Bucky BBQ bacon and Pasta salad

You wouldn’t traditionally introduce Buckfast to a salad but when I discovered this Bucky BBQ sauce from Hollah Preserving, I couldn’t resist it!

I met Paula, one half of the Hollah team at a foodie event in Avoca.  We were chatting for ages and I was really taken with her passion for her products.  She let me try quite a few and they were all delicious but there was something about the sheer decadence of using Buckfast in a sauce that really appealed to me.

If you aren’t aware of the delights of Buckfast, let me fill you in.  It’s a tonic wine made by Benedictine Monks in Buckfast Abbey.  Although the Abbey is in Devon, Buckfast enjoys a special popularity in Northern Ireland.  Apparently, it is the most popular drink in Lurgan, accounting for 25% of all booze sold in the town and earning it the NI nickname, Lurgan champagne

The drink is famed for it’s high caffeine content and has been blamed for anti-social behaviour in Scotland, where it has been branded as ‘Wreck the Hoose Juice’ and ‘Commotion Lotion’.  What’s not to like?

I decided to use the sauce in a BBQ bacon and pasta salad, using natural yoghurt to transform the Bucky sauce into a creamy but healthy dressing.  I was absolutely delighted with the results.  You can find the recipe and instructions below if you want to give it a go.