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So what was it like at the Abergavenny Food Festival 2010?
The Market Hall at Abergavenny Food Festival
Guest blogger Nicola from Cardiff Bites food blog tells us how she enjoyed the iconic Abergavenny Food Festival.
It’s been described as the Glastonbury of food festivals and a mecca for foodies. Now in it’s 12th year, Abergavenny has quickly become the festival of choice for gourmands from the UK and further afield. With a programme of events including TV chefs, artisan food producers, food writers, tutored tasting sessions and guided walking tours, there really is something for everyone.
Saturday’s Highlights
I was lucky enough to attend two sold-out events over the weekend. On Saturday morning I entered The Angel Hotel, was handed a glass of wine and took my seat to watch Michelin starred Chefs James Sommerin (Crown at Whitebrook) and Richard Davies (Manor House Hotel) lead a Masterclass entitled The Great Welsh Menu (paraphrasing the show that brought James Sommerin to the attentions of TV viewers). During the session the two chefs led a live cookery demonstration in which they each cooked two courses using top quality local produce. They talked us through each step, from preparing their ingredients to what equipment they used in their specialist kitchens, and peppered it with anecdotes and humour throughout. Ending with a Q&A and a chance to taste the finished dishes this was great for anyone needing dinner party inspiration or those who just wanted to watch the professionals at work.
In the afternoon we took a stroll over to Trinity Church Hall to enjoy a Tutored Tasting session with author Christine Smallwood (Appetite for Puglia) and the Riverford Field Kitchen chef Jane Baxter entitled A Taste of Puglia. We sat entranced as Christine introduced us to Pugliese cuisine, from instantly recognisable pasta dishes to less well known treats such as taralli, small rings of unrisen bread that are often flavoured with fennel seeds and served with an aperitif whilst Jane cooked up a storm in the on-site kitchen, perfectly showcasing the organic vegetables that have made Riverford a household name.
Award Winning Welsh Producers
Strolling through the market stalls, it was a joy to see the best of Welsh produce being showcased including several winners of the True Taste Wales awards 2009 – Elan Valley Mutton showing us why we shouldn’t limit our appetite to very young sheep and Greta’s Wholefoodies providing a tasty and healthy alternative to the usual fast food, sitting comfortably alongside more internationally recognised Welsh products such as chef’s favourite Anglesey Sea Salt and shellfish straight from the Pembrokeshire coast.
Other highlights from the weekend included Party at the Castle where we danced the night away amongst locals, foodies, celebs and food producers, enjoyed the take-away style food, ales from the award winning Tudor Brewery and then stood in awe at the firework display. If you had a stroller ticket, entitling you to entry at six sites around the town, you could also watch free talks and demonstrations including the Rude Health Rants at the Castle and the Market Hall Demonstrations.
We particularly enjoyed a talk by John Lewis-Stempel on his book “The Wild Life” in which he details his life living entirely off “wild” food which he foraged, gathered and hunted for around the grounds of his farm. So inspired were we that on our morning walk along the River Usk we couldn’t help but look at the fertile land with new eyes noticing previously unnoticed funghi, berries and plants as well as marvelling at wild rabbits, ducks and squirrels darting into hedgerows, swimming along the Usk and running along branches.
Top Welsh Restaurants
With several quality restaurants in the area including Michelin starred The Walnut Tree and The Crown at Whitebrook as well as local favourites The Hardwick, The Bell at Skenfrith and The Foxhunter, you’ll have no problem finding good quality, Welsh food.
Eating at The Hardwick on Friday evening, from traditional slate floor to the use of local award winning produce, such as Black Mountain Smoked Salmon or Trealy Farm Air Dried Ham, right down to the bottle of Seyval Blanc, 2008, from the Ancre Hill Vineyard in Monmouth it was pleasing to see a restaurant wear its Welshness on its proverbial sleeve.
The care in sourcing local produce continued in our hotel (The Gliffaes Country House Hotel), with the breakfast menu including locally reared pork sausages and Baked Y Fenni Goat’s Cheese & Oatmeal Slice taking pride of place on the breakfast menu, along with local Wye Valley honey. The bar menu held a similar theme with Welsh beef, Pea and Perl Las Tart and a local specialty of pork faggots putting in an appearance.
More than just food
Outside of festival season there is much to enjoy in the local area from the Sugarloaf Vineyard at the foot of Sugarloaf mountain, to walking in the Brecon Beacons National Park and Raglan Castle, as featured in the BBC series Merlin.
Over the weekend I can wholeheartedly say, I’ve learnt that there is more to Abergavenny than just the food festival.
Find out more about Welsh Food and other food festivals in Wales.
