Tyddyn Llan is offering guests a generous Christmas gift of £100 per person off its festive break - giving guests the freedom to spend more on special stocking fillers for each other - or even an extra night at the hotel to make that festive escape complete.

“Spending Christmas at Tyddyn Llan is just like visiting your best friend’s home, where you can relax over good food, fine wine and great company. The only difference is that you don’t have to prepare the spuds or do the washing up,” says chef/proprietor Bryan Webb.

Guests can look forward to a warming afternoon tea by the fire on arrival on Christmas Eve, champagne in their rooms to set the festive spirit free, more bubbles with pre-dinner canapés, then a sumptuous five-course feast influenced by the delights of a French Christmas.

On the big day, after a light continental breakfast the rest of Christmas Day is traditionally British, with a four-course lunch including a choice of starters, then the option of roast local goose, Welsh Black beef or everyone’s favourite, free range turkey with all the trimmings, and, of course, a fish and a vegetarian option will be available too.

It wouldn’t be Christmas without deliciously indulgent pudding and brandy sauce (but there’s lighter fare too if you prefer), before capping it all with coffee and mince pies.

Either walk off the lunch, relax in the lounges or take a snooze before a tempting buffet with baked Carmarthen ham, poached salmon, roast beef, salads and a selection of seasonal cheeses to finish off the festivities.

On Boxing Day, enjoy the full works for breakfast to set you up for a day of exploring the hidden treasures of the local countryside - Llandrillo’s very own mini Stonehenge sited on the spectacular Moel Ty Uchaf, for example.

Work up an appetite for a delicious supper that includes Franco Taruschio’s famous vincisgrassi with truffles and roast suckling pig.

If you fancy getting away from it all this Christmas, then don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and book your special break - 01490 440 264.

Earlier this year Tyddyn Llan was named as The Good Food Guide readers’ favourite restaurant in Wales.

This Autumn, chocolate is the new black as top chocolatiers from across the globe head to Paris, the fashion capital of the world, to compete in the World Chocolate Masters at the Salon du Chocolat from 14 – 16 October.

Sponsored by Barry Callebaut, the competition, now in its 3rd year, will see twenty of the very best chocolatiers from across the globe vying for the title of World Chocolate Master. Fashion, frills and frivolity will be the order of the day as competitors style chocolate creations inspired by the theme of “Haute Couture.”

Our very own British champion, Mark Tilling, beat off five other finalists last October to claim the illustrious title of UK Chocolate Master. Now he has to prove that he has what it takes to become the World Chocolate Master.

“It’s been a dream come true to represent Great Britain in the finals. Chocolate is one of the most exciting, and challenging ingredients to be working with. I’m really looking forward to competing with the best chocolatiers in the world,” Tilling says.

During the World Final, competitors will be given 11 and a half hours to complete a range of chocolate creations including a chocolate showpiece, moulded and dipped pralines and a chocolate dessert.

Organised by Callebaut, Cacao Barry and Carma, The World Chocolate Masters is the premier global event for chocolatiers, patissiers and pastry chefs. Judged by a jury of nationally renowned professionals, each contestant at The World Chocolate Masters will be judged on a combination of their creative and technical abilities.

The event is also a great opportunity for chocolate pros to find out about the latest chocolatey trends.

British Cheese Week kicks off with the Great British Cheese Festival, this year being held at Cardiff Castle in the Welsh Capital, British Cheese Week is a nationwide campaign of activities designed to promote the best of British Cheese. The week coincides with British Food Fortnight and throughout the country cheesemakers, retailers, restaurants and the media will be holding a number of events to highlight and promote all that is supreme about British cheese.

Marks & Spencer, sponsors of the Supreme Champion are running a major campaign to highlight the superb range of British modern and traditional cheeses they stock, most of which are medal winners and many are Award winners in the British Cheese Awards this year.

Specialist cheese shops around the country from Scotland to Cornwall are involved, tempting their customers to try not only the Award winners but also all British cheese and preferably local. The Coastguard Restaurant however, base on St Margaret’s Bay in Kent and in sight of the French coast offer a comparison tasting of French vs English designed to demonstrate that the French are not alone in making great cheeses.

Daylesford Organic Creamery have a small but well chosen range of cheese including several of the Awards winners while Paxton & Whitfield offer an even wider range. Both will be highlighting these cheeses in displays and special tastings. Plus many cheeses makers are planning special tastings at framers Markets and in stores around the country.

Major multiples Waitrose, Tesco and ASDA are firmly behind British Cheese Week, continuing their support of quality, local produce from small suppliers and feature many artisan British cheeses on their deli counters. The Town Mil Cheesemongers in Lyme Regis, Trethowan’s Dairy Shop in Bristol and the website PONG CHEESE will also be demonstrating their support of British Cheese Week with special promotions.

Restaurants and eateries across the Country will be featuring British Cheese by producing British only cheese boards. The small village pub The Kingham Plough in Oxfordshire always features local cheeses and find that contrary to the belief of many chefs you can make a profit from cheese and people love to know they are local.

“It’s been another great year for British cheese and we look forward to a great week of celebration to mark this” said British Cheese Awards organiser Juliet Harbutt.

Today, the London Restaurant Festival (October 8th-13th), announced a number of exciting additions to the 500-plus Festival Menus that are already due to be on offer across the capital.

The Festival Menus have been created specifically for the duration of the London Restaurant Festival and are at the heart of the culinary celebrations. Each menu will offer a range of wonderful dishes at discounted, fixed prices, which start from £10 for lunch and £15 for dinner. Festival Menus will give Londoners and foodie-minded visitors the opportunity to explore restaurants throughout the capital, some of which may not usually be so accessible. With such offers already set to be available at famous establishments such as Wahaca, Le Caprice, Yauatcha, and Fifteen, the next wave of establishments have today announced their creations. These include:

Exclusive London Restaurant Festival Cream Tea at The Wolseley
One of London’s most popular restaurants, The Wolseley will be creating an exclusive Festival Cream Tea. Enjoy the glamour and buzz of the restaurant with a generous helping of delicious cakes, pastries and sumptuous scones.

No Corkage at Fortnum & Mason Restaurants
To celebrate the Festival, and in addition to running Festival Menus throughout this iconic department store, all Fortnum & Mason's restaurants are offering wine at retail prices (bottles only) throughout October. The participating restaurants are:

• 1707 Wine Bar
• The Fountain Restaurant
• The Gallery Restaurant
• The Parlour Restaurant
• St. James’s Restaurant

Food and Wine of Argentina
On the opening day of the festival a small number of hand-picked restaurants will be offering menus based on the finest food and wine from Argentina. Venues include:
• The Bleeding Heart
• The Don
• The Zetter Restaurant

Night At the Races at Frankie's
To celebrate both the London Restaurant Festival and the racing roots of the venue, Frankie's at Chelsea FC is putting on “A Night At The Races” on Thursday 8th October, hosted by the legendary horse-racing pundit John McCririck with special appearance for the legend himself Frankie Dettori.

Tate Art Lunches
Indulge your creative side as well as your taste buds with these special offers at the Tate Modern and Tate Britain:

• Tate Britain: see the ‘Turner and the Masters’ exhibition and enjoy a two-course lunch at the Rex Whistler Restaurant for just £23. The main courses on offer are inspired by the period during which Turner and his peers were at work. Dishes include steamed mutton pudding with minted caper and lentil jus, using welsh mutton steamed for 5 hours!
• Tate Modern: see the ‘Pop Life: Art in a Material World’ exhibition and enjoy a two-course lunch at Tate Modern Restaurant for just £23. Puddings include the ‘Marilyn Monroe Crème Brulee’, a seasonal crème brulee inspired by the pudding once famously served to Andy Warhol at London’s Café Royal.

Special London Restaurant Hotel Package

The Zetter Hotel, one of London’s hippest boutique hotels, has also put together a special package for those attending the London Restaurant Festival 2009. Sandwiched between the East and West End in über trendy Clerkenwell, The Zetter could not be better placed to explore the festival’s events across the capital. The package includes; 2 night stay at The Zetter, 3 course dinner for 2 from the Zetter’s festival menu (on the night of your choice) and Full English Breakfast for 2 on both mornings. All from just £355 – Too book; call 020 7324 4444 or go to;
.thezetter.com/en/Offers/Offer/LRF

Tickets and information for all of these events are available from the festival website, londonrestaurantfestival.com.

The inaugural London Restaurant Festival is the brainchild of Fay Maschler and Simon Davis. The week-long event will see hundreds of the capital’s restaurants, in every corner of the city, putting on specially-created fixed-price ‘Festival Menus’ showcasing the essence of their specialist cuisine. There will also be a whole host of showpiece events at some of London’s most iconic venues, featuring some of the most famous chefs in the world. From the UK’s biggest ever Sunday roast, to a gourmet dinner on the London Eye prepared by Gordon Ramsay, the Festival promises to be a unique gastronomic experience.

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Manchester city centre is the location of Europe’s biggest and best urban gastronomic celebration. And this morning, chefs from hotels and restaurants – include The Hilton’s David Gale and Harvey Nichols’ Stuart Thomson – gathered at Albert Square to promote these upcoming festivities.



Albert Square is the site of the Festival Finale Weekend (Oct 9-11), which will see a huge amount of foodie-loving activities, stalls and events for all the family. Thirsty ale lovers will enjoy the Real Ale Fair, in association with CAMRA, while an Oktoberfest, in association with Lufthansa, will bring the magic of the most famous German beer celebration to the city.

Phil Jones, executive director, said: “The twelfth Manchester Food and Drink Festival is just about to launch, and there are some incredibly exciting events coming up that our dedicated team have been working on for the past few months.

“New to this year is the Independent and Local Wine Festival, the whiskey festival and of course, our Oktoberfest. All we need now is for the people of Manchester to come down an enjoy it!”

Siobhan Hanley, festival director, added, “We have top quality line-up of events this year, and all the participating restaurants have come up with some amazing ideas. We’d like to thank everyone who has worked so hard in putting this celebration together.”

Also new to this year is the delectable Dinner In The City Series, in association with Forever Manchester and Smooth Radio. This is an appetising array of completely unique and exciting dining experiences at a different restaurant for each day of the festival. A percentage of profits will go to Manchester Food and Drink Festival’s Grassroots Fund. Expect seasonal surprises, cock¬tail dinners and celebrity guest stars as part of this tasty series of events.

The annual food and drink extravaganza comes to a climax with the much-awaited Gala Dinner and Awards at the Palace Hotel on Monday, October 12. The Hairy Bikers – Si and Dave – will zoom into town and wow the crowd with their witty Northern banter.

For a full line up events visit: foodanddrinkfestival.com

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The Dining Rooms and Bar.
Quality dining doesn't always have to mean foams, froths and veloutés. The Dining Rooms,Norwich delivers real food, with authentic flavours to offer an unfussy and fantastic quality dining experience in the heart of Norwich.

The Dining Rooms offers a culinary experience that really has to be seen to be believed. Originally the 16th Century home of Robert Suckling, Mayor and High Sheriff of Norfolk; the site has since undergone many alterations and manifested itself as everything from a private home to a public space hosting dinners, dances, examinations and currently, a restaurant, bar and cinema. It is also English Heritage Grade One listed.

Opened in 2007, the restaurant is adjacent to and serves the Cinema City arthouse cinema. The restaurant retains its own private entrance and shares the bar and courtyard area with cinema-goers. The restaurant seats around 40 covers over two spectacular rooms – the first being the former buttery, retaining the original vaulted ceilings and white-washed walls(a colour specified by English Heritage); while the second seats between 8-12 guests and is a hidden away Georgian wooden panelled room for quiet dinners and private dining.

The emphasis for The Dining Rooms has been to offer a menu, of 'real' food, the owners having seen the large number of chain and
branded restaurants in Norwich offering a mixture of bland and unexciting cooking. The owners wanted to bring something different to
the city and developed an offering of traditional and modern British food with an eclectic feel.

The menu at The Dining Rooms has been created to utilise the best of Norfolk and the surrounding counties'; produce,combining locally sourced produce with more exotic ingredients, to give customers the opportunity to enjoy a dining experience in a setting normally only found in stately homes and country manors.

Signature dishes such as fillet of mackerel with walnut oil, warm potato salad and gooseberry relish or Norfolk Pork shank braised in Robert suckling Ale, with a rich mashed potato and jus are mixed with modern twists on classic desserts - Pear and Almond Bakewell tart with vanilla custard. The restaurant cures its own meats and bread baked and served in traditional clay pots is supplied by a local baker. All of the food is home prepared using local and regional suppliers wherever possible. An unpretentious drinks list offers a variety of reasonably priced quality wines and the restaurant's own private label beer, Robert Suckling Ale.

Food and Beverage manager, Steven Smith commented:
“The Dining Rooms was created to provide a serene dining space for guests of the cinema and general public alike and offers diners the chance to visit one of Norwich's most historic buildings. Our aim is to offer to Norwich simple, uncomplicated food and familiar favourites that have been forgotten. All created with passion, flair and a bit of a twist. We're fast on our way to becoming one of Norfolk's finest eateries and wish to become the best restaurant in Norwich city – we've already a great customer base and hope that continues to grow as more people from in and out of Norfolk get to sample our cooking, and the beautiful dining environment.”

The Dining Rooms is open from 6pm daily and a lunch, afternoon tea and light bites menu is available at other times. The venue is also available for private and corporate hire and functions, including the hire of cinema spaces/screening rooms.

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Visitors to Exmoor between Friday 2 and Sunday 11 October will be able to experience a taste of the very best in local produce from this beautiful part of the West Country at the eighth Exmoor Food Festival. The tasty programme of around 40 events will include food fairs, farmers’ markets, tasting platters, themed evenings, farm visits and indulgent cream teas. Some events will take place every day throughout the festival, while others will be on specific days.

The festival kicks off on Friday morning at Minehead Farmers’ Market, while in the evening there’s a Caribbean themed supper at The Avenue Creamery, Minehead (£22.50 per person) or a four-course home-cooked dinner at the Yarn Market Hotel, Dunster celebrating local produce (£30pp).

Some highlights over the ten days include a pony trek through the beautiful Doone Valley returning to Cloud Farm for a cream tea overlooking Badgworthy stream on Saturday, 3 October priced at £20pp; a hearty breakfast at Moorland Hall and self-guided walk to Dunkery Beacon, Exmoor’s highest point on Sunday 4 and 11 October (£6 adults and £4 children) and a nostalgic journey on the West Somerset steam railway with high tea at the new Turntable Café at Minehead station on 6, 7 and 8 October.

There will also be a chance to meet producers and sample and buy a wealth of fine local food and drink under one roof at both the free entry Lyn Food Fest on Saturday 10th in Lynton Town Hall, and the Exmoor Food Fair on Sunday 11th in Porlock Village Hall.

Several hotels, B&Bs and restaurants will be offering seasonal menus throughout the festival including Streamcombe Gourmet B&B in Dulverton; Exmoor House at Wheddon Cross; the Crown Hotel, Exford and Hindon Organic Farm, near Selworthy, which will be serving a homemade Exmoor Beast Brunch featuring their award-winning sausages. And the Hunters Inn, near Parracombe will be running an exhibition telling the story of the renowned Exmoor Horn sheep, as well as offering a daily lunchtime special Horn lamb dish for around £10.

For further details and booking information visit exmoorfoodfestival.co.uk or call the Minehead Visitor Information Centre on 01643 702 624; details about other things to see and do around Exmoor and places to stay can be found on exmoor.com.

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Three of the highlights on Scotland’s culinary map, Fins seafood restaurant in Ayrshire, The Doune Dining Room in Knoydart and the Isle of Eriska Hotel and Spa have all been recognised in the shortlist for Scotland’s top food tourism award.

From an informal seafood restaurant in Ayrshire to a luxury hotel situated on its own island and a restaurant with rooms accessible only by foot or by boat, this year’s finalists for the 2009 Taste of Scotland Thistle Award highlight Scotland’s strengths in local produce. Each of the businesses were shortlisted for clearly demonstrating their passion for sourcing, using and promoting local Scottish produce.

The shortlisted candidates are:

• Fins Seafood Restaurant - a small Ayrshire restaurant specialising in seafood either caught directly by owner, Bernard Thain, or sourced from four local boats on the day of catching. Particular specialities include hand dived scallops and locally produced trout and oysters. Cooked fresh from the sea, Fins’ local sourcing ensures the flavours of Scottish west coast seafood reaches the table at the peak of perfection. In addition Fins has an associated smokehouse producing smoked salmon and smoked meats.

• The Doune Dining Room - something of an adventure in itself, set in Knoydart in the north west Highlands, the restaurant with rooms is accessible by boat or by around two days hiking from Mallaig. Remote though it may be, the location has been critical to the restaurant’s culinary success with fish and shellfish straight out of the water; venison from the hills and fruit and vegetables from the garden. Home-made bread, rolls, pancakes, jams and local honey are all as fresh, local and seasonal.

• The Isle of Eriska Hotel and Spa - situated on its own private island, the hotel has developed a wide network of local suppliers chosen for their high quality and all visited personally by the kitchen team. Eriska has recently developed its own kitchen garden to provide the freshest herbs and vegetables and in cooperation with a local farmer. The hotel has also begun to rear its own pork, which is slaughtered and butchered locally for use in the hotel’s kitchen. Sourcing a wide variety of locally landed seafood has enabled the hotel to concentrate on using sustainable stocks and changing the menu frequently allows the hotel to use small quantities of more unusual kinds of fish in place of species from less sustainable stocks.

The Scottish Thistle Awards, which are among the most coveted accolades in the industry, celebrate quality and innovation across a range of categories. The 2009 winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on Friday 23rd October.

The award has been sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink, a unique industry-led organisation that aims to grow the value of Scotland's food and drink sector, making it more profitable and delivering greater global success in a fiercely competitive market.

Congratulating the finalists, Philip Riddle, Chief Executive of VisitScotland, said:

“This has been a particularly strong year for the Taste of Scotland category of the Scottish Thistle Awards and it’s great to see such a range of different establishments all using the freshest possible local produce in such innovative ways. The award really highlights businesses with a passion for food and drink”.

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A food festival taking place in September is being backed by major names from the screen and the kitchen.

Amanda Holden, actress and Britain’s Got Talent judge has been announced as a patron of the EDP Bidwells Norfolk Food Festival 2009 alongside talented actor Stephen Fry and Saturday morning TV cookery show regular Galton Blackiston, Michelin-starred chef of Morston Hall.

Ms Holden, who has a house in Norfolk, said: “The EDP Bidwells Norfolk Food Festival is a brilliant idea – championing all things good in the foodie department from a county that is dear to my heart. I treasure my time in Norfolk and sampling the delicious local seasonal food with my family and friends is what it is all about – it’s just as good as it gets.”

Native Norfolk man Stephen Fry said: “One of the county’s many glories is the quality of the food raised on the land here. We have some of the best restaurateurs and chefs in the country and they will tell you how superb local produce is. It's good that so much of the county is our secret, but there are some aspects of Norfolk you want to shout from the rooftops. I'm very proud to have to been asked to be a patron of the EDP Bidwells Norfolk Food Festival and urge everyone to tuck in and enjoy a great festival.”

For two weeks at the end of September shops, restaurants, schools and many food-related businesses will be taking part in a countywide celebration of everything that is good about Norfolk food and drink.

The EDP Bidwells Norfolk Food Festival 2009 will be a showcase promotion to highlight the breadth of quality local produce, the county’s rich food heritage and the importance of good food to everyone’s well-being.

The festival will run from September 19 to October 4 – linking in with the national Great British Food Fortnight and one of the key events in the first few days will be the announcement of the winners in this year’s Eastern Daily Press Norfolk Food Awards.

“Whether you eat to live or live to eat there will be definitely be something that will appeal to your taste buds,” said festival chairman Richard Woolliams from Bidwells. “This festival continues the good work created by the Norwich food festival but this goes further, becoming a countywide event with many different organisations backing it.”

Highlights include the giant Battle of the Bangers when the county’s finest butchers head into the city to compete for the coveted title of Norfolk’s best sausage maker.

On the first weekend in October the John Lewis Cookery Theatre will host two days of live cooking with some of the county’s best chefs providing interesting and exciting ideas and there will be an exhibition of Norfolk food producers in The Forum.

The Aylsham Food Festival will also be part of these two weeks and their events will take place from October 2 to 4, including family cooking workshops, cookery demonstrations and a ‘Big Breakfast’ in the Town Hall on the Sunday morning.

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Hotel recreates 200-year-old recipes to provide a unique taste of the Lakes.

Dishes that may have inspired the poets Wordsworth and Coleridge as they wandered cloudlike around the Lake District are once again being offered to today’s visitors.

The Derwent Lodge in Embleton is recreating the authentic taste of byegone Lake District dishes that have now been almost forgotten.

Cumberland Rum Nicky, Allerdale goats cheese, Grasmere gingerbread and smoked venison are all ingredients used by award-winning chef Steve Dellin in the creation of his dishes.

“The Lakes are forever associated with Wordsworth and his host of daffodils but for hundreds of years they have also been known for the quality and diversity of their food,” says Dellin.
Ray Blackburn, proprietor of the Derwent Lodge, has researched and devised the recipes for many of the creations.

“We shall be preparing beef with nettle and tomato, potted char, damson and apple tansy and a fantastic Westmorland mutton and potato pie,” says Blackburn.

“There are a host of special dishes that are unique to this area and we are determined to introduce them back into local restaurants and kitchens.”

The food on offer changes with the season and Derwent Lodge themes its menus accordingly.

It has recently been offering The Wordsworth menu:

Starter: Flaked charr with onions
Main: Tatty Pot – local lamb, potatoes, black pudding with a variety of vegetables
Dessert: Apple Tansy or Damson Cobbler
Cheese: Allerdale goats cheese with hand made bread