Food, fun and sun

Boy, was it hot today. The forecast thunderstorms failed to materialise (although we did see an impressive one in the distance late in the day) but the crowds did. I spent the day either sweltering under the tent, or wandering around meeting and greeting in the hot sun, and consequently look this evening as if I've just returned from a week in Ibiza...I am completely exhausted, and should be getting some sleep rather than writing this of course. We have great fun today - the venue (The Northmoor Trust) works better than Abingdon Airfield two years ago, there are some great tents, activities and healthy eating all over the site, and everyone I spoke to was having a blast making pancakes, tasting chocolate, getting cooking and having fun - congrats to the organisers because this is a very special event now esconced in the calendar. We did a few signings throughout the day:
Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall, signing copies of the Good Granny Cookbook...
The brilliant and lovely Sophie Grigson, patron of the festival, who worked like a trojan all day compering the event as well as demonstrating herself...
Raymond of course - who followed his star turn two years ago with another performance that had kids crowding around the stage and getting terrifically excited about cooking...
There was a big egg running around, pursued by an angry-looking chef and lots of excited kids...
In the pink corner, kids cooking supremo Annabel Karmel, and in the green corner...
...Gill Rapley and Tracey Murkett - authors of Baby-led Weaning (we had them and Annabel signing at the same time, which some Mums out there might consider a bit mischievous)...
And finally the utterly brilliant Stefan Gates, with a strong claim to be star of the show - and a nice guy to boot. His Gastronuts performance had kids clamouring to eat insects, jellyfish, locusts and sheeps testicles. Broccoli should be a doddle after all that... Stefan performs tomorrow (Sunday) and we're welcoming Sam Stern as well as Alex Mackay amongst others. It'll be another hot day, in all senses of the word...

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