Food festival in Bury St Edmunds to include foodie stalls, a farmers’ market, a demonstration stage and even a beach!
If you’ve worked up an appetite over the summer holidays then prepare for a feast at the 2017 Bury St Edmunds Food and Drink Festival over the bank holiday weekend (August 27 and 28).
Organised by Our Bury St Edmunds, the event spans the centre of the town from 10am each day, with attractions for everyone - from epicurians to families.
It’s a fantastic excuse to acquaint yourself with Bury St Edmunds, which has fast become a hot spot on the East Anglian food scene. The Angel Hotel, 1921 and Ben’s Restaurant have all taken coveted prizes in our food and drink awards this year. Maison Bleue was recently named one of the best luxury restaurants in the world. And there are dozens of incredible food producers based in and around the town too.
Around 100 stalls will be based in the heart of th etown, around Cornhill, selling anything and everything your tastebuds could desire.
Meet Rene of Beautiful Beers. Anything he doesn’’t know about beer isn’t worth knowing. The expert will be selling some of his favourite bottles at the festival, from on-trend sour beers, to Trappiste Belgian beers and American craft brews.
Dinner’s sorted if you pick up a curry pack from Curry With Love (just add meat or veg). And hte fa,ily behind Caffe Kottani and Papakis Deli will be out in the street seling homemmade Greek pastries, honey marmalade, olive oil and other scrumptious bits and pieces.
When you get peckish there’s Hoggies - which has been dishing up succulent locally-sourced hog roasts in East Anglia for decades. Watch as the team flake off tender cuts of slow roasted pork, serving it up to you in a soft floury bap with stffing, puffy crackling and a side of apple sauce.
Or spice up your weekend with authentic Mexican street food from Al Chile, who’ll be wowing festival-goers with proper chilli, soft flour tacos and burritos.
On stage
During both days there’ll be a mixture of well-known and local chefs up on The Stove Cookery Theatre stage at Cornhill.
First up on Sunday is Jack Stein (11am,1pm and 3pm). After working for his dad (Rick, of course) as a teen, before travelling and cooking around the world, Jack is now firmly rooted in Padstow as executive chef of the Stein restaurants and cookery school.
There’s only one thing Jack really could cook at the festival isn’t there? Fish. On the menu for his demos are pan-fried mackerel fillets with hot slaw and fried capers, ragout of sauteed turbot with Serrano ham, vegetables and pea shoots, and razor clams in borage butter with pickled shallot and pine nuts.
Also on stage on Sunday are Casa Del Mar (12noon), 1921 (2pm) and Ben’s (4pm).
On Monday it’s Irish charmer and former Ready Steady Cook favourite Paul Rankin’s turn to show off his skills on stage (11am, 1pm and 3pm). At 12noon Bourgee take their turn, followed by The Angel Hotel at 2pm and Wagamama at 4pm.
Where else can I eat?
The popular Bury St Edmunds Farmers’ Market will be on, featuring 30 food and drink producers who make their wares within a 30 mile radius. They include Nuoi gourmet nut butters, The New England Boar Company with its wild boar charcuterie, and Fen Farm Dairy, whose brie-style cheese Baron Bigod is not to be missed.
There’ll be a picnic area at The Traverse, so why not buy lunch from the market and eat it there and then while soaking up the festival atmosphere?
What’s there for families?
Over both days you’ll discover Icing on the Cake at the Buttermarket, where children can try their hand at cake decorating.
The beach returns to the Arc shopping centre - complete with golden sands, Bury St Edmunds branded sticks of rock, and ice cream.
Catch a Punch and Judy show at the Arc at 11am, 1pm and 3pm each day. Visit the fair.
And check out the pygmy goats, miniature pigs and more in the mini farm at Abbeygate Street.
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