Recently I had the pleasure of heading to one of my favourite places to eat for a very special event, Tourism NI’s “BBQ In The City”! There is nothing I enjoy more than having the opportunity to indulge in some delicious food and drink whilst catching up with my friends within the media industry, so as soon as the invite came through, it was an automatic “Yes Please”!

This year has been the Tourism NI Year of Food and Drink, and as a result I have been lucky enough to attend some fantastic events. This month was focusing on  “Love NI Meat”, and I can honestly say there was no better way to showcase our fantastic local meat producers than with a chic BBQ in the beautiful surroundings of The National here in Belfast!

Local producers were also in attendance so we could hear at first hand all about their fantastic products and produce, and this self confessed “Cocktail Girl” even got involved in a little Beer tasting with local micro brewery's Clearsky Brewing from Dungannon, Comber’s Farmageddon and Hilden Brewery from Lisburn!

It was so much fun catching up with Rachel and Finola from Tourism NI as well as sharing all the latest goss with my fellow bloggers: Jeff Meredith (Belfast Times), Emer Dorris (Emer D Blog), Katheryn McKeown (Fabulous and Something), Vivek Tohani (Belfast Food Man) and Toni Crowe (Sunday Life Paper). I can honestly say that the burger and chcken kebab I had really hit the spot! (In fact I'm still dreaming of that delicious burger!)

Catching up with fellow Blogger Katheryn McKeown (Fabulous and Something).

McAtamney's Butchers, who are based in Garvagh but have outlets throughout NI, supplied our delicious beef burgers and chicken kebabs, Moira’s Hannan Meats provided succulent sausages while Portadown’s Irwin’s Bakery finished off the perfect summer meal with their fresh and fluffy rolls. I can honestly say it was some of the best BBQ food I have tasted in a long time, I just wish my BBQ’s were as good! Hehe!

To learn more about the best of local meat and beer produce and further information on the Year of Food and Drink 2016 visit: www.discovernorthernireland.com/yearoffoodanddrink2016.

You can keep up to date with what’s happening on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #EnjoyNI16.

Massive thanks to Ciara Kinkead for the invite, and for Press Release and imagery. Photographs by Kelvin Boyes/PressEye, Videography Adrian Quinn & Louise Vance.