Did you know it's British Food Fortnight - yup the yearly excuse for tucking into pies, crumbles, making jam and drinking local beer. Oh ok, we don't need an excuse to do any of that but the fortnight (23 September-7 October) does celebrate the farmers, producers, farmshops, restaurants and cafes that help make British food so tasty. So tuck in.
Georgina Wilson-Powell
Thu 28 Sept 2017
Shop locally
Throughout the two weeks butchers, greengrocers, farm shops and more will be more than happy to tell you where their locally grown or raised produce has come from. Buying locally means less air miles, a smaller carbon footprint and you can check the supply chain with labels like Red Tractor and Happerley (for more on demystifying food labels see here).
Shop seasonally
It's autumn so there's an abundance of seasonal produce around. Seasonal fruit and veg gives your body the right nutrients at the right time of year and you're eating produce at its height of taste. It's the right time for mushrooms, lettuce, squash, blackberries, apples and pears.
Grow your own
Inspired by the British farmers and producers, farm-shops and so on. Why not try growing something yourself? Herbs, carrots and potatoes are pretty fool-proof ones to start off with and can be grown even in small spaces.
It's mushroom season...
Attend a harvest festival
British Food Fortnight takes place at the time of Harvest Festival and you don't need to be a regular church-goer, or have a particular faith, to take part in the celebration. Check out www.aharvestnearyou.com to find your local harvest service.
Take a foodie staycation
Plenty of gorgeous hotels up and down the country are putting on special menus and offers over the two weeks. Try Cottage in the Wood in Malvern with its two AA Rosette 1919 Restaurant that serves up locally sourced dishes like Autumn mushroom tortellini with crispy kale or in Scotland, The Torridon in Inverness has a two-acre kitchen garden and farm to rear Highland cattle and Tamworth pigs. Tuck into charcoal-dipped barbequed leek accompanied by whichever meat, fish or poultry is available on the day. Delicious!
For more details on events happening all over the UK from foodie festivals to special British menus during British Food Fortnight see here.
