BBC Good Food Show: Winter LIVE!

 

Background:

I went to the Summer good food show in 2008/09 with my Grandparents. So now I am an official money earner as opposed to a stinking student lame-o I jumped on the opportunity to go again! So with my first pay-check I bough myself a ticket to go, and with me came my Grandparents again, as well as my Auntie, Uncle and cousins, Abbie, Tom and Jordan.

What did we do?

We arrived dead on 09:00 for doors opening, and we instantly hit the stalls! Free samples of breads, crackers, cheeses, meat, sausage, wine, spirits and confectionary to name a few! How many miniscule cubes of cheese I ate today is completely unknown… But it was so so nice to be in one place with so many unique, niche and newcomer shops and businesses was really exciting! We got to sample new brands of product, new varieties and often new products entirely! Chocolate wine?! White chocolate whiskey?! Haggis, sea salt and cracked black pepper crisps?! Ever stall posed a new opportunity to taste something very exciting!

Not only were there stalls posing free samples of food and drink, but there were many demonstration stalls, advertising their kitchen utensils, gadgets, ovens, and experiences as well.

The HIGHLIGHT of the day was getting to meet Paul Hollywood! YES! PAUL HOLLYWOOD! He was kind enough to sign my programme, and have his photo taken with me next to the Great British Bake Off theatre. If I had been there when Mary Berry was later that day I may have just passed out.

What did I buy?:

I spend my money on some exciting things. I bought some AMAZING looking brownies from a stall called “The Brownie Bar”, 4 for £6.50 which is probably very expensive, but I will let you know my verdict with a blog post later! I also bought a chocolate panetone (watch this space), a vintage butter knife for my mum, an exciting Seychelles Yellow Curry and some toast-a-bags- cheese sandwiches will forever be easy from now on!

Would I go again?:

I have every intention of going to the Summer AND Winter Good Food Show Live’s in 2013!!

Advice:

• Book early!
• Make sure you get there early because around 12:00-13:00 it got MANICALLY busy and it was actually really quite difficult to move around and go to the different stalls without losing a limb or being nearly trampled.
• Take your own shopping trolley! I do not care how “uncool” they can be, they save your arms when you buy allsorts of goodies and have to carry them round for 5 hours!
• Shop around for the best product at the best price!

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All images on this page are Copyright© of Amy Fellowes 01/12/12

BBC Good Food Show Live 2012

 

AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH! I am so excited!!! .

I have just booked tickets for me, my grandparents and my auntie, uncle and cousins to go to the BBC Good Food Show Live- Winter 2012 at the NEC in Birmingham!  

I went about 4 years ago with my Grandma and Grandad and had an amazing time! Lots of freebies, taste tests, interesting stalls and exhibits, and to know you are in the same building as some of TV’s great chefs, cooks and foodies!

Hopefully this year will be no exception!!!

I am going on Saturday 1st December, and it runs from 0900-1800. So I will be preparing for lots and lots of crowds of people, lots of walking, but lots of lovely foody memories also! As well as entrance into the show, I will get to see the Italian Stallion (awful awful awful play on words) that is Gino D’Campo in the Super-theatre at 1730!!! <3. ANNNND to top it all off.. We are going to be in the same building as MARY BERRY & PAUL HOLLYWOOD! THIS IS GOING TO BE AMAZING!!

 

For those who are interested, for standard admission+entry into Super-theatre, tickets cost:

CHILD (6-17)- £11

ADULT- £22.50

Over 65s- £17

If you are interested I definitely suggest booking now before the tickets sell out!! Click HERE for the link to buy tickets!

Where has the Great British Bake Off been hiding?!

 

Another non eating blog! I think my waistline is probably thanking me after the week so far! What with me working the past 4 nights as a babysitter, a very sedentary job when looking after a young baby at night, I have needed a distraction to stop me from sleeping or going insane, and if it involved eating I think would have gained about a stone by now!

I caught part of the last episode of The Great British Bake Off on Tuesday (8pm BBC2) and so I decided to catch up on the rest of the series, as it really intrigued me! I have never been a trendsetter, in fact I ALWAYS seem to trail behind in trends/obsessions. I bought 50 shades about 2 months after everybody else, I obsessed over F.R.I.E.N.D.S 4 years after is ended, and as ever I chose yet another programme to become excited over- this time a good 3 series in!

For those who do not know, The Great British Bake Off is a contest on its third television series with Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood as judges and who choose what the contestants make, and hosted by Mel and Sue. The series starts with 12 contestants, who have to make/bake/cook 3 different pudding/bakes per episode. The three categories are: Signature Dish-a set theme but with the contestant giving it their own twist, a Technical Challenge- a set recipe to see how technically correct they can be, and a Showstopper- as long as it follows a certain theme they make it as dramatic and amazing as they can to impress the judges. Each episode has somebody crowned Star Baker, and on the other hand somebody gets thrown out of the competition.

My Favourite Things about it:

• It is not over dramatic! A lot of TV contests are completely over dramatized, with the theme to Jaws playing in the background as contestants scream, shout and throw things, all in the name of attention to boost the ratings. Of course there is drama- if there wasn't then it would be a bit boring- but it is very British and not over done.
• It has Mary Berry! She is an absolute ledge! She is prim and proper, and is like an oracle of the pudding and baking world! I honestly think that if she doesn’t know a technique to make good pastry or sponge cake that it is worth knowing! The woman has written over 70 cookery books for crying out loud!
• The contestants are courteous! They are pleasant and friendly to their fellow contestants, but without fake sobbing and rounds of “She/He is such a hero” when they make a pudding better than them, or get voted off per week by Mary and Paul.
• IT IS AN ENTIRE SERIES PRACTICALLY JUST DEVOTED TO PUDDING!! I am shocked and appalled at myself for not noticing this series earlier if I am quite honest.
• Every contestant has the privilege of doing what I would love to do if my budget stretched to it- and that is bake pretty much constantly. And they do not just get to bake a Victoria sponge, or apple crumble with the scraps and leftovers they find in their store cupboard like I do. They get to experiment! I there is an aspect of envy here, but with this entire blog being dedicated to gluttony effectively, what is one extra sin among friends?!
• It is wholesome, aimed at everyone, and perfect for anyone with a passion for pudding and other baked goods!

Image Copyright of the BBC