The Feast Collective at Camp Bestival

Obviously the music is the main reason I go to festivals but being a bit of a foodie, the food is a big draw for me too.  Last year saw the arrival of the Feast Collective at Camp Bestival and boy what a feast we had!  Our taste buds went on travels across continents as we all tried many dishes over the weekend.  For me the shashuka is still my favourite dish of the festival and I now regularly make it at home.  Andy and the boys loved the delicious burgers from DJ BBQ and the tandori fries from Baba G.  

Looking at the foodie line up for this year I know we will not be disappointed, as some old favourites return.  Even more exciting is the new additions to the Feast Collective - Happy Maki, Seadog, Shrimpy, The Thoroughly Wild Meat Co. to name a few. Nevermind Caravan Coffee to feed our coffee addiction and the fabulous Helen of the Knackered Mothers Wine Club is hosting another wine tasting.  

The best thing of all about the Feast Collective is that it is affordable.  When feeding a small tribe of hungry children at a festival you don't want to have to remortgage your house.  So delicious food, with flavours from around the world, that fills us all up and we get some change in our pocket too.

Did you head to the Feast Collective last year? Who was your favourite vendor?  I would love to know.

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo

Disclosure - This year I am one of the official Camp Bestival bloggers, working with them to share my top tips and reviewing the festival.  They have kindly given us a family weekend ticket, however all opinions are my own.

Wine Choices for Camping

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With a summer of camping ahead I wanted some advice for which were the best wine boxes, as sometimes it is not possible to take glass bottles.  This rule applies especially for festivals and I know I want to take something worth drinking to Camp Bestival. So I have enlisted the help of Helen McGinn of The Knackered Mothers Wine Club to guide me in my choices and hopefully to help you all too.  

Camping Wine: The Essentials

When Zoe asked me for some tips on camping wines I was thrilled, not least because it gives me a chance to talk to you all about bag in box wines. Now, I know they often look horrible and some of them taste really horrible, but pick the right one and you’re sorted. They’re easier to transport than glass bottles. There’s less waste to carry home afterwards and the wine keeps fresher for longer as there’s no air in the bag (wine starts to oxidise once in contact with the air, losing freshness and fruit over time). Here’s the thing: bag in box wines are generally cheaper to produce than bottles so the wine inside – if chosen wisely – can be great value. And they’re definitely a greener option than bottles, which is energy hungry to produce and transport. Win-win, I say. For reds, look for classics like Australian Shiraz (Aldi do a good one, albeit a bit on the light side), Chilean Cabernet or Cotes du Rhone (the Tesco Simply one is brilliant, really spicy and earthy, just right for camping). No need to chill, either! But if you prefer white, go for a Chilean Chardonnay (Waitrose have got one) and stick it in an icebox. They all work out at around £4 per bottle.   

I’ll be at Camp Bestival this year, with my own wine parlour! There’ll be a wine tasting on Saturday, with some of my current favourite wines. Let me know if you’ll be there, would be lovely to meet you. And I’ll save you some wine, obviously. For more information on the Knackered Mother’s Wine Club at Camp Bestival, click here (http://www.campbestival.net/line-up/2014-line-up/knackered-mothers-wine-club/)

For weekly wine recommendations, visit my blog at www.knackeredmotherswineclub.com. 

Thank you Helen, I will definitely be trying these this summer and look forward to escaping to your wine parlour at Camp Bestival.

Until next time, take care.

Zoe

xo