All eyes on potatoes at Culture Club event

May 14 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

A CITY restaurant owner yesterday threw his weight behind The Journal’s campaign to encourage people to buy, eat and use more local produce.

Andy Hook, who owns Blackfriars restaurant, invited Journal Culture Club members to the city-centre eaterie for a talk by local potato producer Lucy Carroll.

The group sampled potatoes grown near Berwick, Northumberland, as part of her business, Carroll’s Heritage Potatoes.

Mr Hook said: “We try to have these events quite regularly where local producers come along and talk about their product.

“A lot of restaurants talk about local or seasonal produce but it’s actually very hard to put it into practice.

“A lot of the producers we deal with are small artisan independents so it becomes more complicated.

“We think it’s worth doing to ensure we minimise our carbon footprint and support the local economy.”

Culture Club members tucked into pan-fried local North Sea fish with Carroll’s new potatoes and Lanchester asparagus.

Ms Carroll said: “Today’s event is about informing people about the diversity of potatoes and the variety of colours, tastes, shapes and sizes.

“It’s important that people know where their food has come from and obviously we are trying to support The Journal campaign in support of local produce by communicating these things.”