Celebrated food writer Karina Baldry will bring Russian culture and customs to life at SamarQand Restaurant, near Oxford Street, on Tuesday 21 February as she weaves the stories and legends surrounding the creation of traditional Russian dishes into a special evening exploring Russian cuisine. (7.30pm, tickets £45. To book call SamarQand Restaurant direct on 020 7935 9393)

Russia on a Plate forms part of the week-long programme of special events leading up to the London Maslenitsa Festival (26 February, Trafalgar Square, FREE entry) – the biggest celebration of Russian culture outside Russia itself. Supported by Major of London, Boris Johnson, the event sees the London landmark transformed into a bustling bazaar offering traditional Russian foods and handicrafts while performances from some of Russia’s most acclaimed dance, theatre, folk, pop and jazz artists entertain the audience from the Festival’s main stage.

Other events taking place alongside the culinary evening include a fashion show at the Victoria & Albert Museum, showcasing designs by up-and-coming as well as established Russian designers, a photography exhibition at the GLA of images of London through the eyes of the city’s many diverse Russian residents and a one-off performance of ‘Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka’ at Shaftesbury Theatre by the renowned Gogol Theatre.

An evening of Vodka, Blinis and Central Asian food with the performers, artists and organisers behind the London Maslenitsa Festival.

‘Russia on a Plate’ will take visitors on a remarkable journey through Russian culture and history – as well as cuisine – as guests are served the stories connected to traditional Russian dishes alongside a variety of courses; each introduced by Karina together with the methods used to make them. To mark the forthcoming Maslenitsa spectacular in Trafalgar Square there will be a special focus on delicacies of Maslenitsa week.

Russian-born Karina Baldry (www.russiaonaplate.com) is the author of “Russia on a Plate” and the co-founder of Russian Revels (www.russianrevels.co.uk), an exciting new project to revolutionise the image of Russian food in the UK. With her team she forages though pre-revolutionary cookbooks, re-invents communist classics and creates radical interpretations of recipes from across the ex-USSR with the ultimate aim of unearthing and promoting luscious and original Russian dishes to a new audience.

Karina Baldry, author of ‘Russia on a Plate’ says: “Russian delicacies extend far beyond the stereotypical pickle and starchy dough; caviar and vodka. The food we’ll be covering for Maslenitsa takes in flavours from all around the former Soviet Union, from hearty dishes from the west, to spicy dishes from the south. This event will be a fresh and exciting opportunity for adventurous foodies to explore the unknown territory of true Russian cuisine, and a chance to finally dispel the myth of Russian food of being boring, uninspiring and bland!”

Tickets now on sale for one-off event, 21 February, Central London (further info: www.maslenitsa.co.uk)
Part of the week-long festivities for the Russian Maslenitsa Festival, (19-26 February), the largest celebration of Russian culture outside Russia itself
Learn the secrets behind Russian specialities such as ‘Pelmeni’ and ‘Bublik’ with the author of ‘Russia on a Plate’ Karina Baldry

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This Stunningly Festive Bar & Restaurant Returns To The Heart of London’s Hyde Park A stunning winter retreat and a beautiful entertainment space, The Spiegel Saloon is part of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland.

Presenting hearty winter food, a fully stocked and inviting bar and an abundance of free, live entertainment, The Spiegel Saloon is open for 6 weeks only and offers a cosy escape from the seasonal weather and the hustle and bustle of London at this busy time of year, Harking back to the days of old – Spiegel Tents were traditionally travelling ballrooms and entertainment salons that originated in Belgium in the early 19th Century – Winter Wonderland’s Spiegel Saloon is a charming structure hosting live entertainment each evening that includes cabaret, live bands and DJs. Plus a special Piano Juke Box night each Tuesday, in aid of the Kenyan Orphan Project. Entertainment is free and open to both diners and those at the bar.

The perfect meeting place for the festive season and with a warm welcome ready for all-comers, the Spiegel Saloon‘s 200-seater restaurant offers a delicious fixed-price menu with a selection ranging from seasonal dishes, such as The Spiegel Christmas Plate to firm favourites such as Bangers & Mash, Roasted Ham Hock and Fish Pie. With 2 courses for £14.95 and three courses on offer for £19.45, the Spiegel Saloon is a fun-filled experience for all the family that wont break the bank.

A well thought out Children’s menu is available for only £9.95 for two courses and is hugely popular with little ones who need refuelling after a fun time on the Winter Wonderland rides. If you’re just visiting for a drink, wrap your hands around body warming tipples such as Spiced Hot Farmhouse Cider, Mulled Wine or a Hot Toddy and watch the passers by at the Spiegel Saloon’ outside bar, or defrost inside in the welcoming and spacious bar area, complete with comfy sofas, lounge seating & live entertainment.

The Spiegel Saloon is the only fully heated and enclosed bar and restaurant within Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. This beautiful structure offers families, groups, diners and drinkers a warm and cheerful space in which to celebrate the festive season together. Please see below for a brief summary of some of The Spiegel Saloon’s Prix-Fixe Menu’s highlights: Starters include a mouth-watering Game & Port Pate, consisting of pheasant, venison and duck served with plum & apple chutney and warm, rustic bread, Roast Parsnip Soup or an Old School Traditional Prawn Cocktail. The Spiegel Christmas Plate offers a modern twist on the classic Christmas Dinner with succulent turkey breast served on a bed of bubble and squeak with all the trimmings. Vegetarians can enjoy the Spiegel Nut Roast and there are many other much-loved dishes to choose from. At only £19.45 for three courses, the desserts are not to be missed! Choose from a divine selection of Lemon and Ginger Cheesecake, Traditional Christmas Pudding or for something truly special; The Chocolate Soup Platter, a warm, rich bowl of melted chocolate for 2, complete with waffles, strawberries, marshmallows and profiteroles to dip in at your leisure! To book a table or to find out more information about listings, please go to http://spiegelsaloon.co.uk/ www.hydeparkwinterwonderland.com T

The Spiegel Saloon at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland is open 10am -10pm all week Restaurant open from 12pm Mon- Fri and 11.30am Sat & Sun Booking through the Spiegel Saloon Website: http://spiegelsaloon.co.uk/ Group or party bookings 0203 137 5416

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Falmouth’s first Christmas Festival is a celebration of all things local. Set to run on the last weekend before Christmas, this event encourages visitors to stock up on beautiful, locally-produced gifts and food – everything you need for your Christmas festivities.

Overlooking the boats in the harbour beyond, the idyllic setting of Discovery Quay is perfectly suited for the quaint Christmas Festival. A brightly lit Christmas tree will stand above the Cornish Food & Drink Market where you can stock up on delicious Cornish treats. Expect tastings and tipples, traditional mulled wassail and seasonal food demonstrations by local chefs, including TV chef and restaurateur Rick Stein who has a fish & chip shop, seafood bar and delicatessen on the quay.

Market stalls will line the square, where you can pick up some hand-made stocking fillers including locally-made jewellery, art, candles and gifts. A central stage will also host daily carol singers and bands playing seasonal tunes.

There are several restaurants fringing the square, making good refuges if the cold gets too much. Santa’s grotto and an array of Christmas activities at the National Maritime Museum are also a big attraction for the kids.

FALMOUTH’S CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL 15TH – 18TH DECEMBER More details on Falmouth Christmas Festival

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Embrace the festive season with a trip to Padstow’s 4th annual Christmas Festival and see this Cornish fishing village come alive with celebrity chefs, culinary delights and festive fun.

Padstow has long been associated with fresh seafood and fine dining which makes it the ideal place to visit for a Christmas festival focused on food & drink. This year’s event boasts an amazing line-up of celebrity chefs including: Mark Hix, ITV’s Phil Vickery, Mitch Tonks, Saturday Morning Kitchen’s Tanner Brothers, Mark Sargeant, Michelin starred Nathan Outlaw, Rick Stein along with his son Jack and Great British Menu’s Paul Ainsworth.

As well as cookery demonstrations, a series of discussion panels will be exploring the top foodie issues in a lively discussion with expert panellists including The Guardian’s Matthew Fort and Rick Stein.

Centred on the quayside in a large marquee, a traditional Christmas market will be celebrating all things Cornish amidst a backdrop of carols, Christmas lights and live music. With delicious produce from across the county, food and drinks stalls will be selling everything from Christmas puds to local cheeses. Expect tastings and full tums as well as seasonal shopping, Santa’s grotto and some fabulous fireworks!

PADSTOW CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL 2ND – 4TH DECEMBER Full details on http://www.padstowchristmasfestival.co.uk/

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If you’re after a ghostly encounter with spirits guaranteed, head to leading attraction Vinopolis this spine-tingling Halloween weekend.

With a Halloween themed Bombay Sapphire cocktail with a twist, and two Absinthe tastings on the menu, the annual Grand Ball spook-fest will warm your insides before chilling you to the bone!

Come dressed to kill in your scariest attire and soak up the atmosphere in one of the capital’s most eerie yet stunning locations – deep beneath a Victorian viaduct at the illustrious London Bridge.

Included in the terrifying night is the opportunity to be photographed on the ‘black’ carpet, or dare to be snapped in the haunted black cab booth complete with ghostly chauffeur.

For an extra shot of Dutch courage, party-goers can enjoy four regular wine tastings and two beer tastings, along with a special serving of hearty Toad in the ‘Ole. Scary surprises, eerie acts and devilish DJing guaranteed to have you cutting some shadowy shapes on the dance floor help to round off the evening.

The Vinopolis Halloween Ball takes place on Friday October 28th 2011, from 5pm until midnight.

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This October sees the return of Chocolate Week, an indulgent seven-day celebration of fine chocolate which culminates in Chocolate Unwrapped, a fabulous chocolate show at Vinopolis London on 15th and 16th October.

As the highlight of the week, Chocolate Unwrapped is a show dedicated to chocolate, giving visitors the chance to immerse themselves in a decadent and indulgent chocolate feast. This year, the event will showcase the very best of British chocolatiers and will host stands for chocolate companies from around the world – with over 4000 visitors and 40 exhibitors, this is guaranteed to be the ultimate celebration of all things chocolate!

Come along to Vinopolis to enjoy a variety of chocolate-themed delights, including tastings and chocolate experiences, a stunning exhibition of chocolate art and sculptures, demonstrations from top chocolatiers and chefs and an amazing live cocoa tree! Relax at the Harvey Nichols chocolate café and indulge your sweet tooth, or watch chocolate being made in the smallest factory in the world!

Exhibitors include the incredible Valrhona, the French chocolate maker whose chocolate is used in 80% of Michelin starred restaurants, top British chocolatiers Sir Hans Sloane, William Curley, Paul A Young, Paul Wayne Gregory, British chocolate company Rococo and Italian chocolate maker Amedei, whose chocolate is consistently voted the best in the world! With chocolate companies from Switzerland, Italy, France, Belgium, Britain and more, this event is an absolute must for all chocolate-lovers. For more information on Chocolate Unwrapped at Vinopolis, visit www.chocolateunwrapped.co.uk.

The highlight of Chocolate Week, Chocolate Unwrapped is a show where visitors can immerse themselves in a decadent celebration of chocolate. It’s a day to marvel at chocolate sculptures, watch chocolate cooking demonstrations and taste a variety of exciting new flavours, new chocolate, unexpected pairings and classic favourites from the world’s top chocolatiers.
•Create your own chocolate art by painting with chocolate on our giant canvas
•See the stunning exhibition of chocolate sculptures including Paul Wayne Gregory’s three-feet high chocolate dolls house
•See chocolate being made from the bean in our miniature chocolate factory

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The Great British Bake Off, currently receiving 3.1 million viewers on BBC Two, will be coming live to the BBC Good Food Show Winter.

Visitors will be able to watch the winners cooking live on stage with the programmes judges Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood. The Great British Bake Off sessions will be held in the Supertheatre sponsored by Sainsbury’s on Saturday 26th November.

Rachel Poletti-Gadd, Divisional Director, BBC Haymarket says – “At the BBC Good Food Shows we pride ourselves on our ability to bring a TV programme to life. We are delighted to add The Great British Bake Off to our portfolio and after seeing such high viewing figures for the TV programme, we know that it will be extremely popular and make fantastic entertainment for our visitors”

To book please visit BBCGoodFoodShow.com or call 0844 581 1360

SHOW OPENING TIMES:
9am – 6pm (Wed to Sun)

Tickets for the Supertheatre are £3 for a Standard Seat and £5 for a Gold seat (front block seat) in addition to Show entry.

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The 14th annual Manchester Food and Drink Festival will take place from the 7-17th October 2011. Featuring headline chefs Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Fergus Henderson, alongside an exciting schedule of dining experiences in the city’s best restaurants and bars, and a plethora of sizzling food and drink adventures throughout Manchester’s streets and squares.
Highlights of the Festival will include:

Throughout the Festival – Manchester’s 1st Street Food Festival
7th Oct – Chilli Lover’s Fair and Chilli Eating Competition at the Festival Hub – FREE entry
7th October – An Evening with Fergus Henderson at the Mark Addy
7th & 8th Oct – Big Indie Wine Fest
8th Oct – Oktoberfest in Albert Square – FREE entry
8th Oct – The Chocolate Adventure in the Gastro Room – FREE entry
8th & 9th Oct – The King And Peacock – A 16th Century Feast Fit For The King Secret Location
8th & 9th Oct – Come Dine With Metrolink a culinary tour along the lines
9th Oct – The Kids Food Fest in the Gastro Room – FREE entry
11th Oct – Festaurant presents Tampopo with Jackie Kearney of MAsterchef
12th Oct – Michael Caines Cook off and Dinner
14th Oct – Elbow launch their new beer at the Robinson’s Pub on the Square – FREE entry
14th Oct -Live Demo from Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall
15th Oct – Manchester Whiskey Festival
15th Oct – Floating Feasts along the River Irwell

www.foodanddrinkfestival.com

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Organisers of this year’s Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms Venison Festival can’t be accused of getting stuck in a gastro rut as they have invented the world’s first venison ice cream. Determined to capitalise on the outstanding success of the inaugural festival last year, restaurants in the area were challenged to come up with a unique treat that would tick all the boxes with the festival’s growing number of foodie fans. And, after numerous taste and testing trials, the ‘buck’ finally stopped with Smoked Venison and Juniper Berry ice cream created by The Cow Shed Restaurant in Banchory, one of 20 hotels, restaurants, local food producers and country estates taking part in this year’s Royal Deeside Larder Venison Festival. The Festival runs from the 25th to 30th October – www.venisonfestival.com.

Claire Bruce of the Venison Festival says, “We wanted to create something that, like venison, was locally produced, healthy, affordable, versatile and just a bit different. It was ‘game on’ for a chef’s competition and The Cowshed Restaurant came up with the world’s first venison ice cream which is made by infusing the milk with venison before it is turned into ice cream and using their home made tuille biscuits for antlers. We can assure visitors that no animals were harmed in the making of the antlers!”

Julien Miran, The Cowshed’s French pastry chef and creator of the venison ice cream says, “When people ask me what it’s made of and is it expensive I tell them ‘its deer but not too deer’. We’re delighted to be participating in the Venison Festival and showcasing some of the best of produce from the Royal Deeside Larder. We’ll be featuring Game Pie on our menu and proving that this meat’s not just for the elite.”

Claire Bruce continues, “This unique event offers visitors and locals the chance to widen their food horizons and taste some of the finest Scottish venison on offer. The venison ice cream created by The Cowshed is a fantastic example of the talented and creative chefs the area has, making it the perfect destination for adventurous foodies. Many of the area’s top chefs will be creating unusual venison themed dishes and there will be a mix of traditional and modern venison dishes to suit every palate. Chef Darren Gimber of the Kildrummy Inn in Alford will be preparing his Nepalese Mountain Village Venison Curry which he learned to make first hand during a charity trip to Nepal in 2010.

A feast of venison inspired menus will be on offer at restaurants and eateries across Deeside. Amateur cooks can pick up some top tips on how to cook venison to perfection at one of a series of cookery demonstrations including award winning butchers, HM Sheridan, who will hold a demonstration at Ballater Golf Club.

For the more adventurous, local estates including Glen Tanar will be offering land rover tours where visitors can witness the wild game in their natural habitat before enjoying a delicious barbecue at Etnach. The Balmoral Estate will also be holding ranger led tours of the royal parklands and gardens, through the estate farm and into the old Caledonian pine forest home to red deer and capercaillie. Finzean Estate will also be holding a clay pigeon shoot with a venison themed breakfast and lunch.

To find out more about the Venison Festival and the current programme of events log onto www.venisonfestival.com.

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The organisers of the prestigious World Cheese Awards, once again being held at the BBC Good Food Show Winter, have announced today that they are offering 1 lucky member of the public the chance to be on the judging panel.

The awards are the largest and most diverse cheese competition in the world receiving more entries from more countries than any other awards totalling more than 40 tonnes of cheese. The competition winner will join an international panel of judges comprised of expert members of the cheese-makers and chefs community as well cheese-loving celebrities, which last year included pop star turned cheese maker Alex James and top chef Antony Worrall-Thompson.

John Farrand, Guild of Fine Food, organisers of the World Cheese Awards, says “We are delighted to be coming back to the BBC Good Food Show Winter for another year. The Show is visited by tens of thousands of food enthusiasts and this year we are so excited to be giving one of them the opportunity to get an inside view and join the judges panel for the day.”

To win a place on the judging panel of the World Cheese Awards simply tell us what you would have on your ideal Christmas cheeseboard? Are you a fan of a simple Brie or would you go more adventurous with a Tyrolean Grey Cheese? Whatever your favourite fromage your cheese board must have at least 5 cheeses on it to qualify. The judges will be looking for originality, diversity, knowledge and above all 5 cheeses that will work well together.

For more information and to apply please visit bbcgoodfoodshow.com

The prize:

• Become a member of the judging team
• A seat with the judges for the World Cheese Awards lunch
• Watch the final panel choose the award winning cheeses after lunch
• One night bed and breakfast in the Hilton Metropole for 2 people (travel and dinner not included)
• 2 pairs of general admission tickets to the BBC Good Food Show Winter on Wednesday 26th Nov.
• 2 Pairs of general admission tickets to the BBC Good Food Show on Thursday 27th Nov.

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The Foodie List - Foodie stuff from around the UK