I went to the opening of the Liverpool Food & Drink Festival yesterday with high hopes but was somewhat underwhelmed. I didn't see any signage by Sefton Park, and certainly no directions to the entrance at all.
Although the event was scheduled to start at 10.30am, with the first Chef's demonstration half-an-hour later, when we arrived at 11.00am there was a huge queue; we weren't expecting to pay but assumed we'd been mistaken - what other reason could there be?
Although the event was scheduled to start at 10.30am, with the first Chef's demonstration half-an-hour later, when we arrived at 11.00am there was a huge queue; we weren't expecting to pay but assumed we'd been mistaken - what other reason could there be?
After about five minutes someone in a hi-viz jacket came along to inform us that if we didn't want a goodie-bag we could jump the queue - we, and about half the rest, did precisely that.
Once inside the perimeter we decided to work our way round the stalls, stopping at anything that took our fancy: Liverpool restaurants were very well-represented - most of them offering snack food between three and five pounds a portion - but very little else. There was one butcher (nothing on display), little bits of delicatessen - Pam and I enquired about some nice-looking bread on one of the restaurant stands, but at 3 quid a loaf we didn't buy - and some decent teas from The Leaf Tea Shop & Bar (I came away with 50g of Lapsang Souchong at £2.65). No greengrocers present, no fishmongers or cheesemongers (though there was a lecture on cheese), and no dedicated charcuterie.
The Daily Post reports that around 40,000 people attended - I certainly didn't see that many. Grouses on the festival's Facebook page focus on lack of disabled parking and poor access - the ground was a bit waterlogged after the torrential rain in the night.
It took us less than an hour to do the full circuit - I was hungry (hungover) and the only cuisine that took my fancy was the West Indian stall. I thought the Jerk Chicken with Peas 'n' Rice (£4.50) was passable - Mal and Pam were both of the opinion that the meat should have been marinated and cooked longer for longer and was not hot enough (temperature, not spiciness). As caterer I'm inclined to be more sympathetic to the logistics of cooking in a field but I would have preferred the more authentic goat.
I do sincerely wish them well but I harbour this disloyal suspicion - shared by Malcolm - that the Manchester Food & Drink Festival will be an altogether much more impressive affair.
