Berwick Slow Food

Thousands of locals and holidaymakers enjoyed the fourth annual Berwick Food Festival over the weekend of 10-11 September 2011 at the town’s historic Barracks. Visitors enjoyed local produce, delicious catering, award winning beers, fantastic music and a host of foodie related activities. See a one-minute video panorama.

We were delighted to see so many people supporting the event again. Research onsite found that people had come from all over the country, with some timing their holiday specifically for the festival.

There were more stalls than ever, with local produce from North Northumberland and the Scottish Borders including hand crafted cheeses, locally reared meats, free range eggs, hand made preserves, locally caught fish and seafood, home baked bread, pies and preserves, cakes and chocolates, locally grown vegetables, a selection of oils, dressings and sauces and even the kitchen equipment to cook it all with.  A range of charities and organisations were also represented, helping to educate the public on issues ranging from climate change to food waste and wildlife conservation. The Co-operative’s Farm to Fork and Plan Bee Campaign and the Healthy Living Initiative display were busy throughout the day. Slow Food Committee Member Helen Henderson was also on hand to explain the traditional recipes she has been collecting as part of an ongoing Slow Wisdom Project and Graham Head, Leader of Berwick’s Slow Food Group, organised a Taste Adventure for Foodie Bairns with Livvy Cawthorn .

Showing how it’s done

The demonstration kitchen organised by Slow Food Members Ruth and Maurice McNeely and Jackie Kaines Lang also had a packed audience throughout the weekend. Jack Smith from the Queen’s Head Hotel, Morgan Whitelegg from the The Barn at Beal, John Forestier from the Wheatsheaf at Swinton and Katrina Reynolds from the Allanton Inn demonstrated a range of dishes from local seafood to roast pheasant and delicious desserts. Audiences were also keen to question Jimmy Bell (Jimmy the Lamb Man) on local lamb and Willy Robson from the Chainbridge Honey Farm on keeping bees and making honey.

Ever-popular animals

The Animal Farm was back by popular demand. Children and adults alike were delighted by the antics of the Tamworth Pigs from Peelham Farm in Foulden, Saddleback Pigs from Hunting Hall, Middle White Pigs and Shetland Sheep from Lowick High Steads, Cheviot Sheep, miniature Donkeys  and the Barnacre Alpacas from Hartburn near Morpeth.

Fittingly for the end of Wool Week there was display of Traditional Breed fleeces and wools from the Wool Board in Galashiels. Jean Bennett and her team showed spinning, weaving and traditional wool crafts. Feltmaking by local schoolchildren was on display, produced as part of the local Sheep Tales Project managed by community arts organisation Think Make Grow in partnership with the North Northumberland Mission Partnership of the United Reformed Church. The Sheep Tales Project and a display on the region’s food heritage organised by historian Derek Sharman educated people on our food heritage production.

Food on film

New for 2011 was the Slow Food Cinema showing short food-related films throughout the festival. Thursday before the festival saw a well attended special screening of Babette’s Feast at The Maltings Theatre and Cinema, which also inspired a special evening menu throughout the weekend at the Maltings Restaurant. There was also a screening of children’s film Ratatouille.

34 pints and a packet of crisps, please

Throughout the weekend the Beer Festival organised by Borders based DM Event Catering featured 34 real ales and many local ciders. These included many award winners – notably the Champion Beer of Scotland, the CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain and the gold medal winner from the World Beer Cup.

Eat to the beat

Delicious catering was provided by Café Curio (replicating their popular Bridge Street Café in the Officers’ Mess), Well Hung & Tender, serving their popular Aberdeen Angus Burgers throughout the day, and the Great Northumberland Bread Company, who provided a hog roast each lunchtime – the pig went into the bread oven after each night’s baking. Many enjoyed their food to a backdrop of contemporary and traditional music with a programme put together by Brian Martin of the Music Gallery.