Taste of things to come

Sep 18 2009 by Katharine Everitt, The Journal

With the start of British Food Fortnight tomorrow, it seems fitting that we launch The Journal’s fifth big Taste event, a festival which celebrates the very best of local fare. Katharine Capocci offers a Taste of things to come.

GASTRONOMIC treats galore await visitors to The Journal’s latest food and drink festival.

The Taste extravaganza will be held at the Metrocentre, Gateshead on Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1.

Some 60 artisan food and drink producers and suppliers from across the region will gather at the Metrocentre Qube for what promises to be a truly gastronomic affair.

Added to the mix will be cookery demonstrations from some of the region’s finest restaurant chefs in a state-of-the-art mobile kitchen.

It’s The Journal’s fifth food and drink festival since launching its ‘buy, use, eat local’ campaign to encourage consumers, retailers, hoteliers and restaurateurs to favour the plethora of quality foodstuffs grown, reared, sown and made between the Rivers Tweed and Tees.

The event, which is a celebration of local produce, is predicted to attract tens of thousands of visitors.

Karen Carr, marketing manager at the Metrocentre, Gateshead, said: “Metrocentre wants shoppers to experience more that just a shopping centre trip when they visit and therefore organises a variety of events that appeal to a cross-section of our customers. The opportunity to promote local produce at events such as these has always been exceptionally popular.

“We want to keep as much inward investment in the region as possible and this is one of the key methods of educating our shoppers on how they can support local producers, which of course has a long-term effect on improving the economy in the region.

“The timing of the Taste event is also the start of the season to be merry!

Not only is it Hallowe’en weekend, but it’s the start of Christmas shopping, and the centre’s decorations will be on display.

“We know this will be a huge attraction offering lots of gift ideas for Christmas, and it’s a chance to see the region’s award-winning chefs in action.

“It’s the first time the Taste event has been held in a shopping centre – and we’re confident our shoppers will find it enjoyable.”

Some of the dozens of stallholders signed up so far include chilli growers Trees Can’t Dance of Coanwood; Sunny Hill Eggs of Belford; Kielder Organic Meats of Dunterley Farm; Traidcraft; Ridleys Fish and Game of Hexham and Northumberland Cheese Company of Blagdon.

Those signed up already for stints in the mobile kitchen include The Journal’s very own foodie columnist Bill Oldfield, owner of Oldfields restaurants in Newcastle and Durham.