Festival dished up a taste of the world

8:13am Friday 28th September 2007

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LOCAL produce and international dishes were the flavour of the day when Salisbury hosted its fourth Food and Drink Festival on Sunday.

More than 60 stallholders took part in the event selling everything from kangaroo burgers to home-made ice cream, Moroccan tangine, honey, wild boar and organic vegetables. Local wines, ciders and beers were available in the drinks tent and there was a cider pressing demonstration as well.

Hungry visitors tucked into a hog roast and other locally produced meats - including ostrich and bison - while a host of other stalls served up international fare including satay, Chinese meals and paella.

The day got underway with a performance from Amesbury Town Band and entertainment was also provided by Sarum Morris dancers.

Jeff the Chef cooked up some treats for the youngsters. One of the highlights of the day was the waiter's race which involved staff from several of the city's restaurants.

Teams of two raced around the Guildhall Square with their legs tied together as they balanced a bottle and two glasses on a tray.

The hotly contested final saw ASK and Marrakech going head to head with the team from ASK racing to victory as they completed the course without spilling a drop.

Food and feasting through Salisbury's past was the subject of an exhibition in the Guildhall along with tours of the historic building and traditional biscuit making for the children.

One of the main attractions was a stuffed great bustard which adorned a feasting table in the Grand Jury Room.

Younger guests took part in the Hunt the Ham competition and there were presentations for the winners of the Create a Sandwich competition and the Design a Meal for the Mayor competition which ran on the Journal's Gang Page.

The day culminated in a tea dance with nostalgic music from Suite Jazz.

"We had a fantastic day with between 7,500 and 8,000 people coming to Salisbury to enjoy food and drink," said festival manager Debbie Rigg.

"The stallholders seemed to do very well and the event had a great atmosphere.

"We hope the food and drink festival will become a permanent fixture on the Salisbury calendar."