THE 2011 Food and Drink Festival took place in September at the Nunnery in Douglas.
It was the third time the festival had been held in the Isle of Man and this year saw star turns from celebrity chef James Martin and MasterChef semi-finalist Stacie Stewart.
Both chefs took to the Manx Food Theatre to give live cookery demonstrations which proved to be a huge hit with the visiting public.
James Martin, who was headlining the festival, praised the food festival for providing something new and different.
He said: "I like coming to these things because you find different local producers, the individuals and smaller guys – you never know what you're going to find.
"Particularly with Saturday Kitchen (James's BBC cookery show) we are always looking for something new, something different, and this is the place to come and find it.
"I think not a lot of people know what's on their doorstep – until they come to farmers' markets or food festivals."
James also highlighted the economic importance of buying locally.
He continued: "Not only does it help the local producers but it benefits the economy – you don't have to sell it through a second party – and they (local people) get to meet the people producing it.
"Often you don't actually understand what's produced on your doorstep. It's not a massive Island so you're not very far away from a food producer and you probably don't know it!"
He also revealed that he regularly uses Manx seafood from local fishmonger Paddy's Hooked on Fish in his restaurant in the UK.
There were also live demonstrations from Manx producers including Greeba Mushrooms, Heron and Brearley, Tanroagan Restaurant and the Individual Cake Company.
A wide range of Manx produce - from vegetables to confectionery to Manx beer and cider - was available for sale and there were activities for the whole family including butter making, farm visits and Manx music and dancing.
A number of local producers unveiled new products at the festival. The Apple Orphanage launched the first commercially made Manx cider in living memory which took 12 months to make.
The Original Manx Fudge Factory, which is based in Ballasalla, also launched its new product at the festival - the first new Manx Knob sweets for 30 years. These were Old Grumpy Knobs, which are dark and mint flavoured, and Christmas Knobs which are golden and made with Manx butter.
Ballarock Ltd launched a new type of rum – Basking Shark Cask Aged Rum – at the festival which is a mixture of rum from different Island's whose waters are visited by basking sharks before they appear annually in Manx waters. A donation from each bottle sold will be made to wildlife charities in the Island.
The finals of the I Love Manx family chef and professional chef competitions were also held at the Food and Drink Festival.
This story is part of isleofman.com's Review of the Year 2011.
