Food For Fork #5
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For Starters...
What is with this weather!?! How am I supposed to tell you about amazing events and experiences that help connect us with what we eat, when all we really want to do is curl up with a hot chocolate and watch Netflix! To anyone signed up for Valley Fest - Bristol’s Lakeside Food and Music Festival - this week, I'm not sure whether to offer condolences or salut you.
I started this newsletter in April and I'm glad to say I still love writing it! If you follow me on Instagram you'll know I regularly babble on about sustainable food and eating habits, and I've been contemplating sharing my journey with a podcast. The hope is to help "us, the normal people" understand what it means to eat sustainably, for planet, people and pocket. I'll try to have more info for you next month, but in the meantime, I'd love to know if you have any favourite food podcasts that you would recommend.
The Main Course...
Great Dorset Chilli Festival
If you can just about handle the weather but are still keen for a bit of heat, then the Great Dorset Chilli Festival might be just what you're looking for. There are talks from Chilli experts, cooking demonstrations, a chilli sauce and a chilli plant competition, as well as plenty of non-hot options on the menu too. Music, face painting, falconry, artisan stalls... it sounds like both a cool and a hot event!
5th - 6th Aug
Stock Gaylard Estate, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2BG
Click to find out more
Carnival Supper Club
If Castle Farm, Midford isn't on your radar yet it's worth having a look at their super clubs. Each month there is a new theme and for August they are hosting "Carnival" inspired by their memories of Notting Hill. Think fire cooking, Rum Punch and turning up the speakers.
12th, 19th, 26th Aug
Castle Farm, Midford, BA2 7PU
Click to find out more
Cheese Making On The Vines
I'm very excited that an introduction I made a few months ago, between the founders of Wraxall Vineyard and Whitelake Cheese, has resulted in an event of one of the world's finest pairings; cheese and wine! Try your hand at cheese making and enjoy the fruits of your labour at lunch, with a glass of local wine, whilst looking out over the vines. Bliss!
16 Aug
Wraxall Vineyard, Shepton Mallet, BA46RQ
Click to find out more
Pony Classes
Did you know that The Pony Chew Valley has a cookery school? They offer a range of workshops, classes and tasting evenings. Pulling in expertise from their network of fantastic chefs they have classes on seafood cooking, fresh pasta making and mastering sauces, as well as practical sessions on knife skills and getting dinner on the table in 30 mins.
Regular classes
The Pony, Chew Valley
Click to find out more
Say Cheese
Frome Cheese Show will be jam packed with fun for all the family, including the dog! Obviously there is a lot of cheese to be tasted, as well as other food stalls, entertainment and countryside activity. Excitingly I've been asked to judge the cheese competition so keep an eye on my Instagram in early September, where I'll share suggestions of my faves for you to try.
9th Sept
West Woodlands Showground, Frome BA11 5ES
Click to find out more
A Little Something Sweet...
Fabulous Farm Shops
I hope you all know of a few local farm shops and that like me you love shopping in them, even if it's just for a few treats now and again. I stumbled across this site called Fabulous Farm Shops which features farm shops across the UK. Definitely worth a look next time you're planning a trip... plan your pit stops around farm shops!
Call Her Chef
Just a little shout out to Camille Aubert, the French Chef living in London, who is behind Call Her Chef on instagram. Every month she posts a list of which fruit and veg are in season, which is so useful to anyone trying to do better to eat in harmony with nature.
What's on the Menu in...
I've started a new blog series called "What's on the Menu in..." featuring all the places I'd recommend to eat in various South West towns. I've started hyper local with What's on the Menu in... Frome, but hope to add Bruton and Wells editions to the series soon. If you fancy joining me on a food recce or if you have suggestions, just drop me an email.
If you have enjoyed this please forward to your foodie friends and family, both local and those from further afield that might wish to visit the South West with their tasting spoons at the ready.
If you know of food experiences that I should feature in a future newsletter just hit reply and let me know!
Thank you from The Tale of a Teaspoon