An education in the lost art of Home Economics

Barny Haughton teaches credit crunch cooking at the Amid rapidly growing concerns over finances and the environment, many households are now making a concerted effort to cut down their household bills as well as the amount of food they waste. This year’s Real Food Festival, which is set to take place at London’s Earls Court from 8-10 May 2009, offers visitors several fun ways to rediscover the lost art of eating well and seasonally, on a budget. Following last year’s success, the Bordeaux Quay Cookery School returns to this year’s Festival, and will have a credit crunch-friendly focus. Visitors can roll up their sleeves and join chef Barny Haughton in learning tips and techniques on how to buy and prepare the finest quality ingredients on a tight budget, including lessons in home baking. Barny says “There is a small hidden price to eating good, fresh seasonal food on a budget. You need to spend a little more time in the kitchen. Beyond this, making lovely meals with less money than you thought possible brings pleasure, health and a massive sense of achievement.” Sadly most of us don’t realize that we could be saving money on our food bills, simply by enjoying more of the food we buy and throwing less of it away.  The Love Food Hate Waste campaign’s current research tells us that food waste costs the average family as much as £50 a month. We end up binning everything from unopened yogurts and bread to cooked leftovers and forgotten vegetables at the bottom of the fridge. But around 84% of us claim never to waste any food! Of course this has a huge environmental impact too. If we all stop wasting food that could have been eaten, the carbon impact would be the same as taking one in five cars off UK roads. Come and find out more at the Love Food Hate Waste stand (132) and pick up some useful tips, for example: ·    When cooking for larger numbers than normal we often end up with too much cooked food leftover. To make sure we get the portions just right, try using the Love Food Hate Waste portions calculator (http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/perfect_portions), or choose simple tools, like spaghetti measures or a mug for rice (1 coffee mug filled to the brim with dry rice will feed 4 adults). ·    Good fresh meats and fish are often cheaper when purchased in larger quantities – if you take up discounted foods always remember to divide up and freeze in portions, until you are ready to eat. Defrosted meat and fish should be eaten within 2 days. Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for recipes, tips and inspiration! -ends- Notes for editors: For festival enquiries please contact: Fabio Diu: Tel: 020 7370 8627 Fax: 020 7244 3128 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it For all media enquiries please contact: Gemma Massey: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Nilam Jadav: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it Tel: +44(0) 20 7420 3550 The Real Food Festival 2009 will take place on 8-10 May at London’s Earls Court. The trade day is Friday May 8th, from 10am – 4pm. Advance tickets: the first ticket is £18, subsequent tickets are £9.90 each. Tickets on the door are £25. The evening of the 8th, and the 9th and 10th of May are open to the public. Evening tickets for May 8th cost £8.00 in advance or £12 on the door. Day tickets for May 9th and 10th cost £14.90 in advance and £18.00 on the door. Tickets can be bought online at www.realfoodfestival.co.uk or by calling 0844 412 4642   Over 500 small producers that have been hand-picked by the Real Food selection committee and subsidised to take part will come together to showcase delicious food & drink produced ethically, fairly and sustainably in the UK and around the world. Driven by a passion for food that is fresh and grown or reared on healthy soil, free from chemical pesticides, fertilisers and new-fangled additives so that it is packed with flavour and essential nutrients, the Real Food Festival brings together food champions, artisan producers and food lovers in a single fabulous event.  With a focus on buying locally, sustainability, fair and ethical production and healthy food, the Real Food Festival 2009 is leading the debate on the quality and sustainability of food production. Love Food Hate Waste sponsors the main event. This campaign aims to raise awareness of the need for us all to cut back on the amount of food we waste. On average in the UK we throw away a third of the food we buy. The campaign shows that by making some simple and easy changes to the way we buy, store, prepare and cook our food, we can waste less, save money and help the environment. Visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com for more information. The Soil Association is the official Charity Partner of the Real Food Festival 2009. The Soil Association has long been regarded as the UK's leading campaigning and certification organisation for organic food and farming, and a champion of human health. It campaigns for safer, healthier produce and production methods, and to build public awareness to influence government and industry attitudes to issues such as genetic engineering in food, animal welfare, use of pesticides and antibiotics and the harmful effects of intensive farming on food quality and food safety. FoodloversBritain.com is the official online partner of the Real Food Festival.  FoodLoversBritain.com is Britain’s tastiest website. Launched in November 2007 by Henrietta Green, award-winning author of the Food Lovers’ Guide to Britain, it’s where all Food Lovers, from consumers to producers, restaurateurs to retailers, can find out where to buy, eat, learn or exchange information on local and regional food and drink. FoodLoversBritain.com is committed to championing regional distinctiveness; promoting farm animal welfare and sustainability; and sourcing locally and seasonally whenever possible. Sacla’ sponsors the Real Food Debates. Sacla’ is renowned for its delicious range of classic and contemporary pestos, sauces and antipasti. It is still a family-run business, and started life in the hills of Asti, Piedmont about 70 years ago. As a sustainer, Sacla’s valued support will help the Real Food Festival to subsidise the 500 smaller producers, hand-picked from up and down the country to appear at this year’s festival. Ecover sponsors the main event. Ecover is an international company active in the production of ecological detergents and cleansing agents. Ecover has received awards and recognition on many occasions for its special contributions and achievements in the field of environmentally sound, sustainable development London Food sponsors the main event. London Food represents the diversity of London's food system and helped develop and deliver a London Food Strategy to improve the health of Londoners and make London's food sustainable over the ten years to 2016. London Food is chaired by Rosie Boycott and funded through the London Development Agency (LDA). Laverstoke Park Farm sponsors the main event. Laverstoke Park Farm is an organic and biodynamic farm owned and run by former F-1 driver Jody Scheckter. It aims to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining, producing the best-tasting, healthiest food without compromise. Scotland Food and Drink sponsors the Chef’s Theatre. It aims to bring everyone involved in Scottish food and drink together to work to a common and shared agenda that will deliver greater success in global markets. It offers advice on key sustainability issues and skills development. Wales The True Taste is a major regional sponsor. It was created to promote excellence in Welsh food and provide a recognised benchmark. It works with partners throughout the industry to build on this natural strength and to add value to Welsh food at every point in the supply chain, as well as working with Welsh food and drink manufacturing and processing businesses to help them achieve business growth in the Welsh, UK and International marketplace Enterprise Jersey is also a major regional sponsor. It is tasked by the States of Jersey Economic Development Department to grow the economy by assisting Jersey entrepreneurs and businesses succeed and encouraging new investment into Jersey. Real Food Festival, Earls Court Exhibition Centre, Warwick Road, London SW5 9TA