VISITOR TASTE OF THE WEST

The summer months across the South West (for what bit of a summer we have had!) heralds the time when the culmination of the hard work of our local communities is celebrated by what seems to be a constant round of village fêtes and shows. I try to attend as many as I can, in order to enjoy the fruits of the tireless year-round labour of our bakers, jam makers, craftsmen, gardeners and flower arrangers, as they come together to show off their results in the hope of coming up trumps as champion for the day. The competition is hot amongst these amateurs.

What I am also mindful of though is the huge number of commercial food and drink producers we have across the South West, many of whom have gained an international reputation for the quality of their products. Yes, the prices are often a little higher than we pay for the bulk-buy mass-produced offerings on sale in supermarkets, but I believe we owe a debt of gratitude to these small businesses and should do all that we can to support them. After all, what price can we put on the love, passion and attention to detail required to produce a morsel or sip of something truly memorable?

This thought brings me nicely onto this year’s Taste of The West Awards, as Champion Product Finalists battle it out for supremacy. Since 1991, this membership organisation, whose ethos is quality, integrity and provenance, has set out to prove that our food and drink producers, and the places that serve and sell their products, really are the best. I could not agree more.

Close to home, amongst this year’s liquid contenders for top dog are these offerings, which will go down a treat with a hunk of Keen’s Somerset Raw Milk Traditional Cheddar for the perfect ploughman’s or Ivan Thompson’s Lean and Lite Pork and Apple Sausages from The Sausage Shed in Stembridge; with just 5% fat they also have the advantage of being gluten free.

Arkells Brewery, Kingsdown, Wilts., who have been making beer since 1843, like to celebrate sporting events with a number of special beers, including their Triple Bogey (3.8% abv), produced for the Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale. Their Strawberries ‘n’ Cream Ale (4.5% abv) brewed just in time for Wimbledon with barley, oats and wheat, topped up with summer fruity hops from around the world, makes for a refreshing summer pint. Also worthy of mention is their Kingsdown (5% abv), with its rich chestnut brown colour, a full bodied malty nose and bold traditional flavour.

John Gilbert has gained recognition, with a number of CAMRA awards under his belt since he started making beer over 30 years ago in 1986, culminating in the formation of Hop Back Brewery, Downton, Wilts., on the outskirts of Salisbury, in 1991. Taiphoon (4.2% abv) is a fantastic pale gold beer with hints of lemongrass and coriander. Also look out for

Summer Lightning (5% abv); brewed year round, this award winning bitter is straw coloured with a terrific fresh, hoppy aroma and a long, dry finish.

For cider lovers, Worley’s, Somerset, (just off the A361 between Shepton Mallet and Frome) has on offer a lightly sparkling medium cider, Red Hen (6.2% abv), which is a blend of early-season bittersweets and sharps. The two main characteristics of this flavourful cider fermented under natural yeast are its fruity apple and spice noted with a long finish.

Tom Putt Cider (6.5% abv), produced by Marshwood Vale, Stony Knapps, Thorncombe, Dorset is made from this West Country apple variety that has been around since the late 1700s. Unlike many others used for cider, this dual-purpose apple can also be used for cooking, where is natural sharpness takes on a sweeter character. The makers pride themselves on the individuality of their ciders, which are fermented over a long period.

For those wishing to avoid alcohol, Mary Durling Sweeter Apple Juice, made from a mixture of dessert apples, may be just the job. Based at Marshwood, Bridport, this feisty woman took on West Dorset District Council to obtain planning permission to turn her six-acre field into a smallholding.

In 2011, with Charlotte Dunham, Mary set up The Peasant Evolution Producers’ Co-Operative, a collective of small-scale producers in West Dorset, South Somerset and East Devon who have joined together to help each other make a viable living off the land. They believe that being a peasant is a way towards the future and promote organic farming, sustainable land management, fairtrade, rural crafts and handmade, healthy local food. Look out for their Allington Hill Apple Juice or for something a little sharper try Tinker’s Bubble Organic Apple Juice, made primarily of Bramleys with a hint of sweet Cox and Russet, pressed on an old fashioned screw cider press at Fivepenny Farm and aged in traditional oak barrels.