Category: Reviews | Post by: Andrea Wong
The key to getting the most out of your Food Show day, is much like being a girl scout and be organised and prepared. The place is huge and there's a lot of stalls to visit, samples to nibble on, and demonstrations to watch. Before I head off to the show, I always have an idea of the demonstrations that I want to see and fit in the stall perusing around that.
The night before The Food Show, I prepared my survival kit (like a good girl scout):
- Comfortable shopping basket* - it'll get heavy and you'll be carrying it around all day
- Container for squashable goods - I used a Tupperware and I put pastries in it, that I took home (well, one made it home which I shared with Mr H)
- Cash - it helps to have a budget so you don't end up buying everything!
- Credit card for emergency purchases only :)
- Small drink bottle - because small sips of wine, beer and spirits at 10am might not quench your thirst properly
- Keepcup - even if I reduce my Food Show waste by only 1 paper coffee cup, it makes me feel good
- Pen (for all those competitions)
- Comfy shoes - essential!
The * by the shopping basket was because I really should learn and take one of those wheely suitcases so I don't get sore arms by the end of the day. The Food Show are selling wheely shopping baskets for $35, which is a good price and a great way to avoid getting those sore arms!
Great deals
Here are some of my favourite deals from the Show:
- Bring a bottle of fake vanilla essence (at least half full) in to the Heilala Vanilla stand and receive a $5 voucher off their products. Their vanilla is divine, it's a great deal!
- $2 pain au chocolat and $2 boysenberry doughnuts from Loaf. Get them early as they do sell out. The pain au chocolat are baked fresh on-site at the show. Mine was piping hot and so d'lish!
- Collective Dairy youghurts - $12 for 3 tubs. I always make sure I go home with some!
- $35 Cuisine Magazine subscription for a year and a great goodie bag (mine contained Cafe L'affare coffee, Red Rock Deli chips, Kikkoman sauce, the latest Cuisine, Whitestone camembert and a voucher for a bottle of Village Press olive oil, redeemable at their stand)
- Zing sauces, buy two bottles at $3.99 each and get one free
- Sign up to the Malaysia Kitchen email and get a goodie bag (mine contained a tea towel and bottle of water)
- Havoc Pork $10 for a pack of their award-winning bacon. Their products are organic, free-range and free of antibiotics
- $20 for your choice of 2 Gü desserts, 1 ganache pack and 1 Naughties tub
Top tips
The Food Show is huge and with so many people going, it's important to have some kind of plan.
I recommend planning which demos you want to see in advance (or when you first arrive and pick up a programme). If you are going to any demos in the Electrolux Cooking Theatre, try and get there at least 10 minutes before it starts because the theatre fills up fast.
Be methodical about visiting stands and do one section at a time so you don't miss out on anything.
Unless you know that you'll be passing past again, I recommend buying the specials that you want, there and then. The goods that need to be kept cold is a bit trickier. Unless you have a good coolie bag with you, do your cold goods shopping towards the end of your visit. It should be less crowded at the end of the day.
Take advantage of the entertainment and little rest areas around the halls - all that eating and drinking can be hard work!
My highlights
I loved the addition of the Loaf and Western Milling Baking Theatre. There's various demonstrations and mini competitions going on and you can see the Loaf team baking breads and pastries throughout the day.
When I wandered past, Jeremy Corbet and Jo Cotton were trying to out do each other by whipping up something delicious.
I couldn't resist going to the Whittaker's Truffle masterclass. Masterclasses are $35 each and are limited to 50 people. The masterclass was host by the ever-entertaining Annabelle White, accompanied by chef Mark Gregory and Whittaker's Philip Poole. This is a great way to see some great food being made in a more cosy setting. I bought my ticket online and am not sure if you can buy these from the show on the day.
I've got recipes for easy but d'lish truffles, some great tips and an awesome goodie bag from Whittaker's! I'm going to try and make some soon.
It was great to see some new stallholders and smaller companies at the show - these are the people that I want to hear more about! Some interesting new products that I spotted included Quina Fina (natural tonic water), Zing sauces, Hot Samoan Boys Chilli Sauce (not currently available in shops, which is a shame) Marama Organic Farm lamb sausages and Taihiki Orchards' fig chutney, jams and vinegars.
The basket is full and I'm a happy foodie
As I hauled my shopping basket back to the car, I had a few final thoughts.
The mix of large and small brands was good and I liked how most of the non-food stalls were in one area, which I walked past without a second glance. You know, it's those stalls that are at every show, like the dish cloth guy (even though they are good cloths) and the steam mop guy.
I noticed a definite increase in organic, fairtrade and animal welfare aware companies at this year's show and I think that's great. All of the stalls looked great but some didn't advertise their specials very well and at busy times, it would be easier and quicker to attract customers with a written sign rather than ask what their prices are. I want to know what your specials are, please!
For a bit of a rest, the Baking Theatre, Cooking Theatre and masterclasses are a great way to break up the day and gives you a chance to learn something new while you have a wee sit down and gather your thoughts (although the Baking Theatre is standing room only).
All up, it was another great Food Show. Interesting demos and an entertaining masterclass staved off Food Show fatigue from walking around for hours. The girl scout in me is glad that I was well prepared. I had sore arms but a basket full of goodies. Bring on next year!