Food Festival is almost upon us!!  You can read the latest Food Festival Newsletter by clicking here.  Or to find out every last detail click here to visit the definitive Food Festival website?  Above is one of our photographer's rather self indulgent view of last year's Festival, can you recognise each dish? did you try them all?  And what about the other 447 items of food our man tried?

The highlight of the Dartmouth Autumn Season kicks off next Wednesday with a Rationing Lunch laid on by  Dartmouth Caring and a cooking demonstration on the South Embankment featuring Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines ably assisted by some of  our local chefs.  Michael Caines will reappear in the evening along with Mitch Tonks and Fergus Henderson as part of the First Night Party in the  Flavel Centre. Tickets for this are £25 and are available at the Tourist Information Centre; but be quick as they are selling rapidly.

The Festival organisers have worked hard to make this year's event  bigger and better. You'll find a wider selection of exhibitors in the Old Market at the weekend, stalls on the South Embankment from Friday to Sunday, two demonstration theatres, more family orientated events, and  more tastings around the town.  All in all not something to be missed.

Dartmouth has its own restaurant culture, from an informal delicious pizza at the DA to world class restaurants where the chefs appear to be on TV every day!  Click here to see them.

Why not come down for the weekend, or even a week?

2. Jamon, Jamon tonight
 

On Thursday 15th October Dartmouth Film Society is getting you in the mood for the Food Festival by showing the hot, outrageous, sexy and funny farce, Jamon, Jamon starring Penelope Cruz.  We are delighted to be joined by our friends from the Food Festival committee, who will be providing a sumptuous plate of homemade bread, Riverford organic butter, baked ham glazed with Baobab Jam, some salamis, olive tapenade and chutneys for £2.50.

Jamon, Jamon is set in a small town in Spain's arid Monegros region where a young underwear factory executive Jose Luis falls in love with the beautiful Silvia, a worker on the shop floor. When Silvia becomes pregnant, Jose Luis wants to marry her, but his mother Conchita, the factory owner, is appalled by the thought of her son marrying a working-class girl and concocts a scheme to end the relationship. Winner of a Silver Lion at the Venice film festival. All that plus a naked bullfight!

Guest tickets from the Windjammer £3.50 from 7.30-7.55 Bar at The Guildhall opens at 7.30 - the film to be shown at 8pm approx

3.   Formula One racing in Duke Street?

The second WIRC takes place in Dartmouth, Devon, England on the 28th November 2009. It consists of four SCX (similar to Scalextric) Chrono circuits and five laps a piece, the cars are supplied.  The winner would be the competitor who completed the four tracks with the quickest time. The reigning world champion Jamie Hudson-Bond will be there to defend his title. Competitors can attempt to be the fastest on the four tracks as many times as they wish as long as they pay the £3.00 entry fee. There will be a licensed bar to lubricate those of us trying too hard. Proceeds will go to The Greyhound Sanctuary ran by Sally Slater. Anybody interested may call John Darby on 01803 834234 for more details. 

4.   Snakes Alive. It's Almost Halloween

Two sneaky snakes snuck their way into two Halloween Pumpkins bathed in warm sunshine. "Its good for baby snakes to bask in the sunshine" said Head Keeper Elliot who looks after the Reptile House where the snakes were born. Monty and Crusha the baby Boa Constrictors were having their dose of sun when they sneaked into pumpkins the Rangers were hollowing out for Halloween.

"The baby Boas are born live but I have separated them from Mum Whanita and Dad Bully Boy because they may fancy them as a snack. The baby snakes are only 2 weeks old and can already dislocate their jaws to swallow a mouse whole. They can eat 2 mice a week. The males grow to 8ft and the females up to 13ft and can weigh over 100lbs. They live from 20 to 30 years".  Click here to see more.

The Rangers at Woodlands Family Theme Park are hollowing out 3000 pumpkins ready for the Halloween Spookytacular from October 26th to 31st, where Fiendish Workshops include free pumpkins and carving. Visitors during the special Half Term Halloween week can ride the Ghastly Ghost Train, Ghoulish Tractor Rides and explore the Phantom Maze.
Monty and Crusha when they aren’t soaking up the sunshine are kept under a lamp for warmth. Whanita and Bully Boy can be seen in the Reptile House at the 90 Acre Park’s Zoo together with hundreds of birds, animals and insects.

5.   Small News

Operation Christmas Child - Heather Robinson, the registered representative/presenter for the above charity is again appealing for folks to donate a gift filled shoebox for a needy child - boy or girl, aged 2-4, 5-9, or 10-14 years. Last year about 3,000 shoeboxes were donated from our area and were sent to Vrancea in Romania, to every child in a children’s hospital, several gypsy encampments and very remote villages nearby where the children had never met foreigners before and whose normal mode of transport is by horse and cart. There are 2 drop-off points for the completed boxes, or donated items, such as non-liquid toiletries, stationery, sweets, hats, gloves or mittens, girls hair accessories, clip-on earrings, necklaces, bracelets, small toys, balls, playing cards, dominoes, etc.  These are:

1. Kidzone, the Old Market, Victoria Road - open 10am to 4pm weekdays (closed Wed) and 10-1pm on Saturdays

2. The Antique Shop, 11 Lower Street (in the Old Forresters Hall). Open weekdays 10 - 4.30, Sundays 11 - 4, closed Wednesdays.

Leaflets (1 per box) may be picked up from the drop-off points and the porch of St Saviour’s Church. Heather says "I can't emphasise enough the joy and pleasure these children have in receiving their gifts; many have never had a present before.” Contact Heather Robinson on 01803 834382.

Why not come and visit Dartmouth?

• Self catering accommodation click here
   
• Dartmouth B and B  click here
   
• Dartmouth Hotels click here
   
• A Tourist Guide to Dartmouth click here

Images copyright Dave Cawley, Andy Kyle & others.