Our top 12 Stone food festival moments!

Stone Food and Drink Festival was another superb celebration of all things gastronomic – and another superb celebration of Stone itself.

There was so much going on over the week and a bit, including 77 events in 44 venues on top of everything that happened at Westbridge Park itself and in the High Street for the farmers’ markets. So choosing a dozen moments from the 2013 festival is tough! But here we go – here are our top 12 moments.

I’m sure you have lots of your own and we’d love to hear them – let us know by emailing news@alittlebitofstone.com or via Facebook or Twitter

1. Brad from Lymestone Brewery’s bee-autiful head

The Lymestone Brewery bar was a hive of activity (sorry) over the weekend in the Taste of Staffordshire marquee. And brewer Brad and wife Viv were a popular draw in the Talks and Tastings tent as they explained the science behind brewing and gave a great talk on how to properly taste a real ale.

But it was Brad’s bee on his bonce that got most attention! Angela Hill was doing the face (or head) painting and you could see lots of people (including Viv, too) emblazoned with a Lymestone Brewery bee, including the chap on the left. Lymestone’s honey beer (Stone Brood) was available at the festival, and very good it is too!

2. Eat a burger as big as your head!

Little Lyla was celebrating her third birthday at the food and drink festival on Sunday – and she’s now notched up three annual visits to the festival during her short life. And what better way to celebrate your third birthday than with a gigantic buffalo burger. Hope you enjoyed Lyla!

3. A taste of Scotland with James Gillespie

The larger-than-life James Gillespie from Touchstone Wines gave some wonderful talks and demonstrations in the Talks and Tastings tent over the weekend, including a belter on the Saturday on Scotch whisky. James, of Scottish descent, gave a masterclass to a packed tent – and donned his family’s tartan for the occasion!

There’s a great interview here with James from Festival Friday where he talks about German wines…

4. Antony’s patriotic jacket!

You won’t have missed festival director Antony Lucas at the Talks and Tastings tent in his fetching Union flag jacket. Antony did a brilliant job compering the dozens of chefs and producers who presented to the crowds – and his jacket wouldn’t have been out of place last year when London 2012 Olympian Lizzie Neave did the official opening!

5. The start of a very special oatcake challenge

Stone pals Amanda White and Emma Young have reached – or about to reach – a bit of a milestone this year. Emma’s just turned 40 and, for Amanda, the big birthday comes in December. To mark the occasion, they’re going to be eating oatcakes from 40 different Staffordshire outlets over the next few weeks. And they kicked things off in style with their first oatcakes of the challenge at the Stone Food and Drink Festival. Just brilliant!

6. Richard Cullen cooks up a storm!

There were so many fantastic chefs in the demonstration kitchen across the three days. It really was a major highlight of the Stone Food and Drink Festival, showcasing the amazing culinary talent in Staffordshire. Taste of Staffordshire Master Chef of 2013 Richard Cullen – who has left the Spot Gate to open his own restaurant in the town – has performed at every single food festival in Stone. And this was perhaps his most important as he cooked a dish that will be on the menu at his new restaurant. A packed marquee (it was standing room only) wasn’t disappointed.

7. How far did you travel?

We spoke to so many people who had travelled from all over the country to be at the Stone Food and Drink Festival – from Durham, Kent, Scotland, Wales – and Australia. David (originally from Stoke) and Laura (Sheffield) emigrated to Australia three years ago. And they made sure that their first visit back to the UK coincided with the food festival. And the best part of their weekend? A pint in a good old British boozer!

Here’s a quick interview with Laura and David…

8. The cutest visitor to the festival?

There was certainly lots to see at the farmers’ market in the High Street on Festival Saturday. But Caroline Jenna’s little puppy Harvey turned more heads than most. The cries of ‘aaaah’ could be heard wherever Caroline and her puppy went. I wasn’t the only one taking a photo!

9. Stone Cold Sober…ish in the Titanic tent

Stone band Stone Cold Sober..ish were great in the Titanic tent, keeping the crowds entertained in one of the most popular spots on Westbridge Park. And they’d obviously been to the same tailor as Antony Lucas! In a first for the festival, every drop of ale was drunk on the Saturday, leaving staff with a big job of repleneshing supplies ready for sunny Sunday

10. The Mill’s giant paella

There was so much food to try at the festival – Mexican, Caribbean, crepes, burgers of all varieties, the great Staffordshire oatcake, Jamaican – not to mention the delights that were available to sample. But it was The Mill’s giant paellas that did it for me – they’re a highlight of the festival and the aromas that greet you as you entered the Taste of Staffordshire tent were to die for.

11. Sit back and relax in the piano bar…

The Old School Wines piano bar (and neighbouring pop-up restaurant from the Lewis Partnership) was a great addition to this year’s festival. There was such a wonderful atmosphere in there, helped no end by the musicians who entertained visitors with some brilliantly relaxing tunes. Let’s hope the piano bar and pop-up restaurant are a regular addition to the festival

12. The Titanic dancing girls

Last, but by no means least, here are Louisa and Alicia from the Royal Exchange bopping away to the mighty Murphy’s Marbles outside the Titanic tent on Friday…

Thanks once again to the chairman, directors and all of the Food and Drink Festival volunteers for putting on another amazing show in the town. As someone said on Facebook, it was like a weekend-long party!

Click HERE to see lots of photos from this year’s festival.