Thursday, 17th May 2012
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Shave and a shandyEvent date: 01/05/2012 to 31/05/2012
The Western Inn at St Austell, Cornwall is opening a barber shop in its pub. Ronnie will also do shoe shines and shaves.
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Eat oystersEvent date: 01/05/2012 to 31/05/2012
Get stuck in to the informal dining experience at the new oyster and champagne bar at Seagrass in St Ives, which opens this month, with seafood dishes prepared by Masterchef: The Professionals semi-finalist Lee Groves.
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Sushi so good | Top picks for sushi in the South WestEvent date: 01/05/2012 to 31/05/2012
Fresh fish is the essence of good sushi. This month we’re enjoying Cirencester-based Soushi‘s takeaway sushi menu on picnics. You can try your hand at making sushi in Bristol on June 10 with Your Sushi workshops. For a seafood party, sushi restaurant Obento in Bristol has a karaoke bar, or throw your own sushi party with a little help from Sushi Ichiban in Cornwall.
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Brush up your seafood skillsEvent date: 01/05/2012 to 31/05/2012
Get your fish preparation and cooking skills up to scratch this month: Padstow Seafood School runs courses throughout the summer such as Spanish Fish Cookery and cooking from Far Eastern Odyssey. Experienced fishmonger Annie Sibert also runs fish cookery classes at My Fish Kitchen. She teaches groups of up to four people how to choose, fillet and cook Cornish fish. There are also opportunities to get out and catch your own before cooking it up with Darts Farm near Topsham in Devon or from Catch and Cook which is run by fisherman-chef Fraser Christian at Westbay, Dorset. Ashburton Cookery School‘s fish and seafood courses are another good find: the next one is on May 2. Dan Stern, fishmonger at The Fish Shop on Gloucester Road in Bristol runs evening filleting and seafood preparation courses for £29 per person. Learn how to clean and fillet fish, prepare squid and shuck oysters.
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Buy a bit of vineyardEvent date: 01/05/2012 to 31/05/2012
‘For people sane enough to not plant their own vineyard, there’s an opportunity to get involved with ours,’ says Geoff Bowen of Pebblebed Vineyard in Topsham, Devon. His scheme involves an investment of £2,000 to become a founder member of the vineyard. Members get involved in the planting of new vines, enjoy wine tours and lunches each year and get back their investment in wine within ten years. Planting and tours start this month.
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Flower power lunch at LewtrenchardEvent date: 17/05/2012
Enjoy a morning of flowery talk with florist A-Scent-Sation on May 17 at Lewtrenchard Manor, followed by an indulgent two course lunch. £35pp.
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Devon County ShowEvent date: 17/05/2012 to 19/05/2012
Get your wellies on and stomp off to Devon’s county show on May 17-19 at the Devon County Showground near Exeter. There’ll be a food and drink pavilion with stalls to browse, samples to munch, and chef demos from The Jack in the Green and Dez Turland of Saunton Sands Hotel.
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Dine and danceEvent date: 19/05/2012
Head to the Queen’s Arms in Corton Denham, Somerset, on May 19 for a five course charity dinner, dance and auction. 50pp.
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Spring Tide 2012
Event date: 19/05/2012 to 20/05/2012
Spring Tide 2012 is held at Burton Bradstock in West Dorset on May 19-20. Visit for stacks of local produce including veg, fresh fish and cider.
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Ben’s Olympic breakfastEvent date: 19/05/2012
Enjoy a special Olympic breakfast at Ben’s Cornish Kitchen in Marazion on May 19 and cheer on the Olympic torch as it passes by outside. You’ll get a glass of Bucks Fizz with smoked local trout, eggs benedict or eggs florentine and tea or coffee. £12 per person. To book, call 01736 719200.
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St Ives Food and Drink FestivalEvent date: 21/05/2012 to 27/05/2012
Head to St Ives Food and Drink Festival on May 21-27 for chef demos, tastings and a market packed with local produce.
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Cheese tasting at the ScarletEvent date: 24/05/2012
Thomas Hanson from Hanson Fine Foods presents a half day of West Country cheese tasting and dining on May 24 at the Scarlet Hotel near Newquay, Cornwall. Enjoy an afternoon’s tasting followed by a four course meal inspired by the day’s cheeses. Wines will be specially paired with all the courses. £95 pp.
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Coastal wild food walkEvent date: 25/05/2012
Enjoy the delights of a coastal forage at St Ives on May 25 from 1.30pm-3.30pm. Expect to see plants in a whole new light and learn how to safely identify wild foods, historical and medicinal uses, as well as plenty of recipe ideas. The walk is a leisurely pace and suitable for all and includes tasters of bread made with seaweed. Places are limited. Adults £20, under 16s £5. To book call 01736 786711 or 07903 412014, or email rachel@wildwalks-southwest.co.uk
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Go veggie at Vegfest UK
Event date: 25/05/2012 to 27/05/2012
It’s national vegetarian week from May 21-27 so we’re celebrating all things veggie. Bristol’s free Vegfest UK festival is the world’s biggest vegan event and will take place on Bristol’s harbourside from May 25-27.
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Kingsbridge Food and Music Festival
Event date: 25/05/2012 to 27/05/2012
Kingsbridge Food and Music Festival on May 25-27 in South Devon is worth a visit for great live music and the range of treats on offer, which include Caribbean cuisine, real ales, pastries and wood-fired pizzas.
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Pop-up wine tasting at Untitled by Robert WrightEvent date: 25/05/2012
Try a selection of wines at an exclusive pop-up tasting in the wine cellar at Untitled by Robert Wright in Penzance on May 25. Chat with hosts from Ellis Wharton Wines and enjoy a small sample of what the tapas menu has to offer. Space is strictly limited so booking is essential, call Untitled on 01736 448022.
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Turn up the heat
Event date: 26/05/2012 to 27/05/2012
Chilli lovers should make for Bath on May 26-27 for the Somerset Chilli Festival. There’ll be a festival market, cooking demos, competitions and a great live music line-up.
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Get back to your rootsEvent date: 26/05/2012
Learn to identify edible wild food with Harts Barn’s foraging expert Alan Cree on May 26, followed by tastings prepared by Harts Barn Cookery School in the Forest of Dean, £45pp.
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Children’s Hospice South West Food Fest
Event date: 26/05/2012
Look out for food editor Jo Rees who’ll be judging at the Children’s Hospice South West Food Fest on May 26 at the Dingles Fairground Heritage Centre in Lifton, Devon.
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Clovelly Celebration of Local Ales and Cider
Event date: 26/05/2012 to 28/05/2012
Ale lovers should make for the Red Lion and New Inn in Clovelly on May 26-28 to enjoy a range of tasty local brews created with passion by small North Devon brewers along with some rousing musical entertainment.
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Jazz lunch at The Montague InnEvent date: 27/05/2012
Emjoy a jazz lunch at The Montague Inn on May 27, with music from the Bell St Jazz band.
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Winemakers’ dinner at Barclay House Hotel and RestaurantEvent date: 29/05/2012
A fabulous five course dinner prepared by Barclay House Hotel‘s Michelin-trained head chef Joe Sardari, with matching wines by Western Australian wine makers, Alkoomi Wines. Winemakers Rod and Sally Hallett will give a short talk about their wine production and introduce some fantastic Alkoomi wines to enjoy with each course. This is a unique opportunity to be indulged and discover new and exciting wines along the way. £45pp.
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Festival of Baking at the Royal Bath and West showEvent date: 30/05/2012 to 02/06/2012
Don’t miss the Festival of Baking at the Royal Bath and West show on May 30- June 2, headlined by 2010 Great British Bake Off winner Edd Kimber.
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Take the ice cream challengeEvent date: 01/06/2012 to 30/06/2012
Callestick Farm is inviting Cornish chefs to enter their Ice Cream Challenge. You’ll need to send in your vision of a dish which makes use of one of Callestick’s ice cream flavours. The two finalists will compete head-to-head in a live demo at the Cornwall Food and Drink festival in Truro on September 28-30. The closing date for entries is June 30.
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Ben’s Big Night
Event date: 01/06/2012
Head to Ben’s Cornish Kitchen in Marazion on June 1 for Ben’s Big Night – a six course meal with matched wines, with a wine presentation. £65 per person. To book call 01736 719200.
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Have a jubilee tea partyEvent date: 01/06/2012 to 05/06/2012
Celebrate the jubilee by visiting Manor House Hotel in Wiltshire for a Queen and Cream Tea on June 1-5, £21 per person. Binham Grange on Exmoor is holding a vintage jubilee tea party on June 2, with a fantastic selection of cakes and pastries, croquet on the lawn and a prize for the best dressed guest, £12 per person, while Brownsea Island in Dorset is hosting a jubilee garden party on June 3, with live music, and a tea of posh sarnies and scones.
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Lobster catch and cook break at The Lugger
Event date: 01/06/2012 to 30/06/2012
The Lugger in Portloe, Cornwall, runs regular lobster catch and cook experience days as part of a two night accommodation package. As well as time with the local fisherman sailing round the Roseland Peninsula, guests learn how to prepare, cook and dress lobster with the head chef. £220 per person.
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Mushroom magic at Hotel du Vin
Event date: 01/06/2012 to 30/06/2012
Learn the art of mushrooming at Hotel du Vin in Poole, Dorset, with local cookery school White Pepper. Its mushroom foraging package costs from £299 per person, for two nights’ accommodation with breakfast, a day’s foraging and mushroom dinner plus supper on the second night.
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Topsham Food Festival
Event date: 02/06/2012 to /03/06/2012
Go to Topsham Food Festival on June 2-3 for a food fair, chef demos, live music and dine at Nello’s longest table.
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English Wine WeekEvent date: 02/06/2012 to 10/06/2012
Celebrate English Wine Week on June 2-10 and take part in some of the wonderful wine events.
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Trereife Jubilee FestivalEvent date: 02/06/2012 to 04/06/2012
Drop by Trereife House near Penzance for its food festival. There’ll be live music, crafts, loads of local food producers, children’s activities and a Cornish beer tent with more than 20 varieties of ale, perry and cider.
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Flower power foraging at Harts BarnEvent date: 02/06/2012
Learn how to use flower power for flavours at Harts Barn Cookery School in Gloucestershire. Its edible flower course on June 2 includes growing tips and recipe inspiration. £10 per person. Booking required.
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Ashton Court Summer Food and Craft FayreEvent date: 03/06/2012 to 05/06/2012
Head to Ashton Court Summer Food and Craft Fayre in North Somerset on June 3-5 for food and drink stalls, live music, strawberries and cream and a hog roast. Picnics are encouraged, so bring one with you or pick up some foodie goodies when you arrive.
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Dartington Food FestivalEvent date: 03/06/2012 to 05/06/2012
With demos by Mitch Tonks and a guest appearance by Susy Atkins, Dartington’s the place to be.
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Seashore foray with John WrightEvent date: 03/06/2012
Part of the River Cottage team, John Wright runs a number of foraging courses in the South West. The next is the seashore foray in West Dorset on June 3. £95 for adults and £20 for children. Under fives free.
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Celebrate the Diamond Jubilee
Event date: 05/06/2012
Visit Lewtrenchard Manor for a right royal knees up on June 5, including a traditional English cream tea. For more information, call 01566 783222.
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Californian wine courseEvent date: 06/06/2012
Explore the world of Californian wines on a new course at the Devilled Egg Kitchen Academy in Clifton, Bristol. It aims to take wine and food matching to a new level with each of the six wines being perfectly matched to a dish. Proprietor Barbora Stiess says, ’Think of this evening as a luxurious six course meal with rare and surprising wines. A lot of people have the wrong impression of Californian wines. They think they’re too sweet or over oaked but I’ve found some beautiful rare wines that you won’t get in the supermarket that reflect the warmth of California.’ The next course is on June 6. £99 per person.
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The Royal Cornwall ShowEvent date: 07/06/2012 to 09/06/2012
The Royal Cornwall Show returns on June 7-9, with a food pavilion and lots of local produce to try and buy.
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Langport jubilee farmers’ market
Event date: 08/06/2012
Visit the Parade in Langport, Somerset, on June 8 from 9.30am-1.30pm for a jubilee farmers’ market.
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ABode wine dinnerEvent date: 13/06/2012
ABode Exeter wine dinners are held throughout the year at the MC Café Bar in Exeter, led by the in-house sommelier. Each event is themed and provides a selection of wines matched to a five course meal. The event on June 13 focuses on New Zealand wines. £45 per person. Call 01392 319955.
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An evening with Rick SteinEvent date: 14/06/2012
Join Rick Stein on June 14 at the Padstow Seafood School for an evening of wine and food tasting as Rick demonstrates some of the dishes featured in his latest book Rick Stein’s Spain. £85 per person. Call 01841 532700.
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Cheltenham Festival of Food and Drink
Event date: 15/06/2012 to 17/06/2012
Cheltenham Festival of Food and Drink is worth a visit for great live music, free talks in the Food and Drink Theatre and lots of demos in The Chefs’ Kitchen.
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Back to schoolEvent date: 16/06/2012, 07/07/2012 and 29/09/2012
The South West has the only residential wine school in the UK in the Devon Country House and Wine School, set in countryside just ten miles north of Exeter, Devon.
Run by Alastair Peebles and his wife Carol, expect to find five star, gold award winning accommodation and food (cooked by Carol) which put the hotel in the 2012 Michelin Guide.
You don’t have to do a wine course to stay though – it’s great for exclusive use for a birthday or anniversary too. Alastair is a member of the Institute of Masters of Wine and with a maximum number of ten guests at any one time, you can really get to grips with the tasting.
There’s a range of courses, from introductory lessons to in-depth masterclasses. A great place to start is the one day Introduction to Wine where you taste at least 15 wines and have fun comparing different styles. A good buffet lunch is included, and the day ends with a glass of fizz. Upcoming courses run on May 12, June 16, July 7, and September 29. £155 per person or £135 per person for couples.
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Crediton Food Festival
Event date: 16/06/2012 to 17/06/2012
Head to Crediton on June 16-17 for stalls and a knife skills demo by Chris Archambault of Southernhay House in Exeter.
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Wild afternoon tea with Rachel Lambert
Event date: 16/06/2012
Foragers are fuelled by tea! After a hedgerow and coastal wild food walk with Rachel Lambert on June 16 at Prussia Cove in Cornwall, enjoy afternoon tea with wild ingredient biscuits. £25 per person.
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Brewing up
Event date: 17/06/2012
The Red Lion at Cricklade in Wiltshire is building a new microbrewery which will be the first in the country to have a brewer’s table for private dining with a menu matched to its beers. Opens June 17.
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Open Farm Sunday at Cottage FarmEvent date: 17/06/2012
Get down to Cottage Farm near Jacobstow, Cornwall, on June 17 to look around this sustainable, organic farm as part of Open Farm Sunday. Booking essential. Call 01840 230548 or cottage.farm@tiscali.co.uk
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Get down on the farm for Open Farm SundayEvent date: 17/06/2012
Farm gates across the South West will open to visitors on June 17 as part of Open Farm Sunday. Visit the website to find your nearest farm for activities such as tractor rides and sheep shearing.
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New World wine dinner at Lewtrenchard
Event date: 22/06/2012
Visit Lewtrenchard Manor on June 22 for a three course mouth watering meal with New World wines to compliment each dish. £50.00pp.
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Rock Oyster FestivalEvent date: 22/06/2012 to 24/06/2012
The Rock Oyster Festival on June 22-24 is a great way to sample the best of Cornish food, music and entertainment and to learn from the region’s top chefs at the festival’s demo theatre.
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Go foraging with Adam Clark
Event date: 23/06/2012
Go on a walk of gastronomic discovery with chef Adam Clark around the Scarlet Hotel near Newquay, Cornwall, collecting foraged food and edible goodies along the way. Back at the hotel, learn about what you’ve collected and how it can be used, then finish it all off with a delicious dinner in the hotel cooked by Adam using the spoils of the day. The event costs £105 per person, and is part of the Scarlet’s ‘con pane’ series of food and drink events.
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Fowey Mussel Fest 2012
Event date: 23/06/2012
Mussel in on the action (ahem) at Fowey’s first mussel festival, and tuck into fresh seafood, champagne, crepes and oysters.
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Looe Festival of Food and Drink
Event date: 23/06/2012 to 24/06/2012
Head to Looe for the town’s first food and drink festival on June 23-24. A purpose built marquee will be sited in the Millpool and filled to the rafters with Cornish producers and produce, from the Lizard to the Tamar. Fish, seafood, meats, chutneys, cheeses, jams, chocolate, ice-creams, cakes, herbs and spices will all be on show, with 40 minute chef demonstrations taking place throughout the two days with chefs from local restaurants using local produce.
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Be jammy with The Artisan KitchenEvent date: 23/06/2012
Learn how to transform your glut of summer fruits into tasty jams and preserves with an afternoon jam course at Harts Barn Cookery School in the Forest of Dean on June 23. Sarah Churchill from The Artisan Kitchen will be there to answer all your questions on equipment and food safety. Plus, you’ll get jars of jam and piccalilli to take home. £25 per person.
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Axe Vale FestivalEvent date: 23/06/2012 to 24/06/2012
Have a foodie day out at the Axe Vale Festival in Axminster to enjoy a wealth of delicious produce including French produce, cider, coffee and fish cakes.
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Get fresh for summer at Harts BarnEvent date: 24/06/2012
Explore raw and living foods at Harts Barn Cookery School on June 24 with recipes will include raw lavender lemonade, super healthy mocktails, snacks and spreads, three colour primavera, curly spiced cucumber and strawberry cream tart with lemon-balm ice cream. Salad never tasted so good!
Some nuts may be used in this class. An early evening meal is included. Bring a friend, £80 for 2 (please ring the cookery school for this deal as can not be booked online). £45 per person.
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Grillstock Festival
Event date: 30/06/2012 to 01/07/2012
Head to Bristol’s Harbourside on June 30-July 1 for Grillstock - a fantastic barbecue festival with live music and lots of samples to try.
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Summer preserving workshop at Tresillian HouseEvent date: 30/06/2012
Join Pam Corbin and Liz Neville of River Cottage fame at Tresillian House near Newquay on June 30 and learn how to make delicious jams and chutneys using summer berries, rhubarb, currants, beans, tomatoes, cucumber, courgettes and many more.
£75 per person with discounts for courses or groups of two or more (£70). Lunch and light refreshments are provided. For more information call 077485 92225.
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Flavours of the West at Milsom PlaceEvent date: 30/06/2012 to 01/07/2012
Enjoy a foodie weekend at Milsom Place in Bath with chef demos from Hywel Jones of Lucknam Park, Duncan Glendinning of the Thoughtful Bread Company and many more.
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Trevaskis Farm’s Big WeekendEvent date: 30/06/2012 to 01/07/2012
Trevaskis Farm’s Big Weekend is back with live demos by Trevaskis’ chefs, butchers and fishmongers, and a fantastic range of produce from the farm and local suppliers.
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Introduction to wild food foraging at Harts Barn
Event date: 30/06/2012
Join Alan Cree and Harts Barn Cookery School’s Yvette Farrell on June 30 for an Introduction to Wild Food Foraging course. Tastings and drinks included. £45 per person.
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Dorset Seafood Festival
Event date: 07/07/2012 to 08/07/2012
Visit the Dorset Seafood Festival in July for more than 70 food stalls and cooking demos on the harbourside.
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Harts Barn foraging safari
Event date: 14/07/2012
Join Harts Barn forager Alan Cree for a one day course in gathering wild foods, then enjoy a foraged meal at Harts Barn Cookery School made with rabbit, squirrel and Alan’s elderberry syrup with drambuie. £65 per person.
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Get into natural wines at the ScarletEvent date: 19/07/2012
Experience the perfect introduction to natural wines at the Scarlet Hotel near Newquay, Cornwall. Start the afternoon with a blind tasting of different varieties with the hotel’s food and beverage manager Meeche Hudd and wine enthusiast Jen Morgan. After a short aperitif, enjoy a three course dinner hosted by Jen and Meeche, with each course specially prepared to complement the wine served. The event costs £105 per person, and is part of the Scarlet’s ‘con pane’ series of food and drink events.
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Gloucester Quays Food FestivalEvent date: 20/07/2012 to 22/07/2012
Head to the lively Gloucester Quays Food Festival on July 20-22 for over 60 food stalls, book signings, masterclasses and appearances by Gino D’Acampo and Saturday Kitchen’s James Martin.
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Cornish tea tasting at the ScarletEvent date: 16/08/2012
Enjoy an exclusive tour of the Tregothnan Estate just outside Truro in Cornwall, before returning to the Scarlet Hotel near Newquay for a special tasting of Tregothnan teas. After the tasting, head to the dining room for a four course meal and wine hosted by the estate’s director Jonathon Jones. The day costs £105 per person, and is part of the Scarlet’s ‘con pane’ series of food and drink events. Call 01637 861800 to book.
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Cornwall Food and Drink Festival 2012Event date: 28/09/2012 to 30/09/2012
Head to Lemon Quay in Truro on September 28-30 for the Cornwall Food and Drink Festival 2012 with demos by Michelin-starred chef Nathan Outlaw and eco chef Arthur Potts Dawson, stalls from 60 local producers and lots to try and buy.
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Explore Cornish orchards
Event date: 29/09/2012
Wander through the beautiful Cornish Orchards at Westnorth Manor Farm near Looe, and sample the delightful cider and apple juice with master cidermaker Andy Atkinson. After you’ve had your fill and rested your legs, enjoy an evening meal at the Scarlet Hotel near Newquay influenced by the tastes and scents of the day. The event costs £105 per person, and is part of the Scarlet’s ‘con pane’ series of food and drink events.
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Autumn preserving workshop at Tresillian House
Event date: 29/09/2012
Stock up your store cupboard with Pam Corbin and Liz Neville of River Cottage fame at Tresillian House near Newquay on September 29, and add variety to meals for the winter months ahead using produce such as apples, autumn berries, pears, plums, squashes, beans and many more.
£75 per person with discounts for courses or groups of two or more (£70). Lunch and light refreshments are provided. For more information call 077485 92225.
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Dartmouth Food FestivalEvent date: 26/10/2012 to 28/10/2012
Dartmouth Food Festival returns for its tenth year with a packed programme of demos from the region’s top chefs, including Mitch Tonks and Mark Hix.
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Discover Origin Coffee at the Scarlet
Event date: 17/11/12
Find out more about this Cornish coffee roasters with an exclusive tour of their roastery in Helston. Let founder Tom Sobey guide you through the secrets of coffee making from bean to cup, and in the evening enjoy a dinner at the Scarlet Hotel near Newquay influenced by the flavours of the afternoon’s tour. The event costs £105 per person, and is part of the Scarlet’s ‘con pane’ series of food and drink events.
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Stir up Sunday at Tresillian House
Event date: 24/11/2012
Head to Tresillian House near Newquay for a festive course with Pam Corbin and Liz Neville of River Cottage fame on Stir up Sunday, the last Sunday before Advent, which is the traditional day to make the family Christmas pudding. Learn to make this and an array of edible delicacies such as marmalade, chutney, mincemeat, bottled fruit as well as spiced nuts, truffles and festive punch.
£75 per person with discounts for courses or groups of two or more (£70). Lunch and light refreshments are provided. For more information call 077485 92225.
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- 01/05/2012 to 31/05/2012 The Western Inn ...
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