Discover the Origin 2012

Get involved with an exciting campaign to promote authentic Protected Designation of Origin food and drink, as Discover the Origin returns for 2012. A series of free masterclasses will focus on world renowned Ports and the iconic wines of Burgundy and the Douro Valley

Britain is fast becoming a nation of foodies, with people wanting to know more about where their food and drink are being sourced, as well as the traditions behind the production process. Almost every month the number of cookery shows is increasing on television, with audience viewing figures growing rapidly. 

You’ve probably noticed this trend in your own restaurant, pub or bar too, as customers want to know what ingredients are used in dishes and exactly where those ingredients come from. They may even quiz you about the wines on your list, wanting to find out more about where and how they are grown, as well as why they match with the food on your menu.

Tapping into this thirst for knowledge and aiming to promote food and drink that has real provenance, the European Union’s ‘Discover the Origin’ campaign was launched in 2008 – and will continue until 2014. It is designed to raise awareness of five products with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status:

• Burgundy Wines

• Douro Wines

• Port

• Parma Ham

• Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese

Discover the Origin has two main aims. The first aim is to educate consumers, by highlighting that these foods and drinks share the qualities of excellence, tradition, innovation and natural production. The idea is to combine these wonderful regional delights into a true culinary experience, showing that these specific flavours cut across the traditional remits of specific country cuisine.

The campaign will involve sampling activities throughout 2012 at major food festivals, such as Foodies Festivals in London, Oxford and Bath, as well as Taste of Edinburgh, Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Festival and York Food & Drink Festival. Throughout the campaign consumers will be encouraged to spend more time over meals, enjoying them as sociable occasions with friends and family, where delicious food is matched to the perfect wines to cut through the stresses and demands of modern lifestyles.

The second aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of PDO products among distributors and on-trade professionals. This year Discover the Origin has again joined forces with Imbibe to present a series of practical and informative wine masterclasses for the on-trade.

Hosted by experts Peter McCombie MW, Simon Woods and Rose Murray Brown MW, masterclasses will focus on Burgundy, Port and wines from the Douro Valley. They will show the benefits of serving quality wines from recognised areas – Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in France and Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) in Portugal – as well as training you and your staff to communicate the importance of provenance and sourcing.

Masterclasses will be held across the UK and are free to attend – see box opposite for full details. Or visit the website to learn more about Discover the Origin and sign-up to the bi-monthly webzine. Catch up on how the masterclasses are going on Facebook and chat on twitter: @discoverorigin. 

Also look out for the next issues of Imbibe when we’ll be telling you more about Port, wines from Burgundy and the Douro Valley, as well as reporting from the latest masterclasses.

Editorial feature from Imbibe Magazine – November/December 2011

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