The Peebles Food Festival in 2010 is having a bit of a face lift….. and I have been asked to join the committee! If you think something is worthwhile then, if asked to help, I think you should. Don’t leave it up to eveyone else to help you sell your wares!
The dates to put in your diary now are…Friday October 22 -Sunday October 24th. It will all happen around the Eastgate Theatre which is very close to Peebles main car park….and that’s free (apart from Saturday mornings-you have to wonder at the person who decided to charge money for parking, on the busiest day for shopkeepers!)
MORE DETAILS…..
I have now been to my first meeting of the Peebles Food Festival committee- held appropriately enough in The Sunflower Restaurant-which is owned by Val Brunton one of the founding members of the event.
This year all the events are to be within, or just outside, the Eastgate Theatre which will make all the arrangements much more simple. It will mean that that all the public, and contributors, know where it is and don’t have to jump from place to place.
FRIDAY October 22nd
First off- or perhaps better known as Starters- will be a version of Ready Steady Cook involving 4 well known local Chefs and 4 well known personalities from the area. Starting on at 7.00 for 7.30 each pair will go head to head, until one is voted, by the audience to be the winner!
It gives a great opportunity for the audience, and the Chefs,of the chance to talk about what they are cooking and how they are cooking, but also to bring in useful tips and hints that they have found. Their combined experiences add up to a good number of years and from very many countries around the world. A well travelled ‘lot’ are the Peebles Chef’s.
The non-Chefs have yet to be chosen, but it is fair to say that they will be well known to many in the region and they will have to have a good sense of fun and …be competitive!. The Chefs want to win and will encourage all their ‘helpers’ to Get Cooking!
A great start to the Festival.
Saturday 23rd Oct
11.00am-1.00pm. Cost: £2.50/ticket.
Perhaps it could be described as the Main Course, but the Saturday will a very full day of culinary experience, skill and fun, interspersed with some top quality information and knowledge about wines, and later on, beer.
In the morrning there will be a Young Chefs event featuring the 3 primary schools from Peebles-Halyrude, Kingsland and Priorsford Primary schools. Don’t think that it will be just basic culinary skills on show ,because some of these future Chefs really do know, not only their onions, but but the rest of the vegetable world, sauces and and how to bring really good taste to food. This is an event not to be missed.
Wine Tasting with Kenny Vannan of Villenueve Wines
12.30-2.00p. Cost: £10.00 per ticket
Following on straight from the young Chefs the event turns to wine tasting. Peebles is blessed to have Villeneuve Wines, a past winnerof The Wine Retailer of Year. One of the Directors is Kenny Vannan and his knowledge and passion about wines is unsurpassed. He will be tasting and talking about wines that he likes and I’m sure that by the end of the session you will also share passion for good, affordable wines.
Chef’s Receipes
2.00- 5.00pm Cost: £10.00 per ticket
3 leading local Chef’s will each be cooking receipes that are not only delicious but are relatively easy to make at home. If you are interested in the art of cooking then these are must to see.
The 3 Chefs will be announced later.
Beer Tasting at the Festival.
18 year olds and older only. Proof of age will be required at the door.
7.30-10.30pm. Cost £20.00 for 20 vouchers per person. Free souvenir glass included in entry price.Limited number of tickets.
This is a ‘first’ for Peebles Food Festival. We will have a number of brewers showing off some of the best of Scottish beers. This is very definitelyan evening for those who enjoy and savour their beer and who want to taste a wide of different beers. This is not for people who want to drink as much as they can! The samples will only be in 1/4 pt glasses which will be free with the entry ticket. Food will also be available. Orders can be placed. Delivery to be arranged.
Some of the new micro beers are excellent, whilst well establised brewers are always bringing out new beers. What a delightful way to spend an evening in October!
SUNDAY October 24th.
Indoor and Outdoor Food Market
10.00am-4.00pm. Silver collection.
Because we have taken the Eastgate Theatre for the entire weekend, the Market will be both indoors and outdoors allowing for many more interesting stalls. All the usually ones will be there, plus many more. Spend as much as you like-entry is free, to see, sample and buy some of the areas great foodstuffs.
If you have produce that you would like to sell, and are registered with the SBC Environmental Health dept or your regions Health dept, you are very welcome to apply for a stall. Cost of the stall is £30.00 payable in advance.
The above basic programme gives the framework for the weekend. During the coming weeks more information will be given just as soon as names and information have been confirmed. Please keep popping back to the page .
There is an official Festival website, but a couple of months ago it got ‘hacked’ into. As a result it is being cleaned or whatever it is you do such a site, but it will be up and running very shortly. It is peeblesfoodfestival.com Give it a try…….patience maybe required!
