What a Food Week!

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It was very difficult to identify which part of my body hurt the most come last Sunday evening.  Marathon runners talk about 'hitting the wall', well, us foodies suffer just as much when we 'hit the plate'.

Before Food Week kicked off, the Information Centre, housed in the promotional trailer generously lent by Shorefield Country Park, was open on the village green, and manned by a host of volunteers giving information to anyone passing.

Easter Bank Holiday Monday arrived, and Milford on Sea Food Week was underway with the CakeFest.  The weather felt like the end of the world, but it soon became clear that a few massive thunderstorms were not going to stop anyone getting to the cakes and WI lunch!

Milford on Sea, may be a small seaside village on the South Coast edge of The New Forest, but it is fast becoming recognised as a ‘Foodie Heaven by the Sea’, due to the wonderful selection of dining options provided by the twenty excellent places to eat in the village, and of course, the now annual Milford on Sea Food Week.

This year over 100 food related events took place, all involved local people organising, participating and enjoying a vast variety of fun food related activities.

Around 12,000 people visited a least one event over the seven days, some coming from miles around, and from every generation, young and old. There was plenty for everyone to enjoy whatever their age or preference, basically, if you love food, you will have loved Milford on Sea Food Week!

Milford on Sea Food Week included themed dining nights in all of the restaurants, wine talks and tastings, a food market featuring over 55 local producers and a surprise ‘Flash Mob’ performance by the village Total Voice Choir, community organised breakfasts, lunches and afternoon teas, lots of fun and educational activities for the children, food quizzes, live music dining shows, a professional Cookery Theatre which hosted renowned top chefs from across the New Forest & our own village, and which also included cookery demonstrations from local amateur village cooks, bakers, nutritionists, vegetarians, and chocolate, jam and chutney makers. A number of lucky diners jumped on ‘The Great Dining Bus’ to enjoy a separate course in four different village restaurants, and the two weekend headline shows, ‘An Evening with Tom Kerridge’ and ‘Comedy & Cake Night’ starring Jo Caulfield were both a storming success.

Milford on Sea Food Week is a fabulous demonstration of true community spirit in action, and all of the community group food events were fabulously attended, the village restaurants were all full, and all themed events and ticketed shows sold out. 

Many village shops have said that they benefited from the extra people visiting the village, and there were certainly people around who had booked a holiday to visit Food Week.  The thought of the tills ringing a bit more in our village centre shops is tremendous. 

The Sunday Food Market was also extremely busy, so we are thrilled that a lot of local businesses have been given a well deserved boost. Best of all, it was great to see the smiling faces on the kids, families & our older generation throughout the week.

In my mission to visit as many events as possible, my leg muscles now look like Steve Redgrave's on a bad day.  Fortunately, at most stops there was something tasty to eat, so the pain was soon eradicated for a minute or two!  It was quite pleasing to hear that most chefs and café owners in the village could hardly walk by Sunday!

The effort scores of volunteers put into making Milford on Sea Food Week such a spectacle is immense, none receive any fees or expenses, everything is done just to have a good time, promote our village businesses, and to provide enjoyment for the local community, with any profits going to local charities.  This year Wave Radio Cash for Kids and the Community Centre will be getting a £1000 cheque each.  Next year we would like to start a fund for something everyone would like to see in the village.  We don't know what yet, but we will be asking you early next year, so get your thinking caps on!

Throughout Food Week it is amazing how many people want to put themselves out to provide enjoyment for others, and it is great that every crumb of effort is repaid many times over when they all see the smiling faces and excitement about food!

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PS: The link below takes you to a video of the Total Voice Choir ‘Flash Mob’ singing at Milford on Sea Food Week Sunday Market.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byfVzmpaYOY&feature=youtu.be

The fourth Milford on Sea Food Week will happen all over again next year, from Bank Holiday Monday 1st April until Sunday 7th April 2013, so now seems a good time to get it in your diary. 

PS: Perhaps a note to diet a few weeks before might not be a bad idea as well!

PPS: Our first event for next year has already been planned.  There will be a 'Throw the Hot Cross Bun Competition' on the Seafront on the Monday 1st April.  There will be prizes for age groups Under 12, 12 to 16 yrs, 16 to 30 yrs, 30 to 40 yrs, 40 to 80 yrs, and Over 80 yrs.  Ah, got you guessing now, am I serious, or not?!

http://www.milfordonseafoodweek.org/

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