It’s a fact. A star-spangled truth that is written in our
destiny from the moment we are offered free-reign of the dressing up box or let
loose with the glitter glue; some people were simply born to be on the stage. I
mean take Lady Gaga. Stood on a platform elevated a few feet above a crowd, she
is a bonafide Superstar. Picking up a microwavable Spag-bol for one in Tesco covered
head-to toe in neon green Kermit the Frogs on the other hand; stark raving mental.
Katy Perry has fireworks that shoot sporadically from her diamante covered ball
gown as teenagers in blue wigs faint at her feet, Jacko had the glove, Madonna
the fishnets and Popeye-esque guns, Kim Kardashian has that face (and that arse...). Yes, for some, being
in the spotlight is as natural as the contents of Gweneth Paltrow’s fridge. For
a large proportion of the rest of us (including yours truly), however, the very
thought of getting up and interacting with a goggle-eyed audience with a flesh
coloured microphone glued to our face, is more akin to Gweneth slurping a Slush
Puppy outside Primark. Not. Gonna. Happen.
Don’t get me wrong, I have had my fair share of moments in
the (questionable) limelight. The first, a one line part in a local production
of Jack and the Beanstalk in which I was given the confusing task of snubbing
out an electric candle in Jack’s bedroom wearing a rather fetching night gown
and cap combo, was more Victorian ghost than Gaga glamour. The next,
unfortunately, involved a foam knife costume, tap shoes, a particularly awkward
dance routine (looking graceful is difficult when stuffed inside a piece of
cutlery...) and absolutely no lines. Not my finest moment, but somewhat
ironically, the sheer delight my boyfriend gleans from that story alone is one
of the main reasons he is still going out with me.
So, based on previous experience, and an annoying
inclination to get extraordinarily blinky if even slightly nervous; it would
not be completely honest to say that I was excited after being asked to get up
on the stage and do a couple of cookery demonstrations at Flavours of Suffolk
Festival this weekend. My reaction after I was also asked to host the
Children’s Cookery Den for the entirety of the Festival? Well, the feeling was
more, how should I put it, blind panic with a touch of mortal dread? Yeah, that
just about sums it up...
Now we are not talking the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury
here; more a (generously) pint-sized foodie fest in a field in deepest Suffolk,
brimming with wonderful local producers dishing out tasters by the barrow-load,
live music and street food galore. So not exactly O2, but for a girl who can’t
even listen to recordings of her own whining voice (always a few octaves higher
on tape than heard through your own ears??) and gets shaky fingers just thinking
about a speech made in Year 7 about why London should host the 2012 Olympics
(you can thank me later, Sir Seb); this field and that microphone was a pretty
big deal.
But, as it turns out, although I was most certainly not born
to be on the stage, I may be in danger of growing up just a little bit in love
with it after this weekend. Working with the county’s best chefs who championed
amazing local produce and awesome, accessible cooking at every turn, mulling
over the joys of plump, ruby-red Suffolk strawberries and learning about the
incredible work the North Suffolk Skills Academy are doing to give young people
the chance to kick start a career in the kitchen (learn more here); proved
that, yeah, being in the (sorta) limelight is not quite as scary as it might
seem. Maybe Gwennie should nip down to Westfield after all...
The third outing for this wonderful festival, it was a
weekend of sun, bustling marquees, miniature fingers stuck firmly in to pizza
dough and burger patties, all topped off with more local foodies than you can
shake a parmesan and rosemary bread stick at. There was manic wiping of white
chocolate mousse from little faces, sun-drenched live music, hours spent
vehemently tasting awesome local produce, many more spent glaring enviously at
those sipping cold beers on bright blue deck chairs outside the Adnams mobile
bar, but more than anything, it was about inspiring the chefs of the future to
get in the kitchen. And it was the best. Stage or no stage, I loved it.
Even when it came to the dreaded cookery demonstrations, the
part of the weekend that gave me nightmares in which all my clothes evaporated
in public on more than one occasion; I found myself, strangely, in my absolute
element. Whether it was bread tossing blackened corn salsa with lime and
coriander and flipping homemade tortillas in the Kid’s Cookery Tent, or slathering
amazing Pump Street sourdough in Hillfarm rapeseed oil and caramelised peaches
in the Main Tent; I absolutely loved everything about my first time at Flavours
of Summer Festival. Let’s hope it’s not the last time I cook with a microphone
attached to my face. I’m sure Britney does it every night.
But enough of that, I think you probably get the picture,
and seeing as this is (and I most certainly am) all about the food; I imagine
you probably want to know exactly what I cooked?
Well for the kiddies,
it was time to get well and truly messy. Homemade fish fingers were teamed with
smoky rainbow corn salsa, lime rich guacamole and freshly rolled tortillas; a
healthy, simple creation that was an absolute hit with the little people. Over
in the main Cookery Theatre, it was more of a civilised affair- think Pump
Street Bakery bruschetta topped with chorizo, heritage tomato & cannellini
bean stew, lemony fennel slaw and rapeseed oil aioli, or decked out with Suffolk
Blue, honey and thyme roasted peaches and salted hazelnut brittle. All washed
down with a miniature tasting cup of rosé sangria with peaches, Suffolk
strawberries, thyme flowers and lemon balm. And, despite the third degree burn
I sustained on the grill, it all went without a hitch.
Best. Weekend. Ever.
Check it out- www.flavoursfoodfestivals.co.uk
Chorizo &
cannellini bean Bruschetta with lemony fennel and aioli
A few slices of stale Pump Street sourdough (or other
thickly sliced, good quality bread)
Rapeseed or olive oil
50g chorizo, sliced
1 tin cannellini beans
1 lemon
A handful of ripe tomatoes, any size shape and colour you
like!
1 tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp sweet paprika
½ bulb fennel, very thinly sliced (including the lovely
leafy tops)
A few tbsp garlic mayonnaise or aioli (I used Hillfarm’s
amazing rapeseed version)
Fresh marjoram (or oregano), to serve
First, make the chorizo and chickpea stew. In a large frying
pan, fry the chorizo until starting to turn crispy and the beautiful smoky oil
has been released. Add the fennel seeds, paprika and tomatoes (cut into medium
sized chunks) and cook for a few more minutes.
Add the cannellini beans (juice and all), season well and
leave bubbling away to reduce on a medium heat, stirring occasionally while you
get cracking with the fennel.
In a bowl, combine the fennel, a glug of oil and a squeeze
of lemon. Season well with salt and pepper and leave to one side. Easy squeezy.
Just before assembling, toast the sliced bread in a hot
griddle pan or grill/toast until golden. Drizzle generously with oil and season
well.
Spread with the garlic mayonnaise, top with the thickened
bean and chorizo stew, a spoonful of the gorgeous fennel and scatter with
freshly picked marjoram leaves. Dust with paprika, drizzle over another splash
of oil and serve.
Blue Cheese Brushetta
with Honey & Thyme Sticky Peaches and Salted Caramel Brittle
A few slices of stale Pump Street sourdough (or other
thickly sliced, good quality bread)
Rapeseed or olive oil
100g Suffolk Blue, or other blue cheese
4 peaches or nectarines, sliced
2 tbsp honey
5 sprigs thyme, with flowers if you can!
50g hazelnuts
100g sugar
Firstly make the hazelnut brittle. Add the nuts and sugar to
a small saucepan and leave on a medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally
until the sugar has completely caramelised. Coat the nuts in the caramel using
a fork and transfer to a plate covered in greaseproof paper. Sprinkle with sea
salt and leave to cool and harden.
In a small bowl, combine the peaches with the honey, a
splash of oil and the leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme. Season well.
In a small saucepan, cook the peaches on a medium heat until
sticky and caramelised. When the brittle has totally cooled, chop roughly.
Just before assembling, toast the sliced bread in a hot
griddle pan or grill/toast until golden. Drizzle generously with oil and season
well. When the brittle has cooled, chop roughly.
Crumble the blue cheese over the bruschetta and top with the
cooked peaches and a scattering of the chopped hazelnut brittle. Scatter over
some thyme flowers and a drizzle of oil, et voila, bruschetta numero 2.
complete!
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