One of the region’s biggest celebrations of all things epicurean returns on September 4 and 5. From street food to scrumptious cakes, here are just some of the stalls at the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival at Holkham that you won’t want to miss.

North Norfolk News: Marsh Pig charcuterieMarsh Pig charcuterie (Image: Archant)
1. Marsh Pig
Award-winning Marsh Pig has really put Norfolk on the British charcuterie map. From salami and chorizo to air dried pork and beef and rare breed beef jerky, all their meat is free range and packed full of flavour, perfect for creating grazing boards at home.

2. Wild Knight Distillery
Made in the Norfolk countryside, Wild Knight Distillery’s ultra-premium English vodka has the award to prove that it is the best in the UK – it won gold at the 2020 World Vodka Awards.

The distillery is the creation of husband and wife team Matt and Steph Brown, who use barley, which is abundant in Norfolk, from which they make an unhopped beer. It is then distilled in a copper still to create a smooth spirit. They recently launched their Tornado gin, named after the fighter jets which were stationed at RAF Marham, to raise money for the base’s heritage centre.

Other favourites in the range include Wild Knight Espresso Martini, which infuses their smooth sipping vodka with the deep flavours of single estate espresso coffee.

3. Simply Cake Co
Susanna Lemon launched Simply Cake Co in west Norfolk in 2017 with one aim: to get people eating better cakes. And now her letterbox brownies and cakes spread joy right across the country.

Cakes are made with love from the best quality ingredients – proper Belgian chocolate, local free-range eggs and proper butter, making them super indulgent. The vegan brownies have also proved to be a hit

4. Khushee Street Food/Ethnic Fusion Fine Foods
From meat-free curries to special Indian tea, street food van Khushee has left people wanting more on its travels around Norfolk. And this weekend they’re pitching up at the North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival.

Khushee, which is Indian for the word happiness, grew from the Dereham Micro Bakery which was set up at the start of the first lockdown and delivered fresh bread to the community. The two companies joined forces with the event company Ethnic Fusion Fine Foods who produce premium frozen foods.

The plant-based and vegan friendly menu includes traditional dishes such as Bombay aloo, a combination of baby potatoes, curry leaves, onion and mustard seeds, and mushroom muttar, a hearty dish of button mushrooms, green peas in a velvety tomato and fenugreek sauce.

Customers can also indulge in sweet khushee tea, a special blend of Indian chai spices, hot and sweet and served with or without oat milk.

North Norfolk News: Mark Richmond of Nelson and Norfolk TeaMark Richmond of Nelson and Norfolk Tea (Image: Archant)

5. Nelson and Norfolk Tea
Founder Mark Richmond is a qualified tea master, who has worked in both Harrods and Fortnum and Mason’s tea departments and trained at Whittard of Chelsea. So if anyone knows what blends make a great cuppa, it’s him. Blends include Sandringham Time, Norfolk Afternoon, and Nelson's Smoky Earl Grey. There's a good range of fruit tisanes too - fantastic brewed in the fridge overnight as an alternative to fizzy drinks. One of Mark's favourites is the Nelson's Blood Orange Fruit Infusion.

6. Bread Source
Stop by Norwich and Aylsham bakery Bread Source’s stall to pick up one of their beautifully crafted loaves. Their giant, pillowy cinnamon buns with good coffee makes possibly the ultimate weekend breakfast treat.

7. Lil’ Miggins by Deborah Steward
Deborah Steward has cooked for royalty and celebrities.

In 2005, she and her husband, Kevin, started working with the Sandringham Estate to run its restaurants and cafes and in 2010 they were granted a Royal Warrant as suppliers of event catering and management to the Queen. For the last 25 years, Deborah has made jams, chutneys and relishes for their catering business.

And now their Lil’ Miggins small batch preserves, which are produced by the team using the traditional open-pan method at their bespoke kitchens in Houghton St Giles, are available to buy.

North Norfolk News: North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival returns to Holkham this weekendNorth Norfolk Food and Drink Festival returns to Holkham this weekend (Image: Archant)

8. Brancaster Brewery
Perched on the north Norfolk coast, and in the heart of prime barley growing terrior, Brancaster Brewery is a five barrel brewery, which produces small batches of ale.

Its Brancaster Best is a bottle conditioned ale, brewed using Teddy Maufe’s malted Maris Otter barley from Branthill Farm at Wells, which has a refreshing touch of citrus on the finish.

9. Uber-Corn
Think popcorn just comes in sweet and salted varieties? Think again.

Uber-Corn, based at Horsford, has given the cinema snack a gourmet makeover with flavours including salted caramel and pink gin. The brand was launched by Richard Elms early last year as a sideline from his day job as a health and safety inspector in the oil and gas industry.

When his plans to take the product to farmers’ markets were scuppered by the first lockdown he began handing out bags to friends in the village for feedback - and it got such a great response he started selling it via Facebook for delivery and collection.

10. Cheeky Nibble
Inspired by nostalgic British desserts and modern flavours, Fakenham-based Cheeky Nibble’s granola makes an indulgent start to the day. Varieties include Victoria sponge, cherry Bakewell and vanilla latte, plus they’re all vegan, nut free and the package is 100% compostable.

11. Leigh’s Bees
Leigh Goodsell has loved bees since he was young and he bought his first hive by saving up his pocket money. Leigh’s Bees’s honey is unblended to retain their own unique tastes, and the apiaries are carefully placed to enable to bees to forage a specific range of nectar, such as sea lavender from the north Norfolk saltmarshes or the ivy-clad hedgerows at Narford.

Need to know
North Norfolk Food and Drink Festival is open from 10am-4pm on September 4 and 5.

Admission is free and car parking costs £5 per car.

The event is dog friendly.

For more information visit northnorfolkfoodfestival.co.uk