“PLANT TO PLATE” FOOD FESTIVAL AT CASTLE"
9th September 2008
Leeds Castle’s “Plant to Plate” Food Festival on Saturday 20th & Sunday 21st September is a celebration of local produce, sustainability and traceability, and all the best of today’s farming in the heart of the garden of England.
There’s a mouth-watering programme of cookery demonstrations and talks in a marquee along with stallholders showcasing their finest produce. Show your children where real food comes and pick up top cookery tips from the experts on beating the credit crunch.
Listeners to the Pat Marsh show’s monthly cookery spot on BBC Radio Kent will recognize local cook and passionate Farmer’s Market supporter, June Care. Best known for turning up at a listener’s home with pots, pans and ingredients in hand to cook a meal from scratch, June will demonstrate how to create a delicious, well balanced meal from fresh, seasonal produce sourced locally. Other cookery demonstrations from Leeds Castle’s chefs from Leith’s the caterers will take place through the day providing inspiration and ideas galore for visitors to try at home, including creating dishes from produce grown on the castle estate.
With the impact of food waste on the environment, not to mention your purse, you’ll find out why Kent County Council’s “Love Food Hate Waste” campaign is so important. The team use quizzes and cookery demonstrations to show us how we can do our bit to help protect the environment. They have joined forces with “Wrap” (Waste & Resources Action Programme), who also take to the stage to talk about the campaign.
Between demonstrations, you can graze a variety of stalls offering a wide selection of breads, organic meats, cheeses, cakes and preserves, many of which have been produced locally. The castle gardeners plan to put on a display of freshly harvested vegetables grown in the gardens and serve carrot and coriander soup, and Brogdale Horticultural Trust, home to the national fruit collections, will have organic juice and cider to sample.
Visitors with an interest in keeping poultry can chat to one of the county’s top breeders in a marquee housing a variety of rare breeds. Mid Kent Bee Keepers Association will bring along an observation hive and local honey produce. Photographer Carl Warner’s food inspired photographs on show and for sale are truly mouth-watering. A children’s marquee has food themed activities, while live musical entertainment adds to the al-fresco picnic atmosphere.
Grounds open at 10am daily and the castle is open from 10.30am. Last admission is 5pm and gates close at 7pm. Tickets cost £15.00 for Adults; £12.50 for Senior Citizens and visitors with disabilities (carer goes free); £9.50 for Children (under 4’s free). Every ticket to Leeds Castle is valid for 12 months and includes entry to a programme of varied events.
Please note details correct at time of going to press. For further information on “Plant to Plate” Food Festival and other events visit www.leeds-castle.com or call the Leeds Castle 24-hr Information Line on 0870 600 8880.