A tasty destination for all

May 17 2008 by Jane Hall, The Journal

A PILOT scheme set up to promote Northumberland’s distinctive cultural and culinary products has been so successful it has been given funding for a second year.

The Made in Northumberland (MiN) project was launched 12 months ago to promote the use of local produce and sell the area’s culinary delights to visitors and the county’s home-grown retail outlets and tourism businesses.

Since then the initiative has been spreading the word about everything that is, quite literally, made in Northumberland

Now the Northumberland Strategic Partnership and One NorthEast has pledged to fund the project for a further year.

Carrying on from the success of the last 12 months, which has included Meet the Producer events bringing growers, suppliers, makers and sellers closer together, the coming year will see the launch of the Great Northumberland Food Festival. Full details are to be released on Monday, but it is known the two-month long event will kick off in September and will be a celebration and promotion of the best of Northumberland’s food and drink.

Both Berwick Slow Food Show between September 12-14 and the Alnwick Food Festival on the weekend of September 20-21, will come under the umbrella.

An Art Tour is already under way and MiN will be offering locally-sourced meals and snacks, including a three-course sit down buffet, at the Brinkburn Music Festival near Rothbury, due to take place between July 4-14.

A new website, www.made-in-northumberland.com, is also due to go live.

Adam Ellis Jones, MiN project manager, said: “We are delighted that NSP and One NorthEast have provided funding for a second year. Our county has some of the most wonderful produce on offer. Using it, tasting it and sharing it is one of our main priorities and I am delighted the project has made great headway in doing this.

“We all look forward to maintaining the work of promoting everything that is made in Northumberland.” The renewal of the funding will allow the MiN team – part of Northumberland Tourism – to continue tapping into the growing demand for distinctive, local products and show the world the attractions of England’s Border County extend beyond Hadrian’s Wall, magnificent castles, rolling hills, wooded valleys, open moorland and miles of unspoilt beaches.

Northumberland is sadly not seen as a tasty destination by tourists, despite boasting some of the best lamb, beef, seafood and game available anywhere in Britain.

A recent survey focusing on accommodation and food commissioned by Northumberland Tourism found visitors less than enthusiastic about the county’s cuisine. When it came to homegrown gourmet breaks, the likes of the Lake District, Cornwall and North Yorkshire beat Northumberland hands down.

But Made in Northumberland is determined to promote the area into the food premier league.

The project’s consultant chef, Richard Sim, has been heading up a number of food heritage and awareness days aimed at encouraging more of the North East’s restaurants, pubs, hotels and chefs to use the plethora of local produce available on their doorsteps and market it to everyone’s benefit on menus.

MiN has created dishes using Northumberland produce and helped more than 100 businesses with performance and skills.

They have also worked with the county’s artists by hosting workshops in partnership with the tourism sector.