Chocolates, beer and gin – let’s party for Northumberland Day!

It has already planned four food launches for the week leading up to Northumberland Day and on the day itself - Sunday, May 26.

The first launch will be that of new Belgian chocolates, created by the business behind Moo Moo’s steakhouse in Ashington. The chocolates will contain Alnwick Rum.

There will also be the launch of a new beer – Oswald’s Whiteblade – named after seventh century King Oswald, whose banner inspired the Northumberland flag. It will be available for tasting at the shop in Alnwick Market Place.

The third launch, on Saturday, May 25, will be of a new gin. This will be available for tasting both in the shop and also at Alnwick Market that day

Then, for Northumberland Day itself, there will be the launch of a new mead named Blød, celebrating Northumberland’s Viking heritage and the landing of the first Vikings in the county.

A Taste of Northumbria’s Jannick Genouw said: “We are going all out this year and want to encourage other food producers to do the same. Tourists want to buy food that they know is local and what better way to show them that than to create tastings, samplings and launches around Northumberland Day. It starts conversations and those conversations lead to sales.

“But it’s not all about food and I am trying to encourage other businesses – in Alnwick and elsewhere – to realise what a great thing Northumberland Day is and why we should all be doing something to celebrate it.”