We're full! Emsworth Food Fortnight organisers reflect on tasty year

The celebration of food and drink came to a close on Sunday with a fantastic open-air harvest festival in St Peter’s Square, with the choirs of St James and Emsworth primary schools singing to the assembled crowd.

The service, combined with the local collection items for food banks, perfectly summed up Food Fortnight’s aim of celebrating and educating the community.

The people of the town once again built a food mountain with goods collected at local schools and centres and donated to the Beacon food bank.

Giles Babb, chairman of Emsworth Business Association, felt the 2018 fortnight had lived up to expectations.

“There was plenty to do throughout the fortnight – tastings, dinners, education programmes and more.

“Highlights included a harvest surplus supper at Tuppenny Barn with Park Community School’s head chef Steven Cross and his students. People also enjoyed steak and oyster pies at The Blue Bell or a seafood dinner @36 On The Quay.

“The Brookfield Hotel was once again taken over by two local colleges, Fareham and Highbury. Both colleges gave their students a free rein to design a British seasonal menu and cook and serve it in a professional hospitality environment.

“I think the highlight of the fortnight was the Big Feast Weekend when we had live music from Harbour Records, and British street food and local produce lined the streets & St Peter’s Square. It also included the Hampshire Farmers’ Market and The Grape Escape wine village.

“Food is an international language which we can all interpret, and the Love British Food set-up and Emsworth’s British Food Fortnight is all-encompassing event which highlights the rich community we live in and amazing produce we have on our doorstep.

“Emsworth Business Association works hard to promote Emsworth life and this is another stage to highlight our wonderful & diverse town.

“We couldn’t do that without the help of our partners Southern Co-op, Montezumas, Hampshire Farmers Market, Hampshire Fare, Lewis Marquees, Harbour Records and Southdowns Water.”