Choose Cornish campaign to launch at food festival in Truro

Organisers of Cornwall's biggest celebration of food and drink have announced that the festival will be the launch pad for a new campaign – Choose Cornish – intended to generate millions of pounds for the local economy. Eagerly anticipated by food lovers, Cornwall Food & Drink Festival will transform Truro's Lemon Quay into an annual hubbub of feasting and fun from 28 – 30 September.

With around 40 chefs and food experts giving a packed programme of masterclasses and demonstrations over the three days, the festival attracts over 40,000 people and provides a significant financial boost to the Cornish economy.

Free to enter, the festival is a great place to discover new recipes and pick up tips galore from the professionals at work on the two stages.

Visitors will hear from renowned specialists at the top of their game such as Nathan Outlaw, whose two Michelin-starred restaurant at Rock is rated within the top five in the UK; or Dairy Crest's chief cheese grader, Mark Pitts-Tucker, the man who perfects the hugely popular Davidstow cheddars.

For those who prefer to shop, 60 exhibitors will be showing why the county has a reputation for such a wide range of top quality food and drink. From traditional favourites such as pasties, clotted cream and saffron cake to the contemporary style of designer chocolates, award-winning drinks, artisan charcuterie and breads, all tastes will be satisfied and all thirsts will be quenched.

Families can have fun too with the Funky Food Zone, a dedicated area for kids located in Tinners' Court adjacent to Lemon Quay, and a treasure hunt with fantastic prizes that include a scooter and play kitchen equipment.

Alongside all the fun, Cornwall Food & Drink are taking steps to prolong the beneficial impact of the festival with the launch of their new "Choose Cornish" campaign.

A joint project with Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, the scheme is intended to reinvigorate people's interest in using local suppliers - for their grocery shopping, their leisure activities, and their business transactions. It is also timed to coincide with the season when trade tends to slow for a lot of Cornwall's businesses and organisers are hoping to give that a boost.

Ruth Huxley, director of Cornwall Food & Drink, explains: "We all have choices about what we buy and where we buy it from; that's why we've called it 'Choose Cornish'. We want to encourage people to make an active decision to do just that. Very small changes by people or businesses individually can make a massive collective impact. For example, if everybody who lives in Cornwall spent just an extra 50p of their weekly grocery budget on local produce from a local supplier, it would deliver well over £10 million into Cornwall's economy in a year."

The campaign will launch in the stunning setting of Truro Cathedral on Thursday 27th September, when over 100 invited guests will enjoy a Cornish cream tea that also celebrates the start of the festival and supports the cathedral's Inspire appeal.

The Festival Marquee on Lemon Quay opens at 9.00 am on Friday 28th September.

For full details of the festival, visit www.cornwallfoodanddrink.co.uk/festival2012..

(Photograph courtesy of www.davidgriffen.co.uk)