Little did we expect to be listening to BBC Radio 4 and hear a mention of Isle of Wight tomatoes featuring on the Olympic menu.
So it set our cogs in motion, will Isle of Wight produce be munched on by those involved in the London 2012 Olympics?
The answer is yes. Here’s what we’ve found out.
Isle of Wight ingredients in Olympic high-end dining
Chef Angela Hartnett will be running high-end dining during the Olympics, providing corporate meals and canapes, she told BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme that the focus was on British produce.
“What we have been given instructions for, which is great and we would have gone there anyway, is buying British. There’s a tapas menu, for instance, but it’s British tapas, so it would be Trealy Farm Charcuterie, beautiful Isle of Wight tomatoes and the equivalent of Manchego cheese.”
McDonalds’ fries from the Island
Jan Matthews is responsible for organising food for the London 2012 Olympics, she told BBC Radio 4″²s Food programme, “We want to showcase the best of British food.”
As well as Isle of Wight Tomatoes being used, we’ve learnt that Isle of Wight potatoes have a connection too. Potatoes that end up as fries sold by London 2012 sponsor, McDonalds, originate right here on the Isle of Wight.
The Shepody potatoes are grown by Isle of Wight farmer, John Knox. Each year the crop is planted in March and some 3,000 tonnes are harvested in June and July. A whopping 1,500 tonnes make their way to McCains who make supply the fries to McDonalds.
Image: © Used with the kind permission of Julian Winslow
