Haggis and black pudding are treats at MacTowey Artisan Butchery
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Work is a phrase that conjures a bunch of definitions. Merriam-Webster says work is to fulfil duties frequently for wages or wage, or to exert bodily or mentally, particularly in sustained effort for a goal underneath compulsion.
Niall Towey is just a little blunter: “My identify is Niall. I’m Irish and I get pleasure from what I do.”
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What he does is figure to make the perfect haggis and black pudding.
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Towey is the proprietor and sole worker of MacTowey Artisan Butcher, creating a wide range of merchandise which are attracting a rising variety of clients who recognize the standard and fervour he places into his meals.
An artisan might be outlined as a employee in a talented commerce, particularly one which entails making issues by hand. That definitely describes Towey, who continues to good what he enjoys creating.
Born in County Mayo on the west coast of Eire, Towey’s first foray into the culinary arts was making pizza along with his brother on an outdated range, and graduating to cooking issues from scratch over an open hearth. However he says he didn’t have the attention for presentation that it takes to develop into a prime chef, so he joined the British military hoping to be taught some particular abilities.
He says they by no means actually materialized and he moved to Cork along with his associate when she was attending college there. On a wander across the metropolis, they stumbled on the English Market and he says he was wowed by the number of meat, fish, breads, cheese and greens, however particularly by the caring nature of the butchers in the best way they conversed with clients.
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Towey’s thoughts was made up — he was going to be a butcher.
After pestering Colin O’Sullivan for weeks to take him on as a trainee, he bought his begin dwelling on the dole 80 euro (about C$120) for a 40-hour work week. And he beloved it.
He says he was taught the fundamental knife and presentation abilities, however what he actually took from O’Sullivan was the best way he handled clients. He mentioned, “You should buy meat from anyplace, however once you purchase it from somebody who really cares, I believe it tastes higher.”
Towey says he has by no means forgotten these phrases. Or the “My Boy Blue” knife that his boss gave him that he nonetheless cherishes 10 years later.
He and his associate had good jobs however felt the time had come that in the event that they didn’t go on an journey, it would simply move them by. They arrived in Canada in June 2018 and commenced their journey right here in St. Catharines, Ont.
Towey says they explored Japanese Canada after which, considering the mountains seemed thrilling, drove to Calgary on the following a part of their journey.
He says Eire is simply too small to include the quantity of “craic” (translation: good occasions) it will probably carry to the world, and needing to assist unfold it after a go to to a pleasant Irish pub, Calgary grew to become their new house.
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After working at MacEwans Meats the place he honed his abilities, after it closed store Towey determined to make it on his personal and opened MacTowey Artisan Butcher within the kitchen of a Masonic lodge on 46th Avenue S.E., simply south of Peigan Path.
Not your bizarre retail butcher store, you’ll be able to order recent meat however Towey’s major enterprise is his conventional Haggis sliced within the bung, and his very talked-about black — and white — puddings. A lot of his gross sales quantity is made up of his personal recipe handcrafted pies — together with scotch and steak and kidney — Cornish pasty, Scotch eggs, sausages and what he proudly boasts as the very best again bacon within the province.
Towey is a person who places coronary heart and soul — and expertise — into his merchandise, now accessible in shops corresponding to British Pantry and Little Style of Dwelling.
Notes:
Kayla Browne, principal of BOLD Workshop Structure, and Kate MacGregor, president of XYC Design, will discover architectural concepts and inventive options to Calgary’s affordable-housing disaster at a chat on the Central Public Library on Feb. 7.
David Parker seems frequently within the Herald. Learn his columns on-line at calgaryherald.com/enterprise. He might be reached at 403-830-4622 or by e-mail at information@davidparker.ca
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