Bedford’s Winter Food Festival Programme

Following on from the success of Bedford’s first food festival in April this year, a new winter Food Festival is being held on 26 to 28 July 2013.

Special guests include Sydda Essop, author of the award-winning Karoo Kitchen; famed chef Janet Telian of Somerset East and Esme Bozzoli of Grahamstown.

Masterclasses are suitable for beginners and experienced cooks. Costs include recipes, food tasting and a donation to the Hungry Tummies township school feeding project. To secure a place, please book and pay in advance. (Details below).

 The programme line-up is as follows:

 FRIDAY MASTERCLASS

15:00 – 16:30 (at Camelot, R60pp) HERITAGE FOOD: MY GRANDMOTHER’S LAMB CURRY – Sydda Essop shares the secrets she learned from her granny (an Indian bride who loved the Karoo). The recipe appears in Sydda’s award-winning book Karoo Kitchen.

 FRIDAY SUPPER

18:00 onwards  –  FIRESIDE TASTE FAIR (at Camelot, R50 pp cover charge) – Blazing log fires, hot gluwein, warm spiced fruit cordials, artisanal breads, cash bar … plus a selection of regional and seasonal foods. The French Kitchen presents crêpes á la Normandy etc; meats from The Butcherbird; pastries from The Village Farmstall; 6 of the best from the Slow Soup Olympics; heritage treats from Sydda Essop’s Karoo Kitchen; vegetarian options; puddings from paradise and more.

Browse the tables, meet the makers/producers, sample their wares and buy direct to make up your own dinner plate. Lots of seating, lots of heating and every excuse to linger.

R50pp cover charge includes gluwein, artisanal breads and a contribution to Hungry Tummies school feeding.

SATURDAY 9:00 to 13:00 Bedford Country Market (at DRC Hall, free entry, child friendly) Local food products, second hand books, bric-a-brac, etc. Teas and lunches in aid of Bedford Animal Welfare. Ring Elize 046 685 0199 for info

SATURDAY LUNCH 12:30- 14:30

SOUP WITH SYDDA (at Camelot R30pp; soups, roosterkoek) Meet Sydda Essop and talk about her award-winning book Karoo Kitchen, watch a rolling slideshow of the evocative historical pictures she collected. Sydda won a special award for her contribution to SA culture when this book appeared.

Other light lunches at The Studio (child friendly), House van der Lingen, The Village Farmstall (child friendly), the Market (child friendly),

SATURDAY MASTERCLASSES

10:00- 11:15 (at Camelot, R80pp) THREE WAYS WITH PORK – the charismatic Esmé Bozzoli is better at cooking pork than anyone this side of the Limpopo.

11:30- 13:00 (at Camelot, R80pp) THE FRENCH KITCHEN – Johann and Michael take Bedford ingredients to South-Western France … et voila! Venison, mushrooms, red wine, prunes, garlic etc transformed.

15:00- 16:15 (at Camelot, R60pp) WOW CHOCOLATE – with Marelise van Niekerk

 SATURDAY EVENING

17:30 – 18:30 SPIRIT TASTING

 SATURDAY DINNER: WINTER SPICE

19:00 at the Bedford Club (fully licensed) R120pp includes dinner, info, recipes and donation to Hungry Tummies

See the pictures, share the secrets of using a tagine with Kim van Niekerk, fresh from cookery class in Turkey (she already graduated from a Moroccan cooking school). Discover the deep flavours of Middle Eastern comfort food; savour slow-cooked lamb, chicken and vegetarian tagines with aromatic pulses, roti etc; followed by baked fruit salad and infused egg custards from Karoo Kitchen.

SUNDAY MASTERCLASSES

10:00 – 11:15 (at Camelot, R80pp) A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS –  the one and only Janet Telian shows how she prepares some of the food she loves best

11:30 – 13:00 (at Camelot, R100pp) THREE WAYS WITH LOCAL ABERDEEN ANGUS BEEF – a mega-class and taste feast with Esmé Bozzoli (expect surprise extras)

SUNDAY AFTER-PARTY

12:30 onwards Linger over the soup pots at Camelot and de-brief…

Six tourism students from Bedford’s Templeton High School will also be attending the events.

• For enquiries contact Catherine on info@bedford.co.za  or call 082 932 8864. Masterclasses can be booked through Nellie on cvanaardt@vodamail.co.za  or call 082 926 9816.