The West Hampstead local food festival is shaping up to be a community invent to, er, savour.
Tomatoes from the Isle of Wight
Originally uploaded by Grievous Angel.
The festival, now in its second year, is organised by Camden Friends of the Earth.
The clouds cleared in time to give this year's launch event a pleasantly summery feel. West End Green has never been more inviting - with market stalls selling fresh produce and hot foods, and a jazz band. Plenty of people were stopping by to enjoy the grub on their way home from work.
It's something of a misnomer to call it a local food festival, since agriculture isn't one of the industries for which this corner of north west London is justly famous. The most local stallholder I spotted was the Celtic Bakers from Cricklewood - an organic bakery which, according to The Observer, tries to operate as ethically as possible. Otherwise, it was meat, cheese, fish, and fruit and veg from around the south of England.
It all looked excellent and the point was well made that it's possible to lead a good gastronomic life without having to fly in food from the other side of the world.
Buy local
Originally uploaded by Grievous Angel.
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