BBC Good Food Show Summer- Press Release!

Here is a preview of what is to come at this years summer edition of the BBC Good Food Show! A post to follow of a sneak peak recipe that James Martin will be demonstrating. In a chance to win a pair of free tickets to the show (excluding Saturday) please comment within the next 24 hours!

For immediate release

BBC Good Food Show Summer line up, NEC Birmingham, 11-14 June 2015

The BBC Good Food Show Summer sponsored by Lexus returns to the NEC Birmingham promising to be a great Summer day out. With a host of fabulous chefs and experts, visitors can expect a top class food experience.

Talent Line Up

Big personality Tom Kerridge and proprietor of the only 2 star Michelin pub, The Hand and Flowers in Buckinghamshire. returns to the NEC. He has recently been seen on our TV screens in the rejuvenated BBC 2 Food & Drink series and his effervescent personality and culinary genius on stage are always popular with visitors.

James Martin has been a familiar face in family homes for years on a Saturday morning and once again he returns to the NEC. Aside from his TV job, James is a successful restaurateur and author of several popular cook books.

Mary Berry CBE is undoubtedly the Queen of baking and this Summer she returns with her daughter Annabel by her side. Mary has sold over 5 million copies of her cook books worldwide and enjoys continued success on the TV.

Michel Roux Jr. is a member of one of the most prestigious culinary families in the world and is the brains behind one of London’s finest dining experiences, the 3 Michelin starred Le Gavroche. In addition, Michel enjoys continued television success, has written many cook books specialising in the art of French cooking and has run many marathons raising thousands of pounds for charity.

Popular duo, Antonio Carluccio and Gennaro Contaldo aka The Two Greedy Italians are both well known for their love of Italian food, wine and laughter. Both have many years experience in the culinary world; Antonio is a chef, restaurateur and food expert and Gennaro is one of the most respected chefs in London and good friend and mentor to Jamie Oliver.

Writer, restuaranter and judge and co-host on BBC 1’s MasterChef , John Torode is credited as one of the main players in introducing Australasian food to the UK in the mid 1990s.

Michael Caines MBE has been at the helm of Gidleigh Park in Devon, one of the country’s most prestigious country house hotels for over 20 years. He prides himself on being ‘inclusive’ not ‘exclusive’ and the restaurant is proud to have 2 Michelin stars.

Both John Whaite and Jo Wheatley were successful winners of The Great British Bake Off. Since then their baking careers have taken off. They are both successful authors in their own right; Jo Wheatley runs a thriving cookery school and John is a resident chef on ITV1’s Lorraine.

Top features to whet your appetite

Top entertainment in the 2,000 seat Supertheatre sponsored by Kenwood featuring top chefs and experts cooking live, and every advanced ticket includes a seat!

The Summer Kitchen Stage is another base for watching live cooking and chat! Featuring Eat Well and Bakes & Cakes themed sessions and a few Michelin starred chefs!

Stoves Live Cook Stage - Top chefs and foodies will give demonstrations on how to create the best seasonal dishes and will also be giving away some fabulous spot prizes to lucky audience members.

Ludlow Producer Market – an area of the show dedicated to a fantastic collection of producers from Ludlow and the Marches. With a Farmers Market ambience and the chance to pick up some ‘not on the high street’ produce, it is a must for all food lovers.

Producers Bursary Award Winners – This years deserving winners of the highly coveted award for small independent producers are: Blackberry Cottage, Chazwinkles and Gregor’s Umami Dressings.

BBC Good Food Champions –  our handpicked selection of approved producers exhibiting their outstanding artisan food and drink. The line up this year includes local favourites Pip’s Hot Sauce and Urban Herbs, exciting new companies like Flapjackery, Pomora Good Food and The Hebridean Food Company along with old favourites The Handmade Scotch Egg Company, Cornish Cheese Co and Cotswold Gold Rapeseed Oil.

NEW for 2015

The Interview Stage sponsored by Lakeland makes its debut at the BBC Good Food Show Summer. An interactive stage hosting all your favourite chefs and experts at the show, it’s a chance to catch our experts giving an insightful Q&A. So come along armed with any questions you may be desperate to ask.

French Goat’s Cheese Feature – an interactive area for visitors to learn more about the different goat’s cheese from across France and to sample and buy! Award winning chef Sophie Wright will be rustling up some delightful and unusual dishes using French Goat’s cheese, and cheesemonger Charlie Turnbull and cheese blogger Phoebe Weller will be on hand to talk though the different tastes of different cheeses.

Mer et Vigne – the French Market – the BBC Good Food Shows have teamed up with Mer et Vigne to bring visitors a bustling French market atmosphere. With plenty of delicious French food and drink specialities to choose from, it’s a Gallic gastronomic feast!

 

Ends

For more information, interviews and competitions please contact flo.simpson@riverstreetevents.co.uk  or call 020 3405 4286.

Advance ticket prices start at £24.25, VIP tickets start from £89 - please check the website for more details: bbcgoodfoodshowsummer.com

The BBC Good Food Shows are organised and presented by River Street Events Ltd

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About BBC Good Food

BBC Good Food has been the cooks’ choice for 25 years. It’s the UK’s most popular food media brand with a total brand reach of 10 million people.

Good Food is proud owner of the UK’s market leading food magazine and digital edition, the UK’s number 1 food website, an expanding number of live events, including the UK’s largest food event - the BBCGoodFood Show Live at the Birmingham N.E.C - and a hugely successful series of cookbooks. Every recipe published by BBC Good Food is triple tested by the in-house cookery team in the Good Food kitchen. And the brand offers more than just trusted recipe content: BBC Good Food is the ‘Go To’ destination on everything to do with food, whether that’s inspiration, help and advice, skills, reviews or ideas, for areas spanning foodie travel, local and seasonal, and getting children cooking.

Street Food Culture

The foodie revolution in Birmingham

The United Kingdom, more specifically Birmingham, is known for serving up some spicy food. This is due to the influence India has had on the country since the 18th century with the British colonisation. By 1990 the Balti triangle had been established in Birmingham with over fifty restaurants. Since then the growth of multi-cultural foods has developed with British taste buds becoming more curious. Britain spends over £250 million a year on the importation of different herbs and spices. This is due to two main reasons: the growth of ethnic cooking and health concerns. Research carried out states that a quarter of the Brits have health concerns, with six in then of them being overweight or obese. The 63% whom are concerned with their blood pressure seek to find flavoursome products low in salt. With the excess amount of salt in the British diet people are becoming more aware of this being a health risk, so are now replacing salt with various spices.

Even though the British population is seeking healthier foods with a profusion of flavour, their lifestyle has not changed. The modern day Brit is always on the go and favours fast food, however no long wants to consume the generic burger from McDonalds. This is where street food has cunningly been popping up all over the country, with new vendors appearing left right and centre; six hundred to seven hundred new street food businesses in 2014. These savvy entrepreneurs are not just passionate about the food that is being served up but about the pleasure it is bringing to the population. Street food has become 'up market', great for those seeking an exploration of the world- but this journey is carried out through the five senses, reaching the stomach and finally bringing satisfaction. 

This food journey can be found in the heart of Birmingham, where it all started with traditional Indian cuisine. Yes, there can be found a few Michelin starred restaurants, award winning markets and of course the Balti triangle. This makes it no surprise that Birmingham was names "The capital of food" by Olive magazine in 2011. However, the star of it all is the street food which is hidden away.

People should head down to "Digbeth Dining Club" on a Friday night. "Digbeth Dining Club" is a cultural event where various cuisines can be discovered. With over thirty vendors that take it in turn to host the event, there is something for everyone's taste buds. From traditional burgers and toasties (with a twist, of course) to Mexican, Vietnamese and French creperies. These may be all different in taste but each vendor shares the same passion and beliefs. The food that is being served up is wholesome, heart-warming, ethical and locally sourced. And they are taking into consideration salt consumption by replacing it with additional spices. Even if the food is inspired from the other side of the world, these foodies want to be supporting local suppliers in the West Midlands. Provenance is something that is important to each of them and to create a greater understanding of this to the consumer. "Digbeth Dining Club" is a multi-cultural scene, so it is no surprise that it is a multi-award winning event. It is easy to say that Birmingham is revolutionising the food scene. If you want to learn more about this event watch the video below, if this doe not make you want to go I do not know what will...

Bailey's Orange Truffle, Pistachio and White Chocolate Fudge

As you already know I do like myself some fudge. Here is a recipe that my friend and I developed for a module at University this semester. This is indulgence at its finest! A great sweet treat to make for family and friends- a perfect home-made gift.

Omar Saleem Photography

Makes 36 pieces

Prep 20 mins

Total time 45 mins

Get ahead The fudge can be made ahead of time as it can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 weeks. Alternatively, the fudge can be frozen, ensure to defrost at least two hours before eating.

397g tin of condensed milk

150ml Bailey's Orange Truffle

450g demerara sugar

115g butter

200g pistacios, roughly chopped

150g white chocolate chips

1 orange peel, cut into matchsticks- par boiled to soften

1. Line a 20cm square tin with parchment paper ready to use.
2. Place the condensed milk, Bailey's, demerara sugar and butter in a large non-stick saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
3. Bring the mixture to the boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes, continuously stirring making sure it does not catch the bottom of the pan.
4. The mixture needs to reach 115-118 degrees Celsius, use a thermometer to the check the temperature. Alternatively, drop a little of the mixture into a jug of ice-cold water. A soft ball of fudge should form- this is hot stuff!
5. Once the mixture has reached the correct temperature remove from the heat and continuously stir until the mixture thickens to a thick peanut butter like paste- this takes around 10 minutes.
6. Add the chopped pistachios and the chocolate chips to the mixture.
7. Place the fudge mix into the prepared tin, place the orange peel matchsticks on top, making sure to press them down.
8. Finally, pop the fudge into the fridge until it is set- best left over night. Then cut into 36 squares.  

Prawn Fettucce with Wild Garlic Pesto

Wild Garlic in Flower

Ingredients- Serves 2

Wild Garlic Pesto- see previous foraging blog post about wild garlic

• 500g of washed wild garlic leaves
• 50g of washed basil
• 250ml of olive oil
• 250g of grated parmesan
• 200g of toasted cashew nuts
• Salt & pepper

Place the above ingredients in a food processor, blend until it forms a pesto like paste. This can be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for a week. Alternatively, freeze the pesto in portions, can be kept in the freezer for up to 6 months. Fully defrost in the fridge before using.

Prawns- marinade

• A dozen cooked prawns
• Zest of 1 lime
• Juice of half the lime
• A thumb size piece of ginger- grated
• 1 tsp of chili flakes- optional
• Salt & pepper

Marinate the prawns for at least an hour or best marinated over night.

Other ingredients

• 200g of cooked and chilled fettucce- follow packet instructions
• 12 cherry tomatoes- cut in half
• 1 Courgette- use a peeler to peel into ribbons
• Juice of half a lime
• 50g of chopped coriander

Tip: freeze any left over chopped herbs- up to 6 months. Can be used frozen.

Method

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a wok
2. Add the cooked fettucce, prawns and cherry tomatoes to the wok- heat through
3. Place 3-4 teaspoons of the home made pesto in- adjust according to taste
4. Toss through the courgette ribbons so they are hot but still have a bite to them
5. Finish off with the lime juice and coriander
6. Season to taste

Serving suggestion

Serve immediately! Goes well with a glass or two of 'Wolf Blass, Yellow Label Chardonnay 2013'.