Category Archives: Events

Reviews of events I have been to

Events

Friday Food Fight – Manchester

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I’m an old rocker me, more partial to a Deep Purple gig. Bearing that in mind imagine the terror I felt when entering the darkened arena that had been created to house the hot trending, street food binge #FridayFoodFight. Whilst the food blurb sounded good it was listed alongside rave DJ types like Jonny Dub, Will Tramp!, Krysko and Gold Teeth. I was a bit scared I would have to take my shirt off!

A hip trending #hashtag
A hip trending #hashtag

Note the #hashtag in front of Friday Food fight? that’s the sign that’s been flashing through all the foodies twitter accounts over the last few weeks. It’s been a bit cryptic though, as even on the day it wasn’t clear to me what it was and whether you could rock up or whether you needed a ticket?  As it happens a few pints after work with a few chums morphed into a ‘where should we eat, I’m hungry?’. We meandered over to the Upper Campfield Market housed in the shadow of Beetham Towers and opposite fave ale joint ‘Cask’. The twitter campaign had at least revealed the venue. It’s reckoned 400 punters can fit in this wonderful, old, industrial structure.

The list for the first event
The list for the first event

By this time it was pushing 9pm and we were able to get in free and easily. Once inside the atmosphere was electric. Suitably dark, suitably urban and hip, suitably not too loud with a very suitable line up of street food vendors the juices soon started to flow. The foodies where housed down one side of the hall behind a makeshift bar. Their portion of the bench highlighted with a banner and blackboard menu slung overhead on a cross wire.

The old market lights up. Thanks to someone else for the pic!
The old market lights up. Thanks to someone else for the pic!

The scheme has been hatched by B.Eat Street MCR. They have rounded up food purveyors like Lucha Libre, Solita, Diamond Dogs, Piggie Smalls and Yang Sing to feed punters at the Campfield site for a 12-week celebration of food. The food list for the first event certainly lived up to the billing!   A quick sweep across the boards sent me stage left to Andrew Nutters ‘Nutsfood’. The ‘Great British Fritter’ peaking my curiosity. A good eight inches of bury black pudding and Lancashire cheese encased in batter, served on a wad of £10 notes and some sauce. It was hot, crunchy, tasty and satisfying. As an extra treat fellow foodie, young Jinn, bagged me a quick snatch of black pudding won tons, set in a trendy cone and British flag! It was all great, but I needed more!

Nutters homage to Bury black pudding!
Nutters homage to Bury black pudding!

A further sweep took me to ‘Love From The Streets’. They were doing their ‘street box’ which had two fat pieces of the spiciest jerk chicken I’ve ever had with some ‘bad’ slaw (I think that means good!) and ‘dirty’ bean rice (how hip are you? -Ed).  It was a bit spicy for me, especially with one of the sauces off the bar.

Love From The Streets - hot stuff
Love From The Streets – hot stuff

I was tempted to round off with some sweet, but the need for more beer took over. The Sugar Rush Gals had me severely tempted with their cheese and pineapple deserts.   To be honest I could have run down the line blindfold and had any of the food on offer, Solita’s burger, Honest Crust’s pizza, Diamond Dogs hot dogs, Lucha Libre’s Mexican, Piggy Smalls pork delights, Umuzsushi Japanese, Arepa Arepa Arepa the list goes on, it all looked really good.   And on top of all that there was great beer on and I didn’t have to take my shirt off and get down with the kids!

I got the train back about ten o’ clock so whether the dance music got more serious after I couldn’t say. As I mentioned its on every Friday for the next twelve weeks culminating in May. I’ll definitely be going again. It’s a great move by the organisers and great for Manchester. It reminded me a little bit of Camp and Furnace in Liverpool, so that’s no bad thing. Yang Sing are there this week, the food surprises just keep on coming, get down there and give it a try.

Weekly from Fri 7 Mar,

Upper Campfield Market, 5.30pm-11.30pm, Free entry,

full line ups here: http://www.beatstreetmcr.co.uk

Events

The Artisan Market – Knutsford

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The Artisan Market – Knutsford 4/8/2013
The summer of 2013 has seen the incarnation of ‘The Artisan Market’. Already a National Award Winning event it takes place most weekends at one of several Cheshire market towns. I along with the wife (the flame) scuffed along to the first Sunday of the month event at Knutsford. It operates on Princess Street from 11am till 4pm. The market features food, drink, art and crafts.

Whilst we have had a scorching summer the forecast suggested we were in for a more normal summer day, sun and showers! We docked in early, elevenish, but already the crowds were in session.
At a rough guess food, my passion, accounted for half the stalls. It proved to be quite possible to kit the pantry out with a whole host of culinary treats. I was able to purloin oils, olives, iberico ham, scotch eggs, chillis, cup cakes, sweet and savoury tarts, legumes, sauces, dips, bread and goosenargh duck. I could have doubled up on cheesecake, pies, a whole host of Asian foods and more. I was like a kid in a sweet shop, in fact yes you could get sweets as well!

The flame really enjoyed herself, she weighed in with a leopard print scarf and Jemima the purple booted duck, such was the variety of booty on offer.

The common thread running through the whole scheme was quality. There was no burnt out Black and Deckers here. Mind you, a fat wallet would be handy, plastic cards struggled to swipe down this thoroughfare of dreams.

After sauntering down the one side of the street the avenue opened up to reveal the bit where you sat and ate. A jaunty, ten piece band kept the throng entertained as they queued at the impressive array of hot street food venders. The flame fancied the peri peri chicken which was searing gently on easily the biggest barbie I’ve ever seen. Coupled with salad, hot rice and chilli sauce it was a mouth watering treat.

A scoot back down the other side of the street brought us gently into the welcoming arms of ‘The Old Session House’. A thirst quenching ‘Sessions’ ale supplied by the Tatton Brewery provided a much needed restorative.

All in all a fantastic few hours. I would heartily recommend The Artisan Market. Look out for it in Wilmslow, Northwich and Nantwich as well as Knutsford.

See www.theartisanmarket.co.uk for more details.

Events

Kenyon Hall Farm weekend 31/5/13

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I have just spent a sunny Saturday afternoon down at Kenyon Hall Farm near Winwick just off Junction 22 of the M6. They held what was billed as a Vintage Craft Fair & Family Fun Day. As a keen, amateur cook I am a regular user of their fine local produce.

On this particular occasion a bursting car park, donkey rides, bouncy castles and fairground slides allied to an unusual weather pattern (it was sunny!) made for a very different visit to the norm.
The vintage craft fair was held in the barn behind the brick built farm shop and cafe. The barn was walled with real hay! As well as the obligatory ‘Keep Calm…… Signs’ the fair featured lots of different stalls selling jewellery, books, ceramics, wood crafts and more. My particalur favourite was the local beer stall featuring fine examples from Tatton Brewery and George Wright. A snifter of Tatton’s Blonde helped to quench a simmering thirst.
The real star of any trip to Kenyon Hall Farm is the colourful array of verdant fruit, vegetables and herbs. Being June, local asparagus dominates the entrance to the well stocked farm shop. A colourful flash of fruit and vegetables creates a tantalising barrier between the shop and the cafe. The cafe serves hot and cold food using much of the produce that the farm itself creates. Being a special weekend the kitchen staff all had painted faces!

It looked to me like everyone was having a good time and judging by the queues, the tills were ringing nicely. For me, the asparagus was the best buy along with the new Cheshire potatoes. They helped form an experimental Roquefort and asparagus tart all washed down with a bottle of Blonde!

Another special weekend is planned for the end of June. I would say get down there and make sure your larder is empty. You’ll be kicking yourself if you’d just done the weekly shop at Tescburys!