I don't know if it was my election up-all-night malaise, or no Big Bro, or something in the air, but this year's Real Food Festival seemed to lack the buzz of last year's. Maybe it's just that working an all-nighter makes me tireder than it used to. Anyway, I felt like snucking into the Laverstock piglets' pen and cuddling up to them. Petal the buffalo was also fast asleep.
The first bit of food to tempt me was this fine Nordic cheese - I bought a hunk of the tasty prast which had a lovely depth of flavour. I don't seem to have taken many photos this year either, but other cheese that I loved was a yummy Cornish Blue and a very impressive Old Winchester, from Lyburn cheeses in the New Forest.
I loved the design on these oil gift sets from Nudo oils and I thought the mandarin flavoured oil was lovely - not overly sweet but a real blast of citrus oil as a top taste note. I came away clutching a tiny tin.
Up to this point, I'd been wandering around without a catalogue, feeling slightly grumpy at having to fork out a fiver for one. But I needed a map, so wandered back, passing this glorious display of baklava.
There were quite a few bigger brands at the fair, but one I didn't mind buying from was Denhay's, as I've been buying their bacon for an age. And it was good to see Tracklements - I can remember buying their mustard 30 years ago when they were Urchfont Tracklements.
Weirdly, my find of the show was a rapeseed oil.
John and Tom are two brothers who have just started making oil at Love Farm in Suffolk. It's a beautiful oil, and the nuttiest rapeseed oil I've tasted. Their website doesn't seem to be up yet, but I told them to get on to Twitter and they have! Follow them at @love_farm. Good luck boys!
After three hours, I staggered off home, and unpacked my goodies, including three super puds from Burtree Puddings, a favourite from last year, and a jar of my beloved date and tamarind chutney from Anila. A great haul, and I'm only sorry that my post-election malaise meant I didn't last for longer.
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5 comments:
I had no idea Tracklments had been around so long!
I went to the RFF yesterday - it did seem to lack buzz but I still managed to come away with a fair haul - my fave being the oak-roasted tomatoes from the Tomato Stall from Isle of Wight.
oooh - they're lovely! Got some from Marylebone FM a few weeks back.
I said same in my post, a much more subdued event than last year! :)
i am so glad that i am able to read about RFF on your blog as I will not be there, but it sounds like it was a bit of a sombre affair. When I went to the Scottish Highland Show here last year, it was very much the same too. One thing that put me off was it was dominated by a lot of the supermarkets.
Still I am liking your finds, esp the taste of the rapeseed oil - nutty you say. Sounds good to me.
Kavey - you were spot on. And dead right about it being the year of rapeseed oil!
Mango - it was a good event, despite my tiredness and the subdued mood. Off to the Essex Food Fair at the weekend, so hoping for cheerier times!
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