Lancashire’s campaign to showcase its great food was a roaring success. Roger Borrell reports.
Lancashire ‘pineapple’ made a surprise appearance on the menu when the county staged its first ever Taste Exchange. At least, that’s what Peter Ascroft, of Worthington’s Farm, near Tarleton, calls his speciality golden beetroot, which daughters Cheryl Forshaw and Abigail Chetwood turn into ‘Pots of Goodness’ using herbs, olive oil and lemon juice.
‘Everyone thinks vegetables are boring,’ said Abigail. ‘Our aim is to make people passionate about beetroot! Dad loves our recipe for golden beetroot so much he calls its Lancashire Pineapple. But then, dad is very fond of his veg. As kids, we had to eat cabbage or cauliflower even when we had pizza!’
Cheryl and Abigail joined more than 30 producers at the Barton Grange Hotel in an event organised by Marketing Lancashire as part of a growing campaign to spread the word about the brilliant food coming from the red rose county. The event also attracted many people from the hospitality industry to create a networking event. One of them was Patrick Beaume, who runs the award-winning Cartford Inn in Little Eccleston with his wife, Julie.
‘We are very happy to support Marketing Lancashire’s campaign to support local food producers because it is something we try to do as a business,’ said Patrick, who was born in France. ‘We have got to get more people involved in promoting this wonderful industry.’
Ruth Connor, chief executive of Marketing Lancashire, said: ‘This event has been absolutely brilliant. Our aim is not just to raise the profile of the people who produce our food but to also highlight where visitors can enjoy it.
‘Our mission is to make Lancashire a must-visit destination for people who love good food. We are on a crusade to achieve international recognition.’
Further events are planned – watch out for a pop-up Lancashire restaurant in London.
