Karen Wright: A sweet celebration at the Rhubarb Festival
I have been fortunate to be invited for the last seven years to appear at the Wakefield Rhubarb Festival, and each year has been fantastic.
It is always held around the time of the February half term holiday and although it can be cold, wet and windy weather the rhubarb is at its peak, pink sweet and gorgeous. The weather never seems to put people off from visiting Wakefield, and it is fantastic to see the city bustling with life.
The festival takes place over three days and is always opened by the mayor at ten on Friday morning and this year I took the opening chef demo slot directly after that and my second slot was on the Sunday at three in the afternoon, which was the last slot. This year the chef demos were held in the WX building near the bus station, and I found that to be a very good venue. There was plenty of space backstage with parking and preparation space and the front of house was huge, seating for a hundred or so and it was cosy and warm.
All around the cathedral precinct were traders, such a massive variety of rhubarb related products on offer, plus on the Saturday there were attractions in the Ridings Shopping Centre too. There was a food and drink trail to take part in where a variety of venues were offering a specially curated rhubarb menu.
I am a member of the local Labour Club which is affectionately known as The Red Shed. The ‘shed’ asked me to help on Saturday and to make a serve some rhubarb delights. I worked with my longtime friend Stephen and between us we made and served rhubarb sausage rolls, rhubarb curry, rhubarb chili, rhubarb crumble and rhubarb cake. The place was jam packed all afternoon and everyone had a great time.
Next weekend I am doing my first ever ‘in-house’ dining event. I have been asked to cater for an eightieth birthday meal at the home of the person celebrating. There will be seventeen sitting down for a three-course meal, which I have designed to be special enough for the celebration but easy enough to prepare ahead and serve. I must admit to being a little apprehensive, I agreed to do it as I like to challenge myself to take on new things and hopefully it will be a great success, wish me luck!