10/05/12… Thame Food Festival launches in style
A WINDOW in the weather that has dogged much of the country for almost a month, revealed itself just in time yesterday, for the launch of what will this year be the fifth Thame Food Festival.
The rain stayed away just long enough for the guests of the Coffee Morning and Garden Tour at Raymond Blanc’s Le Manoir aux Quat?Saisons, at Milton Common, near Thame.
Raymond Blanc himself delighted guests when he made a personal appearance to welcome them, oozing his unique passion, verve and expertise for food and for Le Manoir itself, which he has personally steered and influenced in every detail since 1982. As Ambassador of Thame Food Festival 2012, which he will be attending on September 29, Raymond was keen to support the event, providing the refreshments and garden tour at no cost to the festival, and to share his passion with the guests who had each paid for the privilege.
The visit had begun with a warm welcome speech from Director and General Manager, Philip Newman-Hall in the fabulous La Belle Epoque private dining room, during coffee, tea and biscuits, before an hour-long, inspiring tour of the gardens in the capable and informative hands of the gardening team. The visitors saw a variety of garden settings, all inspired by Raymond’s travels, including a Malayan garden, a foraging garden where wild garlic and a variety of edible fungi were being encouraged to grow, a Japanese garden – including a beautiful full size Tea House – and Raymond’s current pride and joy, a newly planted orchard.
At the end of the tour everyone was given a goodie bag as a souvenir of their visit, full of gifts from Le Manoir aux Quat?Saisons and other sponsors and supporters including McCormick Schwarz TM, Aga and What?s Cooking of Thame.
With 50 guests (including the winner of the Bucks Herald and Thame Gazette competition for two tickets) able to enjoy this idyllic morning, the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards this year?s Thame Food Festival.
Sally Dorling, one of the festival organisers, said: “This was the perfect setting in which to launch Thame?s annual celebration of fine food and drink from the region, and we were so lucky that the rain even managed to stay away so that the visitors weren?t drenched!”
PHOTO: By Imaging Essence – the beautiful lemon cake, made from a recipe used by Raymond Blanc for 20 years, served to the guests.
