Buying local gives food for thought

Sep 20 2007 by Paul Corcoran, Liverpool Daily Post

HAVING dug out the old bag for life, there I was searching for the shopping trolley pound coin and all set for the long walk home through town laden with grocery shopping when, the phone rings. Bon Appetit.

On the other end was Adam Bell, the business development manager over at the Malmaison with a dinner invitation, and never one to miss a great event along with my friends Michele and Serena, I made my way to the uber-cool dockland hotel to dine at the final of Merseyside Top Young Chef of the Year awards. And a good move it was, considering that when it came to barren cupboards Mother Hubbard had nothing on me.

Taking place in the hotel’s opulent fine dining area, the event was part of the annual Liverpool Food Lovers Festival, and was hosted by Malmaison’s executive head chef and lover of all things locally produced, Mark Bennett. Mark was supported by his team of delightful waiting-on staff, all of whom made a special effort to celebrate the achievements of the talented young chefs who had battled it out a week earlier at Liverpool Community College.

And the winner of this mouth-watering competition? Emma Wombwell, sous chef at the Wheatsheaf, and whose mother nearly vaulted out of her chair with sheer excitement when her daughter was named triumphant. A superb way to start my weekend and in my opinion a perfect closing event for what many are heralding as Liverpool’s most successful Food Lovers Festival to date.

Continuing the food theme and my efforts to put off the mammoth trip to the city centre Tesco for the weekly shop, I spent last Sunday sampling locally-sourced delicacies as part of the annual Hope Street Festival – after all, every little helps, so they say.

The Hope Street Festival is a free event of music, food, film, dance, theatre and exhibitions with many local businesses pulling out the stops and making the day one to remember for all those attending.

All in all, I must have bumped into about 30 people I knew from in and around the city, all of whom were walking quite happily along the cordoned-off Hope Street with massive smiles across their faces and freshly- cooked food in their mouths.

Allowing myself my overly full stomach on the grounds that I was trying new foods and supporting local suppliers (the excuses I use!), in an attempt to gain some much-needed composure I practically rolled myself into the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall to take a breather and enjoy some live music.

There, the talented Liverpool Philharmonic Community Choir took to the stage to belt out some songs. In my opinion, their unique performance of Coldplay’s Friction gave Chris Martin’s version a serious run for its money, and I confess I did find the song’s title quietly funny, considering my expanding waistline and skinny jeans combination.

After a weekend of culinary delights, unfortunately this week it’s back to normal on the food front for me. Although I am pleased to say that, rather than the usual trip to the supermarket, the fridge has now been restocked with some locally produced groceries following a rather more enjoyable trip to Liverpool’s very own goodfoodstore.co.uk

Joking apart, though, there is nothing better than buying fresh food that is produced and then cooked right here in Merseyside. Food for thought, whatever happens to be on your menu.