“One of our main focuses for our first year of Eat, Drink and Be Local Guernsey was the championing of local producers and products, with the aim of building a community between our amazing, talented artisan producers, our visitors and the local community.
Championing local producers and local products, focus on the community and family, a Celebratory festival feel to all of our events and the Involvement of local music hero’s remain our priorities for 2020.
We have showcased the breadth of local Guernsey entrepreneurs who have crafted and created their own unique products relating to food, drink and artisanal crafts with a series of Seafront Sundays over the summer and as we’ve already discussed, our finale is a week long Food Festival starting on Monday 23 September.
I have already shared with you the details of the farm tours at Rocquette Cider, Wallow Charcuterie, Herm Oysters and the Petit Train Food and Drink Safari that is now sold out!
You know all about the launch meal at the Duke of Richmond, and The Farmhouse who are celebrating FF week by offering their unique Rocquette Cider menu for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday.
I am really excited to announce details of the Gin Tasting Dinner at the Bella Luce and FF menu at China Red. I will certainly be attending that one!
Bella Luce Gin Tasting Dinner
Tuesday 24 September
Enjoy a dinner of locally foraged ingredients and tasting of Wheadon’s Gin, made on site. Menu includes picked Guernsey crab with a fennel and orange salad and citrus gel; Guernsey sea bream and foraged cockles with a butter sauce; and Guernsey grown passion fruit cheesecake with a raspberry sorbet.
£50 per person. Call the Bella Luce on 238764 to book.
China Red Local EDABL Menu
Wednesday 25 September
Supporting the Food Festival Week with a three-course menu paired with wine including local smoked cheese wonton; steamed local seabass; and local vegetables with ginger and chilli.
£50 per person. Call 723888 to book.
Have you heard about the epic Moules Festival at La Grande Mare Hotel? It is on for the whole week of the FF,
Whether you prefer a traditional Mariniere or want to try a locally themed variation, including Blue Bottle Gin, Breda Lager or Blue Mantis Vodka, they have something for everyone.
Served with bottomless French fries and/or crusty bread.
Call 256576 to book.
The Grande finale of the Eat Drink and Be Local season will take place on the weekend at Crown Pier. With local producers, live music, chef demonstrations and competitions it promises to be a great celebration of all things local.
Why don’t you get some friends or colleagues together to see if you can be the winners!
Saturday 28 September
In The Chef’s Tent
10.00 Sign up opens for competitions
11.15 & 12.15 Sausage making and apple pressing competition heat 1 & 2
13.00 Chef demonstrations
15.15 & 15.30 Sausage making and apple pressing competition heats 3 & 4
16.00 Chilli eating competition – 12 rounds from mild to wild!
Live music 10am – 11pm – Including the amazing local acts –
Josh Brown
Le Jazz Accord
Adam Powell
James Morvan
Les Travailleurs de la Folk
Mancini & Me
GU10
Clameur de Haro
DJ Oneofakind
The War Poets
KB Project
Sunday 29 September
In the Chef’s Tent:
11.30 Chef demonstrations
13.45 Oyster Shucking competition
14.45 Spaghetti eating competition
15.45 Yard of ale competition
Live music 10am – 5pm
Rachel Dawson
JnT
Fiona Simmonds
John Le Sauvage
Cor Damme La’s
Silverado’s
Also, on the Sunday, the seafront (from the Albert Memorial to the Weighbridge) will be home to multiple artisanal craft stall holders who are a regular feature at markets, community events and local festivals across the island
On both days “The Watering Hole” will offer a seating area to ‘linger longer’ and enjoy the live music.
For families with young children, The Creation Station awaits where Kat Gillespie and her team will be supervising cooking themed children’s activities including making Playdough Hedge Veg Stalls and Pizzas. There is a £2 charge per child and parents can happily leave their children in The Creation Station and watch from the adjacent Watering Hole.
Wheadon’s Festival gin making is your opportunity to assist with the mixing of a special gin, wait for the distilling and then sample the results! Using a range of local foraged flavours and traditional botanicals what’s not to love!
Bobby Groves, Head of Oysters at London’s famous Chiltern Firehouse, and all round oyster expert will be on hand all weekend to launch his book, shuck oysters and get involved in the event. His book takes us on a wonderful journey of the British oyster, a five-thousand-mile motorcycle odyssey of Britain’s spectacular coastlines. He vividly brings to life this strange and marvellous creature, shining a light on its rich and vibrant history, its cultural impact and ecological importance as well as those oyster folk who work so hard to protect them.
Part travelogue, part social history, Oyster Isles is a celebration of the much-loved yet much- misunderstood oyster.
EDABL is supported by a grant from the Committee for Economic Development which is awarded to support events that will help in the development and growth of the tourism and hospitality sector.
And don’t forget! Full details, Menus and booking information for all of these events can be found on the VisitGuernsey website, just look for the FF link. AND a reminder to link in with our @EDABLgsy Facebook page, because all the up to date information can be found there!
PS! And lets not forget the Guernsey Retro Festival is happening on North Beach on Sunday 29, so Guernsey is offering the most amazing Festival weekend possible! www.guernseyretro.com
Best wishes,
Charlotte
EDABL Chair