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Watercress festival










Watercress Festival 2010

2010 Festival Overview | 2010 Festival Pictures | 2008 Festival Video

This year's festival was one for the record books. Not only did the, watercress loving, visitor numbers hit an all time high but local Hampshire boy Sam Batho, a 22 year old builder from Alresford, broke all previous records for eating two bags of watercress in the fastest time - 49.69 seconds. Sam said: "I love eating watercress. I think my win was down to my technique of chewing one bag at a time and swallowing it with large gulps of water."

The competition was one of the highlights of the day, but there were many other activities on offer. A series of cookery demonstrations by local celebrity chefs including Andy MacKenzie, Executive Head Chef at Lainston House Hotel in Winchester, and Cresson Creative's Jennifer Laing, treated the crowds to an assortment of watercress dishes. There was also a spectacular festival cavalcade, which was led by the King and Queen of Watercress who brought the first watercress of the season into the town. Hampshire Farmers' Market showcased the best of local produce with other local companies highlighting the versatility of the crop. Watercress scones, watercress pesto and watercress sausages were just a few of the watercress products on offer.

Local Conservative MP, Steve Brine took to the stage at this year's festival to present the Watercress Festival Food Awards, which attracted a number of exciting watercress creations.

Winners on the day included The Courtyard Tea Rooms, who scooped the prize for the Most Innovative Watercress Product with their savoury watercress cup cake. The judges thought it melted in the mouth and was wonderfully moist, oozing with the taste of peppery watercress.

Botwell's Farm Shop was awarded the Best Traditional Watercress Product prize for a delicious classic watercress soup.

And the winner of the Best Overall Product was Pollen True Taste, with their versatile watercress pesto, made from fresh watercress, parmesan and olive oil. The festival also played host to the Eateries Awards, which invited local pubs, cafes and restaurants to enter their "Best Watercress Dish for under £10". With a record number of entries and an extremely high standard, it was an impressive display of local talent.

Lainston House Hotel, which is based in Winchester, won the award for the Best Hotel with a unique Test Trout Confit and Watercress Risotto with a Fennel Salad.

It was the prawns and watercress combination which impressed the judges in the Best International Restaurant category. The award went to Alresford's Shapla restaurant for their Jinga Nisha, consisting of king prawns marinated in watercress paste with a watercress dressing.

For the first time, The Hen and Chicken from Upper Froyle near Alton was awarded the Best Pub for an imaginative starter of Watercress Sorbet with Poached Pear and Parmesan and Mustard Crisp.

Another new entrant to bag a prize was The Chesil Rectory from Winchester, who won the Best Restaurant award with their Salad of Braised Greenfields Ham Hock, Alresford Watercress, Duck Eggs and a Coleman's Mustard Vinaigrette. The judges chose this as the winning dish as they felt it took a simple idea of a salad and transformed it into a masterpiece.

It was a good year for Winchester eateries with the Forte Tea Rooms winning the Best Café award for a sweet basil and watercress cheesecake.

The festival is an annual celebration of the start of the British watercress season (May to October).

Watercress in one of our original superfoods and is brimming with more than 15 essential vitamins and minerals. Gram for gram, watercress contains more vitamin C than oranges, more calcium than milk and more iron than spinach. New research also shows it is emerging as an important player in the field of cancer prevention.

The event is organised by New Alresford Town Council, The Watercress Alliance (made up of Alresford Salads, Vitacress Salads and The Watercress Company), Alresford Chamber of Commerce, The Hampshire Farmers' Markets, independent specialist shops and a host of other community groups.