SOGGY bottoms will be off the menu when a star from the Great British Bake Off puts on his oven mitts at the Rugby Food and Drink Festival (Thursday September 29 to Sunday October 2).
Howard Middleton, who competed on the BAFTA award-winning baking competition in 2013, will be whipping up a selection of tasty recipes in the Pop-Up Kitchen at the festival’s Food Fayre on Saturday October 1.
The friendly baker will make three dishes from his new book Delicious Gluten-Free Baking at St Andrew’s Church and gardens.
Howard left Bake Off – recently poached from the BBC by Channel 4 – in week six of series four, when his signature Date and Hemp Tea Loaf, Apricot Couronne, and Peachy Buns and German Baumschnecken didn’t quite make the grade for the 24 Sweet European Buns showstopper.
Howard is still an avid baker, keeping an active food blog and attending various food fayres across the country.
The Pop-Up Kitchen will be situated inside the William Butterfield-designed St Andrew’s Church, and will host a variety of lively demonstrations from 10.30am to 5pm on Saturday October 1.
Over 30 food stalls and a real ale bar will fill the church gardens, while little chefs can make pasta jewellery, try their hand at vegetable printing, ride the juice bike or have their face painted at the kids’ kitchen.
Aftab Gaffar, Managing Director of Rugby First, said: “We are delighted to welcome Howard to the Rugby Food and Drink Festival. Each year the festival continues to grow and develop and Howard along with the other chefs are a key part of this. I can’t wait to try some of the food from the kitchen and the stalls on the day.”
Visit www.rugbyfoodanddrinkfestival.co.uk for more information on the festival, including the Farmer’s Market and Rugby Real Ale Trail.
