Eat Reading LIVE 2012

Gennaro Contaldo at Reading Eat Live

Eat Reading Live 2012, took place on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd June 2012.  This event is described as, 'A Tasty Celebration of Food in Reading'.  
Centre stage in Broad Street is the AGA Rangemaster Cookery Theatre where I managed to catch a glimpse of the man himself, Gennaro Contaldo, whipping the crowd into a frenzy.

Lee Everet  - Founder of Chilliqueen

Towards the end of Broad Street is the Farm Shop set up where I met with the Chilliqueen herself - Lee Everett Alkin.  Chilliqueen sell premium quality condiments that have multiple uses; as a condiment, to make a sauce, cooking ingredient or a marinade.  Great for BBQ season. So I bought three for £10.  I asked Lee how difficult it was to move from creating her condiments in the home-kitchen to manufacturing on a larger scale in commercial kitchens.  She described to me how the nature of the recipe had to be changed and the expense of going to professionals to help in the recipe development.  I Must say that her Chilli Jams are great in a Sausage Sandwich. 

Chef Tucci

Next door to Lee was Chef Tucci who told me all about the cooking classes he offers, the small and large dinner parties he can cater for and of course about the fresh ingredients used in every meal.  Chef Tucci is a local lad based in Reading.

Reading and its vicinity appear to have a rather healthy selection of great chefs running great restaurants.  From Heston Blumenthal in Marlow, Mya Lacarte (Caversham), Forbury's (Central Reading), Royal Tandoori (Duke Street), Alan Murchison at L'Ortolan (Shinfield), Daniel Smith at The Larder (Hilton, Reading), Daniel Bell at Malmaison (Central Reading), Ryan Simpson and Liam Trotman at Orwells (Shiplake, Henley-on-Thames).

Cigdem and I had the pleasure of meeting Ryan (from Orwells) a few weeks ago, and as their website says, "feel free to come in and say hello to the chefs themselves" they really do mean it.  Ryan tasted WhyNuts Pistachio paste and Hazelnut paste and thought it was of an extremely good quality.  He was particularly impressed with the intensity of flavour and that it contained no artificial flavours, preservatives or colours.

Ryan Simpson of Orwells - Shiplake

Well that's it for now.  I am currently awaiting the announcement of the start of the Great British Bake Off (Series 3) as WhyNut have a vested interest !