Cookery to the fore - an experience not to be missed

The Wot's Cooking purpose-built Cookery Theatre

Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin. If you have never experienced a cookery demonstration organised and presented by the Wot’s Cooking team, then you have missed a truly memorable experience. For a start, husband and wife team Katie & Glyn Johnson have their own fully-equipped mobile demo kitchen: all mod cons and purpose-built to allow everyone in the audience to see and experience what is happening live, on stage. Whilst Katie ‘presents’, Glyn is  behind the scenes taking care of the ‘technicals’. Last Autumn, I was so captivated, I could have spent the entire Show watching and thinking food.

Presenter and compere,
Katie Johnson of Wot's Cooking

This year sees an even more eclectic programme - with the Wot’s Cooking theatre at the heart of the ‘Taste It’ section of the Show. Featuring a range of knowledgeable practising chefs (some appearing at Malvern for the first time), who could fail to be inspired by the delectable selection of specialties they will be showcasing?  You will need to check your Show Guide for exact times. Bookmark any of the following …

Watch bread being made in the Cookery Theatre, 
and then buy something fresh and tasty - 
there's such a selection from which to choose

Appearing twice on Saturday (27th) is Rob Swift of Swift’s Bakery from Clee Hill, whose family have been baking artisanal and speciality breads since 1863. Rob is fifth generation and passionate about the bread-making process and their wide range of finished products: white, wholemeal and brown, French, international, speciality, and a particularly tasty-sounding ‘healthy eating’ range. Rob’s demos are always fun, and afterwards you can visit their stall to stock up on whatever takes your fancy.

Liz Knight at last year's Show

Also twice on Saturday’s bill of fare is Liz Knight of Forage Fine Foods. She uses ingredients plucked from her garden and local Herefordshire hedgerows. What a pleasure to discover that you don’t necessarily require expensive ingredients to create a feast when what you need is right there on your doorstep. Liz makes flavours and special seasonal treats, loving the taste of wild ingredients and the thrill of discovering new combinations of flavours - her products are a celebration of the best of the wild, adding a new, wildly irresistible dimension to home cooking.

Always popular - take your seats in good time, ladies and gentlemen

Whilst compiling this preview, I learned from Katie Johnson that Chris von Landkammer - head chef at The Elms in Worcester, is the most widely travelled chef that she has ever engaged to work with. Not in terms of Malvern to Worcester (a mere hop) but from as far afield as New Zealand. If the hotel website is anything to go by, you’ll be in for a treat, for he infuses many of their delectable dishes with touches of Asian cuisine garnered from his experience in the Far East.  Using the freshest of ingredients, and fruit, herbs and vegetables from The Elms’ extensive kitchen garden, he conjures up a daily smorgasbord of fabulous meals. What will he offer us in the Wot’s Cooking kitchen?

Calling all vegetarians - oh so tasty (pumpkins to the fore)

For the vegetarians amongst you, Lizzy Hughes of  Our Lizzy Cooking - a Malvern-based vegetarian cookery school - will be there to entertain you on both Saturday AND Sunday. She enjoys using a wide range of locally grown seasonal produce and loves exploring new ingredients whilst developing new recipes. She says, “Autumn is my favourite time of year. I especially love trying out different pumpkins and squash as they work so well in vegetarian dishes.” At the show she’ll be demonstrating a three course Autumnal feast will a warming Roasted Pumpkin and Chilli Soup, Squash and Spelt Risotto, Hubbard Squash and Fava Bean Casserole. (Lizzy also loves using fruit and will show the traditional Malvern Pudding using apples from her own tree.)

Fish - a refreshing change?

Tom Court of Sticky Fig Catering will be appearing twice on Sunday (28th). Established in 2013, their services have grown to include event catering, from intimate dinners to large celebrations, to weddings and parties in the privacy of home. Their aim is to provide the best quality food and service at all events, creating memorable experiences for guests. Sticky Fig is committed to sourcing the best local and sustainable produce from local suppliers whist being mindful of budget. There are bound to be plenty of useful tips from this midlands-based chef who is used to cooking for clients or with them in their home kitchen.

From seed to plate: metres rather than food miles

Andy Link - the award winning head chef, gardener and bee keeper at The Riverside Inn, Amestery (a rural Herefordshire restaurant) - aims to create a true hub for local seasonal produce, showcasing the best the area has to offer. As part of this the chefs have developed over an acre of land to create traditional and experimental vegetable, fruit and herb gardens - which even include their own bee hive. These working kitchen gardens are an essential part of their facilities, offering chefs the opportunity to experiment with different ingredients and plant types, whilst introducing new flavours alongside a great level of freshness, The result?  Some dishes travel only metres, not miles.  Andy says that during the Malvern Autumn Show, he will be “discussing the sustainable way in which the restaurant uses this seed-to-plate approach to create a few seasonal, home grown plates of food using only ingredients from the restaurant grounds."

Oh the shame of it!
 Even journalists have to eat!

Watching food demos is hungry work, or at least one craves food afterwards, or at any time of the day. There are plenty of refreshments on offer around the Showground, clearly marked on the map that accompanies your Showguide. As these are all conveniently located, there’s no excuse for not stopping for a bite and a cuppa – indeed, your visit may well benefit from so doing when you arrive, allowing you time to glance through the Show Guide and formulate a plan of what you most want to do; Cookery Theatre timetable included. Familiarisation can save time and possible frustration, allowing you to pack far more into your day out.

All images are copyright - with thanks to all the photographers who have co-operated with me to produce this cookery preview.


Just to remind you: Show opening times on both days are 9.00am to 6.00pm and there’s a free shuttle bus from Great Malvern rail station. There's also no charge for standard car parking.  Book your Show tickets online, or phone the ticket hotline (01684 584924). More next week - so do bookmark this page.

Food Glorious Food

Sharing  food together as a family is very special

Food is a necessity for a happy and healthy life (along with various other facets of course) and this year, the organisers of the RHS Malvern Spring Festival are pulling out all the stops to ensure that it is a key feature of the Show (8th to 11th May). Not only is the Showground going through a metamorphosis to stage the entire Show, TCAS are calling all foodies to come and enjoy what is on offer – a greatly enhanced festival of food.

An enjoyable scene from 2013 - vendors and buyers

Tying in with its links to the to the gardening aspect of the Show, the Food Festival at RHS Malvern will have a whole pavilion dedicated to Grow and Taste. The supply chain between artisan food producers and the source of their ingredients will be laid bare and celebrated. 

From plot to food stall

The ever-popular TV Chef, James Martin, will be headlining the food festival with demonstrations and talks throughout the weekend. “No one can underestimate the links between food and gardening. If you love good food, the chances are you are pretty into where it has come from. The journey from field to plate is so often talked about in the media – however it is the allotment owners and the keen gardeners who are having the most fun with producing their own. I love the fact that RHS Malvern has tied in food to this year’s line up. It’s an inspirational experience for gardeners and foodies alike.”

Rachel Allen

Friday will see busy TV chef, journalist and author of ten best-selling cookery books, Rachel Allen, take to the stage with top TV gardener Christine Walkden. They will both share their expert knowledge from the kitchen and the garden in a ‘Ready Steady Cook’ style presentation. Rachel said:  “I am utterly thrilled to be involved with this year’s RHS Malvern Spring Festival as it is the first year to intertwine food with gardening. There is a great synergy between spades and spoons and in order for us chefs to produce wonderful dishes, the growth and harvest of our produce is so important. The Festival is set to showcase all that is great about food and gardening and I am really looking forward to seeing what’s in store.”

Food Glorious Food

Located at the heart of the Show is the Severn Hall and a new (as yet unnamed) feature designed to create some real ‘theatre and drama’ for visitors. The whole space will be designed by multi-awards winning garden designer, Peter Dowle, and broken into a series of garden rooms. “It is going to be a dining experience not seen at the Spring Festival before ..... we're bringing in some huge plants for the central jungle area with pool , together with a woodland, village green , and farm market showing some of the 'raw' ingredients that will be used by the innovative catering team from Relish. ...... All very exciting and we can't wait to get going !" 

Purchasers eager to buy food from specialist producers

As more details emerge on the increasing links between gardening and food, we will continue to post. I've been attending the Spring Shows since 2006, and writing about them every year, and 2014 is going to be very special. (Author's Note: All images posted are from previous shows. So different will be the new Food Festival at RHS Malvern that as yet we have no representative shots, though I hope to bring you a sneak preview during the build-up.)

Taste it! Glorious Food at the Malvern Autumn Show

Local produce to tempt you

Fresh and local is the key for FOOD at the Malvern Autumn Show – and why not when it is held in an area so renowned for some of the finest produce this country has to offer. From fruit to vegetables, meat to pastries, preserves to sweetmeats and bread to chutneys, the three counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire benefit from an equable climate and a tradition of excellence in food production.

Doing the Continental -
tasty morsels from far afield, as well as local to Malvern

But being a cosmopolitan nation, the Autumn Show attracts exhibitors from far and wide, and beyond our island shores as well. Whether it's chillies or olives, continental meats or curries, or something even more exotic, your taste buds will tempt you to go sampling in the various areas of the Showground devoted to TASTE.

Let them eat cake! (It was delicious, too)

Head for the Avon Hall where the WI (Women’s Institute) are staging a ‘Bake Off and Crafts-Village Show’. It’s also home to the celebrated ‘Festival of Food and Drink’ and all related exhibitors; dozens of them. Come early if you can, these stalls will be packed, though the vendors never seem to run out of produce. Moving from stall to stall, your shopping bag will soon be bulging! And there are plenty of stalls to whet your appetite in other locations, notably a Local Arts, Crafts and Food Market sited on the hard-standing  area off Row 2 between the Wye and Avon Halls. 

Wot's Cooking with Katie Johnson and baker Rob Swift

Centre stage in the Avon Hall will be Cookery Theatre where Wot’s Cooking (with lovely Katie Johnson) will be hosting a series of cookery demonstrations throughout the Show. The theatre itself is a work of art, and Wot’s Cooking use different stages for the various events they attend around the country. The Autumn Show schedule is currently building, but following his appearance at 'The Malvern Royal', baker Rob Swift will be returning on Saturday with his entertaining bread making demo;  the Swifts family Bakery  celebrates its 150th anniversary this year.  Also on the Saturday, Katie has a super chap demonstrating all about fish including identification and sourcing (Tom Court from The Granary Restaurant, Shenstone, Worcs). On the Sunday Liz Knight, a fascinating foraging expert from Herefordshire, will feature ingredients she has foraged for in the lanes and at her home, and no doubt at the Showground too. We’ll provide an update on other demos as news arrives.

Refreshments courtesy the WI at reasonable prices

Watching food demos is hungry work, or at least one craves food afterwards, or at any time of the day. There are plenty of refreshments on offer around the Showground, clearly marked on the map that accompanies your Showguide. As these are all conveniently located, there’s no excuse for not stopping for a bite and a cuppa – indeed, your visit may well benefit from so doing when you arrive, allowing you time to glance through the Show Guide and formulate a plan of what you want to do. Familiarization can save time and possible frustration, allowing you to pack more into your day out.

Joe Swift (left) learning how to cook in the Good Life Pavilion (2009)

Hosting both days in the Good Life Pavilion (alongside the edible show gardens) will be the inimitable Joe Swift conducting an audience with Mary Berry – Saturday only. Mark Diacono, from his Otter Farm smallholding in Devon, will also be appearing: head gardener at River Cottage and author of the amazing ‘Taste of the Unexpected’, he is both knowledgeable and amusing.

Have a coffee when you arrive, or before heading home
(or at any time during your visit)

Shop till you drop! But if you’re seriously stocking your pantry and even freezer, do remember to bring along a cool bag, or even an icebox. More previews will follow in the weeks leading up to the Show. But please note that the images used were taken in previous years, and as every year is different, with different themes, there is no guarantee that a specific exhibitor will be at Malvern in 2013. Oh, and don’t forget to book your tickets now and save money – which of course you could spend on food !!

More good eating from other Malvern Shows
Don't miss this year's Autumn Show - 28th & 29th September, 2013

All images are copyright Ray Quinton and Ann Somerset Miles.

Autumn Show - looking forward

Enjoying a day at the 2012 Malvern Autumn Show

Can you have a love affair with a place, or days in time? A longing to re-visit, because of the inspiration you know is there, waiting for you to discover it? It is like this for me whenever I am heading towards the Malvern Hills and the Three Counties Showground; and today, I am there again in spirit, for I begin previewing this year’s Malvern Autumn Show in earnest, with weekly posts between now and the actual Show (28th-29th September, 2013).

Tea in a vintage caravan

If you have only just discovered Ann’s Malvern Jotter, let me explain: it provides a series of posts to help you enjoy your visit to a specific Show, so you will know in outline what to expect, leaving you more time when you arrive at the Showground to enjoy your visit. There’s always so much to do and see that a ‘first-timer’ can find it all somewhat bewildering. It’s a bit like the first day at secondary school, it always helps to have someone metaphorically hold your hand; by the second year you know the ropes. (Apologies to readers who already follow the Blog, you will understand and know what I mean.)

Enticing display in the Good Life Pavilion (2012)

Every Show at Malvern provides old favourites and many new aspects and themes, and this year’s Autumn Show is no exception. With the focus on Grow Your Own and a healthy, sustainable lifestyle, food and its provenance including cookery, there is very much a feeling of harvest in all its senses. New for this year is that the Cookery Theatre will be centre-stage in Avon Hall (south side of the Showground) and home of the ‘Festival of Food and Drink’.

Learning new skills: by the Fishing Lake (2011)

Apart from that, there’s an emphasis on education in the Discovery Zone, including - by the lake - fishing and pond-cam, pumpkin factory and mushrooms for the masses. There’s also a Plant Fair featuring nurseries who have never exhibited at Malvern before. 'Landscaping Live' continues to promote the benefits of quality landscaping for an average garden, whether this is through engaging the right professional or a DIY project. For 2013 it has been agreed to have one garden with parts of this being worked on during the show.  The Show organisers are delighted to be working on this project with Acorn’s Hospice to celebrate their 25th anniversary.

Vintage farm machine still in working order (2012)

Other returning ‘regulars’ are the Midland Championships for the National Vegetable Society and the National Finals of the Young Farmers Tug of War Competition with teams from all over England (Saturday only), plus various activities in the Forestry section. Always enjoyed is The Orchard Pavilion, and 'edible' show gardens in the Good Life Pavilion. The programme this year in the Activity Arena includes a Dog Agility competition final on each day, and a daily parades of dogs, horses and other animals in the World of Animals area. Not to be ignored are other distinct features: the Harvest Pavilion, Forgotten Skills, Country Pursuits Marquee, Blacksmithing and Archery plus shopping opportunities galore, including a Plant Fair, Guild of Crafts from Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, Countryside Shopping Pavilion and stands all around the Showground.

I'm discussing a fine crop of apples in the Orchard Pavilion (2012)

There is so much more to tell you about on my list including the many desirable activities and exhibits on the theme of Nostalgia. This post is just a taster; all in all the Malvern Autumn Show is an event with a great atmosphere and something for everyone. I’ll be back next week with the next Preview,  and meanwhile, please keep visiting the various links provided in this Blog - and remember to purchase tickets so you can enjoy all that is  on offer. 

All images in this post courtesy of Ray Quinton, 

and do take a look at my 
 'Pinterest' Showground image board.

Food, glorious food at the Royal Three Counties Show

Truly, the sun has been shining today (this taken Friday)

It’s been a day of sunshine and showers, but nothing to deter the visitors who have thronged here from far and wide. The hills must be in watching mode, looking lovelier than ever in the greens of early Summer. My day has been as busy as was yesterday’s, striding between venues and exhibits. WiFi has not caught up with necessity to broadcast speedily so I am actually ahead of the facility, but have spent such a varied an enjoyable time. 

So much more than is shown here - come and see yourself

Farming is all about FOOD and what with mouth-watering treats, and the need to purchase supper, I guessed a Show food collage might give pleasure. A mosaic of seven images can hardly show the diversity of products on display and for sale: there are culinary treats fit for a queen. From tasty meats, artisan breads, jams and pickles to succulent vegetables and scrumptious wines and cordials – and plenty of eateries – no-one need go home hungry! Added to all that is on offer has been a series of demonstrations in the Cookery Theatre, hosted by Katie & Glyn Johnson of Wot’s Cooking, who apart from supplying the ingenious, fully operational travelling kitchen, also run their own ‘small’ smallholding on the Shrophshire/Welsh border. A full programme is also available on Sunday.

In the Collecting Ring

The farm animals are magnificent, with more breeds being shown at the Royal than in any previous year. But talking about farming is not part of my remit, as farming is not in my blood and I know very little about it. So please, for the agricultural aspect of things, do read “Jack’s Blog” written by a local young farmer with his own flock of sheep.

Royal Three Counties Show - Second Preview

Cattle lineup in the judging ring

Looking back at my first preview – and an introduction no doubt for many readers to the fact that someone called ‘Ann’ was also blogging about the first ever ‘Royal’ at Malvern, as well as young farmer Jack – I did not have space for that much and concentrated on food. Food is essential to us all and a great aspect, but there’s far more to this Show than that. For a start, what a grand day out you can have as a family for very little cost. Come for as little as £8.00 per ticket (based on advanced family ticket price) – tremendous value for families: food, shopping and entertainment – and of course farming. If you haven’t already done so, do purchase tickets now to take advantage of this special offer.

Adam Henson with
a young admirer

Just look at some of what is on happening: Exciting Entertainment, Farming Village, Countryside & Forestry, Horse Village, Discovery Zone, Village Green, Food & Drink, Rural Business and the International Orchid Show. You can even say “hello” to one of the nation’s favourite farmers, rural TV presenter, Adam Henson (Saturday 15th only).

Skill and daring to delight the crowds

I still don’t have space to cover the Show in its entirety but will outline what I can. Take the Main Arena, situated at the heart of the Royal.  It’s a hub of entertainment and action with a jam-packed timetable of displays, competitions and exciting shows. Many of the activities are repeated every day, though not necessarily at the same time, so check your Show Guide on arrival so you don’t miss something you really want to watch. Don't miss the Royal Signals White Helmets motorcycle display team; the Devil's Horseman with an exhilarating Jousting and Cossack show; the Red Devils Parachute Team; the brilliant Paws for Thought Dog Display Team; Horse & Hounds; Show Jumping and Heavy Horses and the prestigious and ever-impressive Grand Livestock Parade! WOW, if you did nothing else, you could be entertained from show opening to closing.

Where else could you get so close to magnificent farm animals?

The Farming Village is perfect for becoming acquainted at close quarters with livestock of all types and breeds. There are livestock competitions each day and you can watch the live judging and competitions as exhibitors show off their fine animals – you will become absorbed in this fascinating experience, and be amazed at the very young age of some of the handlers. Walk the livestock lines and meet your favourite farm creatures from cows and pigs to sheep and goats. Equally entertaining, and equally serious, is the Sheep Shearing: you can watch the amazing talent of shearers from all over the country, and even the world, as they demonstrate with each other in competition their amazing speed and skill. The show counts as a qualifying event for the English team so the pressure will be on!

Showing how it's done in the Blacksmithing & Farriery area

Visitors who would like to learn more about the countryside will be able to enjoy a day equally packed with activity. Just head for the popular Country Pursuits Village for a full timetable of country displays including gundogs, ferrets, threshing, Jive Pony, Doug Joiner Horse Logger, Sheepdog Training and much more. There’s Blacksmithing & Farriery (situated by the Lake) where you can watch skilled craftsman take part in live competitions throughout the day. The Poultry Marquee and Championship Poultry Show is home to an impressive display of a wide range of birds including bantams, large fowl and waterfowl, again at close quarters. And if your children are looking for a pet other than a dog or cat, think Rabbits - Britain’s third most popular choice of pet. The Rabbit Section is the ideal place to talk to the experts about keeping them.

Spinning demo

Forgotten Skills? Discover how to use a pole lathe and have a go at butter-making, candle-making and wool craft. Head for the Forgotten Skills Marquee, with its demonstrations of traditional crafts that were once part of everyday life. All the items on display at the Show are unusual and individual, produced by the craftspeople themselves and rarely found on the average high street – a trip down memory lane, perhaps, or the beginning of a new hobby.

A real treat - shopping for hand-spun yarns, clothes and accessories

If this is your first online visit to Ann’s Malvern Jotter, take a look at the previous post to familiarise yourself with what will be happening in the Cookery Theatre, hosted by Katie & Glyn Johnson of Wot's Cooking;  savour in your imagination the numerous food stalls. And if you love shopping, make time to browse for antiques. With an eclectic mix of unique treasures on display, you will surely find a truly special gift or ‘must-have’ piece to add to your collection. The Antiques Fair boasts a variety of antiques and collectibles from around 30 dealers including small furniture, vintage and retro clothing, 19th & 20th century ceramics, jewellery, bronzes, pictures and books.

Food, farming and the countryside - a celebration

A right royal occasion? I know it will be and will be there myself next week on all three days – 14th, 15th and 16th June – blogging live (WiFi permitting). You too can be a part of a great day out in the British countryside, celebrating a truly unique way of life. Enjoy yourself, for apart from the busy, busy Show, there is of course its stunning location. Who could not be captivated by that backdrop of hills?

Royal Three Counties Show - first preview

Previewing the Royal Three Counties Show
(food, farming and countryside)

Welcome back to those of you who have been following my gardening posts, and ‘hello’ to those of you who are joining me for the first time. Ann’s Malvern Jotter (this Blog) now encompasses other activities on the Showground.

Much more to entertain visitors than just food and farming:
The Red Devils in tandem as they descend towards the main arena

I’ve been visiting the June show every year for as long as I have the gardening shows. Of course, it wasn’t the ‘Royal’ then, but plain ‘Three Counties Show’. In its new guise (and since the demise of the royal event at Stoneleigh), the Malvern ‘Royal’ is growing; so much so that it now utilises almost every square metre of the 98-acre showground. Bursting at the seams in fact with a profusion of fantastic activities to inform and entertain you. I will need all three days to see it all!

There will be six food
and cookery demos
every day

Food, Glorious Food: Billed as ‘the best of British food, farming and countryside’, I am concentrating in this preview today on the food aspect. Centrally placed within the Showground is the ‘Regional Food & Drinks Village’ in the Severn Hall. Included in this spacious permanent building, and in no particular order, will be artisan food stalls; the Three Counties cheese competition – open to producers in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire and neighbouring counties.

Feeling hungry? Stalls to buy local produce will tempt you ...

Meat lovers will enjoy the butchery demonstration from EBLEX plus the Three Counties Cider Show together with a People’s Choice competition; local cider makers selling their produce and giving tastings; education on cider and how to make it, plus cider making equipment; a new class for Hotels and Restaurants and a stand featuring the HEFF Diamond Food award winners 2013. Additionally, farmers’ market stalls will lead into Severn Hall from Avenue F to create the Food Market. (For the uninitiated, EBLEX: the organsiation for the beef and lamb industry; HEFF: Heart of England Fine Foods.)

Cookery Theatre hosts
Glyn & Katie Johnson

Returning to the Show will be the immensely popular 'Cookery Theatre' (also within the Severn Hall) featuring local chefs and products in an immensely packed programme of demonstrations. The theatre programme will be hosted by experienced broadcasters, Katie & Glyn Johnson of ‘Wot’s Cooking’.

The 2013 Cookery Theatre in the Severn Hall 
(image copyright Wot's Cooking)

Reading through the advance list of what is on offer in the Cookery Theatre is tantalizing. On Friday 14th: Robert Swift, a 5th generation baker, who has recently opened his own artisan bakery and baking school in Ludlow, producing some of the most delicious and inventive breads imaginable. Vegetarian Cooking ideas will be demonstrated by Lizzy Hughes who runs ‘Our Lizzy’ Cookery School in Malvern Link – discover how to prepare simple, tasty, nutritious food. Daren Bale of The Hop Pole in Bewdley, recently recognised for his commitment to cooking by Worcestershire and Warwickshire Life Magazines, will feature Cooking Local & Seasonal; Rayeesa Asghar Sandys runs Herefordshire’s first and only authentic Indian Cookery School from her home in Mordiford and is a regular at Herefordshire Farmers' Market.

Bread - a necessity of life

Saturday 15th: Daniel Jones – All About Chocolate – worked at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage but his real love is as Master Chocolatier and Owner of 'Daniel Jones - Artisan Chocolatier'. Felice Tocchini – Ready Steady Cook; Felice has appeared on numerous TV programmes including The One Show, Countryfile, and The Gadget show as well as in the media worldwide for his innovative creations. Robert Swift (Artisan Baker) also returns on Saturday.

Cider, fruit juice and
perry all on tap

Sunday 16th: Steve Brown – head tutor of the cookery school at Daylesford Farm; following years of cooking in Michelin-starred kitchens, Steve followed his passion for local, sustainable, organic food, allowing the ingredients to do the talking. Matt Slocombe – It Has To Be Local – serves the very best food and drink that Herefordshire has to offer at the traditional Crown Inn, Woolhope; he is a huge supporter of the region’s produce, especially the cider! Daniel Jones reprises ‘All About Chocolate’.

Starting young - chefs in the making

A Recommendation: With less than three weeks to go until the opening of the Royal Three Counties Show, may I suggest that you purchase tickets now, for advance purchases come for as little as £8.00 per ticket (based on advanced family ticket price) – tremendous value for a grand day out for families: food, shopping and entertainment – and not forgetting the farming side of things.

All the fun of the fair - and Adam Henson (second left -
presenter of BBC Countryfile) will be
at the Show on Saturday 15th June)

And if you love Malvern and their shows as much as I do, it’s worth considering purchasing Showground Membership for yourself or family, or as a gift for friends. For this, you obtain free admission to three Show days in total per year, VIP Parking, Members VIP Areas at the Malvern Spring Gardening Show, Royal Three Counties Show and Malvern Autumn Show. Most importantly save some money!

Up close and personal with the sheep

I’ll be back in two weeks with my second Show preview, and look forward to welcoming you again, Meanwhile, do also follow the posts of sheep-loving young farmer Jack, in Jack’s Blog. And for all aspects of the Show continually updated visit the Royal Three Counties Show website.