Food Festival Highlights...

A good food festival always turns into a bit of a shopping spree, with the intention of just looking and sampling the delicious treats on offer, I always end up coming away with my hands full and my belly bulging and at Gloucester Quays Food Festival on the weekend, there was no exception. Having had a quick spy on Phil Vickery’s demo of ‘Masterchef revisited’, I had spent a good half an hour dragging my poor colleague back and forth down the row food stands trying to make the crucial decision on what to have for lunch. And can I just point out, when your nostrils are suddenly overwhelmed with a variety of smells from assorted cuisine sizzling away, it’s only vital you take the time to make the right decision, or so I told her. In the end, we narrowed it down to an 8oz ‘well hung’ beef burger (I know it sounds a bit same old, but trust me, this was like no other burger, MacDonald’s, take note!), The Great British Sausage Company and the African chicken spit roast…and of course, the burger looked too good to turn down.

Having demolished this within seconds, and talked out of going back for round two, it was time to hit the food stalls. After sampling various cheeses, meats, chutneys, cakes and oils (after lunch I still found room for an ongoing indulgence), I managed to restrain myself to buying the top three which I then stretched it to four products. I definitely recommend you try these and log onto their online ordering systems or locate their next festival appearance.

Blueberry & Vanilla balsamic vinegar made by The Gift of Oil - www.thegiftofoil.co.uk

White Truffle rape seed oil made by Stainswick Farm - www.stainswickfarm.co.uk

Rose & raspberry, vanilla, blackcurrent and Kircsh, contreau and chocolate, pistachio macaroons made by Dimkins - www.dimkins.co.uk

Caramel Cake made by The Little Round Cake Company - www.thelittleroundcakecompany.co.uk