'Local heroes' join Sunderland Food Festival

Smashin’ Pasties and Geordie Bangers just two of the North East delicacies on the menu at Sunderland Food and Drink Festival later this month (June). From 23 to 25 June Keel Square, High Street West and Market Square will play host to a galaxy of stalls and pop-ups featuring cuisines from around the world, alongside those produced far closer to home.

And visitors to the event which will also feature live music, arts and crafts – will be able to sample everything from piccalillis and chutneys made to original family recipes by Calder’s Kitchen in Darlington, to Catchi’s kimchi, handmade in Newcastle.

Pelaw-based Davenport Chocolate and Newcastle Scotch egg producer The Yolker are among those attending, along with the Cracked Bean Roastery, selling coffee made from beans sourced from ethical, cooperative suppliers.

Newcastle-based Smashin’ Pasties will be selling a range of fully plant-based savoury pasties, pastries and sweet treats and Geordie Bangers will be bringing sausages made from three generations of recipes.

And Weardale Cheese will bring a range of hard and soft artisan cheeses such as Weardale, Prince Bishop and Brie, while Tyne Chease will show case the UK’s first Artisan vegan cheese made in the heart of Northumberland.

For those with a sweet tooth there will be artisan doughnuts from Tynemouth’s Deep North, brownies and blondies from Newcastle’s The Brownie Bar and AWesome Chocolates, created by Alistair Walklett, a pastry chef with more than 45 years’ experience at some of the UK’s finest hotels.

Simply Cheesecake will be making an appearance as will South Shields’ The Little Cakery By The Sea - with cakes, biscuits and sweet treats – Newcastle-based Loose Leaf Tea Company and Mazzeh Spice, selling curry kits and spice mixes with a Persian infusion.

Carlisle’s Stonehouse Smokery will be selling their wares and talking about sustainability and ethical farming practices while the Sunshine Cooperative is a one stop shop for all things local and sustainable. They will be joined by more than 50 traders from around the world selling everything from German bratwurst and Singaporean noodles to Polish kielbasa, Greek gyros and street food from France, India and Afghanistan.

The event will also feature performances from renowned Take That cover group, Re-Take That and former X-Factor star turned Capital Drive Time DJ, Sam Lavery along with local musicians, artists and entertainers, with arts, crafts and games.

The festival has been created by Sunderland BID and Sunderland City Council, and Sharon Appleby, chief executive at Sunderland BID, said “it’s a wonderful opportunity to showcase the fantastic food suppliers and producers we have here in the North East.”

Sunderland City Council’s cabinet member for Vibrant City, Councillor John Price, added: “This event really is the icing on the cake for a city which has a growing and deserved reputation as a food lovers’ paradise.”

By Mark Adair – Correspondent, Bdaily

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