Held at the same time as harvest festival, British Food Fortnight is the biggest annual, national celebration of British food and drink. It’s been running since 2002, and aims to give the many, many foodie events being held at this time one ‘umbrella’ to bring them to the public’s attention.
There’s a full list of events here (thought it’s not hugely up to date, so if you spot something you’re keen on – do a bit of digging on Google afterwards). I did just that, and the most exciting discovery for me is that one of the events being held is Urban Food Fortnight; London’s celebration of the ultra-local produce being grown on our doorstep.
Running between Friday 12 and Sunday 28 September, Urban Food Fortnight is organised by London Food Link – an independent network of people, businesses and organisations that promote and campaign for good food in the city. The event has run annually since 2012 and this year is funded through Urban Food Routes and supported by The Mayor of London. It’s a true celebration of London’s gastronomic talent giving everyone the opportunity to try local food; from Tottenham made cheese and Stratford sourced fish to Enfield reared lamb and Hackney grown salad.
The postcode search here allows you to find out what’s being held locally, and there’s loads of great stuff on. There’s a few of my top picks below.
- Bumpkin, just round the corner from me, has created a special menu for the whole two weeks, featuring some of the best ultra-local food available including Cobble Lane charcuterie, bread from a South Kensington artisan bakery and vegetables grown at Watts Farms.
- RBKC is hosting a free two hour walking tour of Golborne Road and Portobello Road markets on Sept 18th at 10am.
- Whole Foods Market is hosting a Schools to Market Day on Sept 23rd, when schools can sell their home-made jams, sauces and chutneys to raise money for food education projects.
- Hawksmoor‘s bartenders have created a special cocktail for Urban Food Fortnight using locally sourced ingredients, and Foxlow Stoke Newington and Clerkenwell will be serving a Bermondsey Frier Sandwich using cheese from Kappacasein Dairy in Bermondsey, London bread and a seasonal slaw made using veg sourced within the M25. Sidenote; Kappacasein Dairy has been producing cheese in Bermondsey using milk from Commonwork Organic Farm in Kent since 2008, and you can buy it from from Borough Market! Check out Borough Market’s serving suggestion for their ultimate Urban Food Fortnight toastie here.
- And finally, on Saturday 19 September over 45 edible gardens throughout London will open their gates to celebrate the harvest season. Edible Gardens Open Day is an annual event for Londoners to explore secret gardens, embark on an edible walking tour, or venture further afield to discover people growing in novel places. Click here for an interactive map of all the locations in London, Birmingham and Manchester.
There are LOTS more events on, and it’s a great opportunity to explore what’s available just around the corner – from places you can walk to. More information here, or search for #urbanfoodfestival on Twitter