FRIDAY 3rd OCTOBER 2008
TONIGHT IS THE BIG FESTIVAL QUIZ 8PM IN THE CROWN HOTEL GET THERE EARLY TO GUARANTEE A SEAT. DAVE SMITHWICK IS YOUR COMPERE £5 ON ADMISSION
WESTBRIDGE PARK EVENTS
(All events on Westbridge Park are wheelchair accessable)
The Food and Drink Festival Opening Ceremony - Westbridge Park - 10.00 a.m.
The Festival will be officially opened by the Mayor of Stone, Councillor Mark Green - after which the fun begins!
JIMMY'S FARM ARE IN THE GOURMET FOOD MARQUEE today have a chat with Chris all about the farm
The Gourmet Food Marquee - from 10.00 a.m.
Bigger and better than last year! More stalls, more to see, more to taste, more to do, cookery demonstrations, beer and wine tastings, kiddies activities and rides, live music - and much much more! Admission £3 per adult. Children free.
Cookery Demonstrations - The Trentham Demonstration Kitchen
Port Merion will provide all ceramics for the demonstrations today.
Demonstrations will take place throughout the day approximately every hour in the Trentham Demonstration Kitchen next to the Gourmet Food Marquee. For further details look at the Demonstrations page on this website and the Notice Board outside the Kitchen marquee.
All demonstrations are free of charge.
Roger Protz - Beer Tasting - Titanic Tasting Tent - 2.30 pm
Neil Fardon has put together a fantastic selection of locally brewed bottled ales for Roger Protz, Editor of The Good Beer Guide, to taste. We reproduce here Neil's notes to demonstrate the variety of his selections.
This year’s bottled beer tasting is a more local affair. I have sourced nine bottle-conditioned beers from Staffordshire and three from neighbouring counties. A range of styles to tempt you and our distinguished host Roger Protz, who I’m sure will further our education!
Blythe Brewery is in Hamstall Ridware and we are to sample the Staffordshire Light Ale and Ridware Pale Ale, both excellent ales. Rob Greenway and his wife Jennie are regulars at our Farmers Market on the first Saturday in each month, so don’t be shy, try!
Leek Brewery (Staffordshire Brewing Company) run by Adrian Corke also never misses the Farmers Market, we are sampling his Staffordshire Gold. He majors on bottle rather than cask and with their excellent cheese business, a trip to his new shop at his brewery premises in Cheddleton is certainly worth a visit, 10-3 Mon-Fri, or phone 01538 361919. Adrian also bottles for Peakstones Rock and Dave Edwards wishes us to sample his Black Hole Stout from his portfolio. He has a shop on Cheadle market and his cask ales have frequented Langtry’s, The Vine, The Swan and The Brushmakers in the past year.
Titanic have recently purchased "The Royal Exchange" here in Stone where their portfolio and guest ales will be showcased. We are to sample their award winning stout, our thanks to Keith Bott and team we wish them well and I’m sure Titanic will further enhance the town’s reputation for ale.
Beowulf, formed in Birmingham in 1997, moved to Chasewater in 2003. Phil Bennett, the owner, head brewer, has availed us with not only his award winning Dragon Smoke Stout, but also his Mercian Shine. His ales have won many awards and are very popular in our country and beyond.
Burton Bridge celebrated 25 years of brewing last year. Bruce Wilkinson has kindly supplied his award winning Empire Ale. It is classic ale of its style, we look forward to Rogers eloquent description. They have a portfolio of pubs in Burton, The Burton bridge Inn, a must to visit when in East Staffs. Their beers are popular all over, and encompass all styles.
Mention a Multi-National and you think Lager, not so! Steve Wellington head brewer at the Museum Brewery Burton has kindly sent his Worthington White Shield, a unique product from under the Coors umbrella, available in Waitrose
Outside our county, Storm Brewing of Macclesfield have supplied us with a crisp , lager style beer (PGA), their ales are widely available in the Free Trade.
Just in Shropshire the red Lion at Cheswardine also brew s ale. We are sampling the Lions Tail Blonde. Jon Morris and his wife Sheila run lions Tale Brewery. Sunday lunchtime 12-3, evenings after 7 pm, a visit is strongly recommended when in the west of our county. We have some casks of his ale also on at The Swan during the Festival, rare, as Jon supplies no other outlets
Finally Organic Oatmeal Stout, from Spinning Dog BreweryHereford. The Victory Pub in Owen Street is a must, brewing since 2000, they have an impressive portfolio of organic ales, many styles, look out for their beer in the Free Trade.
A big 'thank you' to the ten breweries that sponsored their Ales in this flagship event. I hope you the public enjoy them and Roger appreciates the great strides our local breweries are making in this difficult trading environment.
The Stone Food and Drink Festival working group would like to give a very special thankyou to NIEL FARDEN who without all his hard work and endeavour this event would not have taken place.
Tickets for this event are available from the Food and Drink Festival office at £10 each.
Beer and Wine Tastings - The Titanic Tasting Marquee - Westbridge Park
Wine and Beer tastings will take place throughout the day in the Titanic marquee next to the Gourmet Food Marquee. Full details will be found on this website and on the Notice Board outside the marquee.
Andrew Wilson Old School Wines 4.30pm Titanic Marquee will be hosting a "blind" tasting of "Champagne and Sparkling wines" with tutored instruction. There will be at least 8 wines to be sampled and, judging from previous similar tastings, this one is bound to be popular.Tickets £7.50 on the day.
AROUND THE TOWN EVENTS
Festival Farmers' Market - High Street - from 9.00 a..m.
Throughout the day over forty stalls will be filling the entire length of the High Street. Get down early to get the best bargains and to avoid disappointment.
Pumpkin Special offer - Chatwyns - High Street
You are all familiar with our pumpkin logo and now you have the chance to taste this popular vegetable. Pumpkin soup and pumpkin bread will be available throught the week at Chatwyn's
Have a beer on us! - Crazy Daisies Florists - High Street
Every customer spending £10 or more during Festival week will receive a free bottle of Titanic Ale to enjoy in their own home. (over 18's only)
Tapas Specials - The Lounge - All day till 9 p.m.
Custodio Pinto will be serving up his own very special tapas dishes throughout the week in addition to his usual menu.
Staffordshire Real Ale bonanza in The Swan!
Geof Blundell has done it again. Throughout Festival week, The Swan will have real ales from sixteen, yes sixteen, Staffordshire breweries on tap! No wonder the Swan is the acknowleged real ale pub in Stone.
Black Rock Grill at the Crown & Anchor
Have you experienced The Black Rock Grill yet? Try one this week for just £10.95. Any time - Any Steak including fillet, camel, buffalo.....?! (Well that's what Will told us!) Booking recommended on 01785 813720
Portuguese Buffet - The Mill - from 6.00 p.m.
We've had the pleasure of sampling The Mill's Portuguese Buffet and have never stopped talking about it since! It's superb! Jose and his family have really put The Mill back on the map with their Portuguese cuisine. £12.95 per person and you can have as much as you like from the buffet all night long!
Hog Roast and live music - The Wayfarer on the A34 - Hog Roast from 6.00 pm/ Blueshounds from 9.30pm - Free Admission
Were you in the Wayfarer over the Music Festival last month? If so, you'll be first in the queue too for this special Festival Hog Roast and live music. Joseph has managed to persuade The Blueshounds to play at The Wayfarer, a fantastic Stone based band who played during the recent music festival. Crunch your crackling from the hog roast and listen to them playing rhythm & blues classics.
Steak Night - The Blue Rooms - from 6.00 p.m.
Succulent steaks cooked to your liking by George. and, new to Stone, Eve will sing the hits of the 60's to modern - something for everyone!
Free Wine at The Wheatsheaf - Oulton
Kate and Chris are offering a free bottle of wine for every four diners throughout Festival week. Phone 01785 812767 to reserve a table.Closed Mondays
Old World versus New World - Stone Station Community Centre - 7.00 p.m.
James Gillespie of Touchstone Wines in Lichfield Street introduces leading London wine expert Richard Boote from New Horizon Wines who will be contrasting wines from around the world. Tickets from Touchstone Wines.
The BIG Festival Quiz - The Crown Hotel Ballroom - 7.30 p.m.
Every year Dave Smithwick hosts the Festival Quiz and we've enticed him back again! We hope he's remembered the prizes this year! Get there early - this is a very popular event. Entry £5 per person. Cash Prize of £100 to the winners!
Steak Night - The Talbot - all evening.
The Talbot has quickly acquired a reputation for superb home cooked food. Friday night is Steak Night and there's a good choice of real ale and wine to accompany the meal.
Wii Fun and Laughter - The Vine - 8.00 pm
Enjoy the real ales on offer with a chip butty and then join in the fun of the Vine's Nintendo Wii played on their 50 inch plasme screen! You don't have to play - watching is probabaly more fun!
Champagne and Canapes - from 8 p.m. - The Swan
Steve and Mel from CP Wines will hold a Champagne Festival for the Swan with a selection of 12 different Champagnes to buy plus free canapes!
Live Music at Langtry's - Langtry's from 8.30 pm
Live music, Staffordshire real ales and Staffordshire cheese nibbles - sounds like a good night at Langtry's!
Soul Music and Real Ale - The Talbot - 9.00 p.m.
Listen to Mark Yates singing soul classics whilst enjoying a choice of superbly kept real ales. If you've not visited the recently refurbished Talbot yet, you're in for a very pleasant surprise!
Live Music at Granvilles - Granvilles - 9.00 p.m.
Matrix, a firm favourite classic dance and funk group, return to Granvilles.
Italian Taster Feast - La Dolce Vita - from 6.00 pm
Peter and his team will be serving an "Italian Taster Feast" giving you the chance to try the whole range of their dishes. This is a meal for two costing £36.95. Each dish from the menu will be brought to your table to share. A taste of six starters, three mains and three sweets sounds good to us!
Head Teachers Cook Off - Trentham Demonstration Kitchen - 5.00 pm
Pirehill First School Challenge the Champions Walton Priory Middle School in The Trentham Estate Marquee. This will be bags of fun and the two teachers will be guided by Carlos Crimolli and his chef. The ingredients will be given to them on stage and they will have to cook whatever they're told by Carlos. Pirehill will be the Green team, Walton Priory the red team
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