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27 June 2014

Apple Meringue Pie

Photo: © childsdesign

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Wonderful tangy apples under a billowing cloud of meringue make this a refreshing dessert and a change from the usual lemon meringue pie.
We made ours a little different by adding some passion fruit vinegar to the apples which complements them rather well.
AFT member, Alan Coxon makes a series of fruit vinegars using his Roman and Greek Vinaigres as a base, so not only do you get the deep fruit flavours but also the blend of spices and herbs too.
This makes the finished result very interesting so we do recommend using the vinegar as the pie won’t really taste the same.

View recipe

Photo: © childsdesign

16 June 2014

Artisan Food Trail partners with Street Food Live

Street Food Live is an exciting new exhibition and conference, entirely dedicated to street food, the people who serve it, the companies that are driving this growth and the opportunities for enthusiastic entrepreneurs.

The Artisan Food Trail is pleased to have partnered with this event which is being held at Olympia, London 17th – 18th September 2014. Come and visit The Artisan Food Trail stand where we can put you in touch with some of the best artisan and small food and drink producers in the UK.

As well as working with these specialist food and drink producers, The Artisan Food Trail also offers a variety of services specifically in design, branding and marketing which could help your street food, takeaway or restaurant business. Visit us for a chat if you are looking for help in these areas.

Street Food Live will present the most innovative street food solutions, as well as a fantastic schedule of seminars and workshops bringing you up to speed on the fastest growing food sector in the UK.

Street Food Live is running alongside the Takeaway Innovation Expo which is designed to give you all the tools you need to grow and to develop your takeaway, whether that is franchising your restaurant, adding an automated online ordering system or re-branding yourself to move to the top of the food chain.

Exhibit at Street Food Live – Introduce your quality products to a growing audience

Street food comes in many shapes and sizes and one thing’s for sure, not only is it growing in popularity but also in quality.
These business owners are looking for your products to enhance their offering.

  • Exhibit alongside The Artisan Food Trail as a member
  • Suitable non-members welcome (please contact The Artisan Food Trail below)
  • 6000+ visitors expected over the two days
  • Meet buyers
  • Dedicated page on the event’s website with social media amplification
  • Listing in show guide including contact and website details 

For further details or to secure your place
email: info@artisanfoodtrail.co.uk
call: 0844 995 9996


Visitor entry is FREE
Register for your tickets HERE


Visit the events’ websites for more information:
streetfoodlive.co.uk
takeawayexpo.co.uk

9 June 2014

AFT producers taking part in these food events this week

As the weather hots up and the sun shines (hopefully) there are more and more food events and festivals taking place all over the country.

This week various AFT producers will be at the following events:

12th – 15th June 2014
BBC Good Food Show Summer (entrance ticket also includes admission to Gardeners' World Live)
NEC Birmingham


Edible Ornamentals - If you like a little heat then try some of their chilli sauces and relishes. If you want to grow your own chillies, why not pick up a plant to nurture.
Fudge Kitchen – Creamy handmade fudge in every conceivable and irresistible flavour.




Cotswold Gold – Beautiful cold pressed rapeseed oil grown and pressed on the farm and made into delicious dressings, infused oils and mayonnaise.

Full details on the event's website: bbcgoodfoodshowsummer.com

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13th – 15th July 2014
Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival
Montpelier Gardens

Truffle Hunter – For lovers of luxury. Truffle oils and a whole host of truffle products to add flavour to your food.




Full details on the event's website: cheltenham-food-festival.garden-events.com

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14th – 15th July 2014
Gerrards Cross Food Festival
Memorial Centre

Lewis of London – May the sun shine because this is the stall to visit for a cool and creamy ice cream. Made on the farm using milk and cream from their own herd of cows situated just inside the M25 – you don't get many dairy farms that close to London!


Full details on the event's website: doyoulovefood.co.uk/gerrards_cross.html

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14th – 15th July 2014
Greene King Summer Fest Beer & Food Festival
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

Breckland Orchard – Boutique soft drinks, affectionately known as 'Posh Pop'. Lots of lovely flavours to choose from.
Capsicana Chilli Co – Where it's as much about the flavour as the heat. Wide range of tantalising chilli sauces and an exciting range of gourmet dried chillies.
Samphire – Rare breed pork products from happy pigs. Sausages that taste the way they should, pork pies and other treats.
The Artisan Smokehouse – An interesting array of smoked products including beef, salami, salmon and duck as well as cheeses, oils and even garlic.



Full details on the event's website: greenekingsummerfest.co.uk


5 June 2014

AFT Producers at Towcester Food Festival 2014

Towcester Racecourse is about to turn into a food destination this weekend, 7th – 8th June, as it becomes the setting for Towcester Food Festival.

Essential for food lovers and also a great day out for the family there will be plenty to enjoy with food and craft stalls as well as cooking demos and classes with a dash of music and entertainment thrown in for good measure.

There'll be something for all ages and one thing's for certain you won't go hungry as there will also be a street food market bursting with tasty choices as well as good ales, ciders and wines.

And do you know the best thing about the festival? Some of our AFT members will be there!
If you are going to the festival we hope you can drop by their stalls as you will not be disappointed with their products.

For those of you who love a little spice in their life then a must-stop-by is Bite Me Spices with their range of spices and spice blends using exotic recipes from over the world. So if you're a curry lover or barbecue enthusiast this is the stall to visit.

More spice can be found from Capsicana Chilli Co with their range of super delicious chilli sauces which are spicy but big on taste – definitely for the gourmet chilli lover. They also have a fantastic range of dried chillies in every shape and heat level for the adventurous and experimental cook.

Replete Flatbreads, as the name suggests, will have a range of hand made flatbreads stuffed to bursting point. Let your tastebuds travel the globe from Asia to the Mediterranean with spicy, rich, herby, cheesy flavours.

We're keeping our fingers crossed for the weather although looking at the event's website, many of the food areas are undercover.
For more information visit the Towcester Food Festival website: towcesterfoodfestival.co.uk

4 June 2014

Lots to learn on Open Farm Sunday 2014

The opportunity to experience what life is like on a real working farm is within reach for all of us on 8th June. Each year British farms open their gates as they take part in the event known as Open Farm Sunday organised by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming). We're please to tell you that AFT member Samphire (Sycamore Farm), Norfolk will be opening their gates and taking part in this event.

Saddleback pig on the 
Samphire smallholding
Photo: © childsdesgn
Open Farm Sunday is a fantastic project which has seen hundreds of farmers across the UK opening up their farm for one Sunday each year since 2006! It is a fantastic opportunity for everyone, young and old, to discover at first hand what it means to be a farmer.

Take time to listen to the birds, soak up the scenery, experience the smells of the farmyard and really get in touch with the land that feeds us. So come and feed your senses on Open Farm Sunday.

Each event is unique with its own activities – based around the farm’s own individual story. Activities during the day may include a farm walk, nature trail, tractor and trailer rides, pond dipping, activities for children, a mini farmers market or picnics.

As well as being educationally valuable in a time when many children seem to have lost the connection with where their food comes from, it is also a day of fun and entertainment for all the family.

Sycamore Farm (Samphire) in Norfolk
Open from 11am until 4pm. Free entry.

Highlights will include:
  • Meet the animals
  • Static machinery display
  • Food available
  • Farm shop and fresh produce

Farm features: Sheep, pigs, poultry, vegetable, fruit, flowers and plants, farm shop
Further details on the OFS website

If this farm is too far out of your area visit the Open Farm Sunday website and to see all the farms participating: www.farmsunday.org