• Competitions and Awards
Sunday, 29 May 2011 14:36

Make do and mend at Petta Fiesta

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There will be home-made food a plenty as usual at next weekend's Petta Fiesta. If you haven't got tickets yet you can buy them online, because you won't get many on the gate this time. Head for the Make Do and Mend tent where you can taste everything carrot (just like we had in the war, says Granny) There will be carrot and lentil burgers, carrot cake baked on the spot and the usual Happy Hour but with Harvey Carrotbanger cocktails. 

Sunday, 22 May 2011 20:23

Real Beer and Food Festival

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This was full of people on Saturday and ice creams were selling fast. I tried gooseberry and elderflower (Aldercarr) and double cream vanilla (Criterion) Both were fab. I came home with a mutton curry from Jimmy's Farm, eating it now - very spicy and soon to feature on our Dish of the Day. Also tried guessing the four ingredients of the smoothie - I got carrot, ginger, apple, mango - how did I do?

Tuesday, 26 April 2011 11:46

Fram Fest

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strawberries and cream anyone?

The sun was full out for this and so were the hot sauce and chutney sellers - rather too many for one festival. But local bands and good fast food, we had hot fried mackerel sandwiches. Remind me to look for an airstream on e bay for suffolk foodie.

Friday, 15 April 2011 11:05

Framlingham Food, Drink and Music Festival

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is on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th April and are looking for Suffolk chefs and restaurants to take part. Would you like to do a demonstration?  Call Paula Edmundson on 0788 1787534 direct if you're not doing anything that weekend.

Thursday, 31 March 2011 15:48

Here comes the Bride

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royal place setting

So Granny has agreed to have the reception at her house, which has saved the problem of finding a suitable venue and no doubt saved Wills and Kate a bit of money too. As we're in·the year of austerity perhaps a delivery from Iceland could be arranged? A thirty-six piece chicken platter followed by·a thirty-six·piece dessert platter would only set them back £10. What's more you can design, print or email your invites from the website and use the party planning tool to work out quantities and menus, so there would be no·need for Lady Elizabeth Anston·to sort things out for them, and a few more quid could be saved.   Beef is likely be on the menu on April 29th·and·hundreds of bottles of vintage wine and port are being earmarked for the big day from the underground vaults of the Treasury at Whitehall.· The Queens Red Poll herd at Sandringham were·under 24 hour guard since the wedding announcement but by now·the beasts will have been dispatched and should be·hanging to mature nicely - ready to be turned into cottage pies,·Wills' favourite food.  Cakes too have changed over the years. I made my own, tradional three tier, royal-iced fruit cake. but Kate is apparently a chocoholic and may go for something more unusual. How about a cookie cake?·Or maybe your relationship started over a playstation?!

the playstation wedding cake

I catered for weddings for most of the 90’s. It's hard work, but usually a lot of fun. Not only did I organise the food and drink but it was not uncommon to carry out other unusual tasks, and of course not everything goes according to plan. Re-gravelling the drive is an old favourite at the country house wedding - impressive - until cars arriving at the reception become firmly embedded, requiring all hands on deck to push them out again. 

One request to have all food served by identical twins, each with a a pair of Dalmatians forming the welcome party, was probably the most bizarre. A modelling agency provided the twins, most of whom had never served food before and stood around looking anorexic and useless. Luckily most of the guests were on diets too so weren’t bothered that the canapés weren't flowing. And I wonder if the Middletons and Wales’s families will end up having a punch up in the car park? 

 I had the misfortune once of being invited to a 'dry' wedding.  There was going to be wine, but guests were expected to buy it from an overpriced bar. I decided to take matters into my own hands and bought a nice big  5 litre wine box and a roll of wedding paper. Wrap the wine box up in the paper, having located and released the tap first. As you arrive at the wedding, gift under your arm, hang on to it - insisting that you need to personally present it - you can now put the box on the table and pour to your hearts content. You'll make lots more friends and can join in the foodie party games too!

love is sharing a banana

it's all too much...

Thursday, 03 February 2011 16:50

Save up to Pop up

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my starter - duck

We are so OVER pop up restaurants at suffolkfoodie.  The food might be fantastic but not if it's served tepid. The service only pub-average and the final prices high. Let's try pop up + fun + cheap = a great night out - and then we might go to another one.

Wednesday, 12 January 2011 12:29

Popping up all over Suffolk

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Hooray! Another pop up restaurant to go to and just in time for my birthday. At the Queens Head in Brandeston with David Williams (Alimentum) cooking and only for two days. Book on their website  www.thetrufflepig.co.uk and see you there.

Sunday, 19 December 2010 21:00

Fabulous Fudge at the Craft Fair

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With really nice flavours - salted caramel, lavender (although I didn't like this one...) passion fruit (yum) all made with natural flavours and in small batches in Thurston.

Monday, 19 October 2009 09:47

Suffolk Herring Festival

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Little herring-shaped signs on the side of the A12  look interesting and eventually find a leaflet for this event 24th-25th October at Middleton Farm shop.  Their blog is at at www.suffolkherringfestival.wordpress.com    Unfortunately I don't like herrings or kippers - too boney for me - but I love the smell, and soft roes and might try and find time to go and have a look. 

Sunday, 16 May 2010 09:21

Crow Hall somewhere near Pettaugh

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At Crows Hall Country 'Fayre' we queued for quite a long time to get these and a cup of tea from the WI stall. The fruit bread was the best, with what looks like a bit of a dry Maid of Honour coming close second.

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