Join The Journal's Taste food and drink festival

Oct 31 2009 by Katharine Capocci, The Journal

BUDDING young Jamies and Nigellas can try their hand at cake icing and decorating at The Journal's big Taste food and drink festival this weekend.

The Cool Cooks children’s cookery company will be just one of the many attractions at the food extravaganza, taking place today and tomorrow in the Qube at the Metrocentre, Gateshead.

Children can get creative turning cupcakes into spooky spiders for Hallowe’en with clever use of icing and liquorice.

And Gillian Kenyon, who runs Jesmond-based Cool Cooks, says she will even provide wet wipes for sticky fingers!

“It’s more a case of getting children interested in preparing food at an early age,” says Gillian, who will be in attendance at the event today only.

“This is a fun event – there will be a small charge to decorate the cupcakes but they are hand-made and there are no additives in them. The children have the excitement of creating something themselves, rather than buying it ready-made at the supermarket bakery.”

The Cool Cooks venture specialises in after-school cookery clubs, holiday fun food workshops and children’s parties.

Gillian is a keen supporter of The Journal’s hugely popular Taste festivals, and the weekend event is expected to draw the crowds in their thousands once again.

“I think it’s important to support your local food and drink producers at events like this.

“It’s a great showcase for local produce, it’s important because it gets these people recognition and a lot of the produce tastes so much better.

“It shows shoppers what we have on the doorstep and that you don’t always have to rely on the supermarket.”

Gastronomic and culinary treats galore await visitors to The Journal’s fifth Taste extravaganza which celebrates the very best of local fare.

Dozens of artisan food and drink producers and suppliers from across the region will gather for the event.