IT STARTED on a high with a cliff top banquet and ended on Sunday by breaking all records. The organisers of BosFest 2009, Cornwall's Real Food and Craft Festival, are celebrating after the two-day celebration of all things Cornish beat all expectations.
Despite just about everything the weather could throw at the two harbour side marquees, visitors flocked in their thousands to buy, taste and enjoy the delights offered by the county's best food producers and chefs, as well as a wide range of crafts, clothes and art.
"It was unbelievable," said chairman of the organising committee of Boscastle Chamber of Trade and Commerce, Adrian Prescott. "We thought the credit crunch and then the weather might have tempted visitors to stay at home, but we couldn't have been more wrong; the marquees were packed on both days and many stallholders said they were delighted at the way it had gone."
The sampling of sensational seafood began when chef Scott Roberts set the proceedings off on a high note quite literally by cooking up a banquet more than 700 feet up on the very top point of Cornwall's coast path.
On the edge of appropriately named High Cliff, four lucky guests in evening dress sat down at a candlelit table providing a breathtaking view across the Atlantic as far as Lundy.
"It was quite a challenge," said Scottie, owner/chef of Boscastle's Wellington Hotel. "First of all we had to carry all the equipment up there, then set up a kitchen and cook, but I know everyone enjoyed it."
Two days later, Scottie was again taking centre stage as he prepared a stunning if rather scary dish from a whole pig's head to the delight of his audience on the festival's chefs' platform.
Following him on the stage was a procession of Cornwall's best-known and most talented chefs. Adrian Oliver from Margot's in Padstow proved he's as much an entertainer as chef, while Nathan Outlaw, from restaurants in Rock and Fowey, demonstrated why he's in the running for a possible second Michelin Star.
Rick Stein's Padstow empire supported the festival with Seafood School instructor Bill James giving a master class performance, while executive chef from Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall, Neil Haydock, showed why posh nosh needn't punch a hole in the pocket.
Making his first appearance on the Boscastle chefs' stage, Paul Ainsworth, from Number 6 in Padstow, produced two stunning dishes which really got the audience asking for more.
Nathan Outlaw's appearance almost got stopped before it started. To his horror and obvious embarrassment the super chef arrived minus a few essential pans. But his distress call was quickly answered by the Artisan Cookshop who managed to provide most of what he needed from their stall in the food hall; and what they didn't have at hand they had specially brought from their base in Truro.
A grateful Nathan quickly made up the time and seemingly within minutes produced two stunning dishes of lemon sole and black pork.
"I'm glad they were here to help," said Nathan. "I don't know what I would have done without them."
As the festival opened on Saturday the winds blew and the rain fell but it didn't deter the crowds and despite more rain on Sunday they continued to flock to the marquees.
"We couldn't be happier about the way it's all turned out," added Mr Prescott. "The feedback from visitors and stallholders has been very positive. All we've got to do now is do even better next year."
And if you're wondering what chef Scott Roberts produced for his cliff top, it was a two course delight of smoked mackerel with rocket salad and a soy, sesame and ginger dressing, followed by belly pork with pearl barley risotto.