Come to Tetbury in September and enjoy a wealth of tasty and exciting food and drink from The Cotswolds, says Kathryn J Limoi
This month Tetbury will again be buzzing with foodie ideas and special events to keep everyone, both young and old, entertained.
Many of the town’s shops, hotels and restaurants, including The Close Hotel, The Priory Inn, Snooty Fox, Calcot Manor, Trouble House Inn, The Potting Shed and The Rectory Hotel will be participating in the celebrations.
Now in its fifth year, The Tetbury Food & Drink Festival is attracting a growing number of local food and drink related businesses. From bakeries to cheese and honey makers, vineyards and farms, smokehouses and mills, they’re all coming together to celebrate the very best food and drink that our wonderful and fruitful area has to offer.
Considered by many to be the highpoint of the Festival is the Farmers’ Style Market on Sunday, September 25. Held in the centre of town in and around the historic listed Market Hall and with over 40 stalls, there will be something for everyone.
With a wide range of tasty fresh fruit, vegetables, all manner of meats, sausages, pies, conserves, jams, cakes, sweets and drinks such as local wines, liqueurs and cordials on display, it is really as much of a delight to the eye as well as the palate.
Traditional Morris dancers and a brass band have been invited along to add to the traditional English atmosphere, and new for this year is a DIY Tetbury Produce Stall where people are encouraged to bring along their homemade produce to sell. All home grown and homemade items will be welcomed and organisers are looking forward to seeing a wide range of Tetbury produce, from vegetables to chutney, homemade bread to all manner of cakes and buns.
During the day there will be demonstrations from celebrated chefs, writers and bakers, including Xanthe Clay, Tom Herbert and others, including sausage-making, butchery and bread-making to name just a few.
Other highlights include tours of the Duchy Home Farm, Shipton Mill and Bow in the Cloud Vineyard. These proved a real success last year and so are back by popular demand and joined this year by Aunt Addie’s Farm Project. Festival organisers are awaiting final confirmation from Highgrove, the home of TRH The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall what they will be organising, but a tour of the beautiful gardens will be combined with a gastronomic delight, guaranteed to please.
Celebrated Cotswold Chef, Rob Rees MBE, is offering a very special Ladies’ Lunch on Saturday, September 24 at the Cotswold Chef Food Centre, from 11.30am to 2.30pm. With just 16 places available you will get to experience a special cookery demonstration by the man himself and then enjoy a splendid two-course lunch complete with bubbles. For more information and to reserve your place call Rob directly on 01285 656 813 or email info@thecotswoldchef.com
Melissa Ravenhill of Woefuldane, a small family dairy situated just five miles from Tetbury, is offering an Organic Dairy Cheese Experience Day. Their farming methods are traditional and they milk primarily Dairy Shorthorn cows, a breed which was once the backbone of the British dairy industry. Along with helping make a full commercial batch, you will make two batches of soft and fresh cheese which will then be ready for you to collect a few days later. All protective clothing is provided, together with a tasty bread and cheese lunch. Booking is essential as places are limited so telephone Melissa on 07966 088225 to book (www.woefuldaneorganics.co.uk).
Special competitions have been organised for both amateur and professionals alike. You can have the chance to take part in a sausage recipe competition that will be judged by ‘Sausage Maker Extraordinaire’ John Newman, manager of Jesse Smith Butchers in Tetbury.
Whatley Manor are sponsoring the special Tetbury Pie Competition and judging of the Tetbury Taters competition, raising funds for The Friends of Tetbury Hospital. This will take place at The Priory Inn in Tetbury during their Oktoberfest on the Saturday, September 24, where special food, drink and – weather permitting – musical entertainment will be on offer.
Cafe 53, a little jewel of a foodie outlet in the heart of Tetbury, will be playing host to two very special evenings on Thursday, 22 and Friday, 23 when a couple of local enthusiastic amateur cooks will be working with the resident chef to produce a three-course menu, prepared and presented to friends and specially invited guests. To be part of this exclusive gathering, simply call 01666 502020 to reserve your place.
Also on this year’s menu is a brand new cookery book by local author Margo Smith which will be launched at the Festival. Entitled ‘Food Family and Far Away Places’, this book was created while on her travels all over the world, and carries illustrations by Del Harris who lived in Tetbury for many years.
A special launch party featuring recipes from the book will be held on the evening of September 24 at The Close Hotel in Tetbury, with wines chosen and presented by Jackie Barr.
Jackie is a well known expert and supplier of quality wines in the Cotswolds and she recently joined forces with Oxford Wines to set up new premises in the historic Chippings area of Tetbury.
Reservations for this and the gathering of the Gloucestershire Old Spot Sausage Appreciation Society Dinner on Wednesday, September 21 , which traditionally kicks starts the Festival, can be made directly with The Close Hotel on tel: 01666 502272.
More events and happenings are being organised, even as this article went to print, so to keep up to date, get more information, book a last-minute stall at the market and find out how to reserve places at any of the special events visit www.tetburyfooddrinkfestival.com
