Birmingham Post

Get a flavour of the region

Take a large helping of restaurants, a generous serving of local producers and add a huge dollop of entertainment - you've got the perfect ingredients for Taste of Birmingham 2009! Marketing Birmingham, the event organiser, is working with Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF) to showcase the best of the Midlands' culinary offering at the four day outdoor food festival this summer. Set in the leafy surroundings of Cannon Hill Park, food lovers can arm themselves with crowns (the currency of the ...

Birmingham's food scene

Taste of Birmingham is a celebration of everything that's great about the city's food and drink scene. And it's one that's fast gaining recognition. Birmingham's food and drink scene is on the national and international stage with The Times newspaper calling the city 'England's second culinary capital.' It's also award winning with three of the city's best chefs achieving coveted Michelin stars for their cooking. Birmingham chefs Richard Turner for his new Harborne restaurant, Glynn Purnell f...

Heart of England Fine Foods

ocal producers play an increasingly importance part in the region's food and drink scene. Taste of Birmingham is working closely with Heart of England Fine Foods (HEFF), the Midland's regional food group. It works with producers, growers and processors of speciality food and drink from the counties of Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire. Some of the producers at Taste of Birmingham include Fudge Heaven in Worcestershire, Purity Brewing Company in Warwickshire and Sunshine F...

L ocal producers

Direct Beers - Ashbourne, Derbyshire Retailers of bottle conditioned beers brewed by micro brewers all over the UK. Their selections include organic beers, vegan friendly beers and gluten free beers. All of the beers are sourced from small craft brewers who produce beers in small batches, using only natural ingredients, and every beer is bottle conditioned, which means it is still fermenting in the bottle. Flights Orchard Organics - Ledbury, Herefordshire The region's premier organic fruit an...

Meet the chefs ; Visitors can experience a range of food from some of the region's best restaurants. Here's what some of the chefs have to say about Taste of Birmingham:

restaurants Regency Birmingham, 2 Street, Birmingham 643 1234 Hyatt Regency Birmingham's restaurant, offers a menu that draws on modern influences. 22 Newhall Street, Birmingham 200 2767 winningAsian restaurant owned byBollywood legendAsha Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, 632 6882 Brindleyplace basedrestaurant delicious Italian cuisine..

Entertainment ; Festival facts Taste of Birmingham takes place July 9-12 2009 in Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham. Tickets can be purchased online at visitbirmingham.com/taste and in Birmingham's Tourism Centres at the Rotunda and New Street. Standard tickets are pounds 10 in advance, pounds 12 on the day. All children under 16 years have free entry. Up4 the Downstroke

As well as great food, there's a host of musical talent on offer at Taste of Birmingham to keep you entertained while you performing a vast range of soul and funk favourites including the hits of Edwin Starr, Aretha Franklin and more. Keep an eye out for the Bryan Corbett Quartet, one of the UK's most accomplished trumpet players, Dino Baptiste a talented musician who plays in the style of Blues, Boogie Woogie and Rock'n Roll.

Heart of England Fine Foods Cookery Theatre ; In association with AGA Rangemaster Group

V isitors can enjoy some food demonstrations with a difference at the Taste of Birmingham feature kitchen. Footballers, DJs, fabulous chefs, award-winning colleges and local school children will all be showing their skills. Here's further details about some of the surprises in store... . Football fun Keep your eyes peeled for some footballing legends who'll be dusting down their kit and heading into the kitchen. The footballing heroes of yesteryear will be going head to head with opposing Mid...

Research loan 'essential' for JLR to survive crunch ; TOM SCOTNEY

A deal on crucial research and development money for Jaguar Land Rover needs to be done by the end of the summer - or the firm could suffer the same fate as MG Rover. The claim from an industry expert came as bosses at JLR owner Tata Motors said job cuts were a possibility and ramped up their war of words with the government after the Midland firm announced it had made a loss of pounds 281 million in just ten months.

Eric and Miriam Umpleby

FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD

Kings Heath shows the way to recovery

Green shoots in the high street - page 11 Economists arguing over whether Britain is experiencing a v- shaped, w-shaped or even the dreaded l-shaped recession would do well to cast their net at the country's suburban shopping parades to judge whether there really are any green shoots of growth.

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Time to stop haggling over JLR loan ; COMMENT

JLR research loan 'essential' - page 1 What can there be left to say? Months of discussion, thousands of words written, and as many people's jobs at risk.

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