The second Waveney Valley Food and Drink Festival was wrapped up with a weekend of events at Bungay Castle celebrating local food, chefs and producers.

Beccles & Bungay Journal: The Waveney Food Festival comes to a close with a foody event at Bungay Castle where visitors can buy local produce and watch cookery demonstrations.Fen Farm Dairy who have just started producing un pasterised milk and cheese.Jamie Hinsley, Harry Read, Johnny Crickmore, and Frances Crickmore.The Waveney Food Festival comes to a close with a foody event at Bungay Castle where visitors can buy local produce and watch cookery demonstrations.Fen Farm Dairy who have just started producing un pasterised milk and cheese.Jamie Hinsley, Harry Read, Johnny Crickmore, and Frances Crickmore. (Image: Archant Norfolk Photographic © 2013)

The ten-day festival showcased the range of food, drink and hospitality on offer in our area with a focus during Saturday and Sunday on Beccles and Bungay,

Earsham Street Cafe prepared a special menu using Norfolk and Suffolk apples and pears, St Peter’s Brewery gave tours around the restaurant and brewery, and there was a real ale trail around pubs and restaurants in south Norfolk including The Artichoke in Broome, the Duke of York in Ditchingham, St Peter’s Hall in South Elmham and the Queen’s Head in Earsham.

On Saturday Loddon Farmers’ Market had 24 food stalls celebrating the best of local produce including milk, eggs, bread, sausages, beer, cider, lamb, pork, beef, sausages, chutneys, fruit and vegetables.

And Caroline Dwen from Rosie Lee Tea Rooms in Loddon gave a cooking demonstration on Saturday afternoon at Loddon Mill Arts Centre teaching participants how to poach kippers and make pate. The Swan in Loddon also served a range of tapas.

The event came to a close at Bungay Castle where there was more than 40 stalls from a range of local businesses and groups, plus live music.

A Creative Kitchen demonstration saw local chefs and food and drink providers demonstrate recipes and share their culinary hints and tips.

Stallholders included Hill Farm Oils, Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses, Debbie Mecakes, Alburgh Ice Cream, Imperial Wines, Stokes Sauces, Just Truffles, Grain Brewery, Waveney Foodbank and more.

Music came from Brother Pit, a seven-piece acoustic band and East Anglian folk duo Silbury Hill, who combine an eclectic mix of covers and original songs.