TAVISTOCK producers and chefs were involved in Plymouth Flavour Fest ? Britain?s biggest farmers? market last weekend. Heralded as a great success, record numbers flocked to Plymouth City Centre to enjoy a three-day festival of great food, drink and entertainment. Traders reported record sales as food and drink lovers snapped up a host of delicious fresh produce from sausages to cider, cauliflowers to crabmeat. The city centre?s Piazza was transformed into a bustling, continental-style market, full of colour and the smells of delicious food being prepared. A total of 120 stalls were packed with tasty offerings ? up by a third on last year?s total of 90. Over the three days an array of top chefs demonstrated their culinary skills using fresh ingredients from the market stalls on the ever-popular cookery stage. Peter Gorton, head chef and joint owner of the Horn of Plenty, in Gulworthy, demonstrated his skills to an appreciative audience on the cookery stage. A regular at the event, he said: ?It?s fantastic to see so many people here interested in local food and drink. Flavour Fest has grown year on year and is a great showcase for the wonderful food produced in the region.? Peter also went on to win the quickest omelette competition after managing to create the dish in just 12 seconds. Meanwhile Jeannette Broadway, owner of Liquorice World which sells liquorice and fudge and is based in Gunnislake, ran a busy store at the weekend event. She said: ?I enjoy selling my produce and meeting lots of people. I do use local ingredients and pure flavours as much as I can and travel all over the country to get to festivals and shows. ?It?s brilliant to come to this one which is relatively local, so easy to set up and nice to be able to meet fellow local producers.?
