British Food Fortnight

This year’s British Food Fortnight is being held from 18^th September to 3^rd October and there is plenty happening to keep even the most devoted foodie busy. Since Autumn 2002 British Food Fortnight has helped to inform and educate people about England’s seasonal and regionally distinct produce and highlight the health benefits of local, seasonal food. The organisers aim to encourage a renaissance in the pleasures of preparing and eating regional food and drink. Thousands of activities are taking place across the country including food and drink festivals, special menus in pubs and restaurants, promotions and celebrations, making this year’s event the biggest ever. There are many diverse entities taking part this year from the Army to the BBC, Harrods and John Lewis. More than twenty British universities, the National Trust and even St Paul’s Cathedral are also hosting special events, as are many more groups, organisations and businesses. There is even afternoon tea and traditional British Ales on offer at Heathrow Airport’s first British Food Fortnight celebration.

There are also more opportunities than ever before for everyone to get out there and taste the best of British food with over twenty food festivals, fruit and vegetable shows, competitions (including the Battle of the Bangers competition for British butchers), cooking demonstrations, talks, trips to farms, and more. This year there is also a fabulous competition for British school children, where they are being challenged to plan and cook a meal based on recipes that would have been served in their region of the country in previous generations. The prize? An invitation to London to cook their chosen meal for HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and television chefs The Hairy Bikers.

More importantly, this year is a warm up for the incredible British Food Fortnight planned for London’s Olympic Year in 2012. For just that year, the dates of British Food Fortnight will be changed so that it runs in tandem with the Olympics, showcasing the best of British produce for the eyes of the whole world to see.

Want to know more? Here are some useful links, plus keep your eyes open for lots more articles in the press, promotions in shops and restaurants, and events in every corner of Britain. And if you can’t be here to celebrate with us, visit some of these great websites to get a bit of the flavour of all the wonderful food our great country has to offer.

The BBC Good Food website will be highlighting the ‘Best of British’ on their website by highlighting a different classic dish each day. Today it is Gooey School Treacle Sponge. Click here to go and have a look at more recipes at BBC Good Food.

UKTV Good Food Channel have dedicated a whole section of their website to British Food Fortnight. Click here to visit and learn more about our cuisine, regional food and for some really great traditional recipes.

You can also check out Delicious Magazine’s British Food Fortnight recipes by clicking here .

And to learn more about British Food Fortnight and loving British food all year round visit the Love British Food website itself.  They also have a page with links to some great British food recipes that you can go straight to by clicking here.

Britain has a food heritage to be proud of and British Food Fortnight is the perfect opportunity to celebrate it!