A Taste of London

It's funny, until this term I'd never really have called or described myself as a 'foodie'. I enjoyed cooking and eating, but not seriously. Then of course came Midsummer House and the £100+ meal. Now, with this as well, I'm having to reassess.

After the meal at Midsummer House, I didn't think much could top it, but I have to confess that the Taste of London festival in Regent's Park in London did just that.

After spending the night with Stuart and Stef in London and catching up with them over a Chinese take-away and a film, the next day I made my way to Regent's Park to meet up with Kostia and sample some of the supposedly finest food on offer in the Capital. And it didn't disappoint. Despite threatening to rain the whole afternoon, it held off and we spent the afternoon wandering around the Park and taking in the things on offer. I don't really feel qualified to pass judgment on the various qualities of meals costing in excess of £100, but I have to say that I think I preferred much of the food on offer at the Taste of London.

The set-up was such that you brought vouchers to be spent at the Festival, and there were about thirty restaurants there all cooking three of their dishes in small portions – although, truth be told, I thought the helpings were pretty generous and certainly didn't go away feeling short changed. There were plenty of other stalls offering free samples or smaller places offering refreshments or the brands you can sometimes find in the supermarkets.

Unfortunately I'm now bereft of my menu card and can't quite remember what I decide upon, but I did get about nine courses for £30, which doesn't strike me as bad value at all ranging from pig's trotters and pig's head to chocolate fondues via numerous free samples of yoghurts, mueslis, soups, fruits, smoothies, cold meats and fruit juices. I even got to stand about a metre away from Gary Rhodes, to see a presentation by Hugh Fernley Wittingstall, and to attend a cookery demonstration by a completely sozzled Anthony Wirral Thompson, which was something to behold. I also bumped into Richard Bertinet whose bread course I went on in June last year in Bath, and who, to my amazement, recognised me across his bread demonstration tables. But alas, make bread I did not.

Of course, the whole thing was much more relaxed that Midsummer House, and perhaps that's what appealed all the more – while Midsummer House was a great evening out, this was more of a sedate day event. They apparently hold them all around the world, so who knows where I might come across them again?