Uttoxeter Food & Drink Festival | This is Staffordshire

This weekend, Uttoxeter's iconic racecourse played host to a food & drink festival, featuring the very best in food & drink and local produce.

In addition, the event also had a number of appearences from several local heroes and culinary artisans. ??

1. Uttoxeter Racecourse

2. New Farm catering and cookery school

3. Its not a party without a hogroast

The weather was fairly blustery, but the sun made occasional appearences from behind the rainy clouds, illumiating the pristine surroundings in a vision of summer.

The festival took place in the race courses two main halls, as well as outside along the tracks, where a beer tent had been erected.?

From cheese to real ales, fudge to fresh fish, the festival was stock full of free tasters and discounted produce.?

Among the various stalls, was the New Farm Catering and Cookery School.

I was able to talk to founder Chris Scarratt and three of his proteges. "I was raised on a farm, rearing animals and livestock," says Chris.

"Later on, I moved to Switzerland, where I learned to be a patissier."

Since then, Chris set up New Farm, that not only teaches cooking?but also event management, giving students real life experience in event catering.?

To lend a hand at the event was apprentice Sophie Jackson, who said New Farm had provided her with the "indispensable skills and experience that university just couldn't provide".?

Patissier Ben Cann, on the other hand, just loves what he does.

The benefits of his apprenticeship at New Farm is learning new skills and different styles of cooking. "Chris speciailises in teaching method, not recipe," Ben says, "It allows you to grow creatively whilst still having the flexibility to perform advanced cookery skills."

"We have catered for a number of events", says Chris, "some of which have been big celebrities".

When asked on which celebrities, Chris was not at liberty to say, "but lets just say there may have been some royal guests in attendance".?

Meanwhile, in the real ale tent, a hog roast was taking place courtesy of Aston Marina.

Head Butcher, Nick Griffin was at hand, "nothing says party like a hog roast", he laughs.

The pig had started cooking as early as 2.15am and was ready to eat at about 9.30, just before guests started arriving at the racehorse.

"A pig this size, can provide 200 portions," says Nick, "and we serve big portions". ?

Titanic Brewery was also at hand, serving a range of its best ales, as well as Lymestone Brewery from Stone.?

Head brewer Ian Bradford was present, "we started 4 years ago, we use the finest ingredients and have years of brewing skill, and really take pride in our work."?

Lymestone were serving a number of ales throughout the day, from their lighter stonecutter to their slightly stronger stonefaced.?

The vistitors in attendance were in good spirits, June Whitfield from Uttoxeter said, "I've had enough free samples to keep me fed for a week!".?

Bernard Fulme from Leek couldn't get enough of the beer, "I should probably call it a day on the alcohol and try the cheeses," he laughed.?

Though there weren't as many people in attendance as there probably could have been in regards to all the fine produce on offer, the festibal had enough food and drink to impress any ****ossieur of cuisine. ?

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