Lisa Higginson
A global gastronomic banquet is being cooked up at Stockportâs historic market. As part of the townâs Culturefeast 2009 festival, the World Café is set to showcase cuisines from around the world on Saturday, May 23 and diners are invited to tantalise their tastebuds with a variety of freshly cooked dishes.
Moving the focus away from gourmet foods, organiser Stockport Council has decided to concentrate on âreal food for real peopleâ? to reflect the interests of local shoppers who use the market. A shared seating area will be set up at The Alley in the market and diners can choose from a range of cuisines.
Among the local caterers cooking up a storm will be popular Stockport eatery Tiamoâs, which will be offering a traditional Iranian barbecue and Persian rice dishes, and famous Glossop butchers J.W Mettrick and Son, which are providing a traditional hog roast of succulent pork and all the trimmings.
Stockportâs very own pizza man John Raffo will be offering a taste of Italy with his mobile pizza van that comes complete with a built in wood-burning oven, while Caribbean flavours will be celebrated by Ritzâs Catering with goat curry, rice and peas and fried chicken and dumplings all on the menu.
Visitors will also be able to take home flavours of the world thanks to Dorotka, which will be selling charcoal cooked Polish sausage and a selection of deli items from their new shop in Mersey Square. Filipino grocery store Adeleâs will also be showcasing a range of inspiring ingredients and Cheshireâs Chestnut Meats and The Great Tasting Meat Company will be promoting the best of British meat.
Stockportâs newest community group United Filipinos of Stockport (UFoS) will be demonstrating traditional Filipino recipes for tasting from its varied origins in Malaysia, China and Spain. Sessions are set to run at 10.30am, 12.40pm and 2.30pm.
Meanwhile, five of Stockport Marketâs cafes will also be competing for the title of Best Bacon Butty 2009. Chefs have been asked to give this traditional breakfast sandwich a modern twist by using a new source of variety of bacon, a different bread and a tasty condiment. A celebrity judging panel will have the tough job of crowning the best butty at 2.30pm in the covered market hall and the winner will have the creation on their menu until Culturefeast 2010.
For more information visit www.stockport.gov.uk