Melton’s first ever Rare Foods Festival set to become annual event

Organisers of Melton’s first ever Rare Foods Festival were so impressed with how it went they predict it will become a popular annual event to set alongside the town’s many other foodie shows.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Sep 2019, 16:40 BST
Frankie Devlin tastes a scorpion at the Rare Foods Festival EMN-190917-130155001Frankie Devlin tastes a scorpion at the Rare Foods Festival EMN-190917-130155001
Frankie Devlin tastes a scorpion at the Rare Foods Festival EMN-190917-130155001

Customers enjoyed the mix of unusual dishes, including scorpions served with a shot of gin, from lunchtime through to midnight on Saturday.

It was hosted by Round Corner Brewing at their premises at Melton Livestock Market with 15 nearby stalls each selling one exotic foodstuff.

The idea for it came from the market’s popular annual Native and Traditional Rare Breeds Show and Sale which was also held on the same day after beginning on Friday.

Round Corner Brewing tap room manager Kelly Combes on the snail trail at the rare foods festival EMN-190917-130105001Round Corner Brewing tap room manager Kelly Combes on the snail trail at the rare foods festival EMN-190917-130105001
Round Corner Brewing tap room manager Kelly Combes on the snail trail at the rare foods festival EMN-190917-130105001
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Kelly Combes, the brewery’s customer, taproom and events co-ordinator, told the Melton Times: “It was absolutely brilliant.

“It went better even than we expected for a first year.

“A Rare Foods Festival is a bit of an unknown because there has never been anything like it before and there was nothing to measure it by.

“But it was amazing and it will definitely become an annual event.

Melton's first Rare Foods Festival in full swing at Round Corner Brewing EMN-190917-130054001Melton's first Rare Foods Festival in full swing at Round Corner Brewing EMN-190917-130054001
Melton's first Rare Foods Festival in full swing at Round Corner Brewing EMN-190917-130054001

“It worked really well with being on at the same time as the rare breeds show as many people came to us after seeing the animals.”

Some of the food on sale will have been unknown quanities for many of those who tasted it on the day.

There were bull’s testicles, cockerel’s combs, barbecued crickets and a variety of rare cuts of meat.

Representatives of Melton Charcuterie were there to serve up a smorgasbord of rare food and most of it proved very popular.

Frankie Devlin, Steve Murphy and Deb Addison are ready for their Brentingby Gin shots with scorpions EMN-190917-130131001Frankie Devlin, Steve Murphy and Deb Addison are ready for their Brentingby Gin shots with scorpions EMN-190917-130131001
Frankie Devlin, Steve Murphy and Deb Addison are ready for their Brentingby Gin shots with scorpions EMN-190917-130131001

Kelly said: “Melton Charcuterie were serving offal sausages which were flying off their stand and they were so popular that they now plan to bring them out as a product.

“The Mauritian street food also went down really well with everyone and customers also enjoyed scorpions with a shot of Brentingby Gin.

“Every stall had a rare or odd food on sale and a bell was rung every time someone tasted one of them.”

The brewery’s taproom also reported excellent business with their Pogo - a pale ale with orange, passion fruit and guava - proving particularly popular.

Attendees were also entertained by live music performances during the day.

Related topics:Melton