A foodie’s paradise! Eating, drinking, learning and exploring at Kendal Festival of Food

Cumbria is a treasure trove of food and drink producers. So, when we heard that Kendal Festival of Food would be bringing them altogether for one fabulous foodie weekend, we knew we absolutely HAD to visit.

Tom and I dug out our roomiest jeans, wore our warmest jackets (we are in the North West after all) and recruited my mum as the designated driver. Then, we all set off for the festival, which was taking place in the centre of Kendal. We parked at the K Village, which offered free parking all day and was only a five minute walk away from the main festival areas.

After picking up our ‘Food and Drink’ wristbands, which cost £15 for the one day, or £26 for the weekend, we made our way to the first event.

Although tempted by the talk entitled Chocolate Heaven (need I say more?), we were all really keen to learn more about the history of the famous Grasmere Gingerbread. We subtly hid our enthusiasm though and definitely did not sprint to the three empty seats in the front row...

No "probably" about it! Definitely the best gingerbread in the world

The hour flew by as Joanne Hunter told the fascinating tale of Grasmere Gingerbread, from its creation in 1854 to the worldwide following it has today. The captivating story is definitely worthy of a film!

Of course, the tastings were a highlight of the talk. We tried a slice of the gingerbread, as well as their rum butter. I had never eaten the famous gingerbread before and I can honestly say it really was the best I’ve ever had in my life! You can’t even compare it to other gingerbread. 

A piece of Sarah Nelson's Grasmere Gingerbread

The rum butter was a delicious treat too, perfect for those with a sweet tooth! We loved them both so much that we bought a big pack of gingerbread and a jar of rum butter as soon as we had a chance to wander around the stalls.

Rum butter... SO good!

You can read about the fascinating history of Sarah Nelson’s Grasmere Gingerbread on the website, it’s definitely worth a look!

The second talk was The Art of Sourdough with Aidan Monks and Mark Lloyd. It was in the town hall at the Best of Cumbria Stage, which was an ideal setting, as well-positioned video link cameras meant you didn’t miss a thing and there was ample seating – a good call as the room was packed!

Aidan, who owns the (extremely) popular Lovingly Artisan shop in Oxenholme, gave the audience an interesting insight into the benefits of sourdough. He talked us through the process of making a sourdough starter (not as daunting as I originally thought) and how to turn it into gorgeous bread.

Aidan Monks and Mark Lloyd told us all about sourdough

Samples were passed around the audience. Again, they were so good that they sent us running straight to their stall to sample some more! It seemed everyone had the same idea as they were starting to sell out, but we managed to grab a five grain rye. That evening, we had it with some baked Camembert and a few other cheeses, then the next morning we used it for our wild boar bacon (another great purchase) butties. 

I know there is the beginning of a theme going on and I’m saying everything is the best, but honestly, it is THE BEST EVER! It's lucky that we don’t live in Oxenholme, because if we did, we’d be in Lovingly Artisan every single day! If you do live nearby, I’d definitely recommend popping in. Check out the Lovingly Artisan website here.

By this point, it was 1pm, so *obviously* that meant it was wine o’clock… We met up with our fellow foodie and friend Zoe, aka The Quirky Traveller, and we all headed over to Wainwright’s Yard Drinks Village – a new addition to the festival this year.

The next session, called Let’s Talk About Wine, was presented by Colin Burbidge, from The Lancashire Wine School. We all took a glass of red and a glass of white and Colin guided us through the basics of tasting wine. By using a piece of cheese, Colin demonstrated how drastically a wine can change when paired with the right food.

Colin Burbridge setting up for his wine tasting talk

The next talk was timed to perfection... What is the best combination with wine? Cheese, of course! So off we dashed, back to the town hall (I like to think we burnt off all the calories we consumed by our running to and from each of the different talks!)

The room was absolutely packed, the organisers had to add extra chairs and there were lots of people standing at the back. I am not at all surprised by its popularity, however, as it was one of my favourite talks of the day. 

Andy Swinscoe, of The Courtyard Dairy, and Graham Kirkham, from Mrs Kirkham’s, made a fantastic team. Andy’s passion was clear to see and Graham’s jovial spirit was infectious. They both made me proud to be a northerner! It was so interesting to learn all about the history of British cheeses and the importance of the farmhouse cheese industry.

Andy Swinscoe from The Courtyard Dairy

We also had the chance to try three yummy cheese samples. Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire Cheese was our favourite. So much so, that we found their stall later on and bought a giant wedge of it to enjoy for dinner. The Courtyard Dairy is in Settle, so whenever we’re next over that way, we’re definitely going to pop in.

Delicious cheese samples were passed around the room

The final talk we went to was Taste the difference with Bedrock Gin. Vince Wilkins told us all about Bedrock Gin, as well as the new export strength version (46%). The stronger version was too strong for me (I’m a weakling when it comes to spirits!) but Tom enjoyed it. The gin itself was really nice, it smelt and tasted very fresh, with strong hints of citrus. One excellent tip was serving a G&T with a basil leaf! As anyone who knows me will know, I am OBSESSED with basil. So, if you ever come round to mine for a drink, you know what you’ll be getting!

Dinky Danni sized G&T!

This post could go on forever, so to save your sanity, I’ll be brief. Other festival highlights included:

• Kendal Mintcake liqueur
• Withnail Ales by Eden Brewery
• Silver and Green olives
• Sillfield Farm wild boar bacon
• Vodka and whiskey from The Lakes Distillery Company
• Blue Moose Kitchen

Thankfully, the rain stayed away from Kendal. It was very chilly, but the stalls seemed really busy all day. We bought loads of goodies, then promptly headed home to eat them! 

Our foodie feast!

If you didn’t go to Kendal Festival of Food this year, you must, must go next time! It’s a really wonderful way to spend a Saturday and it's so nice to meet lots of local food and drink producers. Everyone had a smile on their face (despite the cold!) and it was a truly lovely day. I’m already looking forward to next year!