This weekend, my social media was flooded with swoon-worthy shots from the Ballymaloe Festival of Food in Ireland, one of my favourite events in the food world’s social calendar. It really is exceptional, because of its range of stalls, personalities and demos, and because you also get a glimpse into the world of the ever-inspiring Allen family (I desperately want an outbuilding purely for fermenting and making sourdough, à la Darina).
Weekends such as this are becoming more and more popular, and they’re undoubtedly a fun and great way to try a range of cuisines, but you don’t have to go to a food festival to enjoy decent festival food. Almost all festivals have great culinary offerings now – I’ve had some highly memorable meals at the likes of Glastonbury, End of the Road and Latitude. Forget living off kebabs and chips after a day dancing in a field; some of my highlights have been meals such as Tibetan momos, vegan thali with sweet chai and Goan fish curry. While there is no Glasto this year, there are plenty of other places to get your fix – you could even bring the party home.
The Goan fish curry stall at Glastonbury is a real institution, and Felicity Cloake’s recipe for Goan seafood curry hits all the right notes (and can be made a bit fancier by the addition of juicy king prawns – yes, please). I’ve already planned ahead to make a batch for the last weekend of June and to enjoy it while sitting in the garden wearing muddy wellies and adorned in glow sticks. I’m also a sucker for a chewy momo when at a festival, and this is the recipe (pictured top) I have always made with my girls. Mild in flavour and fun to put together, they’re a great way to get kids helping in the kitchen. For slightly more advanced momos, Meera Sodha’s fiery sweet potato ones are a real joy. And, despite being a hardcore coffee addict, I love nothing more than a sweet, spiced chai when I’m at a festival: it is both soothing and energising. That said, by the evening, I’m usually reaching for something with a bit more of a punch – a bit like Heritage Dulwich’s Bhojpura cutting chai: with a splash of both Baileys and vodka, it is perfect for when the evening gets a bit chilly.
For more traditional food festival offerings, you’re looking at the likes of a cheese toastie and, yes, even the aforementioned kebabs. Honestly, after a long day and a bit of inevitable rain, there are few things more comforting than a crisp, oozing cheese butty. My top three are Tom Kerridge’s simple, chutney-filled version, Lori de Mori and Laura Jackson’s quince and spring onion toastie – inspired by their much-loved Towpath Cafe in London – and Maunika Gowardhan’s glorious chilli cheese toastie.
And, last but never least, we have those kebabs. Often associated with post-drinking fodder, in our house they are regularly on the menu. They really are the perfect street and festival food. I adore Samin Nosrat’s recipe for kufte kebabs, Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy tandoori chicken skewers with coriander chutney and that perennial favourite, proper souvlaki. Whether in a field, after the pub or just at home on a Sunday afternoon, a lemony, chargrilled pork souvlaki is always welcome. Yamas!
My week in food
Where to get your fix | With Blenheim Palace and Sheffield food festival taking place this weekend, the season is officially in full swing. Some of my favourite food stalls to look out for are Tibetan Kitchen for incredible momos, a reuben from Archie’s Toasties, Dosa Deli for the best dosas and Chick’n’Sours for when only incredibly tender, crisp fried chicken with seaweed salt will do.
Take your own | If you love an outdoor get-together, but would rather take your own meal, there’s always the option of a picnic hamper or afternoon tea. Depending on price point and what you’re after, there are so many options: Cutter & Squidge does a sweet afternoon tea picnic, perfect for sitting on a lawn while listening to music, DukesHill has a wide range of hampers, with beautiful artisanal produce for all occasions, and, if you really want to push the boat out, then Fortnum & Mason always delivers on every front.
No place like home | If, on the other hand, festivals aren’t your thing, but you want some low-effort street food, many caterers and restaurants offer at-home meal kits (one of the better things to come out of lockdown). I’m a huge fan of The Beefy Boys and their phenomenal burgers (their book is fantastic, too), Matsudai has an excellent selection of ramen kits, and you can still get the lockdown classic Pizza Pilgrims kit, but now from Ocado. And if, after all that, you still want a kebab, then Dishpatch have relaunched my own souvlaki kit, which comes with all the accessories.