Last Saturday Lincoln celebrated the delicious sausage. Lincolnshire sausages are known throughout the UK as being some of the tastiest in the country, so why not celebrate this by holding a festival in its honour?
Inside the grounds of Lincoln Castle, stalls from all over the county came to showcase their take on the traditional Lincolnshire sausage. Not just the usual pork sausage, but also beef, chicken and lamb. 
There were an estimated 60 different varieties of sausages on sale at the festival, including pork and apple, chilli and ginger, and black pudding.
Lincolnshire chef Rachel Green was also at the festival doing cookery demonstrations. Green is Lincolnshire’s most famous chef having appeared on Market Kitchen and BBC Breakfast. But what does Green like most about Lincolnshire food?
“I think what’s so good about Lincolnshire food is the fact that it’s so fresh, it’s produced with such integrity, care and passion,” Green said.
“I think people love food in this county, I think we’re a county of people who actually do cook, there’s quite a lot of people in this country who don’t. But I think in Lincolnshire generally it’s a knowledgeable audience always in Lincolnshire because people understand about good food and they love it and they’re passionate about it.”
During Green’s cookery demonstration, it was obvious that the people of Lincolnshire are passionate about food. Often loudly agreeing with Green’s techniques, offering their own cooking advice and doing a pantomime moan when Green mentioned microwaveable sausages.
Lincolnshire is hoping to be granted Protected Designation of Origin by the EU for the Lincolnshire sausage, in the same way Melton Mowbray pork pies can only be made there.
“I think we know how to make them better than anyone else in the country. The recipe comes from this county, we make the best sausages in the world, if not in the UK. I think it’s only fair that we have that status like Melton Mowbray pork pies and Cheddar cheese.”
But what is Rachel Green’s favourite sausage?
“Plain Lincolnshire with lots of sage in it, but there are so many varieties I can never say which is my favourite Lincolnshire sausage. Sometimes I like a change, but I always buy them from a reputable butcher.
“I think anyone that buys them in supermarkets, it isn’t a proper Lincolnshire sausage anyway.”