Food Festival Frenzy

The sun shone down on my daughter and I at the Emsworth Food Festival at the weekend as we battled our way through the heaving crowds; the smell of all kinds of cooking invading our amateur nostrils. The small sailing community on the south coast on the borders of Hampshire and West Sussex attracted people from miles around, along with their children in and out of pushchairs; dogs of all shapes and sizes; which were clearly disorientated and confused among the tightly packed legs. No where to park; the three main car parks were being used for the many stalls and shows. We all jostled, hip to hip, shoulder to shoulder, coming to an agonising halt upon two acquaintances meeting and wanting to chat. Pubs overflowed and shops sold their wares at greatly reduced prices while people like us (in the know), escaped to the foreshore and fresh air and freedom.

Later, in the sanctuary of my daughter's house, we watched the crowds dispel and make their weary way as we drank a cup of tea, aching from head to foot from dodging, weaving, stopping, starting, bumping and evading. The result? One spoon dish, a bar of organic dark chocolate and a bottle of ginger wine. (Oh, and sunburn and bruises). Would we do it again? Definitely!