This year’s Wanstead Fringe, which starts on Saturday, is the first to have such a focus on food and drink. Perhaps that’s explained by the growth in restaurants and cafes in Wanstead, but for whatever reason it’s good news for foodies.
Newcomers Bare Brew have thrown themselves into the Fringe spirit with a wine tasting on Tuesday night, except that it’s with coffee rather than wine. It’s nearly a sell-out too.
A similar idea has been taken up by Vincenzo Cossaro at More Italy who is running a workshop on tasting the differences between olive oils, on Thursday night. What difference does oil make to taste and cooking, how to spot a good oil, and first hand experience from an olive farmer will leave participants’ knowledge 100% more oleaginous than before.
Bombetta’s Ben Milne and wine blogger Zeren Wilson will join Wansteadium’s favourite historical novelist Geraldine Roberts, author of The Angel and the Cad, for an evening of fine cheese, wine and tasty anecdotes at the Cherry Tree on Wednesday.
Signature Brew who have been making a range of music-inspired beers in Leyton since 2011 will be taking over the Duke on Wednesday 13, and Hackney Downs’ based vodka producers Our/Vodka will be explaining their local flavours on Friday, also at the Duke.
The Duke is also running a four-course taster menu, using produce sold on Wanstead High Street, in a tent on Christ Church Green on Saturday 15th.
Tickets and more information about these and other Fringe events are available at wansteadfringe.org
- The Wanstead Fringe starts on Saturday 9 September with the Wanstead Maker’s Market in Christchurch, a session on portrait painting by Jason Rose, the mighty Duke Street Party, and a concert for Organ and Saxophone by two international music masters. A true day of Fringe variety.