Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival... again, it's addictive!

"Aldeburgh may not be the biggest food festival in the world, but it is undoubtedly the most intimate, friendly and warm." Lucas Hollweg

Once again the fabulous Aldeburgh Food and Drink Festival last weekend was favoured with blue skies and bright sunshine. Apart from being a showcase for local food producers, of which the diversity is astounding... shoulder of goat, eccles cake, hedgerow cordial anyone? ...there was a whole programme of lectures and workshops for the unashamed foodie. 

With my own pig fattening up nicely back home, how could I resist trying my hand at sausage making?

The lovely Ian and Sue from Lane Farm got a dozen of us eager novices straight on with the job, from kneading salt and spices into freshly minced pork, to deftly twisting our plump filled casings into garlands of “threes”. 

And didn’t we feel chuffed with the results!

Later on as the coastal breeze tugged at her auburn curls and teased her floral hemline, Vivia the Wild Food Forager took a group on a gentle walk beside the reed beds. She enlightened us as to the edible potential of our surroundings.

Fascinating as it was, I think my family were grateful that I came home with pork sausages for dinner rather than bulrush pollen and mallow seeds.

Cider tasting was undoubtedly the perfect way to round off the day. Henry Chevallier Guild spoke with the eloquence and authority that goes hand in hand with a) precision trimmed sideburns and b) the running of a family firm that has been producing premium cider since 1728. 

Explaining how the making of Aspall Cyder elevates it to the same level as a good glass of wine Henry had the advantage that after we’d tasted half a dozen varities, anything he said would have been utterly believable. The proof of the pudding, however, is that I’m already planning what to cook at the weekend to complement a nice bottle of “Harry Sparrow”.

P.S. And I haven’t even mentioned sourdough... oh no... I'll blog about that when I have assimilated ten pages of detailed instruction!