Foodie fun at Summer in The Park

Tag : Sky Fruit
Foodie fun at Summer in The Park
10/ 7/2008


FROM a brimming bowl of granola at your 10am organic breakfast onSaturday to the final soaraway encore from The Earlies late onSunday evening Summer In The Park promises to be the essential Mancparty.

But few parties ever have had music and catering to match thisweekend epic in Platt Fields. We'll all be watching the skyanxiously, of course, but this is one festival when the prospect ofpud is more likely than mud. Fingers crossed, I got that one right!

Apart from the mouthwatering line-up of local eateries setting upin a specially created Food Court, there is also a `farmer's stylemarket with dozens of the region's finest producers. Separate barswill serve wine and real ale, while fruit juice makers Innocentwill be handing out smoothies. Cidermakers Bulmers will bedistributing apples and pears via specially created fruit carts,and through promotional stickers are offering free cider tasters.

And, of course, there will be some inspiring chef demonstrations, Qand As, book signings and hands-on sampling at the Learn In ThePark tent. It's your chance to meet your favourite kitchen hero orheroine. Demonstrations will be held from11am through till 8pm, onthe hour every hour both days
Chefs

Not to be missed is superchef Alison Seagrave - reigning ManchesterFood And Drink Festival chef of the year (she has also won theequivalent gong for the past two years from Hi-Life Diners). Shewill be demonstrating the style of food that has brought suchacclaim to Harvey Nichols' Second Floor Restaurant.

Her rival over at Hilton's Podium, David Gale, will beconcentrating on his fresh seafood dishes, while Malmaison stalwartKevin Whiteford will be demonstrating how to cook their classicEggs Benedict.

Brian Mellor has a high profile from numerous TV slots and foodfestival demos. He is also a Master Chef of Great Britain. Expecthim to be vigorously championing north west regional produce.

Goosnargh cornfed ducks and chickens are foremost among thatproduce. Sole producer Reg Johnson of Swainson House Farm in theRibble Valley will be showcasing them in a demo.

The rest of the chef line-up is: Oliver Thomas (River restaurant),Lee Scott (City Café), Amanda Dowson (Mrs Dowson's Ice Cream),Tony Lewis (Carluccio's), Sarah Kearns (Vegetarian Options), NormanNusa (Ning), Anthony Fielden (Northern Quarter Restaurant), JoseCenden (Evuna), Ekemon Buasan (Sapporo Teppenyaki) and Clive Edson(Tampopo).
Producers

The list of producers is no less impressive.

Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, which has been making traditional cheesefor 70 years, using recipes handed down through generations.

Bexton Cheese will also be selling its handmade cheese alongsidefellow dairy producers Delamere Dairy, whose products includeyoghurt, milk, butters and cheeses.

For those with a sweeter tooth, there's Mrs Dowson's Ice Cream,dairy producers who have farmed the Ribble Valley since 1954. Theice cream is made using the milk from their own Holstein herd.

Sweeter still is Duerdens Confectionery, which was established in1922 by the grandparents of the present owner, and has been makingtoffee ever since. Some of the family recipes date back to the1800s!

While vegans may feel overlooked with such an emphasis on dairyproducts, Natural Balance Foods offer a healthy, non-dairyalternative. The British-based company produces healthy snacks of100per cent natural, 100 per cent vegan raw food with no artificialadditives or sugar.

In stark contrast, Season's Fresh Farm Produce will be offeringquality meats such as venison, liver, diced steak, mince, sausagesand lamb. Award-winning internet outfit Northern Harvest will beselling meat, and fish, along with salad, vegetables and fruit.

Urban Fresh Fruit provide cunningly healthy fruit `crisps' - driedfruit in a bag to be eaten like a packet of crisps.

More extravagantly, Zeus Canapes will be at the Park with theirhandmade canapes made from fresh and - where possible - locallyproduced ingredients.
For caffeine freaks there's Urban Coffee Co, an independent coffeeproducer of locally-sourced coffee and speciality teas, while theChinese Arts centre is hosting a Chinese tea bar.
Find out more about the events via the links on the right of thispage.

For full details of the weekend's activities, visit summerinthepark.co.uk . To book: ring 0161 832 1111, 0871 424 4444 or visit ticketline.co.uk . Or from Ticketline Box Office, Zavvi, New Cannon Street,Manchester Arndale. Adults £9.50, conc £6, families £22, weekendpasses £17. Kids under 11 free. Tickets on the door: £11. Doors:Saturday 10.30am-10.30pm, Sunday 11am-10.30pm

(Sunday 11am-1pm is a quiet time).