Out last night at the launch of the Southport Food and Drink Festival. Colin Bordley, one of our tourism champions, was kind enough to drive us there.
The event took place in the Wayfarer's Arcade, we weren't sure whether it is Victorian or Edwardian, but it was a really nice event. Restaurants and producers were on hand to provide delicious goodies, the chilli from the Latin Lounge was scrummy and I had to go back for seconds. The Bloody Mary I had was lethal, I never thought a drink could defeat me but that one did.
There were traditional sweets from Sweet Memories. Sadly I was too late for the Pimms and the cupcakes, but scooped up some fantastic and unusual tomatoes from Flavour Fresh.
The Festival goes on all weekend so check out http://www.visitsouthport.com/site/whats-on/food-and-drink-festival for what is happening in the town.
I can tell that the Latin Lounge is offering a glass of wine and free massage courtesy of Portland Hall Spa on Friday from 5.30pm.
Then today it was off to Preston to a meeting about food tourism and tonight treating myself to a very colourful tomato salad and Claremont Farm asparagus wrapped in Parma ham and roasted,

Tonight was also the launch of the Cheshire Food Trail check it out at http://www.tastecheshire.com/. It highlights the tastiest places to eat, shop and drink in the county.

We are really coming into the time when North West food is shown at its best.

And don't forget the North West heats of the Great British Menu which culminates tomorrow on BBC2 or visit the week's episodes on iplayer.

Will Nigel or Aiden win? I know but I'm not telling.

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/food/chef/2009/04/07/marcus-wareing-reaping-the-rewards-of-hard-work-92534-23327406/

A St Helens home chef won the One Pot Cook Off championship as part of the Chester Food and Drink Festival.

Dave Purcell, won the cook off held at the Macdonald Hill Valley Hotel Golf & Spa.

More than 50 entrants were short-listed to three Finalists who were judged by last year's winner, Bhupinder Virdee-Lace, Jane Casson of Made in Cheshire and Reaseheath College and Mark Astbury, Head-Chef at the Whitchurch based hotel.

Dave, an educational welfare officer for Halton Borough Council, cooked his lamb casserole, winning a professional cookery pot and a complimentary weekend for two at the Hill Valley Hotel. Dave, 52, will also have his dish showcased at the Chester Food and Drink Festival at Chester Racecourse on Monday April 13, from 11am to noon.

Runners-up were gardener Steve Beech, 48, of No Man's Heath, Malpas, with his hash lemon gherkin dish, which included local lamb, vegetables and red wine and Darren Chard, 29, a soldier at Chester's Dale Barracks, who cooked chicken supreme.

The dishes could not take any longer than 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook, using just one pot and competitors could not work as a chef in a professional capacity.

The Chester Food and Drink Festival 2009 runs from April 4 to 18, with the Taste Festival at Chester Racecourse from April 11 to April 13 and fringe events happening around the city.

We were at The Yellow Room at Hillbark to experience their new Spring tasting menu and it was a great evening.

The first dish was tuna, delicately done and a pleasure to eat. But the chicken soup was exciting with a jelly and touches of tarragon. It was nothing like a soup you would expect, its flavours really burst in your mouth.

I followed with the scallops, haggis, neeps and tatties. The scallop was beautifully cooked but I could almost have been happy with just the haggis, neeps and tatties as again, they were delicately done and with a good haggis.
The seabass with lemon was exquisite. The lamb cooked really well, but the only thing which didn't work for everyone I spoke to was the stilton beignet somehow that just missed the mark.

The mango and passion fruit rocked it and then we were on to a pannacotta which was creamy and delicious.

Coffee and petit fours again made on the premises.

Hillbark is known for its venue for weddings but it is also a great place for a special evening out, set in stunning surroundings.

Outside stalls return to Wirral Farmers' Market this month and with them comes two new producers.

Katie's Proper Pate and Patchwork Pate will both be joining the team while the market has outside stalls from March to October.

Also attending for the first time will be Natty's spreadable Welsh rarebit and soups.

Katie produces a handmade free range chicken liver pate, made by herself and her mother. It is gluten free with no added fats or preservatives.

Patchwork Pate was set up by Margaret Carter in the kitchen of her house in Ruthin and has continued to make innovative pates, such as Stilton and Guinness, in the area ever since.

Also returning outside will be the Pudding Compartment. Manna Hog Roast will also be offering their Gloucester Old Spot pork baps and crackling.

The next market is at the Village Hall in New Ferry on Saturday, March 14, from 9am to 1pm.

There is a large variety of food on offer at the market including award-winning cheeses, sausages, Welsh Black Beef, lamb, free range chickens, smoked food, fresh fish, free range eggs, local honey, pies, plants, cakes and soups along with plenty of seasonal vegetables.

The national award-winning Wirral Farmers' Market is run by a group of volunteers, who live and work in the area and organise the market in their spare time.

Visit www.wirralfarmersmarket.co.uk

A One Pot Cook is being held on Saturday, March 14, as part of the Chester Food and Drink Festival, at The Hill Valley Hotel, sponsored by Macdonald Hotels.

This is your chance to showcase your cooking skills and win a complimentary weekend for two at The Hill Valley Hotel, near Chester

All ingredients will be supplied complimentary on request by the Hotel. The meal should not take any longer than 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. Competitors must not work as a chef in a professional capacity and be aged over 18.

If you are a domestic Cheshire resident cook, who wants to compete against local residents for their dish to appear at Chester Food and Drink Festival then contact Kate Halewood on 01948 660700, or email paula.bullock@macdonald-hotels.co.uk for terms and conditions of entry.

The Chester Food and Drink Festival 2009 runs from April 4 to 18, with the Taste Festival at Chester Racecourse from April 11 to April 13 and fringe events happening around the city.

It is not often you find yourself walking the walls of Chester accompanied by a crowd of people and some cheese, but that is where I was this morning.

Late as usual, but somebody kindly met me at Groves Bistro and Bar to lead me to where the crowds were celebrating the launch of the Chester Food and Drink Festival.

Athletes had actually run the entire length of the walls carrying cheese, which we luckily didn't have to do. They presented it to the Mayor and Lady Mayoress as we arrived at the Cross.

Then it was time for the annual cheese rolling competition where the winners were the Hill Valley High Rollers. The crowds loved it and Bridge Street was at a standstill as they cheered the competitors on. It may sound easy but it was much harder than it looked as they ran the gauntlet of the course.

Liam Murphy was covering it for the Daily Post and Echo, so check out his video footage on www.icliverpool.co.uk.

Check out the press release here. http://www.marketingprojects.co.uk/clientpo/chester-food-drink-festival-2009

Then we headed back to the Groves Bistro and Bar to enjoy drinks and cheese and discuss the world of North West food. We have the best produce in the UK in this region and it was great to catch up with others who feel the same.

Stephen Wundke, Chairman of the Chester Food & Drink Festival, stopped for a brief chat before suddenly realising the pancake tossing competition was about to start and he hadn't given them the frying pans and rushed off. You can't toss a pancake without a frying pan or can you?

Liverpool's Paul Askew scooped the top prize at the recent Hi-Life Dining Awards held in Manchester recently.
The chef patron of The London Carriage Works was voted Best Chef by the dining public, who are members of the Hi-Life dining club, which has 130,000 members.

If you are still looking for something to do on Valentine's Day, then check out www.visitliverpool.com/eatingout. There are a variety of offers for all types of restaurants.

Or if you want to cook at home, don't forget Wirral Farmers' Market on Saturday, February 14, at New Ferry Village Hall, from 9am to 1pm. This month there is a special chocolate lamb curry on offer, which has been going down a storm. www.wirralfarmersmarket.co.uk

So the news is in - thanks apparently to a leaked email - we have a Michelin - starred restaurant on Merseyside!

After it is, acorrding to some long overdue including myself, Restaurant Fraiche is celebrating getting the much coveted accolade.

The results were due out on Wednesday, but I am told a leak meant they had to be released early.

Even though they manage to call the county Mersey and Oxton Village - Birkenhead. Our Fraiche is definitely in there and congratulations to Marc Wilkinson and his team, including the wonderful Gemma.

Marc works 24/7 creating fantastic food and foodies from across the UK flock their to taste his wares.

What a great start to 2009 for Merseyside as well. I am off to open a bottle to celebrate and hope you will too!

Check out The Chocolate Cellar, the new shop in Hanover Galleries, Hanover STreet, just behind liverpool one.

It is a great concept enjoy hot steamy mugs of chocolate in different flavours and explore a world of quality chocolate or match your tea of coffee with a delicate truffle.
Opening Hours: 11am to 6pm Sun to Weds and 11am to 8pm Thurs to Sat

I got a really exciting early Christmas present this year. After years of trying and no belief it would ever actually happen I have got a table at the 'best restaurant in the world' - El Bulli and it is so exciting. 2,000,000 million requests for 8,000 places and I am jetting off to Spain in August to see what all the fuss is about for myself!

But in the meantime, there are so many new places I want to try in Merseyside. Any recommendations?