With a larder that is the envy of the rest of Britain, chefs in Norfolk never struggle to find the very best ingredients with which to create their menu. A new event for the Norfolk Food and Drink Festival aims to shine a light on the best produce in the region. stacia briggs finds out why Norfolk produce is worth shouting about.

Eastern Daily Press: Cromer Crab. Picture: SUPPLIEDCromer Crab. Picture: SUPPLIED (Image: SUPPLIED)

Norfolk is famed for its abundant coastline and arable farmland which produces some of the finest fare in Britain.

From our fresh fish to our delicious dairy, our magnificent meat to our varied vegetables, Norfolk is the envy of the country and offers an incredible selection of tempting ingredients for even the most discerning of diners.

A new event aims to highlight the exceptional quality of the food and drink produced in our county and persuade more people into their own kitchens to make the most of what we have right here on our doorstep.

The Norfolk Showcase is one of the flagship events for the Norfolk Food and Drink Festival 2014 and features festival patron Richard Hughes, who is chef/proprietor of The Lavender House in Brundall, owner of The Richard Hughes Cookery School which won the inaugural UK Cookery School of the Year award and a director at The Assembly House in Norwich.

The event, sponsored by local home delivery supermarket StonesThrow Food Company which is based in Elveden, is a celebration of Norfolk's larder and features an arrival drink, a two-course dinner with coffee, a cookery demonstration from Richard, a question and answer session and recipe sheets to take home.

Hosted by BBC Radio Norfolk's David Clayton, tickets for the event cost £25 each (£200 for a table of 10) and everyone who books will receive a £10 grocery pack worth £10 (subject to delivery restrictions) which will in turn showcase the best produce from the area.

Richard Walters, managing director of the StonesThrow Food Company, said: 'We are really proud to be sponsoring this important event. StonesThrow makes daily deliveries to household customers throughout Norfolk, supplying fresh, everyday groceries from some of the very best local farmers and food manufacturers.

'It's a pleasure to be involved with The Norfolk Showcase at The Assembly House.'

Having taught cooking skills to professionals and amateurs alike for more than 20 years, Richard Hughes is keen to encourage as many people as possible into their kitchens to cook with the ingredients that are available here in Norfolk.

He will be demonstrating a range of dishes, including Cider Roast Pork Belly which uses free-range pork from Woodlands Farm in Swannington, and diners will feast on a meal that includes the pork belly dish, roasted cauliflower, Norfolk Peer potato salad and orchard spiced pudding cake with locally-brewed beer ice-cream (a vegetarian option will be available, please state dietary requirements when booking).

'I'm definitely not alone in thinking that Norfolk's produce is amongst the finest in the country which is why it's what I use in my restaurant – if the food produced here in the county wasn't the best, it wouldn't be on the menu,' he said.

'It's important to me to encourage people to cook in their own kitchens and to be confident about what they cook – if you're using local ingredients, you're supporting the local producers that make Norfolk such a special place to live in and you'll also be eating fresh, seasonal food.

'I'll be demonstrating some of my favourite recipes that use local ingredients and hopefully showing people that cooking isn't frightening – the most important ingredient of all is confidence. Once you've got that, the rest is easy!'

The Norfolk Showcase is on September 4 and begins at 6.45pm.

Tickets for the event cost £25. For more details and to book a place at the events, call The Assembly House on 01603 626402. For more information, visit www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk and www.stonesthrow.co.uk.