I spent 4 hours on Friday at the opening day of the Real Food Festival at London’s Earls Court Exhibition Centre, seeking the meaning of “real” food, which I think we are all supposed to prefer to “unreal” food. I know I do. The organisers weren’t much help. They couldn’t even agree on a spelling for it, alternating between Real Food and realfood. They promote their food show as “London’s greatest celebration dedicated to the finest produce and products from within these shores and beyond”, a somewhat grandiose description when you’ve dotted the floor of a vast exhibition centre with displays of fully accessorized cupcakes. Maybe realfood is akin to realpolitic, suggesting not just realism but a ruthlessly opportunistic approach. [Read more...]