If you enjoyed the event on 27 September, or missed out on a spot, you may like to contact some of the suppliers for their delicious produce.

Meats

Old Gloucester Cattle from Cowshill Farm

Herwick Sheep mutton from Farmer Sharp

Dairy

Jersey Black Butter from La Mare Vineyards

Double Curd Lancashire Cheese from Mrs Kirkhams’s Lancashire Cheeses

Seafood

Colchester Native Oysters from Richard Haward

Morecambe Bay Shrimps

Other

Three Counties Perry from The Olivers

Somerset Cider Brandy

Lyth Valley Pickled Damsons from Hawkshead Relish Company

Cobnuts from the Kentish Cobnuts Association

SFUK will have a stand at the forthcoming BBC Good Food Show at Olympia in November.  SFUK will launch the Slow Food UK Orchard Project there.

Details:Slow Food UK Orchard Campaign

The SFB stall was very busy all day at Bromham’s 2008 Apple Day.  Photos of some the day have been added to SFB’s photo album.  The pancakes were delicious, the filming went well and over 200 children had a go at apple printing.  And most importantly a lot of money was raised for the Orchard Project.

Franklins of Thorncote, Thorncote Green, Sandy invited local food producers and valued customers to enjoy a thanksgiving-style supper during British Food Fortnight.

All guests were invited to bring a dish made exclusively from seasonal, local produce to celebrate British Food Fortnight. Sue Miller from Slow Food Bedford (pictured here with John Franklin) and local producers mingled with valued Franklins customers whilst enjoying a veritable feast consisting of such dishes as pumpkin soup, pork pies, chicken live paté, rabbit stew, rhubarb crumble and autumn berries fruit salad. Designed to be a fun way of acknowledging the continuing need to buy British, John Franklin says, “We receive so much support from customers, restaurants and other food producers that we wanted to do something to thank them all at once and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. We’re all working towards the same goal so what better way to bring everyone together and celebrate the quality ingredients Bedfordshire has to offer than cooking it all up and having a party?”

Franklins of Thorncote will be open to the public for a pre-Christmas open day Sunday 26th October 10am to 3pm. Locol producer CheeseWine, FudgeFactory, Garden Friends, Glebe Farm Flour and Gunns Bakery will also be attending.

There are two local celebrations of Apple Day this year. Bromham Water Mill and Gallery will be holding its annual festival on Sunday 19th October and Luton Hoo Walled Garden will be celebrating apples and pumpkins on Saturday 18th October. The Walled Garden is gradually being restored.

This year SFB will have a stall at the Bromham event.  SFUK will be filming Sue (and stall) on the day in recognition of the success of our SFB Project 2008 (with the commnity orchard).  Grant Hawthorne from the Plough at Wavendon will be demonstrating at 12pm some wonderful apple pancakes.  He will be using a heritage apple variety.  At 1.00 there will be an opportunity for children to meet Thomas Laxton and receive an information pack.  Please come along and support this event.

Details: SFB Bromham Apple Day

A new event will be taking place at the Dunstable Downs Gateway Centre between Monday 29 September and Sunday 5 October.  The Dunstable Downs Food Festival is being organised by the National Trust, Bedfordshire County Council and Groundwork Luton and South Bedfordshire.  It aims to promote local produce, raise awareness of the benefits of eating locally produced food and encouraging new visitors to the Downs.  Local producers, cooking demonstrations and hands-on activities will be on offer.

The Radio 4 series this week concentrated on Slow Food.  If you missed the original broadcast, the show will be available for seven days from the BBC’s website.

Tonight (23 September) ZCC will be holding a celebration at the Ent Shed on Castle Road.  The event starts at 7.30 and includes an opportunity to find out more about what the group has planned for the next twelve months.

SFB’s next event will take place at the Devonshire Arms on 27th September.  It will be a unique opportunity to taste the forgotten flavour of some of the producers we have on the UK Ark of Taste.  Producers are sending their produce from all over the country.

Details:  Ark of Taste

SFB Project 2008 has been featured in the online Bedfordshire On Sunday.  The article reports of Edith Cavell’s visit to the site in the summer and publicises the community orchard.