Zoë Bowyer

Chillifest

Originally uploaded by ZMB.

I try to fit in at least one ‘fest’ a year. Last year it was Woolfest - held in Ballymena Livestock Market. This year is was Chillifest.

The venue was the marquee at custom house square. The theme was chillies. The soundtrack was cajun. It is part of the 9th Open House Festival currently being held in Belfast.

If you like chillies this is the place to be. My favourite stall was the one with all the fresh chillies, the variety of which we don’t often see in these parts. I came home with poblano to stuff and a selection of hot, hot, hot chillies for tentative tasting.

We left before the chilli eating contest (damn those other commitments) but the musicians were trying to encourage people to enter. They asked for a show of hands of who was taking part. One eager man raised his arm. They said, ‘well it looks like you’re gonna win!’ Though, ‘you still have to eat the chillies, even if you’re the only one.’

We came home with a habanero chilli plant, various chillies, hot sauce, flavoured oil and a set of chilli lights.

Chillifest is on again tomorrow, if you get a chance to visit.

While I was in Belfast I thought I would pay a visit to Lush. Normally, I buy Lush stuff online, but I am still in my no spendy online month. I got quite a shock as I rounded the corner past Starbucks to find that the building which had previously held Lush has been completely demolished. Fortunately, they had relocated to a shop across the street.