A weekend in the country (warning: contains food)

You never know who you're going to bump into on the way to pick up the Sunday papers. It was moving day for some of the locals:

Not that anyone minds. This is sheep and cattle country and a round-up enables Mid-Devon's answer to Gil Favor and Rowdy Yates to show off a bit.

Then it was a quick dash to Tiverton Pannier Market for the town's very first Food Festival, organised by market regulars, Deli Shack. The emphasis was on local producers, most of whom came from within a few miles of Tiverton. An honourable exception was made for Taylors, artisan bakers of Bruton, across the border in Somerset.

Who can resist a display like this?

Or this?

Equally irrestible is Vulscombe - one of the finest goat cheeses you could wish to taste and produced not far from here. Post-breast cancer, dairy products are more or less off-menu for me but I do, very occasionally, tuck into some Vulscombe. I cannot recommend this cheese too highly and the good news is that you can order online from Deli Shack and other suppliers, several of whom - like this one - carry the story of how Graham and Jo Townsend, Vulscombe's creators, arrived in Devon almost 30 years ago and set about building their original herd and developing their superb cheeses.  

Making cheese of such consistently high quality is, inevitably, hard work, with long hours, seven days a week, and Graham is looking for an apprentice. Believe me, if I were 40 years younger, I'd be off like a shot. Seriously.

A good many friends were at the Food Festival too; so was half of Tiverton by the looks of things and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. We're all hoping that it could become an annual event and Tiverton could certainly do with this sort of boost. Its historic Pannier Market has been in existence for 700 years and we have some of the country's best food producers on the doorstep. A natural alliance, wouldn't you say?

Anyway, a huge thank you to the lovely people at Deli Shack for sponsoring the festival. There's a short video about Tiverton Pannier Market on Deli Shack's home page, which also features the equally delightful Mary from Landrake Farm, purveyor of finest vegetables to 60 going on 16. And we are very fussy about our vegetables . . .

PS Sorry that there are no meat photos but that would be just a step too far for a non-carnivore like me. But my meat-eating chums said that they were very impressed with what was on offer and came home with overflowing baskets.  

Comments

[Maureen]

This sounds wonderful,D. Everything looks amazing. If it becomes an annual event, do let me know so that I can put it in my diary. I've been buying Vulscombe cheese for special occasions ever since you introduced me to it a few years ago. I would love to see what else Tiverton and surrounds have to offer.

[Dancing Beastie]

Oh dear, you did warn us, but I am having a Pavlovian response to the photo of those loaves! I can almost smell them. Carbohydrates are my comfort food of choice - and I must say a little fresh cheese spread on top would be perfect. Slurp.

[Shelley]

Ah, food porn. Wicked, really.

[colleen]

What food? You lost me in the first sentence when you mentioned Gil Favor and Rowdy Yates...all those happy hours spent riding the armchair and building wagons behind the settee. No good came of it, you know.

[Teri and the cats of Curlz and Swirlz]

Oh, the goat cheese...and all I have here at my desk at work are Cheeze Nips...a very poor substitute!