I'm delighted that my Department has been able to support the new improved guide this year."

President of the Manx National Farmers’ Union, Howard Quayle, added: “Never has there been a more important time to buy Manx. The choice and quality, from your dedicated local producers of fresh food and drink, is second to none and what is even better is that the money you spend stays within the Island’s economy ensuring that we can all keep feeding our families this well for years to come and continue to maintain the Island’s food security”

FREE copies of the 2010 Guide to Manx Produce are available from: The Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal in Douglas, or by contacting the I Love Manx team based at The Manx National Farmers’ Union. They will also be distributed at events throughout the year across the Island. Copies are also available from producers, processors and resellers featured in the guide.

The guide is downloadable from the following websites as is an application form for inclusion in  the 2011 edition: www.ilovemanx.org and www.gov.im/daff/News/food.xml

I Love Manx is a joint initiative of the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry and the Manx National Farmers’ Union.