Letchworth Food Festival 2010: Hurrah!

I’ve been thinking for a while now that it would be good to have some kind of food festival in my town. There have been a some fleeting visits from continental markets over the years and of course our monthly farmers' market, but nothing that truly celebrates the wealth of local produce out there.

Now I’m very excited to hear that Letchworth, the world's first Garden City (I’m quite proud of that!) will be hosting a foodie festival over the weekend of 22 and 23 May.
I’m looking forward to the variety of produce to taste and buy, including bread, meat, fish, jams, fruit juices, muffins and honey and everything in between. No doubt there will be regulars from the farmers' market, but as well as the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire contingent, producers will also be coming from as far afield as Norfolk and Suffolk.
Scanning down the traders expected so far, I see that Norfolk’s Samphire Shop and Brays Cottage who sell the most sublime pork pies. They’d better have plenty as I have plans to stock up my freezer!

There will also be food to eat on the go, including soups, stews, hot and cold salads, goat curry (or should that be curry goat?), paella, chocolate, handmade fruit cream ices and other mouth-watering goodies. Probably best to arrive hungry, I think.

And if that wasn’t enough, in true food festival style there will be cookery demonstrations too, including some famous faces to draw in the crowds.
Michelin Star Chef Phil Thompson, now executive chef of Brocket Hall’s flagship restaurant Auberge du Lac and TV Chef Paul Bloxham (he’s been on Market Kitchen, recently), who runs his award-winning pub, ‘The Tilbury’ in Datchworth, near Stevenage.
The Country Bumpkin, local food forager; cookery author Sally Bee and Xanthe Milton, aka Cookie Girl will also be there amongst local favourites.

Sounds like it’ll be a great weekend to grab an opportunity to have a chat with the stall holders and sample their wares and what’s more, the admission is free!

Letchworth Food Festival is open 10am to 4pm on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 May 2010, located in and around Leys Square and Leys Avenue in the heart of the Garden City.


For further information on the festival visit www.letchworthfoodfestival.co.uk as there are constant updates with new traders added and chefs.

See you there!