Cotele Spring Food Festival.....

There's such a knack to taking free samples at a food festival.....



I want to actually try what they are offering before buying. Sometimes you think you wouldn't buy something and then you taste a product so delicious you can't resist...like this smoked duck.....



Other times you know that it tastes great because you've got a freezer full at home but I'm greedy and I just want to eat it while I'm outside!

The Cotele Food Festival is taking place today and tomorrow. It's about 7 miles outside of Saltash so was a good hours drive from where I write now. But it was worth every mile. Piles of homemade crumbly pork pies, pasta sauces bubbling on mini stoves, a rainbow of fruit cordials to die for and cellophane wrapped local chocolate eggs ready for Easter....

After visiting every stall we wandered around the gardens in the sunshine.

The crocuses and snowdrops were blanketing the lawns.....Then we stopped at the bottom of the property and admired the river. I've never been to this part of Cornwall before and I will definitely be back...stunning....

After all that fresh air I needed something quick and easy to fill my grumbling tummy. This is a great lunch or even breakfast (if you can stand the garlic!)

Garlic mushrooms with a squidgy egg..........(serves 1)

5 chestnut mushrooms

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 slice bread

1 egg

1 large pinch Cornish Sea Salt

Chop the mushrooms into halves or quarters depending on how big they are.....

Then boil the egg. It might be useful just to run through the times for how I boil eggs.....I always use small eggs so the times will differ if you use a bigger egg. I boil the water and get it to a fierce boil and then carefully drop it in. It's best to use eggs at room temperature to make sure they don't crack...

Soft (running centre) five minutes
Squidgy (not running but still soft) six minutes

Hard boiled (as described) seven and a half minutes

While that's happening put a tbsp of oil into a pan and when it's warmed, add the mushrooms. Add one of the crushed or thinly sliced cloves of garlic. When the mushrooms are golden brown take off the heat. Get a pestle and mortar and crush the other clove of garlic with the other tbsp of oil.

Pop the bread in a toaster. Scoop the egg out of the water and run under a cold tap for a couple of seconds so it's easier to handle. Lightly roll over the sideboard and carefully peel. Pile the mushrooms over the toast and place the egg on top.

Split the egg in half and sprinkle generously with salt and a drizzle of the garlic oil.