On Saturday, it was back down to Surrey for me, as Kathryn and I were invited down to Garsons Farm in Esher, Surrey. We had been asked to open their fantastic annual Food Fair, and sign Cracking Antiques books. Blue skies and blazing sun greeted us – as did a car park packed with cars and peckish visitors. Founded in 1871, Garsons is still run by the same family who founded it and, as well as a beautiful garden centre of truly epic size, it has the largest pick-your-own fruit farm in the country!
Here you can see Kathryn and I in the fruit and vegetable shop, with owner Peter Thompson on the left, and fair organiser and manager Nigel Chandler on the right. Garsons is an enormously popular venue at any time of the year, but the food fair is particularly crowded – as we were soon to find out. Warm welcomes were extended, and Nigel kindly took Kathryn and I around the fair to introduce us to the stallholders. It was great to see the enormous support network that operates, not only between these successful and enthusiastic independent business people, but also via Nigel and the team at Garsons. All their diverse foods were locally produced, sustainable, environmentally friendly, 100% natural — and incredibly mouth-watering. My good friend The Ethical Hedonist would certainly approve! We were lucky enough to taste everything from delicious risotto from Gustosecco, to tasty traditional curry sauces from Ishmael’s Mother, ginger wine from Gran Stead’s, smoked trout from Inverawe Smokehouses, revitalising cherry juice from Cherry Active, and the most lip-smackingly gorgeous sticky toffee pudding on God’s earth from Cartmel. Books were signed and sold, and a very jolly morning was had by all. If you missed this year’s fair, the next one will be held around the same time next year.
I’ll look forward to seeing you there!
