Festival Saturday....

I've stopped shaking now. It's one thing talking on the radio or telly but it's a whole different ball game when you have a room full of people looking at you.

I was compering at the Cornwall Food Festival. I was given Jude Kereama from Kota at Porthleven and Fiona Were from the Housel Bay Hotel on the Lizard.

Jude made a trio of venison dishes. A venison and Cornish ale pie, vension fillet and venison liver with pancetta and bacon. So good. So so good. Then he made a chocolate fondant...all within 45 minutes! Normally I head to Porthleven just for the fish but Kota is definately on the visiting list...


How perfect is this chocolate fondant made by sous chef Ross? (Served with espresso ice cream and cobnuts).

Fiona did duck three ways. Confit duck gizzard with bruschetta, devilled duck hearts and cured duck breast with blackberries and parsnip puree....I only got to try a tiny bit of the duck breast but it was fantastic....Roger from Terras Farm (the Cornish Duck Company) gave a bit of a speech about ducks. Apparently they are played Classic FM...it was the most cultured duck I have ever tasted. I buy a whole duck off him a few times a year and I will definately think more carefully about how I use the whole bird.

After the compering I wandered around the stall tasting the Cornish blue cheese, sipping fizzy Cornish wine and dipping crackers in various dips, jams, chutneys and sauces.....

This is what I came home with...

But it didn't take long before I opened them....This afternoon I'll make blackcurrant jam...