Together We Grow This!

Yes it is possible to grow rather attractive food not very far from the Upper Tooting Road!  A big thank you to all the growers who donated at today's event at Mushkil Aasaan.  And also a big thank you to local chef Volker Nissen for his fabulous cooking, turning unlikely looking ingredients into something delicious as if by magic right before our eyes.  Volker made a spicy beetroot soup, a marrow pasta and a pumpkin risotto - recipes please!

Don't miss tomorrow's second half of this annual food festival at Tooting Market from 12, where we can sample the homegrown Tooting produce cooked by local restaurants.  See you there.

Counting Down to Foodival

Transition Town Tooting has been running the Foodival since 2008, so this year is the 5th incarnation. Foodival connects local growers of vegetables and fruit to local restaurants and local people, aiming to tap into and share expertise around growing and making food as well as being a fun event for all the family. 

One of the key ideas behind the Foodival is that food in Tooting can be more sustainably produced.  Food grown and sourced locally has less of an impact on the planet with an almost negligible carbon footprint.  At next weekend's Foodival you will be able to eat a dish that has only travelled one or two "food miles" and then maybe on foot or the back of a bike! 

Don't forget to bring any fruit and veg that you can spare on Saturday.  You may even see your produce cooked on the spot by our Michelin background chef Volker!

On Sunday don't miss the chance to try locally grown food cooked by a variety of local restaurants while perusing the stalls and relaxing to an eclectic of musical and comedic entertainment at Tooting Market! 

Foodival 2012 promises to be even bigger and better (is that possible?) and we look forward to seeing you there.

A good haul for the Foodival

Jeni was busy out and about in Tooting today 'harvesting' buckets to decorate tomorrow night.

If you want to do some decorating come along to the Foodival Prop making evening at Mushkil Aasaan 222 Tooting High Street tomorrow from 7 -9 pm. We need all hands on deck to get these done and the banners - no previous artistic ability needed, just enthusiasm and old clothes.

Foodival 2012 Poster

Foodival 2012

This year's Foodival takes place over the weekend of the 22nd & 23rd September.  As in previous years we are looking for local gardeners and food growers to donate any surplus produce you can spare to be used by local chefs and restaurants to cook up delicious local food.  I am doing my best with out of control Rocket plants!

On Saturday 22nd we will collect food donations at Mushkil Aasaan between 11 and 4pm and as well as our familiar Restaurant Cook-up Challenge, this year we also have Pop-up cookery demonstrations from a local Michelin background chef.

On Sunday 23rd, the main event takes place in the wonderful 1930s Tooting Market from 12pm-4pm with free entry, free live music, activities for kids including recycled bottle-top art, competitions with recycled prizes and a heck of a lot of food tasting!                 David

Foodival and Tooting Roots get coverage in Wandsworth Guardian

Foodival Slideshow

A Great Day at Foodival 2011

A great afternoon was had at the 4th annual Tooting Foodival with this year's local produce cooked by local restaurants bought with a local Tooting currency - the Tooting Root - at the Brick Box in Tooting Market.  Here are a few early photos ... more to follow I hope!

Foodival 2011 - Final call for help

With only a few days until Transition Town Tooting's 2011 Foodival, the Food Group have been putting together the final touches to this year's grand event!

FRUIT & VEG DROP OFF
We need any spare fruit and veg that you have grown in your garden.  We'll take this to local restaurants to cook up a storm with it.  The result?  We get to enjoy local Tooting produce turned into local Tooting dishes by some of the best restaurants in town!

How do I donate?
Please bring any spare fruit and veg you have to Transition Town Tooting's Community Garden at 5 North Drive Tooting between 4pm and 7pm on Friday the 16th of September.

What if I can't make it on Friday or can't get to the garden??
Please email Giles or call Tim on 07791 444 500 to arrange pick up!

FOODIVAL - Saturday 17th September
This year looks to be TTT's biggest Foodival yet with mobile gardens, Tooting's own currency -the "Root" and over a dozen stalls with arts, crafts, information and food all concerned with all things green and local! You can buy "Roots" for £1 to spend on local dishes cooked up by local chefs and get special "Green Root"s for half price if you bring your own bowl and spoon! Samba music and other performers will entertain during the day and you can continue the entertainment on into the night at the Brick Box with live music from 9pm. 

COMPETITION
We are having a competition for the best homemade salad dressing to go on our own giant community garden salad so drag out ma's secret recipe and join the competition -the winner gets a box of seasonal goodies from Abel & Cole!

VenueTooting Market - 21-23 Tooting High Street (not to be confused with Broadway Market next door - look for the mobile gardens out the front!)

Timefrom 1pm-5pm on Saturday the 17th of September with a Foodival party through the night from 9pm-to 3am!

Why? Because we love local food and want to grow, cook and eat local!

So see you all there and please, please, please bring any spare veg you have to the garden on Friday afternoon or contact Giles or Tim for pick up.

HELP!!

Please email contact Giles if you can help out with any of the following:

• Paper bowls and spoons (for naughty people who forgot to bring their own!)
• Waste volunteers - to help us collect recyclables and make the event as sustainable as possible
• Donation collection volunteers - to help carry a couple of buckets around and find the generous! 
• Decoration volunteers - to help set up and set down all the bunting, art and tables.  Please come on Saturday to the market by 11am!

Many thanks to all those who have helped and are helping and see you all there!

Giles and the Foodival Team xx

Foodival 2011

This year's Foodival takes place on Saturday September 17th.  Come and join the free community celebration of local food, details below: