A delicious summer of food festivals is on its way

A summer of food weekends are on their way to Fife.

The Bowhouse Food Weekends return for a second series. Situated just outside St Monans in Fife, on the Balcaskie Estate, Bowhouse Food Weekends are unique indoor events, providing an opportunity to see, discuss, taste and buy the best local food and drink in a vibrant atmosphere with live music.

This year’s events, all free of charge, take place on 7-8 July, 11-12 August, and 8-9 September, all from 10am – 4pm. Bowhouse will welcome a changing roster of the best food and drink producers from Fife and beyond to the free-to-attend food weekends. With a dedicated street food area and a growing reputation for showcasing the best produce, the markets have become one of the biggest food and drink events in Scotland.

Opened in July 2017 on the Balcaskie Estate, Bowhouse is a place for producers, food lovers and a food and drink hub for Scotland. A year-round destination for food lovers to explore the best local produce, it is also a permanent base for a growing group of artisan producers: from brewers and butchers to shellfish producers and game dealers.

Founder Toby Anstruther, said: ‘We’ve been delighted with the popularity of our food weekends so far and know that there’s a tremendous appetite to attend these future events.

‘People welcome the opportunity to reconnect with the food and drink they consume and find out more about how it’s made. Our producers also relish the chance to show what they’re doing and meet other like-minded makers.

‘Making these connections is what Bowhouse is all about – and of course, everyone enjoys the lively atmosphere and chance to taste delicious new produce.’

The summer food weekends kick off next month. The growing roster of Bowhouse makers permanently based at this food and drink hub will take centre stage alongside a line up of guest producers including The Damn Fine Cheese Company with its range of cheddars, home-made sweet treats from Bake Your Day, Allan’s Chilli Products with its legendary chili sauces and cold-pressed rape seed oil from Supernature Oils.

Bowhouse visitors enjoy the street food area

Artisan drinks companies attending the July market include step mashed beers and ales from the Perthshire-based Abernyte Brewery; the new Fife-based distillery, Tay Spirits; Bon Accord Soft Drinks; speciality coffee company Unorthodox Roasters; and Lundin Distilling, which has recently introduced a locally distilled gorse gin.

If all that food shopping makes you hungry, visitors can take a break with a bite from the street food area, which will include Prosecco and frizzante from the retro-style Sweetest Traditions’ Fizz Bar and homemade wood-fired pizzas from Edinburgh’s Pizza Geeks.

Across the later summer markets Bowhouse will welcome traders like Coul Brewing, Carnoustie-based brewers Shed 35, hand crafted pre-mixed cocktails from MilkMoney Drinks, the much loved Erincroft Bakery, Homemade loaf cakes, tarts and sweet treats from Ninja Bakes and Cake Creations, and slow cured Scottish pork, beef, venison and poultry from East Coast Cured; alongside street food and drinks from The Gin Thing, Out-there Artisan with its homemade cordials and syrups, The Prague Shack with its Eastern European favourites, crepes from Tastes Like Crepe; and Fish and Frites.

Bowhouse makers permanently based at the venue include

· Langoustine the Box – this company works with local shellfish fishermen to make langoustine, lobsters and crab available to the public.

· Scotland the Bread – a group that campaigns for real bread making and grows a range of grains at Balcaskie (where Bowhouse is based) that is both nutritionally sound and good for the natural environment.

· East Neuk Organic Brewing & Distilling – the team is setting up the facilities to make a small range of beers and spirits, some using local ingredients like seaweed in the fermentation process.

· Minick of Bowhouse Butchers – this local artisan business is experimenting with maturation techniques in meat at his Bowhouse facility.

· Keeping the Plot – this florist is growing edible and cut flowers in the fields around Bowhouse.

· Bibi’s Little Bakery – this local bakery is creating a range of macarons.

· The Coffee and Pizza Company – a new enterprise that roasts its own coffee and produces woodfired pizzas on site in a casual dining outlet due to open this autumn.

· Mara Seaweed – this innovative business uses Bowhouse as a base while the forage for seaweed on the shore nearby.

Activities over the coming months include children’s activities from RHET, the opportunity to make special prints of shells from the Scottish Fisheries Museum and more.

A Christmas food weekend will take place also take place on 8-9 December.

Each of the Food Weekends held in 2018 will support a local charity, including the Pittenweem Fishermen’s Memorial Association and Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET).

Bowhouse Food Weekends are supported by Food from Fife.