I love attending foodie events, so here’s just a quick note about some of the upcoming ones in May in case they might be of interest to you as well.

1) The Real Food Festival is on this weekend.
2) The London International Wine Fair will be held at the Excel Centre, 12 to 14 May 2009.
3) Le Cordon Bleu Henley Food Festival is on from 16th to 17th May 2009.
4) The Foodies Festival at Royal Palace, Hampton Court is on between 23 to 25 May 2009. It will feature a large producers market with FoodLoversBritain.com approved producers.
5) And my personal favourite (in the sense that I think it might be fun to participate), is the Cheese Rolling at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire on 25 May 2009.

So the following list of events might strike a cord with foodies, especially Australian ones. Maggie Beer, the well known and internationally acclaimed Australian food writer, cook and TV presenter, is coming to the UK next week to promote her new cookbook, Maggie’s Kitchen. Maggie also manufactures a specialty gourmet foods range which is very popular in Australia. A series of events will be held in London to promote the launch of her book and some of her products. If you are interested in attending an event, please refer to the list below. The dinners with Maggie will be prepared using a selection of Maggie’s produce, which are available through Wine & Yabbies.

(Continue reading her story…)

Have you heard about the upcoming Real Food Festival? On at Earls Court between 8-10 May, it is a showcase of produce from across Britain and abroad. A number of top chefs including Allegra McEvedy, Fergus Henderson, Raymond Blanc, Thomasina Miers, Giorgio Locatelli and Cyrus Todiwalla will also be in action at the Real Food Theatre.

The Londonpaper had a promotional offer of two tickets for £20 this past week. If you missed it, all you have to do is go to www.realfoodfestival.co.uk and enter promotional code LP09 on the payment screen. The offer is valid until 3 May 2009.

After a huge winter of excess, brought on in no small part by the launch of this food blog, I have discovered to my detriment that the size of my girth has expanded somewhat. Not hugely, but enough to be a little worrisome.

So to my dearest, darling beloved blog:
While I thoroughly enjoy our love affair, I must now revisit the basis of our loving relationship. Please bear with me over the next coming weeks (no doubt there will be tantrums and grumpy moods on my part) as I try to find a way forward that will allow me to contain, no reduce, this expansion; and at the same time keep you in the plentiful manner in which you have been accustomed…

Now in it’s eighth year, the results of the 2009 San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards will be announced on Monday 20 April 2009. The list is compiled by a group of prominent food writers, critics, publishers and commentators who come together to form what is know as The Nespresso World’s 50 Best Academy. Each of the people in the Academy represent a global region, and each is responsible for chairing a voting panel for that region.

I look forward to the unavailing of this list every year. It’s sometimes controversial, but above all, I find it incredibly exciting. Last year there were only two new entries to the top 50 Best Restaurants List, but I’m hoping for a bit more movement this year! I am also wondering if El Bulli will retain number one, and The Fat Duck, number two…

The event is being held at
The Freemasons’ Hall,
60 Great Queen Street,
London WC2B 5AZ
Web: http://www.theworlds50best.com/

After closing in December last year for extensive refurbishment, The Cadagon Arms is to reopen today. Situated on King’s Road in Chelsea, the open brick fireplace has been revamped to its former magnificent self. The timber oak paneling, timber floors and the original back bar tiles have also been restored.

Lunch and dinner will be served Monday to Saturday, and a roast will be available on Sunday. Given its location, it might be a nice venue for lunch during the Chelsea Flower Show (19 – 23 May).

The Cadogan Arms at:
298 King’s Road,
London SW3 5UG
Tel: +44 (0)20 7352 6500
Web: http://www.thecadoganarmschelsea.com/

If you happen to be in London this Easter, you might want to head down to the Southbank for the Slow Food Easter Market. The Slow Food movement is not just about healthy eating, but also about sustainable food production, caring for the earth and maintaining the environment. In other words, healthy, ethical eating.

There will be some 40 stalls from which you can sample and purchase a variety of produce: new season rare-breed spring lamb, fresh goat’s cheeses, and spring pecorinos sourced from artisan producers, including a dried cherry-coated version. And as it’s Easter, treats will avail such as Easter biscuits, hot cross buns and Simnel cake (in gluten free and vegan versions). There will also be demonstrations, workshops, plus an Easter egg hunt on Sunday!

The event will run:
Friday 10 – Monday 13 April 2009
11am – 8pm daily (6pm Monday)
at:
Southbank Centre,
Belvedere Road,
London SE1 8XX

The next slow food market after that will be 1 – 4 May 2009.

Websites:
http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/calendar
http://www.slowfoodlondon.com/

This past Monday, a fellow food blogger, 5 Star Foodie, came up with a recipe for a Rhubarb “Sushi” with Mint Mousse and Foam. It was based on a similar dessert that I had eaten at Tom Aikens. Here is the link to her recipe.

I was really delighted to be part of this culinary creation, even if my role was limited to only photo taking, eating and the writing of a few simple sentences to describe the dessert. Now if only I could have sampled her version too…