1:55pm Wednesday 16th June 2010
Top chefs including Raymond Blanc, James Martin, Atul Kochhar, Alex Aitken, Ed Baines and John Burton Race are taking part in the 10th Hampshire Food Festival next month (July 1st-31st), held in celebration of food and drink produced, grown and reared in the county.
The month-long celebration makes the most of Hampshire’s vast natural larder. The packed programme of events held at numerous venues across Hampshire includes tractor-trailer tours and walks around orchards, vineyards and dairy, livestock, vegetable, garlic and lavender farms; open days to see how ice-cream, cheese, beer and apple juice is made; workshops for adults and children in bee-keeping, cookery, bread-making, chocolate-making and growing-your-own fruit and veg; country shows and Hampshire Farmers’ Markets; cookery demonstrations and plenty of opportunities to enjoy gourmet lunches, cream teas and dinners using seasonal Hampshire produce.
Last year’s Hampshire Food Festival, organised by county food group Hampshire Fare with the backing of Hampshire County Council, attracted over 155,000 visitors and generated an estimated £3.1 million of visitor spending into the Hampshire economy. The Festival has grown in popularity from a weekend event in Winchester first held in 2000 to a month long celebration hosted by over 70 different organisations across Hampshire.
In support of The 10th anniversary Hampshire Food Festival, James Martin said: “I have lived and worked in Hampshire for the past 16 years and I am passionate about the amazing diverse produce the county has to offer. From great fish to amazing meats and plentiful amounts of fresh salads and vegetables, there is everything here for the keen foodie. But it’s the likes of food festivals and markets that enable you to taste all the things that are grown on your door tep that you probably weren’t aware of. So go see it, embrace it, taste it and you never know what you might find, one thing’s for sure, if its great food you’re after then join in the Festival”.
Support also comes from Raymond Blanc: “As someone who applauds any effort to get people to support local food producers, I am very, very pleased that The Hampshire Food Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary....I congratulate Hampshire Fare on their 10 years of telling the world about the excellence of the produce of the county,’’ he said.
There are also messages of support for the Festival’s 10th anniversary from Gordon Ramsay, Phil Vickery, Atul Kochhar, Alex Aitken, Sophie Grigson, Rose Elliot and Chris Packham, published in the Festival programme.
Details of all Festival events are in the free Hampshire Food Festival programme which can be downloaded at <&bh"http://www.hampshirefare.co.uk">hampshirefare.co.uk<&eh>, or call 0845 6035638 for a free programme to be posted to you.
There are free prize draws to win luxury short breaks at top Hampshire hotels including The White Horse Hotel in Romsey, Lainston House near Winchester in conjunction with Ecover and Tylney Hall near Hook, plus lunch at Atul Kochhar’s Vatika restaurant, a £200 shopping voucher with Festival Place, a local produce hamper from The Southern Co-operative worth over £100 and much more.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thisishampshire.net/trade_directory/