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10 cool food and drink things to sample in Dorset
Two Fishy Festivals
Poole Seafood Festival, held on Poole Quay June 2- 4, features Ian Salmon from Rick Stein Sandbanks, Ian Gibbs from Poole’s Guildhall Tavern, curry queen Sarah Ali Choudhury and Christian Ørner of Poole-based SALT Cø, cooking live on the Seafood Stage alongside stalls of locally sourced produce from fresh fish and cheeses to local gins. Swanage Fish Festival, held in the open-air amphitheatre of Prince Albert Gardens over June 17-18, will have local chefs sharing top tips on how to cook with seafood, as well as stalls offering locally sourced ‘catch of the day’ including oysters, cockles, mussels and scallops, as well as other Dorset food and drink and fishy crafts.
pooleseafoodfestival.com/ swanfishfest.com
Crab Cracking Masterclass
Sally Allan of Sally’s Fish Camp hosts this masterclass at Furleigh Estate Vineyard near Bridport. It starts with a glass of their award-winning sparkling Dorset wine, before Sally immerses you in cracking, twisting, pulling and prepping your Lyme Bay brown crab. Then enjoy the fruits of your labour – a dressed crab, served with homemade sourdough bread and locally hand-picked salad leaves – with a glass of Furleigh Estate’s exceptional sparkling wine. Sally Allan has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and her passion for seafood guarantees you will leave with a wealth of knowledge. Masterclasses on June 13 & 20 starting at 12 noon. Cost £85
furleighestate.co.uk
Bridport Food Festival
Part of a foodie fortnight (June 11-24) which showcases local food and drink from the Bridport area and the people behind it, the Bridport Food & Drink Festival kicks off at Asker Meadows on Friday June 16 at 6pm with the Bridport Beer Festival featuring over 80 beers and ciders alongside street food and live music. The following day, June 17, is the main event with an array of local food vendors, cookery theatre, children’s activities and more. Other food infused events during the fortnight include a Nettle Eating Competition at Dorset Nectar Cider Farm (June 24/ facebook.com/dorsetnectarcider) a free to attend event with live music, food and organic cider.
bridportfoodfestival.co.uk
English Wine Week
Celebrate English Wine Week (June 18 –26) by toasting it with still and sparkling wines from these Dorset vineyards, many of which have won international awards. Furleigh Estate at Salway Ash near Bridport, Langham Wine Estate at Crawthorne near Dorchester, English Oak Vineyard at Lytchett Matravers, Bride Valley Vineyard at Litton Cheney (producer of Dorset Crémant, England’s only home-produced Crémant), D’Uberville Vineyard in Bradford Peverell, Sherborne Castle Wine, Melbury Vale Wine in Cann near Shaftesbury, Little Waddon Vineyard near Weymouth and Breezy Ridge Vineyard in West Melbury near Shaftesbury. Many of these vineyards also offer wine tastings and tours, and some have cafés where you can dine with their wine.
More at dorsetfoodanddrink.org
Make a Dorset Martini
Whether you like it shaken or stirred, World Martini Day on June 19 is when you can celebrate this cocktail classic that combines gin or vodka with dry vermouth. Give yours a Dorset twist with local gins such as Conker Spirit from Bournemouth, Gloriette from Corfe Castle, Fordington Gin from Dorchester, Pothecary from Christchurch, and Sherborne Castle’s ‘Old Tom’ style gin. If you prefer a vodka martini then Dorset options include Black Cow Vodka, the world’s first vodka make from cows’ milk, Porter’s Perfection Vodka from Liberty Fields made with heritage apples, or Shanty, a small batch botanical vodka from Poole, featuring five hand-foraged organic British seaweeds.
Jurassic Feast Dinner
Launched at The Oyster & Fish House in 2022, Jurassic Feast is the only app that supports local producers and suppliers along the Jurassic Coast, giving locals and visitors money off at the finest food and drink retailers, eateries and experiences located there. Mark Hix has teamed up with some of the vendors that are part of the Jurassic Feast app to create a four-course supper using seasonal ingredients from Lyme Regis and the surrounding areas. With guest hosts from brewers Gilt & Flint, Black Cow Vodka, West Country Catch and Trill Farm, diners will have the chance to meet the producers too. June 14, cost £65.
Book at theoysterandfishhouse.co.uk
Take a Cookery Course
Strawberry Tree Tapas Restaurant and Cookery School in Lyme Regis has a couple of interesting courses this month. Jewish Enriched Breads (June 4) includes the symbolic challah, chocolate babka bread and Spanish torrijas. On their Paella Masterclass (June 18) you make either a seafood or vegetarian paella for a shared lunch, followed by some olive oil tasting. At White Pepper Chef Academy & Cookery School at Lytchett Minster their Authentic Indian Cookery Course (June 3) teaches you how to blend classic Indian spices, cook them out, develop the depth of flavour before spooning out alongside sambals, as well as creating a selection of Indian dishes to make at home.
strawberry-tree.co.uk/ white-pepper.co.uk
Kayak, Fish & Forage
On this guided kayak trip around Studland with Fore Adventure, you will cast your handline to fish for species such as black bream, seabass and mackerel (no experience needed), then collect edible plants and seaweeds to go with your catch which will be cooked on the beach on your return. Half and full day options. Starts from £70. If you prefer to keep your feet on dry land, their Coastal Foraging & Edible Seaweed option is for you. Their expert guide shows you the edible coastal plants and Dorset seaweeds you can harvest and how to prepare them for eating. Starts from £50. Book at foreadventure.co.uk
Open Farm Sunday
Showing us where our food comes from is one of the reasons Open Farm Sunday came into being. Starting back in 2006, some 1600 farmers have welcomed over two million people to their farms on Open Farm Sunday to date, which is on June 11 this year. Seen as farming’s annual open day, it’s a chance for farmers to tell people about how the food they grow and raise arrives on their plate. Activities range from machinery displays, tractor and trailer rides, through to demonstrations and nature walk. Dorset farms taking part include Kingston Maurward College, Down Barn Farm at Tarrant Rawston; Lavender Keepers at Sandford Orcas, Denhay Farm at Broadoak, and Gutchpool Farm at Gillingham.
Find a farm at farmsunday.org
Make it to Market
If you have never shopped at a farmers’ market before, then make this the month to give it a go. With the ethos of selling local to locals, Dorset Farmers Market is on a mission to create a thriving local produce shopping experience. Since 2004 they have showcased local producers and makers great and small, new and well established, who go above and beyond to give back to the community through the products they offer. Customers are guaranteed that whatever they buy will have been produced within 30 miles of the market. Their monthly markets are at Shaftesbury (1st Saturday); Sherborne (3rd Friday); Wimborne (3rd Saturday) and Poundbury (4th Saturday).
dorsetfarmersmarket.co.uk
