CORNWALL has one of the finest reputations for food and drink in the whole of the UK which it celebrates in a feast of food festivals.
For many, our celebrated harvest of the sea is at the heart of the festivals with Newlyn, Newquay and Falmouth oyster festivals showcasing the freshest fish and shellfish caught from around our coast, with cookery demonstrations from top local chefs and samples to tempt the taste buds.
Celebrate all things fishy on August Bank Holiday Monday in one of Cornwall's most distinctive and original fishing ports.
Newlyn Fish Festival is the biggest of its kind in the country where you will find a huge fish display, six cooking demos from top local chefs, two fish auctions, a lobster workshop and the Big Fish Filleting Challenge. You can buy fish fresh, cooked or smoked from the best of Cornish seafood merchants.
Newquay Fish Festival runs from September 9 to 11 and grows in popularity each year with more and more to see and sample.
Try delicious fish dishes, watch local chefs rustle up amazing food from local produce, purchase a range of Cornish food and produce. The chefs are the characters of the festival using their flamboyant demonstrations to show off their culinary skills – and you get to eat the results.
As well as live cookery, smoked fish, a pilchard barbecue, on-site fish sales, crab sandwiches, oysters, fish filleting demos, all sorts of other 'fishy' will be on offer. There will also be a range of food and craft stalls at The Harbour, Newquay's hidden gem.
Truro is the venue for Cornwall Food & Drink Festival which draws thousands of visitors to the event which takes place from September 23 to 25 – see separate story in this week's What's On. The first weekend in October sees the Boscastle Food, Arts & Crafts Festival with eight fabulous Cornish chefs demonstrating over the weekend, including high-rising stars such as Nathan Outlaw, proud owner of two Michelin stars from the St Enodoc Hotel, Andy Appleton from Fifteen Cornwall, three chefs from outstanding restaurants in Padstow including the winner of this year's dessert course for the Great British Menu Paul Ainsworth from Number 6, Paul Harwood from Rick Stein's St Petroc's Bistro and Adrian Oliver from Margot's, also Phil Thomas from Rosewarne Manor and Aaron Janes from Silks Bistro at Newquay's Atlantic Hotel.
A host of stalls will be selling and sampling Cornish food and drink and original arts and crafts in the huge marquees in this picturesque harbourside village.
Special guest Tim Anderson, winner of BBC MasterChef 2011, will open Falmouth Oyster Festival with a cookery demonstration. The festival is a Cornish cornucopia of stalls brimming with oysters, seafood, wine and other delicacies, and takes place from October 13 to 16.
Timed to celebrate the start of the oyster season, the event celebrates the Falmouth working boats and oyster punts which trawl the natural oyster beds of the surrounding area using traditional methods to harvest the prized local native oysters renowned for their sweet, delicate flavour.
Cookery demonstrations with top local chefs and live music add to your visit, while you can sit and taste a variety of seafood and other dishes and take in the unique festival atmosphere.
Malcolm Bell, head of tourism at VisitCornwall, said: "Autumn is a fantastic time for food festivals in the county which brilliantly showcase the very best of Cornish produce, chefs and our growing reputation for quality gastronomic experiences."
VisitCornwall is offering a two-night break with extra treats for two people at the St Michael's Hotel and Spa in Falmouth during the oyster festival, see the 'win' page on the I Love Cornwall website www.ilovecornwall.com
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN