Two of our Christmas Food & Drink Fair exhibitors have been in touch to give us their latest news and plans for Sunday.
Ann and James North from Flavours of Monmouth
“Just wanted to drop you a line to tell you of our plans for the Christmas Fair next weekend. Historically, us Welsh love turning the simplest of things into a competition (just look at our Eisteddfodd), so with this in mind we’re planning a ‘Blue Cheese Battle’ on our stall between our two favourite cheeses.
As normal, we will be freely offering tasters from the knife, but this time asking the public to vote (via pressing a button on a screen) for which cheese they prefer. Both cheeses will be available to buy by weight.” (pic of staff at the deli with selection of cheeses on offer in the shop). See them at stall 83 in the Priory Centre.
Melanie Constantinou of Baked by Mel
“My first Abergavenny appearance was this September with my Bara Brith. I had applied for a grant from Creative Rural Communities for branding/packaging, so I felt I had something that looked professional and high-end. I had this lovely traditional product to show off … and to add to it I won 2 gold stars at this year’s Great Taste Awards! After the September event I was contacted by a Fortnum & Mason buyer and it looks as though our lovely Welsh bara brith will be on the Londons store’s shelves after Christmas.
I also have the Bara Brith in the hamper from Toast – directly after being at the fab Abergavenny Food Festival. I am so so pleased and thrilled! If you want to have a little look you can see me at www.barabrith.co; and in the hampers at www.toa.st – it’s in the section called ‘Christmastide’ and the hamper has only Welsh items in it. All my baking started in 2011. As a single parent who didn’t want to go down the route of expensive childcare I thought – what can I do from home? Well, here we are ….” See her at stall 60 in the Priory Marquee.
