Crail Food Festival

For the first time ever, we took Tailend on the road! Last weekend (11th&12th of June) we joined many other local producers at Crail Food Festival! This amazing annual event is held all over the beautiful coastal village of Crail. 

This festival has gotten bigger and bigger over the last 6 years, 2016 being its biggest yet. With 70 local suppliers, 14 speakers and 15 events held across 7 venues over 3 days. The festival organises a wide variety of food and drink based events over the course of the weekend.  Guests can choose from food demonstrations, dinners, talks, pop-up stalls, meeting the producers and of course discovering new, quality local products. 

This was also great for us as producers, we had the opportunity to meet potential new customers and also to collaborate with other local producers. As many of you know Tailend prides itself on working and supporting independent businesses, so this was a great chance to meet lots of new local foodies to work with.
Over the 2 days  we were situated in Marketgate. Right next door to the beer tent (which was very handy). The beer marque was also home to live music from local bands, which just gave off such a happy atmosphere. Gorgeous food, live music and beer on tap, definitely got us in the festival spirit! Also joining us in Marketgate were fellow foodies East Neuk cooks, Flat out Food, The Tin Van, Wood Fired Pizza & Anstruther Row Club. 

We were the only spot in the Festival where people could get hot food, so come lunch time we were very busy! ​We were the only seafood stand in Marketgate and offered a selection of cajun seabass or cajun salmon tacos, warm Arbroath Smokie with lemon, warm Hot Smoked Salmon and a range of seafood boxes (containing a choice of patè, salad, chutney, hot smoked salmon & oat cakes). We also had vacuum packed Smokies, Hot smoked salmon & a range patè for sale (smoked mackerel patè, arbroath smokie patè, smoked mackerel & blackberry patè). 
Considering this was our first time at an event like this, we got into our rhythm very quickly. All food was cooked to order and we made the salad boxes fresh to order too. 

Lunch time, Saturday. 

Arbroath Smokie W' Lemon

Grilling our Cajun Salmon & Seabass fillets

Our first day was a massive success, all the Tailend team had a great time and we even had to run back to the shop on market street for more stock! Come 4.30 we started to pack away and prep for another day fun filled day on Sunday. 

Sunday
​Sadly Sunday got hit with traditional Scottish summer weather, it was rainy and cold but the Tailend troops were in good spirits and got the stall set up ready for the day. 

Considering the weather, we still had plenty of customer and the rain wasn't damping anyones mood in the slightest. All our customers were wrapped up like little fish suppers and were still in jolly spirits. Maybe even more excited than the previous day at the thought of a hot salmon taco to warm them up. 

Due to more happening down at the harbour, we decided to pack up some of our patè & oatcakes and hit the streets! 

Lured in by the temptation of tasty treats, we offered samples of our different patès for guests to try out before they bought them! This also gave us the opportunity to talk to people and tell them a little bit of the story  

behind Tailend and where they could find our stall. We were kept busy through day down at the harbour but we still managed to find the time to exchange food for food with our neighbours up at Marketgate! In exchange for tacos we managed to wangle a pizza from the Tin Van, Soup from the East Neuk Cooks & the offer of beer from St Andrews Brew Co, but sadly we were all driving (damn car) so coffee for us instead! We loved making new foodie friends. 

We had an absolute ball at the festival and we have been bitten by the travelling bug! We are looking to get involved with other festivals and events in the area. So keep a look out for the Tailend the next time your out and about, you never know where you might see us!

A huge thank you to Graeme (from the honey pot, in Crail) and his team for organising such a huge event so well. Everyone working the event was so friendly and helpful, which was very comforting due to this being our first time out of the restaurant and onto the mean streets.  A truly great weekend had by all! 

Until next year #crailfoodfestival click the link to see more highlights from the day www.crailfoodfest.co.uk .