One of the things I like about Suffolk is the fact that it is so varied. It ranges from heathland to forest, has some of the most fertile farmland in the country, and a stunning coast. Which means that the county produces a wide variety of delicious food; from the fresh fish landed daily in Aldeburgh to well-hung, local beef from Salter & King; from Henrietta Inman’s pop-up patisserie to sourdough bread worth driving miles for; from Adnams in Southwold to Aspall’s ciders. This food all comes together in a celebration of Suffolk (and East Anglian) food in the Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival.
Set in the Snape Malting, the festival features a sea of stalls all spotting fresh local produce. And even better is that you can see the provenance of the products. For example, the bread and cookies I bought were were made with the flour two stalls further down.
Some of my ‘sweeter’ highlights include the Greek yogurt from Marybelle Diary, polenta and linseed bread from Two Magpies Bakery, the ‘to die for’ gooseberry and limonchello ice cream from Alder Carr Farm and the salted caramel granola bar from Bonallack Great Granola. I also lost my heart to the berry cider from Aspall’s, healthy roasted peas from Hodmedod’s, the large range of fresh produce from Maple Farm, cured meats from the Artisan Smokehouse, fresh unpasteurised brie from Fen Farm Diary and melt in my mouth Gressingham duck.
The stories behind some of the producers are fascinating. For example on a walk through borough market, Edward of Edward’s Cordial decided to buy some rhubarb to experiment with, made cordial and gave some to his boss. The boss asked for 20 more bottles the next day as his pregnant wife was absolutely hooked. You don’t say no to a pregnant lady and the rest as you say is history. There are equally fascinating stories and flavours from Curry Pie (he had me at black-eyed peas and sausage), Red Chilli Kitchen who’s Vietnamese curry pastes are just to die for and the Yemeni style chilli paste from Yemen Taste that worked wonders on cheese. Then there is all the love (10 whole weeks of it) that goes into producing every single bar of chocolate at the Pump Street Bakery.
The festival stages also features a stellar line up of chefs and various speakers cooking with the local produce. I was enthralled with the very infectious super club host Sabrina Ghayour whose session who had me alternatively giggling or drooling as she demonstrated how to make lamb koftes from her cook book Persiana
. Other highlights included the food and drink (beer, wine and martini) pairing by Adnam’s filled with fun facts, including the one that James Bond had got it all wrong with his ‘shaken and not stirred’ martini requests.
Seriously it is a great – you get a huge variety of good local produce and a whole load of other fringe events happening over a 2 week period. And you could easily combined this gastronomic delight by visiting the beautiful Suffolk countryside with local gems such as Framingham Castle and Sutton Hoo, and a trip to Aldeburgh or Orford, or if you are coming in Spring, make sure you go to the Alde Valley Spring Food and Art Festival.
See you next year.
Mike says
06/10/2014 at 3:44 pmThis would definitely be my kind of festival, Bintu. Sourdough bread, pate, greek yogurt, caramel granola bars. Yes, to all of them. What a fun, delicious outing 🙂
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:21 amCome over and visit Mike.
agatapokutycka says
06/10/2014 at 4:12 pmThis is my type of the event. I love food festivals, specially if they feature all the local “gems” 🙂
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:21 amWell this was certainly packed with delicious local gems. I was sad to leave.
Yaya says
06/10/2014 at 4:25 pmI’ve never been to a food festivel in England, but as an expat I think that it would certainly give me the opportunity to embrace the local cuisine in a much more personal way. Would love to attend an event like this, it all looks delicious!
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:22 amIt is happening again next year so hopefully you can come check it out yourself Yaya.
Layla says
06/10/2014 at 4:51 pmOooh everything looks so yummy!!! Hungry now ;p
Layla xx
http://www.sprinklesofstyle.co.uk
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:22 am😀
Karen Burns Booth says
06/10/2014 at 4:52 pmI LOVED my day there Bintu and it was such glorious weather too – great to see you too! Karen
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:19 amSee you there next year Karen.
Stephanie says
06/10/2014 at 5:39 pmWhat an amazing event for food lovers, count me in for next year!
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:20 amSo much to eat and do – def worth making a trip out of it Stephanie
Jenny says
07/10/2014 at 10:13 amSounds like a great day out and a wonderful way to try lots of new products.
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:20 amI agree – and I found great new things.
sarah says
07/10/2014 at 10:38 amMm yummy! Love this kind of thing, that ice cream looks delish!
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 10:41 amSeriously the ice cream was beyond good.
sharon martin says
07/10/2014 at 11:14 amMy youngest son would be in awe here, he lives for food!! Although I would be first to try out the amazing ice-cream, hubbie the Cider and my eldest would probably try out something unusual. Looks lovely.
Bintu says
07/10/2014 at 11:19 amYou have to get your youngest up to the festival next year then.
Mellissa Williams says
08/10/2014 at 8:29 amThis looks like a great food festival. Live all the yummy food stalls. Shame it’s not closer to me
Bintu says
08/10/2014 at 10:28 amMellissa do pop over to Suffolk for your hols and check out the great food.
Notmyyearoff says
08/10/2014 at 9:31 amWow it looks fantastic. I love stuff like this – I’m not sure I’d stop eating!
Bintu says
08/10/2014 at 10:25 amI could not stop eating. I did not have supper that evening.
Barefoot Mahala says
08/10/2014 at 9:59 amthat looks like a great show – some really lovely food there (I loved the picture of the artisan breads – I really miss nice bread!). We have lots of varied foods here, but being about as far from the coast as it is possible to be in the UK, we don’t get the fresh from the boat seafood!
Bintu says
08/10/2014 at 10:26 amAwww. I am lucky enough to be abel to visit those 2 bakery and their breads really are good.
Lou @ Eat Your Veg says
08/10/2014 at 10:19 amLooks like a fabulous festival, and all the better for being spread over two weeks too! I seem to have missed most of the local food festivals where I live as they’ve been on weekends I’m busy.
Bintu says
08/10/2014 at 10:27 amYes that is very good planning by the festival organisers.
Glamorous Glutton says
08/10/2014 at 2:57 pmAldeburgh has to be the next food festival I go to. When the festivals are well organised they are great fun and full of so much information. I loved Ludlow which is three days, time to scope, spot and shop. Definitely doing this one next time. GG
Bintu says
09/10/2014 at 8:16 amGG – this is one for you. I know you would love it.
Choclette says
08/10/2014 at 4:38 pmThat sounds like a real fun day out Bintu. I haven’t managed to get to any food festivals this year, which is definitely not a good thing. Oops. yes I did. Forgot all about Ireland and that wasn’t so long ago!
Bintu says
09/10/2014 at 8:16 amI look forward tot reading about your Irish foodie adventure Choclette.
Madeleine Morrow says
08/10/2014 at 5:03 pmLooks like a great day out – sunshine, artisinal food, cooking demos and lots of gorgeous goodies to eat! My kind out outing. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us.
julie says
08/10/2014 at 6:38 pmThis looks like a great day out! I do love a beer festival! x
Bintu says
09/10/2014 at 8:15 am😀
Urvashi says
09/10/2014 at 7:34 amI’d never been to the festival before this year and it was a really brilliant day out with so many producers as you have highlighted here. Lovely photos
Bintu says
09/10/2014 at 8:15 amThanks Urvashi we were lucky with both the weather and the food.
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext says
11/10/2014 at 9:44 amI love not far away from Aldeburgh, one of my favourite seaside towns to visit at the weekend! The festival sounds amazing, definitely want to go next year! 😀