Bake Off star at Towcester Food Festival

Lovable Bake Off star Val Stones will grace the chef demo stage at Towcester Food Festival in June.

Val won the hearts of the nation on the show with her ready smile and Yorkshire charm, along with her habit for dancing round the tent while baking.

The former headteacher will be joined on the chef demo stage by Phil Fanning, the award-winning chef patron at Paris House in Woburn, one of the most fabled fine-dining restaurants in the country.

Val has just launched her first cookbook, which is entitled The Cake Whisperer! It is so-called as Val professes to be able to hear if her cakes are cooked.

She said: “I press my ear close to the cake and listen. It might seem odd, but by listening to it I can tell what’s going on inside and when it’s perfect.”

Val will reveal her trick of Cake Whispering and share secrets from the Bake Off tent during twice-daily demos.

Also new for 2019 is a series of cheese pairing classes led by cheese writer Shane Holland. Participants will be able to enjoy matches with a mix of wine, beer, cider and even spirits.

Towcester Food Festival returns to Towcester Racecourse on Saturday June 8 and Sunday June 9, opening at 10am on each day. Parking is free.

The show is a highlight of the local culinary calendar and promises all the usual trimmings, including foodie talks, wine and gin tastings, live music and a free kids circus.

There will be nearly 100 stalls selling artisan food and drink, many local to Northamptonshire, and a street food market.

Tickets for 2019 are now on sale. Towcester Food Festival is supported by South Northamptonshire Council as part of the council’s drive to support tourism and the local economy.