The show was on from the 28th November - 2nd December 2012 and I was lucky enough to receive a press pass to the show plus two, so Si and my mum came along with me. We have been to the show in previous years, before I became a blogger, so we knew what to expect, but every year they have new stalls and new things to sample and buy. For those that have been before, I won't need to explain what the show is all about but for those who haven't, the best way I can describe it is that it is a large hall filled with lots of stalls and stands advertising their food and/or drink products, giving out samples to try and putting on special show offers so you can buy such items to take home with you. There is also a Super Theatre where celebrity chefs put on an approx 30 minute show, get the audience involved and show you how to cook certain dishes. Other shows are also on offer to see for free whilst you are there, for example: Saturday Kitchen Live, The Great British Bake Off Stage and the MasterChef Experience, which are on at different times throughout each day and you can just go and see these as you wish. There are also stalls where you can get involved with taste testing, wine tasting, beer tasting (some of these you have to pay for) etc. So there's a lot going on and it really is a lovely day out! The exhibitor list can change every year, but here is the one for 2012, so you can get a feel for the kind of companies and products that attend the show.
We had Super Theatre tickets to see Gino D'Acampo around midday, which was not long after we got there, so we headed straight there first after registering at the press office and having a little drink and tub of ice cream before we went into the show he, he. We were on row C in the theatre, so we had an excellent view. The introducer guy gave out some free gifts to some lucky people (not me) before Gino came out and then when he did, he had a bit of banter with the audience, he was actually really funny! I shouldn't act too surprised there should I lol. He picked a couple of people from the audience to help him cook, as you can imagine loads of people wanted to go up, people were going crazy! It's just made me lol thinking about that actually. One lady got called up and someone else thought he had pointed at her, so they both went up and Gino was like (to the lady he didn't point at) 'No, not you. I meant this lady, but you can sit here on the stage and watch'. Bless, was like 'shame', but felt sorry for her at the same time. Anyhooo, going off track here...he cooked an upside down orange and caramel sponge cake and a pasta dish with tomatoes, pancetta and onions. They both looked gorge. The recipes for these are actually in the show guide/recipe collection from the show, which you can see here (page 82-83). You can also see other recipes from other chefs who were at the show here. I'm gathering they will be on the website until they are updated with new recipes and a new show guide/recipe collection later in the year when the show returns. When purchasing your tickets, you can choose who you would like to see from the celeb chefs that are going to be there on the day you are going to the show. You can also choose a show time to suit you :).
Here are some photographs from when we attended, taken by my fabulous photographer...Simon :) (my fiancé).
Celebrity chef Brian Turner. Fox's Spices Ltd.
100 years of Belling. Rubis Chocolate Wine.
The Continental Bakery. Supreme Sausages Limited.
Original Garlic and Ginger Grater. Simply Ice Cream.
Gino D'Acampo doing his thang!
Outback Burger. Mrs Crimble's. Love the car!
The English Provender Company. Straight Up Drinks Ltd.
We took quite a few pictures, so these are just a few to give you an idea of the show. We bought some garlic from Fox's Spices Ltd, which was just £2 for a large jar (the size in the picture at the top). We use it a lot when we cook from fresh, so thought it would be good to get. It's lasted us well so far, since the beginning of December, I'd say we have about half a jar left. The Rubis Chocolate Wine was also lovely, tasted exactly like chocolate, it was lovely to sample, but couldn't really imagine sitting there drinking glasses of the stuff. I like my rose wine, so could imagine the chocolate getting a bit too sweet after a while. We thought the Original Garlic and Ginger Grater was a fab idea and it was demonstrated to us really well. I think if you tend to buy fresh garlic and ginger and just put up with the smell on your hands and chopping it up then this would be fab, but to be honest we tend to buy it already grated/puréed and I think this was about £15, so we chose not to spend our money on this. The Simply Ice Cream pot I have above, was the one we sampled from the press office before we went into the show, I am waiting outside the Super Theatre in this picture finishing it off, but it was lovely! It was cherry and fudge flavour, there were big pieces of fudge in there, so it was a little different, but very nice and I didn't feel sick after it. I've been on their website since to check out what other flavours they have and where they are sold so I can keep an out out. The English Provender Company makes some of the best condiments! My fave is their English Mint Sauce with Balsamic Vinegar. It's so tasty and has a lovely tang to it. We didn't buy anything from the Straight Up Drinks Ltd range, but we did sample a few flavours at the show. I tried the violet sambuca, which tasted just like Palma Violets, you know those circle purple sweets? Sooo nice!
So, if you like the sound of what I've mentioned above, register your interest here to be notified as soon as the tickets for this years show go on sale. This years Good Food Show Winter in Birmingham will be on from the 27th November to the 1st December 2013 and the show normally runs from 9am to 6pm daily.
The tickets for the Good Food Show Summer in Birmingham are on sale now! I have never been to a summer show, but I can assume it will be the same kind of thing, but more summery, rather than wintery! :).
Have any of you ever been to the Good Food Show in Birmingham? It would be great to hear your thoughts :).
Thanks so much for reading!
Gem XxOo
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This looks really good! Something that my boyfriend would love! xx
ReplyDeleteHayley
www.beautyrambles.com
It's a great day out! Me and my mum have been several years, with some gaps in between and then since I've been with Si, when we've gone, he's come with us :). It's great fun! Xx
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