Cornwall is famed for its excellent cuisine and in recent years has seen a resurgence in traditional slow food production with traceability. For visitors to the county the choice of fresh produce throughout the year reflects the interest in locally sourced food and drink and provides a number of options for picnics, budget camping feasts or fine dining in a holiday cottage.
Locally sourced simple food
Surrounded by the sea, Cornwall is world famous for local fish. Try sustainable fish such as mackerel, pollack or sea bass which can be purchased from boats in fishing towns like St Ives or from a good fishmonger such as Quayside Fish in Porthleven who specialise in purchasing from the small day boats to ensure freshness and will even vacuum pack the catch of the day for you in an ice box to take home.
As an accompaniment the taste of good Cornish New Potatoes in season are hard to beat, lightly steamed with local vegetables. Cornish cheese production has undergone a renaissance in the last few years and making up an interesting cheeseboard will introduce visitors to the variety available such as Cornish Yarg wrapped in nettles or the creamy St Keverne Square, and Gevrik, a soft goats' cheese.
Spend a morning at a farmer's market in Cornwall where delicious treats for a meal can be found and all produced within a thirty mile radius. Truro Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning and the times and locations of others can be found on Food From Cornwall.
Many farms have their own shops promoting fresh food and vegetables throughout the county. Butchers such as Phillip Warren in Launceston list the farms where the meat has been produced ensuring full traceability of the animal and high quality beef, lamb, pork and poultry.
Saffron cake is another Cornish specialty which is widely available as a tea bread. It is believed that saffron was originally brought to Cornwall by the Phoenicians and traded for tin. Cornish cream is a well known local treat and the ideal accompaniment to strawberries or as a Cornish cream tea.
Traditional pasties and fine wines
A visit to Cornwall is not complete without trying the famous pasty, a meat and potato parcel wrapped in pastry and traditionally eaten by tin miners at work. It is a complete meal in itself and ideal for a picnic.
Most Cornish people learn to make one by learning from their mother, and authentic Cornish pasties can be found at Ann's Pasties in the Lizard and at Hampsons Butchers in Hayle, easily identified by the queues outside on a Saturday morning.
Cornwall is an emerging drinks producer with wines in the Camel Valley and locally brewed beer such as Skinners Brewery. Before World War Two Cornwall had many traditional orchards with rare varieties which are now enjoying resurgence as apple and pear juice is increasingly popular, particularly around the Helford Valley.
Cornwall is also home to the first home grown tea plantation at Tregothnan where the leaves can be purchased for a truly British cup of tea. The Duchy of Cornwall is perfectly placed as a local producer of high quality food and is a melting pot of divine tastes and simply produced cuisine that make a holiday special.
Rachael Rowe is a writer based in the South West of England. She is passionate about travel and has authored walking guides and guidebooks. Her portfolio includes online and print articles.