BrisketFest

The clue is in the name - it's all about the brisket. Hubby had bought tickets a while back, so off we trotted up to Kentish Town to the Camden Town Brewery where a feast of brisket awaited us. The tickets included brisket from ten different vendors (brisket, for those who know nothing about meat, is a cut of beef!), all presented and served in different ways, washed down with some of the brewery's finest. I took my 50mm f/1.2 lens along, thinking it would be good for some candid shots.

First things first we queued up to get our free Hell's Lager - it was a very hot day and needed something to quench our thirst.

The first one we tried was Grillstock - simple pieces of brisket, some smothered in a hot sauce, others eaten plain, but succulent and juicy.

Our next stop was a quick chat with a couple of guys from Tom Hixson of Smithfield market, who supply much of the brisket to the restaurant market, as well as to many of the brisket providers present. They had a few briskets to win, so fingers crossed for the draw tomorrow. They also supply to the public too - will bear that in mind for the future...

Next was one of my favourites - Red's True BBQ - brisket in an ice-cream cone, served with sliced pickle and some sweet whipped mustard. Very different, very tasty, very messy.

The third one we tried - Andy's Low 'n' Slow - was probably our favourite - soft tacos with layers of spiced creme fraiche, melt-in-the-mouth brisket, topped with some chopped tomatoes and onions and a sprinkling of micro herbs (small leaves of coriander!).

Next up was Smokestack, more chunks of brisket served with coleslaw, tiny sweet chillis and some hot barbecue sauce.

We were getting towards the half-way point and already feeling pretty full, but managed another - Prairie Fire - hard tacos filled with brisket (obviously), some sauce and salad, and also incredibly messy to eat.

By this point we were definitely beginning to feel a little over-stuffed so decided to have a break and headed back to the bar (because beer really helps!). Time for another beer - I tried a Black Friday, hubby had a Stone & Wood Pale.

We sat inside for a while, out of the scorching sun, watching the people coming and going to the bar. It was certainly a great people-watching place - with lots of facial hair, tattoos and flowery playsuits on display, as well as quite a lot of Hawaiiana... A few people brought young children, but mainly it seemed to be the childfree out enjoying themselves.

Hubby showed off how full he was feeling.

Eventually we got another drink and headed out again to force ourselves to try a couple more dishes. Near the bar was Neil Rankin's stall, serving soft tacos with brisket and a tomatillo sauce, which we managed to get everywhere.

Last we managed was the dainty-looking Hotbox brisket in a bun. I was barely able to force any more down, feeling uncomfortably full by now.

Afterwards we sat outside and did a bit more people-watching.

The last couple we had to miss. I took a few shots of Howard's Meat's Frito Pies opposite where we sat for a while, but just couldn't eat another bite.

I wandered over to watch the making of little brisket bagels by Bell & Brisket, but missed out on Miss P's BBQ and Texas Joe's; I couldn't even look at any more food by this stage! We did manage to drink a last half, but definitely no more brisket!

We left at about 6pm, as I had to go on to meet my sisters for dinner (I ate nothing!) and hubby went home to a hungry dog. Definitely worth a visit, but probably next time I'd ask for half portions!