Charles Grey anniversary inspires EAT! NewcastleGateshead event

To commemorate the 250^th anniversary of Charles Grey’s birth (Thursday 13 March 2014), EAT! NewcastleGateshead has launched details of its first event in 2014, which is inspired by the 2^nd Earl Grey’s namesake tea. Tea & Cake Planet, A Weekend Adventure in Brewing and Baking, combines a celebration of the nation’s favourite tipple with EAT!’s fifth Cakebook outing.  Port of Tyne (www.portoftyne.co.uk) – a major importer and exporter of tea in the UK - is proud sponsor of EAT! NewcastleGateshead in 2014. Taking place at The Boiler Shop, Newcastle, on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June 2014, the event brings together some of the North East’s leading tea-upstarts with century-old blenders for two days of tea dances, pop-up afternoon tea, tea-themed street food stalls, traditional tea parties, and tea-themed cocktails and beer. Nothing goes better with a nice cup of tea than a slice of cake, which is why EAT! NewcastleGateshead’s famous Cakebook event is making a welcome return.   Following edible maps of NewcastleGateshead, North East England and Great Britain, Cakebook has gone global. Cake Planet invites teams of amateur and professional bakers to create their favourite landmark, building or iconic location from across the globe out of cake.  Creations will be placed on a giant edible map that will be completed on the afternoon of Sunday 29 June. Simon Preston, festival director of EAT! NewcastleGateshead said:  “There is definitely a tea revival taking place in the UK.  There are some brilliant new tea houses opening in NewcastleGateshead and iconic companies like Pumphreys and Ringtons still operate out of the area.  “Anyone with an interest in tea, whether it’s drinking it, learning its history, or discovering new blends, will really enjoy this event.  We’ll have live music, tea-leaf reading and some very tasty green tea candy floss.  We’ll also be creating our giant edible Cake Planet map throughout the weekend, with the grand finale taking place on the afternoon of Sunday 29 July. There’s something to keep the whole family entertained.”  Carol Bell, head of culture and major events at NewcastleGateshead Initiative and producer of EAT! said: “The rise of tea and brewing start-ups is just one of NewcastleGateshead’s food success stories.  We’re an area brimming with amazing food producers and fantastic restaurants, many of which are internationally recognised.  EAT! is a great way for us to shout about the wealth of talent we have in this sector and position NewcastleGateshead as one of the UK’s best foodie destinations.”  Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive, said: “NewcastleGateshead’s EAT! Festival showcases the very best in North East food and the Port of Tyne is proud to help support local producers, businesses and communities.  “This year’s festival programme will feature some of the Port’s customers including Ringtons Tea and Tetley and we hope many more people will join in and help celebrate the festival’s eighth anniversary.” Tea & Cake Planet, A Weekend Adventure in Brewing and Baking, takes place on Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 June 2014.  For more information and to book tickets, please visit www.eatnewcastlegateshead.com EAT! NewcastleGateshead returns on Friday 8 – Sunday 17 August for EAT OUT!, ten days of innovative foodie events and experiences in outdoor locations across NewcastleGateshead.  Events include a series of Naked Feasts, a world record attempt for the longest chef demonstration and a Food Heroes Festival on the streets of Newcastle city centre. It’s sister-event, EAT IN!, takes place in February 2015 where the events come indoors for some more adventures in food and drink.