From Old Spot sausage appreciation to vegetarian and Tex Mex treats, this year’s Tetbury Food and Drink Festival looks set to be a sure-fire hit with Cotswold foodies, and we’re offering readers a chance to win two tickets to a meal at the event.
A great many people look forward to visiting Tetbury each September when the town hosts a number of tasty foodie happenings, culminating in a large farmers’-style market offering a wide range of locally-produced goodies, from wine to beer and cider, even a locally-distilled range of gins and soft drinks; through cheeses, chutneys and pickles, breads, cakes and pies, sausages, burgers, and exotic fare such as chillis, pistachios, olives and much, much more.
Running from September 16 to 20, 2015, everything kicks off on the Wednesday at The Close Hotel when the Gloucester Old Spot Sausage Appreciation Society hold their annual meeting celebrating local pork, and in particular sausages created by renowned butcher John Newman from Jessie Smiths. Each year a competition is run throughout the town, to see who can create the most imaginative sausage recipe using Gloucester Old Spot pork, and the winner of the adult section is then invited to join the Society dining on the resulting sausage. This year we are delighted to announce that we will also be joined by Cotswold Life’s resident poet, Peter Wyton, who has written a special poem for this event entitled ‘Table Talk’, and he will be reading this and a couple of his other verses to an enthusiastic and appreciative audience.
The Big Pan belonging to Jessie Smiths will be cooking up a storm on the Saturday and the waft of tasty sausages and burgers down Long Street is too tempting to miss. There will also be a chance to tour local vineyard Bow in the Cloud sometime during the festival.
Another favourite is the vegetarian evening held at Café 53 when Pink Cab co-owner Tina Stevenson works alongside resident chef Piotr, to put on an evening of fun dining when even confirmed carnivores are amazed to have their taste buds tickled by a veritable cornucopia of vegetarian offerings.
Just down the road at Highgrove House and Gardens, the private residence of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, plans are in hand for a very special evening hosted by local chef Rob Rees, MBE. Rob has been a long-time supporter of the festival and a few years back set up The Wiggly Worm, a charity that exists to improve health, wellbeing and self-esteem amongst the vulnerable, disadvantaged or seldom heard; along with The Star Bistro a joint investment between The Wiggly Worm and the National Star College, offering a quality dining experience, creating a safe learning and working environment enabling students with learning or physical disabilities to gain skills and qualifications and confidence to gain future employment. For more details on the Highgrove event go to www.highgrovegardens.com and to learn more about the work of the Wiggly Worm go to www.thewigglyworm.org.uk
A few months back now David and Tanya Kelly opened the Stargazy Fish Bar, situated next door to their award-winning Priory Inn. You can eat in the bar, in the gardens or take away your order to enjoy freshly-prepared and cooked fish and chips at home. They make their own special recipe batter blending Shipton Mill flours and Cotswold Brewing Company premium lager, as well as making the accompanying all-important bits and pieces such as mushy peas and twice-cooked chips.
The Royal Oak in Tetbury will be holding a series of exciting all-new events to this year’s festival, including the ‘Tortuous Tetbury Teaser’ and ‘Condiments of the Chef’ quiz; Wednesday, September 16 is World Guacamole Day and that night they will hold a Tet Mex with a fire pit and make a giant guacamole to celebrate . Thursday through to Sunday they will be inviting special guest chefs to take over their Airstream ‘Oak Cantina’, bringing unique and intriguing street food offerings.
There will be a series of cookery demonstrations at the Sunday market. Returning by popular demand will be chef Leon Rook, showcasing his street food venture offering tasty bites, including home-smoked ribs and Cuban-style pork. Lorraine from Vowley Farm will be demonstrating the skills of sausage making; chefs from a nearby army battalion are planning to come along, and it’s also hoped that Andrew Kojima ‘Koj’ will be able to attend if his busy schedule allows. After reaching the final of MasterChef, he moved from a career in finance to one in food and cooking and now works as a freelance chef, food writer and cookery teacher, based just up the road in nearby Shipton Moyne.
A recent culinary addition to a tasty Tetbury includes the Italian restaurant Ciao, and a gentle stroll around the town will bring you to many unique foodie outlets including: Hobbs House Bakery, Quayles Deli, The House of Cheese, several cafés and teashops and even bike shop Velaton serves up their specially-blended coffee.
Competition
Win a pair of tickets to the Gloucester Old Spot Sausage Appreciation Dinner at The Close Hotel on Thursday, September, 17.
To enter the competition email your answer and full contact details, quoting code CLTFF091, to competition@cotswoldlife.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can post your answer and full contact details to Cotswold Life Tetbury Food Festival competition - CLTFF091, c/o Katie Tait, Cumberland House, Oriel Road, Cheltenham, GL50 1BB.
Q: In which year did HRH The Princess Royal become patron of the Gloucestershire Old Spot Breed Society?
Terms & conditions: Competition closes at midday on Friday, September 4, 2015. The dinner does not include drinks. Full Archant terms and conditions can be found by clicking here.
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Up-to-date information can be found at www.tetburyfooddrinkfestival.com with events and exhibitors being added and updated on a regular basis.
