For flavours of the North
Jul 10 2008 by Jane Hall, The Journal
THE Journal Taste 2 food and drink extravaganza has been chosen to launch two months of events aimed at putting Northumberland on the culinary tourism map.
September and October have already been designated Taste Northumberland months, with more than 30 food-related shows and other activities taking place across England’s Border county.
These include food festivals in Berwick, Alnwick and at the National Trust’s Wallington estate.
Now the Made in Northumberland project, which is tasked with promoting the county’s unique and distinctive food and cultural highlights, is using Journal Taste 2 in association with Tesco to spearhead what it is hoped will be two months of the best eating and drinking anywhere in Britain.
Taste 2 takes place on August 30 against the stunning Georgian backdrop of The Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Golf and Country Club at Longhorsley near Morpeth.
This latest event in support of The Journal’s buy local, use local, eat local Taste North East England campaign launched at the end of January, follows the massive success of our first ever food and drink festival held in April which saw more than 10,000 people flock to the National Trust’s Gibside estate near Rowlands Gill.
Since then producers and public alike have been clamouring for a return match. So we have brought back the best bits of the Gibside event and added some tempting new ingredients to the recipe, for what is set to be the biggest and best food and drink fair ever held in the North East. TV’s Hairy Bikers Simon King and Dave Myers will join a host of local celebrity chefs, renowned wine writer Malcolm Gluck, producers, suppliers and Journal Taste columnists, for what promises to be a spectacular celebration of the quality delicacies and delights available between the Rivers Tweed and Tees.
Adam Ellis Jones, MiN’s project manager, said this autumn’s drive to put Northumberland on both the regional and national food radar, couldn’t have asked for a more high profile launch-pad than Journal Taste 2. “The support of The Journal and its fantastic Taste campaign is hugely important to letting the rest of the world know how good the food and drink of the North East region is. The whole season of events being kicked off with the Taste 2 food and drink festival at Linden Hall, is a massive boost to Northumberland and its producers, and a great opportunity for the people of the North East, and further afield, to taste Northumberland for themselves.”
MiN is supporting Taste 2 by sponsoring the drinks marquee, featuring micro-brewers from across Northumberland and further afield, alongside small local wine importers and sellers. September and October have been chosen for Taste Northumberland because of the abundance of fantastic produce available. It’s the time of year for Northumberland hill lamb and game, the fruits of the hedgerows and forest, salmon from the county’s rivers and sea and shellfish from the county’s shores.
Visitors and locals are increasingly keen to sample authentic experiences, and this includes food. They want to support local producers and savour fresh produce which has not travelled far. By highlighting them during Taste Northumberland, MiN is hoping to raise the profile of food and drink that is, quite literally, made in Northumberland.
Producers, hotels, guest houses, retail outlets and market towns are being encouraged to take a joined-up approach and to work together to promote Northumberland food and drink.
Mr Ellis Jones said: “The complete Northumberland experience must include discovering some of the wonderful seasonal products. Taste Northumberland is about the hidden gems, the great finds, the discoveries you make for yourself that make the county so special. We have been out and found all this and we just have to share it. Some of it is great, some of it different, some of it idiosyncratic and eccentric, but all of it rich and unique and always with a story to tell.”
SPONSORS
THE Journal is indebted to the following firms and organisations for helping support Taste 2:
:: Tesco for sponsorship;
:: Made in Northumberland for sponsoring the drinks marquee and for practical support;
:: North East England Food and Drink Group for donating their mobile demonstration kitchen;
:: City Centre Partnership, which runs the Newcastle Quayside Sunday Market, for supplying stalls
JOURNAL TASTE 2 FESTIVAL DETAILS
What is it?: Journal Taste 2 food and drink festival in association with Tesco.
When?: August 30
Where?: The Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Golf and Country Club at Longhorsley, near Morpeth, Northumberland. Time: 10am-4pm.
What’s going to be there?: The biggest and best food and drink fair ever held in the North East with stalls piled high with the freshest local produce, a Fairtrade village, wine and beer marquee, Hairy Bikers Simon King and Dave Myers, popular national wine writer Malcolm Gluck, celebrity chef demos, wine and beer tastings with The Journal’s Helen Savage and Alastair Gilmour, children’s entertainment and live music.
How much?: Entrance will be £5 per person with under 16s going free. Keep buying The Journal in the run-up to the event as we will be running a cut-price ticket promotion.
BOOK A STALL
LOCAL food and drink producers and suppliers wishing to book a stall for our August 30 Taste 2 food and drink festival – or wishing to find out more about the event – can do so by emailing jane.hall@ncjmedia.co.uk or calling (0191) 201-6341.
HIGHLIGHTS
August 30: Journal Taste 2 food and drink festival in association with Tesco, The Macdonald Linden Hall Hotel, Golf and Country Club, Longhorsley.
September 1: St Cuthbert’s Festival, Berwick.
Sept 6: Harbottle Show, Harbottle.
Sept 12-14: Berwick Slow Food Festival, Berwick.
Sept 20: Alnwick Children’s Food Festival, Alnwick Garden.
Sept 20-21: Alnwick Food Festival.
Oct 4-5: Belsay Hall. Christmas Food Fair.
Oct 11: Alwinton Show, Alwinton.
Oct 25: John Barleycorn Festival, Rothbury/Thropton
Oct 25-26: Wallington Food and Craft Festival, Wallington.
