a taste of kent

The last weekend in September was a bright and sunny one here in Canterbury.It was perfect timing for Eurofest, a festival and market held right near our house, designed to celebrate regional foods from here in Kent, and farther afield in France and Italy.It was a great opportunity for Daiku and me to become more familiar with some of the goodies grown and made right in our backyard.Such as chutneys made from local fruits and spirits. Plum chutney with English rosé wine? Yum.Some fine Kentish beer made with some fine Kentish hops.this beautiful locally-grown russet apple. (a little taste of home and apple picking!)along with some other local produce: pears and bramley apples. from abroad, we had delicious and colorful produce from France, such as these blood-red tomatoes,these plums, fresh of the tree with their bloom as proof,artichokes the size of my head, bunches and bunches of lavender (I've loved learning the subtle scent differences between English and French lavender),possibly some of the best marinated olives and mushrooms I've ever tasted (including "pistou" olives marinated in basil and garlic- yum!a range of mustards that would make even the most hard-core mustard lover swoon, and nuts and dried fruit as far as the eye can see. It has been really fun getting to know our local landscape, and getting to try out all the wonderful produce that is grown here in Kent and all of the yummy foods prepared with it as well.