Cornwall is well known for its excellent food and drink scene. It boasts saffron buns, clotted cream, pasties, fudge, cider and so much more. Come take a look at some of the delicacies on offer at the Cornwall Food and Drink Festival.
I’m very pleased to welcome CT (aka Rhizowen) to my blog for a one off chance to get his take on the Cornish foodie scene.
When Choclette suggested that I accompany her on a trip to Truro for the Cornwall Food and Drink Festival, I jumped at the opportunity. I knew from past experience that all the free samples in themselves probably constituted a meal. Could it be that Mrs Thatcher was wrong and that, in Cornwall at least, there is such a thing as a free lunch?
Walking down to Lemon Quay (how appropriate is that?) I could detect the first hints of Cornish mist descending. No matter, the event was located in a marquee so the weather could do its worst and we’d still remain dry.
As we approached, we were greeted by The Drummer statue. The old song The Little Drummer Boy immediately came to mind. On closer inspection “little” was perhaps a misnomer for this – how shall I put it – larger than life character. As an old-timer passing by said to Choclette: “don’t look at ‘e, t’is likely your eyes’ll drop out”.
Cornwall Food and Drink Festival
The marquee was bustling and it was a case of going with the flow as best one could and then exiting for a few moments to talk to the exhibitors. That and get stuck into the free samples.
Cornish Bread And Cheese
Artisan breads were represented by Baker Tom and Vicky’s Bread, both well known locally for the quality of their baked goods.
We are very familiar with Baker Tom’s bread and never miss an opportunity to enjoy one of his pain aux raisins, if ever we’re in the vicinity of his Pool bakery. Update – Choclette even did a mini bread course with him via the Cornwall Clandestine Cake Club.
Here’s the world’s best cheese – apparently. At least it was in 2010 and I can attest to the fact Cornish Blue still tastes pretty fine. We don’t use it much for cooking as it’s so good all on its own, but here’s a quinoa salad that features it.
And then there’s our local speciality – Yarg, a cheese wrapped in nettles. It’s a fun idea and tastes delicious. The fun doesn’t extend quite so far if you’re the one picking the nettles though. They also do a wild garlic version which is very tasty too.
Like the Cornish Blue, it was originally developed on the edge of Bodmin Moor, close to where Choclette grew up. I’m not, by the way, suggesting that she grew up in a cowshed. Come to think of it though, she did!
All that bread and cheese naturally requires chutney. The ones from Crellow really hit the spot – they were excellent. I was particularly taken by the tomato jam and the fig and lemon versions; I spooned out perhaps a little more than I deserved onto the accompanying crackers.
Cornish Chocolate
This is the chocolate lady, Nicky Grant, or rather one of her classically inspired creations. But who, when all is said and done, wants to feast their eyes on a marble torso when they can devour a chocolate counterpart? That could explain the missing bits: maybe some lucky soul had already bitten off her head and limbs.
Nicky, who does actually feature in the background, similarly cropped, works with her husband and is a pukka chocolatier, producing some very fine chocolates.
I can attest to this fact, as we got to try some of her award winning fennel and ginger truffles. As I drooled, Choclette discussed the arcane world of dry caramel preparation, tempering and other such niceties. Each to their own.
Choclette Update – I have subsequently written a review of some of Nicky’s chocolates. I’ve also attended one of her chocolate courses. If you’re interested in finding out more about this, head to my post, temper temper: the secret of chocolate success.
More Cornwall Food And Drink Offerings
For some strange reason, nettles featured at the festival more than once. Here’s Cornish Stingers Nettle Beer. This caused quite a furore when the dead hand of EU bureaucracy threatened the producers with closure.
Put it this way: when is a beer not a beer? Answer: when it’s made with nettles. And no malt. That makes it a wine. And here’s your £10,000 tax bill. I’m not entirely sure how this stand off was resolved, but they’re still brewing this, er, alcoholic beverage.
I was also interested to see the display of sea vegetables, one of the mainstays of the oh-so-trendy forager’s diet. The sea purslane and sea spinach are quite tasty; the rock samphire is more of a flavouring or condiment than a salad.
If all that greenery seems a little worthy, biscuits too were available – Cornish fairings, clotted cream shortbreads and also saffron cake – all from Simply Cornish. I’ll resist cliches about hot cakes and let this picture speak for itself. Incidentally, Choclette has a recipe for Cornish saffron buns and one for vegan saffron buns.
Then there was home from home. Cornish Orchards is just down the road from us. They produce cider, apple juice and more. It’s a lifeline for locals who have too many apples on their hands. You can even send your apples off to them and get them returned as juice in nice shiny bottles.
Cornish Bees
Outside the marquee, the street market was in full swing. I couldn’t resist buying another local speciality – some Cornish daffodil bulbs. The fields of West Cornwall are quite a sight when they are in bloom.
I’m about as annoying and persistent as a wasp when the opportunity to sample some honey is available. In this case it was worth it: Gwenen Apiaries heather honey was truly exquisite. I also had an interesting chat with Carole Dewhurst, who with her husband Rodger, run Gwenen. Not only do they produce honey – Rodger is also a bee breeder, who is developing strains of bee adapted to the Cornish climate.
Talking of the climate, it was now raining hard, so I decided to keep the camera under wraps, hence the lack of pictures.
Apparently some of Rodger’s bees show signs of resistance to varroa infestations. They have developed the habit of biting off the mites rather than allowing them to cling on. This behaviour coincidentally makes them keener to nip the beekeeper rather than sting. Fascinating – now if only he can get the money to carry out further research. Listen up potential benefactors!
After our second go round the marquee, we opted to escape the crowds and headed off with a considerable weight of purchased produce, to Chantek for lunch, where you can get some tasty oriental food at a very reasonable price.
Cornwall Food And Drink Eating Out
Following lunch we toured the town before dropping into the award winning Charlotte’s Tea House. We had passed many times before, but never ventured in. As the Cornish mist had by now transformed in to proper rain, we thought it an opportune moment to try it out.
The tea house is located upstairs and entering it is like passing through a portal in the space-time continuum as you climb the stairs past books and household items from times gone by.
At the top of the stairs you are greeted by waitresses in Nippy style uniforms who invite you to be seated – all very retro and enjoyable. The tea was very good too. And this meringue, with a generous dollop of appellation controlée Cornish clotted cream went down very nicely.
From our window seat we could see the umbrella wielding shoppers bustling across Boscawen Street – a scene not unlike Renoir’s painting Les Parapluies.
Suitably replete, we descended the stairs and headed home, after a thoroughly enjoyable visit. So although Lincolnshire won in the British Favourite Food Spot 2011 competition and I’m too polite to say “fix”, I think Cornwall can give a fairly good account of itself in the foodie stakes.
Over To You
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you ever try any of Cornwall’s special food or drink, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations?
If you post pictures on social media, tag me @Choclette8, so I can spot them.
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If you’d like more Cornish food posts, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them.
Choclette x
Rhizowen says
Kath – I’m glad you enjoyed it. For a small fee I’ll repeat this tour de force 😉
Zeb Bakes you could say that I suffer from a multiple personality disorder. CT is one of the better facets, or should that be faces? I get to chomp away (thoughtfully- always) on various cakes and confectionery and further Choclette’s work. Behind every great woman there’s a greedy man 😉
Karen – Chocolate or bust? With Nicky Grant you get both.
Dom – I find a flannel, dipped in tepid water and a few drops of lavender oil works wonders when I’m overcome by the intensity of such experiences.
Choclette says
Thank you all for your comments. It was a lovely day and with that I’m handing over to CT – again!
cityhippyfarmgirl says
Really, a day spent at a foodie festival is rather a lovely way to spend a day….especially when you get to eat goodies like that!
thelittleloaf says
Looks like a wonderful festival – looking at those photos I’m in bread & chocolate heaven!
Baking Addict says
Great post! I love food festivals and wish I’d had a chance to go to this one.
Karen S Booth says
FABULOUS post, food and photos…..and look at that chocolate bust, ooops I mean lady! Fabulous article and lovely to meet you too!
Karen
Dom at Belleau Kitchen says
one amazing day eh?… very jealous of your food festival but between the ‘larger than life’ statue and the chocolate breast I may need a lie down….
Sonia says
Looks amazing! Making my mouth water…
Joanna @ Zeb Bakes says
CT and Rhizowen are one and the same? And there was me thinking you were two different people… Ah the mysteries of the internet and pseudonyms. Hello anyway and just to say I really enjoyed this post and the photos. You live in a wonderful part of the country. X Joanna
Jennifer says
I want to go too! That sounded like my kind of day, accompanied by my sister and our daughters. Lucky you.
Choclette says
Laura – Cornish potatoes I know are good, but treacle tarts are a knew one on me.
Kath – thank you (I think)! I’ll have to work on CT to see about another one, although he does chip in from time to time and leave the odd quip. This is really important research for bees, but it’s the sort of thing that doesn’t generally attract funding – fingers crossed though.
Kath says
Ha ha ha, more CT more! I have giggled my way through this post. This is not to say that I don’t absolutely love your posts too Choc – obviously.
PS I really hope the beekeeper gets his funding, that is amazing.
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
I could spend every day at a food festival and never get bored. I think Cornwall is worthy of an award for all it’s fine produce. I never have a nicer potato than when I’m down in Cornwall, amazing lamb, and pastry that makes their treacle tarts of the best quality.
Wish I had been there!