Events: Auckland Food Show 2011

It’s that time of the year again. The Food Show 2011. The venue was the same as last year but the company was different. We had additional Food Showees in the form of Alex Mason and Andrew Mardon along with Kim Shepherd, Michael Jacobson and myself. Having to have waited in line either in the cold or rain in the previous two years I pre-booked tickets this year and saved $2.50. However it was more expensive than last year and I don’t know why. When we got to the event there was no line, it was just as cold but it wasn’t raining. It didn’t seem like there were less people there. Maybe this pre-booking on the Internet thing might be catching on.

The show this year was like that of last year. Not much difference and thus I have the same to say about it. What it really should have is sections of food stalls given a theme. I know it’s a commercial venture and people buy floor space but still, it would make the show that much better. What was missing and it was missing last year as well was this one stall which had these olives that Mike J and I consider the best olives we’ve ever tasted. Since my first food show I’ve been on the look out for those but never seem to find it

Shopping wise, I’m always on the look out for nice spicy foods. This year I bought a 3 for $10 laska+lentil curry pre-made. There was quite a hot tabasco sauce I wanted and quite a nice peanut satay sauce but never got around to heading back to the stalls.

Trekking the stalls this year seems to be quite quick. I’m not sure if it was because we had more people but the pace was faster than I was expecting. Still, what I wanted to sample I did. I noticed this year there was a cooking type show and even spotted NZ’s first top chef run past me with hands full of gear. Didn’t get to check that out this year but maybe next however those sorts of cooking shows aren’t as interesting if you can’t eat the food they cook.

I’m all keen for the Food Show 2012. You want to come?