Food Frome is a food heritage society. It was founded in 2005 and has already produced 4 small books and a DVD. The books are: a local cookery book; a look at “What the Romans ate in Somerset”; “Growing Our Own” – a review of current allotment provision and a record of educational visits for local growers – and lastly a book on Fair Trade in Frome. The film “Quince Venison and Peas” follows a group of Frome folk as they source, cook and re-create a seventeenth century feast in a local seventeenth century house. These have all been well received and are still on sale in The Hunting Raven Bookshop.
Food is crucial to our existence and is therefore worthy of attention. As a food heritage society we are interested in the past, to understand and influence the present, and also look to the future.
Recently Food Frome has been exploring three new projects. Each of these aims to retain or revive the local food heritage. Our local foods are of high quality and reflect many valuable traditions such as cheese making and brewing. Food producers of Frome were recently recognized in The Taste of Somerset Awards. Frome Farmers Market won the Farmers Market section and Frome Town was runner up in the Best Food Town/Village section.
Even locals however, may not know where to buy good local food or may not be aware of the best way to use the ingredients. A local Food Directory with some seasonal recipes is therefore essential. This is planned for completion in 2010. If you have information for this we would like to hear from you.
Following our book on “Food and Drink in Roman Somerset” and the film “Quince Venison and Peas”, members of these two groups are working together to make a film about re-creating a Roman meal. We shall be working with Bath and Camerton Archaeological Society who are excavating the site of a small Roman Villa at Upper Row Farm, Hemington. The archaeologists not only provide us with much background information concerning Roman settlement in these parts, but also have developed a Roman Garden; herbs grown where Romans used to tread will be part of our cuisine.
The third project is to collect Oral Histories or Food Memories from local people.
We are particularly keen to hear what people remember about how they got their food in and around Frome – whether grown, reared or bought and how it was prepared. Some foods, and especially those that are always available, are so taken for granted that no one has recorded how they were cooked in their particular household or at a particular time. You may have memories of home made dishes, or pies and tarts made at local bakeries. Very importantly - what was the local bread like? Where was it made? And how did it reach the local households? Whatever your food memories, we would like to hear from you.
The job of disseminating our findings is also undertaken by the cooks in the group.
Contact Details
Email to info@foodfrome.org.uk. Write or phone Diane Wells, Chair, Food Frome, 4 Gentle Street, Frome, BA11 1JA, 01373 472400.