Timing Is Everything in Mushroom Foraging Timing. So much of life is about timing. Last week we promised to dedicate this Hesp Out West feature to the wonderful fungi explosion that has been occurring here in the South West of England of late. I’d already found more edible field mushrooms than I could possibly eat, but I was hoping to find some delicious ceps before I had to file this article. And, hey-presto. Monday and Tuesday’s bright sunshine brought the blighters out. There they were, just a brace of them, standing white and brown and proud, right on one of my daily dog-walking routes. Discovering Ceps (Boletus Edulis) in the West Country Boletus edulis first appeared in this particular woodland spot near my house about ten years ago. Over the previous two decades I’d never seen any in that spot – now they pop up under some holly and oak trees every year. Not many. Just enough to keep the hunter-gatherer who lurks inside one weary journalist happy. Because, ceps really are delicious. One of my favourite wild mushrooms – and, indeed, a favourite among foragers in countries where they really know about harvesting food in the wild, such as France and Italy . Slightly sweet, crunchy and nutty. That’s how I’d describe really good fresh Boletus-edulis in their prime. Perfect, just fried in good butter and tossed in steaming spaghetti. That is how I’ve enjoyed them in Tuscany , and that is how I like ’em here when I am lucky enough to find them. How to Identify Edible Boletes The other wonderful thing about ceps is that you’d have to be an idiot to confuse them with any of their more poisonous cousins. Indeed, boletes are a relatively safe bet because only one I know of can make you really ill. That is Devil’s Bolete (Rubroboletus satanas) , also known as Satan’s Bolete. It has bright red spongy pores underneath, so you’d need to be colour-blind to eat one of those. And this family of fungi is easy to identify because they are those quite large mushrooms that seem to have foam rubber under their caps rather than gills. You can eat most of them, although some will give you a bad tummy if you don’t cook them through, including one whose flesh turns bright blue when you break it open ( Lurid Bolete – Suillellus luridus ). The beloved Boletus edulis (Penny Bun) has white-ish pores when it’s in perfect condition, although the spongy substance does turn more yellow as the mushroom grows older. Other Wild Mushrooms: Birch-Boletus and Ink Caps One cousin which it can be confused with is the Birch-boletus – they’re not poisonous but I avoid them because I reckon they have a metallic flavour. However, a friend loves them, claiming they are better than the more popular penny bun. A few feet from the examples I’ve just picked were a host of Magpie Fungi – which looks a little like a Shaggy Ink Cap but is poisonous. Indeed, I don’t bother with the ink caps that so many people love, because they do not go well with alcohol. Drink a glass of white wine with a mushroom dish containing those fine fellows and you can find yourself feeling very queasy indeed. Why Mushroom Foraging Requires Caution No thanks. In fact, I am extremely cautious when eating any kind of edible fungi from the wild – which, of course, is the only way to be. I do have friends who are braver than me in this regard – they are careful and they take books with them when foraging – but I am way too scared to eat even mushrooms which I’m fairly certain are safe. To me, the word “fairly” is nowhere good enough. “One hundred percent certain” is the only phrase I’m interested in. Which is why I keep my harvesting limited to half-a-dozen firm favourites that I can identify with absolute certainty. Like the wonderful chanterelle , for example. True Chanterelles vs False Chanterelles Saying that, there is a “false chanterelle” which, alas, has been responsible for the deaths of several people in the UK over the past few years, while putting others on kidney dialysis machines. True chanterelles : golden-yellow, with a sweet scent reminiscent of apricots. Their gills have thick, blunted ridges or folds. False chanterelles : more orange-yellow, with a mild mushroomy scent. They have thin, forked blades that are easily separated. Too close for comfort? Then don’t risk it. And I wouldn’t blame you. My confidence with chanterelles only comes after many years of picking them, having originally been trained by expert mycologists while on numerous guided fungi-hunts. Foraging Rules: Never Take Chances Caution. That is the massive byline that should be printed above all fungi. For example, when I set out on my dog walk this morning I came across a whole swathe of really good-looking field mushrooms . I didn’t hesitate for a second. I walked right on by. Why? Well, for a start they were in a graveyard. Somehow the thought of picking something so white and bone-like in such a place, then eating it, doesn’t exactly do much for my levels of culinary excitement. And they were growing under a yew tree. For some reason I have long forgotten, I do not pick any fungi that grow under the yew. Each year I am aghast to find that a mushroom known as the Destroying Angel (Amanita virosa) grows under it. There is, I am told, a very frightening 50 to 90 percent chance that you will not survive eating such a thing. The nearest I’ve ever got to making a mistake was years ago when I picked and ate a yellow stainer mushroom (Agaricus xanthodermus) . Closely related to common field mushrooms, but mildly poisonous – and I was unlucky enough to learn that the hard way. The Magic of Fungi in the West Country However, fungi magic, in all its many forms, is a wonderful thing for country-lovers to enjoy at this time of year, whether you’re setting out to find something for the pot or not. Mushrooms and toadstools have gone into turbo-drive weaving their mystical spell upon the autumnal world this week after the rains. At least here in more remote parts of the West Country . In some countries where fungi is deemed culinary king, the stuff no longer dares to peep its seasonal head above the autumn leaves because of commercial-picking. And I am told the situation is getting worse here. Some years ago the Forestry Commission slapped restrictions on people harvesting fungi in the New Forest for this reason. God forbid we’ll ever see bans imposed on our remote Westcountry hills. Spotting a handful of edible fungi for your own kitchen, however, is not going to wreck the delicate ecosystems. Best Places to Find Wild Mushrooms in the South West Where are the best places to look? That, of course, depends very much on the mushroom you have in mind, but as a general rule ancient unspoilt woodlands will pay the best dividends. Deep mossy banks crowned with beech trees can be good, probably because the delicate root systems have not been disturbed for centuries. For me, one of the allures of mushroom picking is the sense of mystery – the never knowing what you’ll get. Ironically, the most common toadstool growing in my area happens to be the most deadly of the lot – the aptly named Death Cap mushroom . Always a sobering sight as I walk by and see slugs crawling across its surface, chewing away as if there were no tomorrow. Which, in the case of a human, there wouldn’t be.

What Is the National Drink of England? We live in a world where symbols of national identity are important – which is why, for example, the media is forever having rows about whether fish-and-chips, roast beef or chicken tandoori represent the UK’s national dish. But what about our national drink? Scotland, of course, has whisky, while England might argue over whether beer or cider should take the crown. However, in historic terms there’s only one drink in the running, and that is mead . The Historic Importance of Mead in England Why? Because not only is this honey-based beverage delicious and rather powerful – but it really did rule the roost in times of yore. Mead first became popular in England during Roman times and it continued to be a staple drink for centuries. The Anglo-Saxons loved the stuff – it has a couple of mentions in the epic poem Beowulf – and it was central to the social life of the early English. Apparently, mead halls were hugely popular right up until the Norman Conquest. Lyme Bay Winery: The UK’s Largest Mead Producer And here’s another thing I didn’t know about mead. The UK’s largest maker is based right here in the West Country . Lyme Bay Winery , based in south east Devon, creates vast vats of this golden elixir on a weekly basis. To be precise, its team of highly experienced experts craft more than 750 bottles per day. Last year, they sold over 250,000 bottles, exporting to countries as far afield as Finland and Canada. Beyond Mead: The Rise of English Fruit Wines At this point, people who know about the history of alcoholic beverages might be waving their arms in protest. “Yes, mead was popular,” they might say. “But what about all those fruit wines? Surely the fruits growing in every British hedgerow allowed the denizens of these isles to create delicious drinks that were far more widely available than mead?” Well, yes, good point. But as it happens, Lyme Bay Winery is also Britain’s largest maker of “country fruit wines”. All manner of flavours adorn the shelves of the retail outlet at their headquarters, just a couple of miles inland from Seaton. Strawberry wine? They’ve got it. At this time of year cherry wine is very popular and in a few months’ time they’ll be seeing the Christmas Pudding Wine fly out the door. English Wine Excellence in Devon Oh, and of course, Lyme Bay Winery does make a large amount of what you might call mainstream wine – in other words the delicious and, in their case, award-winning stuff that’s made from English grapes. Meeting Wolfgang Sieg-Hogg at Lyme Bay Winery But it’s the mead and the country wine selection I wanted to find out more about, so I went down to Devon to meet with managing director Wolfgang Sieg-Hogg, who is keen to promote these remarkable beverages. I can see why – in recent times they’ve failed to gain a fraction of the media publicity that other alcoholic drinks enjoy. A Mead Revival in the 21st Century However, that is changing. The beverage, often claimed to be the world’s oldest drink, is enjoying a 21st-century resurgence with more people seeking new and exciting flavours. In fact, Fortune Business Insights reports the global mead market is due to reach $1.395 million by the end of 2032. And the team at Lyme Bay Winery are working hard to stay ahead of the game – not only by producing a range of flavoured meads, but also by giving it a bit of fizz, reducing its alcohol content, and putting it into cans. From Cider to Mead: Lyme Bay Winery’s Journey I asked Wolfgang about the history of the business, and he explained that the winery's journey began with cider. “Lyme Bay Winery started by making cider, but the original owner always had a vision of doing English wine and he planted a vineyard just up the road.” As we’ve said, this specialisation has led to impressive results. The company now employs some 35 people at its HQ near Axminster as well, indirectly, as a huge number of seasonal workers at the various vineyards and other businesses which supply raw materials. How Mead Is Made at Lyme Bay Winery So, I asked Wolfgang to tell me more about the all-important mead…. “Basically, mead is a honey-based alcoholic drink. It really is fermented honey,” he explained. “We take water and honey – using a blend of honeys that give us our unique flavour profile – and we ferment that. A key part of the ferment is managing the temperature and the food for the yeast. If it goes too fast, it gets all excited and exhausts itself. If it’s too cold, it struggles. We keep it at just the right pace, so in about four weeks, it’s ready to be racked off.” Other processes such as filtering have to be carried out before it is eventually bottled. While the traditional mead is the company’s bestseller, Lyme Bay Winery isn’t afraid to experiment with flavours. Mead Flavours and Versatility Wolf told me: “We have a traditional mead that outsells everything else, but we also have ten different flavours – such as ginger and black cherry mead, which are popular as winter gets underway. In summer people tend to like the apple or the strawberry, and the elderflower.” He believes the versatility of the drink could be one of its key selling points. “There’s no one single way of enjoying mead. Some people love it neat, others like to add it to a cocktail to create a long drink. People even use it as a flavour base for cooking.” Innovation and the Future of Mead Lyme Bay Winery is embracing changes sweeping through the drinks industry, particularly with the shift towards lighter, easier-to-approach products and lower alcohol content. “The drinks industry is changing. There’s a shift to more ready-to-drink options and lower ABV products,” Wolfgang explained. “That’s where we’ll explore new products, and in the background, we’ll continue to educate people on what mead is.” He also notes that TV series and games have helped mead capture the imagination of younger drinkers. “Things like Game of Thrones have brought in a much younger audience – and then you’ve got Dungeons and Dragons , and the whole knight and warrior culture – all that has opened up mead to a whole new generation.” Country Fruit Wines at Lyme Bay Winery Our conversation then turned to the other side of Lyme Bay Winery's business: the country fruit wines. Wolfgang explained that these are as important to the company as their meads. “If you say ‘bottle of wine,’ everyone thinks Chardonnay or Pinot, but we get thousands of people coming to our shop and tasting our fruit wines, and they are amazed by the flavours.” Wolfgang also sees strong heritage connections: “There is a link back to tradition, and just look at the popularity in this country for visiting historic places like castles. I can tell you that some of our strongest outlets are visitor centres in major heritage sites. When you’re thinking about history and heritage, you can get the idea that you’d like to try a truly traditional drink.” English Tradition Meets Innovation in Devon As with the mead, the winery is working to introduce fruit wines to a younger audience. “The age group for fruit wines is quite old at the moment, so we’re looking at how to rebrand them and make them more attractive,” Wolfgang said. “We’ll be reducing the ABV and might even put an elderflower wine in a can. We want to be a part of that new market.” Because I was driving, I was not able to taste any of these alcoholic products so cannot actually vouch for how good they are. But I walked away impressed nevertheless. My headline thought was: “Wow! Who knew?” Because, I must admit, I did not know anything about either mead or fruit wines before my visit. Final Thoughts: Lyme Bay Winery’s Passion for Mead and Fruit Wines I was won over thanks to Wolfgang’s passion – his enthusiasm is infectious. Lyme Bay Winery in Devon is an impressive business that follows tradition while at the same time constantly looking to innovate. If they continue in their mission, they will help these historic drinks – mead and fruit wines – to remain relevant and exciting for years, or even centuries, to come.

The Wonders of Rain and West Country Fields And talking of produce from our fields, what wonders the rain has done… To the region’s fungi, I mean. After the wet stuff started falling from the skies ten days ago, field mushrooms have been popping up like… Well, mushrooms. Two days into the new rainy season there wasn’t a field mushroom in sight. I know because I went out every day looking in my favourite field where mushrooms never fail to grow. Then, on third day, there was one. Just one single button mushroom, growing in a place where I’ve found thousands in times gone by. And, for any fungi-foragers who laugh that I’ve been expecting things too early – let me say that I have often picked common field mushrooms as early as June in that particular spot. The First Field Mushrooms of the Season Anyway, just one the first day. I fried it in salted Cornish butter and it was the flavour equivalent of coming a £1000 French truffle. The next day there were half a dozen, which went down very nicely indeed on a slice of buttered toast. And on the third day I simply stopped picking when I’d gleaned enough for my family. Now, like all other fungi foragers, I am looking forward to finding some of the other edible species as the rain continues to fall. And it is this delight, and indeed the danger, that makes the hunt for wild fungi such a potent annual rite in the UK. The Common Field Mushroom – Agaricus campestris The common field mushroom, Agaricus campestris , is often the first to arrive, a harbinger of the autumnal abundance to come. Its creamy white cap and pinkish-brown gills are a familiar sight to many, a sign that the earth is ready to give up its subterranean treasures. But this delight is a coin with two sides. The Dangers of Mushroom Foraging in the UK The danger, of course, lies in a lack of knowledge. For every common field mushroom, there is a sinister doppelgänger lurking in the long grass. The most infamous of these is the Death Cap ( Amanita phalloides ) , and its cousin the Destroying Angel ( Amanita virosa ) . While these are not often mistaken for the field mushroom by experienced foragers, a novice could easily be led astray. A simple rule of thumb for Agaricus species is to check the gills. They should be pink or brown, never white. If the gills are pure white, walk away. Immediately. The Yellow Stainer – A Subtle but Serious Threat But the perils are not always so clear-cut. The Yellow Stainer ( Agaricus xanthodermus ) is a much more subtle threat. It looks remarkably similar to the edible field mushroom but has one key difference: it stains a bright chrome yellow when the flesh is bruised, particularly at the base of the stem. Cooking it can cause severe gastric distress, and while not fatal, the experience is profoundly unpleasant. The phrase ‘gastric distress’ is a polite understatement for what can feel like a full-scale mutiny in your digestive system. Foraging Tips – Safety First So, while the thrill of a successful mushroom hunt is undeniable – that moment of spotting a perfect, unblemished button, or a whole cluster of them, gleaming in the dewy morning light – it must be tempered with caution. The forager's toolkit is not a fancy basket and a sharp knife, but rather a good guidebook and a healthy dose of scepticism. The best advice I ever received was this: “If in doubt, throw it out.” No mushroom, no matter how plump and promising, is worth risking a trip to the hospital. Respecting the Land and Its Gifts And so, as the rain continues to fall and the earth continues to yield its bounty, I will continue my pilgrimage to the fields. I will search for the familiar, comforting sight of the field mushroom, and perhaps even a few of its more exotic cousins. But I will do so with respect for the land, and a healthy dose of fear for what might be hiding amongst the edible jewels. The flavour of that first fried button mushroom was worth the wait, but the safety of my family is worth more.

Delivery Vans, Local Produce, and the Rise of Beacon Farms The White Van Nation – and a Thought for British Produce Delivery vans… The world is filled with them. Drive through the rural West Country today and you will see far more white vans than any other vehicle. On a journey to the Blackdown Hills this week I counted more than 20 on a 40-mile round-trip. And I thought: wouldn’t it be wonderful if those vans were filled with British products and produce rather than stuff made in China. Beacon Farms – A Westcountry Family Producing Quality British Meat I was on my way to interview a young man who, with his brother and sister, produces and purveys some very good British produce indeed. And their company, Beacon Farms , does use a delivery company to transport the best of English meat to homes across the land. So a small number of those thousands of vans might – just might – be carrying first-class produce from this country. If James Vining and his siblings have their way, that number will increase. Because these three young people have big ideas. Good, solid ideas that I know most readers of this newspaper will applaud. Back to Basics – Traditional British Farming In some ways their basic idea is to wind the clock back. There was a time in the not too distant past when the only meat sold in this country would have been raised locally and, most likely, it would have been raised in a wholesome, old-fashioned way. By which I mean: on grass, in meadows, on permanent leys… How often do we hear older folk saying food doesn’t taste as good as it used to? It is not mere nostalgia – a lot of food really doesn’t taste as good – cheap meat produced on an industrial scale being a prime candidate. So it is hugely refreshing to learn that three young people are working hard to expand a business based solely on the idea that meat should be produced the proper way. Grass-Fed Beef and Naturally Reared Meat from Devon The “proper way” means – not in giant sheds or feedlots where animals are fed concentrates from goodness knows where, but out in the West Country hills and dales where we grow the best grass anywhere, and therefore the best meat. The story goes like this: James, Will and Charlotte Vining come from a family that has been involved in both farming and the meat trade for generations. Growing up, they loved spending time on their grandparents’ Devon farm and visiting their father’s local butcher shops. They especially loved eating the locally grown meat he’d bring home. Not surprisingly, they always wanted to be involved in farming and the world of meat production – but university degrees, high powered jobs and the like, got in the way. From Family Farm to Nationwide Meat Delivery Then, five years ago, there arose an opportunity to rent a farm in south-east Devon and raise meat for their dad’s local butcher's shops. Growing this new business part-time while they held down other jobs, they eventually came to the realisation that they were producing more of their particular specialist style of high-quality beef and lamb than their father’s business could sell. So they reached out to a handful of other farmers (producing high quality pork and poultry, as well as wild venison from Exmoor) and created Beacon Farms , along with a website which now sells their collective produce UK-wide. In just a year, this new business has been going from strength-to-strength, which is why I found myself sitting on a straw-bale somewhere in the middle of the Blackdown Hills talking with James Vining. And I’d immediately describe the 29-year-old as driven and dynamic – passionate about the business he is now expanding after spending the first part of his working life as a mechanical engineer working with artificial intelligence. What Is Beacon Farms? To start with, I asked James to describe in a nutshell what Beacon Farms is all about. “We are a nationwide retailer of naturally produced, expertly butchered meat, delivered frozen with next-day delivery. The idea is to connect the public with the best sources and time-honoured craftsmanship that creates the highest-quality meat.” The Beacon Farms Ethos – Slow Food, High Welfare So, when he says “the best,” what criteria do he and his siblings use, given there’s so much low-quality meat available, including imported products? Was “grass-fed” a key factor? “Grass-fed is a popular topic right now, and it’s a big part of what we do. However, it's not the only thing. The grass-fed aspect is really about what I call ‘naturally-reared’. We prioritise sourcing from farmers who use low input systems and work with nature to produce high-welfare, naturally-reared meat. “It’s about a low-input, high-quality output model – what many people would call slow food. This means the animals are given time to mature naturally in their environment. They’re not intensively farmed or shut away for their entire lives – and they have natural diets.” A Family Heritage of Butchery and Farming in Devon “Our family has been farming and butchering for multiple generations. Farming goes back as far as anyone can remember, on both sides. My father has a successful butchery business with some local shops, and we grew up on the family farm. We always wanted to get into farming in our own way. Five years ago, an opportunity came up to rent a small farm, and my brother and I took it. We started rearing beef and lamb for dad’s local shops, and the demand grew. However, that demand was capped by the physical shop location. “We had been lucky enough to enjoy this quality of food our entire lives, and we saw that it wasn’t always available elsewhere. So, we asked ourselves, ‘Why are we limiting ourselves to this one area?’ “We created Beacon Farms for two reasons. First, we believe we produce really good food that everyone should have access to. Second, the mass market for farming is predominantly focused on the supermarket supply chain. Supermarkets incentivise farmers to produce as much food as possible, as fast as possible, at a certain price. This business model doesn’t necessarily lead to the best quality for the end product or the environment. “Beacon Farms was created to fill that void and connect people with slow food – real, naturally-produced food that is blast-frozen. This is a key aspect of what we do. The meat is frozen without preservatives or artificial ingredients. The temperature is rapidly dropped from zero to minus 17 degrees, which keeps the ice crystals in the meat very short. This doesn’t affect the texture or taste, and it allows consumers to buy in bulk, stock up their freezers, and have the convenience of high-quality meat without worrying about expiry dates.” Red Ruby Beef – A Devon Native Breed James and Will started their beef production with Red Ruby cattle. “We wanted to create the best beef, so we chose the native breed, Red Devon, which has been voted the best beef in the world. It’s a great fit for us because it’s native to Devon and thrives on our extensive, natural system. Most importantly, it produces incredibly rich, flavourful meat. “We use the butchery owned by our family. Our website showcases what we do: we combine outstanding sourcing on the farm with the skill of a highly experienced butchery team. The meat is prepared professionally, dry-aged, cut into the right portions, and then blast-frozen at its optimal point. It arrives at your door the next day, or on a selected day, in a recyclable box with wool lining. “A big part of our future is finding other producers who fit our ethos so that customers can come to Beacon Farms, trust where their food comes from, and feel connected to the source. We connect people directly with the farmer and what’s happening on the farm. “It’s going really well,” says James. “We’re regularly distributing parcels to customers everywhere, from Cornwall to Edinburgh.” A Vertical Supply Model – From Field to Freezer It has been done before – there are other internet-based outfits in the UK running meat businesses along similar lines. But few – if indeed any – have such a vertical supply model , which means the three Vinings have control and can apply their expertise to every part of the process from the pastures to the finished box that customers receive. The siblings are immensely proud of their regional West Country heritage, and with all those generations behind them, and with their obvious passion and intelligence, Beacon Farms looks set to become a major player in a trade which sees the highest quality meat being delivered to our homes. More white vans on the road, perhaps, but carrying the best Britain has to offer. 👉 Visit Beacon Farms to find out more. Photos: Nick Hook

End of Summer - Autumn in the Air Most years since the turn of the century, my newspaper column has found itself tumbling into that mellow period which marks the end of summer, and declaring: “Autumn is in the air!” as if it’s been some totally new and unexpected sensation. Which is odd… I hardly ever write newspaper articles which herald the arrival of winter or summer. Once or twice I have written about the first hints and glories of spring, but there’s something about the end of summer and the coming of autumn which seems to reach the parts other seasons fail to awaken. Why Autumn Feels Different I wonder why this particular corner of the calendar seems to mean so much? Perhaps I am alone or unusual in noticing it to such a degree - so I’d be interested to hear if readers agree that autumn is a mental and spiritual game-changer. Of course, it’s easy to cook up some half-baked theory… My belief is that we northern Europeans are hard-wired to feel a sense of excitement and urgency when nature’s harvests are at their peak. Our inner time-clocks know a long hard winter is ahead and some inherited memory tells some of us that we’d better belt around trying to collect and conserve as much as we can. Instincts of the Season Squirrels do it, so why shouldn’t we? If a tiny creature with a brain the size of a pea can know that it’s time to gather nuts and store them away for the hard times ahead, is it really out of the question that we highly motivated and complex humans should have failed to evolve a similar kind of autopilot? Gather all you can and squirrel as much as possible away! It must have been a clarion call which the instincts of homo-sapiens relied upon for thousands of years. Why else would modern people like me feel some inner urge to start gathering fruits, berries and fungi and start pickling, bottling, drying and practicing other forms of food preservation when the cooler evenings descend? Autumn Traditions and Preservation I realise a lot of people don’t have this domestic drive, but I do - and I know quite a few others who feel it as well. Not that anyone has ever told us this is a vital, do-or-die, thing to be doing. We may have read about it or learned that certain peoples and societies did it in earnest in times gone by, but it’s not as if we modern Brits were ever tied to our mothers’ apron strings with the mantra: “Pick and preserve! Hoard and hide! Gather the goodness while you can!” ringing in our ears. For me the natural body-clock phenomenon is a thing of joy. It means that somehow we are deeply in touch with nature, which must be a good thing. And perhaps there is something inside a grumpy old countryman like me which almost celebrates the idea of hunkering down and semi-hibernating. The Joy of Cosiness How can a city-dweller living in a block of flats ever experience the unbelievably satisfying sense of cosiness which comes of lighting that first-log-fire-of-the-season as wind and rain beat upon the windows? As autumn really gets underway you can embrace the word “snug” as you pull the duvet up under your chin on a wild night, imagining the raging Atlantic waves exploding over sea-cliffs just a few miles to the west. You lie there in the dark thinking how lucky you are to be so wonderfully comfortable - and how fortunate you are to be able to work from home at your desk in the morning when other poor blighters will be up telegraph poles fixing wires that have been blown down, or herding cattle on some god-forsaken heath, or setting out into the maelstrom in their fishing boats. Autumn Foods and Comforts You begin to dream of comforting soups and stews and other warming edible delights which make the dark half of the year so much more survivable and pleasant. You stock your pantry with the pulses you harvest, the mushrooms you pick and dry and with the orchard fruit you’ve gathered from the garden. Then there’s the sloe gin and other liquid delights you’ll be macerating until the December festivities. Living in the Moment At this point I can hear a few sun-worshippers groan: “What’s this old geezer on about? He’s already looking forward to Christmas!” But, no, I’m not. This is very much about living in the moment - taking the time to rejoice in those hardly perceptible creaks and groans as the Earth turns slowly on its axis and you can almost feel one season changing into another. Autumn Senses in the Countryside It’s about stopping for a moment as you pick the last of the blackberries because you catch the season’s first whiff of firewood-smoke. It’s about seeing the sudden blaze of gold as a beech tree’s slowly reddening leaves catch the last light of a warm evening sun. It’s about coming home over the ridge after a long afternoon’s walk, listening to the mewing of this year’s brood of buzzards flying high above, and seeing wisps of mist gathering like a phantom sea across the lowlands beyond. Summer turning into autumn acts like a tsunami on our sensory faculties. In the countryside you can see it, hear it, smell it - and you can feel it on your skin as cooling zephyrs from the north waft up from the sea. This brief period of change is the season of the senses . Blackberry Harvest on Exmoor Some things are worth waiting for. A couple of weeks ago I mentioned people were already picking blackberries down on the sheltered coastal plain of West Somerset. Now Exmoor’s north facing valleys are getting their share and they are the biggest juiciest blackberries I have ever seen. There are reckoned to be no fewer than 41 different species of bramble growing wild in the UK - and there seems to be a difference in opinion as to whether there is one true blackberry with many aberrant forms, or many distinct types. The Bramble’s Ancient Roots The name of the wicked, barbed and evil mother bush is derived from brambel , or brymbyl - signifying prickly. Brambles were first recorded in ancient Greece where blackberries were considered a remedy for gout. The fruit has plenty of history in these islands - in some parts of England the blackberry was known as scaldhead, though the reasons why the name came about are pretty diverse. Blackberry Folklore and Remedies It could be to do with indigestible over-ripe berries causing a condition that used to be called scaldhead in children who ate too many. Or it could be derived from the curative effects that the leaves and berries have in treating this malady. It may even have come from the fact that the leaves were once applied to relieve scalds. In Cornwall long ago crawling under a bramble-bush was thought to cause protection against all sorts of skin problems from boils to blackheads. From Remedies to Recipes However, I much prefer thinking about more pleasing things to do with blackberries than worrying about what they may or may not cure. Jam-making must be top of the list - a good blackberry conserve will bring scented memories of late summer fields and hedges throughout the winter months. Blackberry and apple crumble is always a favourite, but my grandmother, who was a Somerset baker's daughter, used to treat us with the ultimate in 'comfort-food' puddings after she'd been out among the hedgerows at this time of year. A Somerset Blackberry Pudding It was basically a Yorkshire pudding filled to the brim, spotted dick-style, with blackberries, dusted with castor sugar and eaten with clotted cream or ice cream. Bring the taste of Exmoor’s hedgerows into your kitchen with this old-fashioned, comforting pudding. Ingredients 100g plain flour 2 large eggs 300ml milk Pinch of salt 2 tbsp butter or beef dripping 200g fresh blackberries (washed and drained) 2 tbsp caster sugar (plus extra for dusting) Clotted cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve Method Preheat your oven to 220°C (200°C fan) / 425°F / Gas 7. Place the butter or dripping in a deep ovenproof dish and heat until sizzling hot. Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, eggs, milk, and salt to make a smooth batter. Carefully pour the batter into the hot dish and immediately scatter the blackberries over the top. Bake for 20–25 minutes until the pudding is well risen and golden. Sprinkle with caster sugar while hot and serve with clotted cream or ice cream. Serving Tip Best enjoyed warm from the oven on an autumn evening, when the hedgerows are heavy with fruit.

Barbecues in the UK: From Heatwaves to Grilled Feasts The other day someone I know was talking about the weather and he said: “I’ll tell you how hot it is… We rolled out the barbecue for the first time this week and we’ve been grilling sausages and steaks and goodness knows what else.” This simple statement reminded me that not every UK household likes the idea of cooking over a live flame. It took this chap and his family a UK record of four officially designated heatwaves before they were eventually persuaded to cook outdoors. And I need reminding that a great many folk do not barbecue, because I am forever lighting up the charcoal and cannot imagine why anyone with as much as a tiny terrace, let alone a full blown garden or other open air space, would not. Which is probably why I keep returning to the subject of barbecuing. I make no apology, because I really do believe it is a superb way of preparing hot food as well as being a deeply satisfying thing to do. The Primitive Appeal of Cooking Over Fire Indeed, for a long while I have been marinating the theory that there is a primitive man or woman lying just beneath the surface of us all. We humans are not quite as civilised as we like to think - just look at our penchant for killing one another in all those wars happening at present. That reflects the bad side of being primitive - the upside is that by getting in touch with our Stone Age innards we somehow get to appreciate basic things like food and cooking much more profoundly. Here’s what well-known West Country based chef and food writer Gill Meller says about barbecuing… “There’s purity in cooking over fire that I love. Whenever I smell wood smoke in the air it captures my soul for a spell.” He also writes: “Sometimes the simplest ways to cook are the most rewarding and mindful” and that cooking outside “is far more engaging” than using a conventional kitchen. Why Barbecuing is More Engaging than Indoor Cooking It really is far more engaging. Indeed, you probably need to focus a lot more because there’s an element of hit-and-miss with a live flame, which is maybe why so many cooks prefer to stay indoors (even a good many accomplished ones). I’m not saying such people lack focus, but I do believe the old adage that practice makes perfect. The more you do it, the better you get. A live flame can be tricky (different fuel sources, different charcoals, varying wind speeds wafting the flames, there are endless reasons), which means you may have the occasional disappointment. That happens to me after more than 40 years - and when I say “regularly” I mean, like many other BBQ enthusiasts, I often head outdoors to cook regardless of the time of year or weather. West Country Barbecue Inspiration: Sue Stoneman However, I certainly do not class myself as anything of an expert - unlike my friend, Devon’s Sue Stoneman , who in my opinion is one of the best barbecue cooks in the region. Like me, Sue will be out there in all weathers and if you follow her entertaining and informative social media posts you will see she is also quite happy to vary the location. Quite often, for example, she takes a small Kamado-style BBQ down to her local beach at Exmouth… Which is why, for the purposes of writing this BBQ special during the fourth official UK heatwave, I asked Sue if she’d be kind enough to share some of her fireside knowledge (see her tips for modern barbecuing in the panel)… Her basic mantra is as follows… “Anything you can cook indoors, you can cook outdoors. Be it in your oven, air fryer or grill - if you’ve a barbecue with a lid, anything is possible. Even a pavlova!” Cooking Mussels, Flatbreads and More Over Charcoal This week I saw she was cooking fresh local mussels in an oven-tray over the coals - something I’ve done many times because it really does add a savoury smokiness which seems to embrace the mild creamy shellfish flesh in one of those ideal flavour combinations. Sue tells me she sautés onions in wild garlic butter before adding wine and then the mussels, after which it’s just a few minutes wait for them all to open. She also talks about flatbreads, which could perhaps be another instinctive response to thousands of years of primitive cooking. Very simple forms of unleavened bread are easy to make, but the point is that they really (I promise) undergo an almost magical flavour conversion when cooked over a flame - especially one formed by good quality charcoal. Choosing the Best Charcoal for Your BBQ Talking of which, some of the best charcoals are probably being produced somewhere near you - look out for a local Westcountry charcoal-maker who practises environmentally-friendly foresting techniques (such as coppicing) and you really can have your cake and eat it. If you are in the Exmoor or West Somerset area look out for Fat Raven Charcoal made by my friend Chris Silverwood. It is superb stuff and works fabulously in my Kamado Joe egg-style barbecue. Burning long and slow I can cook a big piece of tough old beef brisket with ease. A Simple BBQ Pizza Recipe with Caramelised Onions Before we go onto Sue’s BBQ tips, here’s one from me… Why not test the theory about basic breads by trying out this truly delicious experiment. Most supermarkets sell basic pizza bases (frozen or fresh - plain or our local store does one with a thin layer of garlic and cheese). When your barbecue is dying down after a session, bung two or three large whole onions beside the hot coals in preparation for your next outdoor cook. When they’re cooked through, allow them to cool before peeling off the charred skins and outer layers and collecting the soft white creamy centres in a bowl. Mash, (with some crushed garlic perhaps, and plenty of seasoning) then spread on your uncooked pizza base. Cover with a grating of cheese (any type you like) and cook in a BBQ with the lid down. I made one of these this week and it was the best pizza I’ve had in ages. In the past week I’ve also barbecued a tomahawk of beef, a whole leg of lamb and some good sausages from a local butcher. On each occasion, the results were far better than anything I could have prepared indoors. Award-winning Cook Sue Stoneman’ s Top 5 Tips for Modern Barbecuing What's cooking? Planning and preparation is key. What are you cooking, when and who are you inviting? Make a list. Check if you've any vegetarians. Shop for ingredients and don't forget the drinks. Sides and salads are important too. Ask for help - guests are often happy to bring a side dish or dessert.  Clean BBQ, tools and thermometer. Hopefully you left your BBQ clean the last time you used it.  If not, it is a must. Good quality charcoal and natural firelighters will help your food taste great. Long handled tongs, heatproof gloves will protect your hands and a food thermometer helps ensure food is cooked properly. Timings. If you're wanting sides and breads, you need to prepare these first. They can easily be warmed up.  Make a timetable and work out how long your meat or dishes will take to cook. Work backwards from when you are wanting to eat, allowing an extra hour so you'll have everything ready for when your guests arrive.  Get ahead if you can and cook some dishes the day before.  Marinate your meat overnight or on the day. Light the charcoal and leave to burn for at least 20 minutes before you start to cook.  Try to have different heat zones on your grill. A hot zone for direct grilling and a cooler zone for indirect cooking.  Have fun! Guests will be arriving soon... lay the table and ensure you've plates, cutlery and glasses.  Make sure drinks are chilling and you've a glass for yourself!  You've done the prep and most of the cooking so now you can relax and enjoy. Happy grilling. You can find some of Sue's bbq recipes in The BBQ Magazine and on her instagram page @sue_stoneman Penzance Food Festival and BBQ Culture in Cornwall And talking of barbecue related topics, the vibrant end-of-summer celebration of all things culinary returns to far west Cornwall next month. The Penzance Food Festival, which has quickly established itself as a cornerstone of Cornwall's cultural calendar, will take place at Penlee Park from September 19-21.  Following a successful debut last year, this year's festival will highlight a new partnership with Kamado Joe - the well-known manufacture of egg-style barbecue equipment. The aim is to ensure all manner of smoky flavours waft around the festival’s the Taste Theatre whittle delicious food is being cooked above the coals.  Visitors can look forward to live demonstrations and a impressive line-up of culinary talent. “The event's ethos remains rooted in celebrating Cornish identity, with a strong commitment to showcasing small-scale producers, sustainable fishing from Newlyn, and local chefs,” said a spokesman. “We are proudly sticking to our principle of sourcing traders locally, with only a handful of the 50 vendors travelling from outside Cornwall.” To underline its environmental commitment, the festival works with Sustainable Penzance and Plastic Free Penzance to ensure a completely single-use plastic-free site. There’ll be a blend of experiences on offer, including an expanded producer market, a diverse street food village, live music, and a dedicated wellness area.

Heatwaves in the UK and the West Country’s Cool Escape Heatwaves are hitting us thick and fast – indeed the UK is enjoying or enduring one this very day. Which is why I went out early this morning for the daily dog-walk. However, here in the West Country we do have a secret weapon in our armoury which helps us when the heat gets too hot. I am talking about the West Country’s most extensive icon – the myriad deep sunken lanes that wend and weave their way from one end of the region to the other. It was already hot on my walk this morning at 9.30, but the sunken lanes I strolled along were damp and cool despite the heat and the drought. What Makes West Country Sunken Lanes Unique Other places have narrow country roads, but nowhere else can boast quite such deep, hollowed out, ancient byways that are one of the most wondrous features of our peninsula. Some people, of course, loathe the lanes. They tend to be urban drivers in vehicles far too large and shiny for their own good. Others, like me, love them. Wildlife Havens: Hedgerows as the Rainforests of England They are the English equivalent to the tropical rainforests. They teem with life. More than 600 plant species, 1,500 types of insects, 65 birds and 20 different mammals have been recorded living or feeding in the region’s magnificent hedgerows, which are the main feature of the sunken lanes. Devon alone has an astounding 33,000 miles of hedgerow. But hedges aren’t just there for wildlife. They earn their keep as living barriers that keep stock in the fields. Presumably they also once acted as barriers to keep unwelcome visitors like wolves out. Where to Find the Deepest and Oldest Lanes These wonderful tunnels of life are a feature of a good many parts of the South West peninsula, mainly in places where the underlying rock is soft enough to be eroded by a thousand years of hooves and wheels, rain and snow. The lanes don’t get too deep in the hard granite areas of Dartmoor and West Penwith, but if you visit the red sandstone zones of East Devon or the South Hams, or Exmoor and West Somerset, and down you go into a semi-subterranean world tinged with green. You don’t really find them quite as deep and as ancient – and as full of life – anywhere else in the world. The Unique Devon Hedge A countryside officer for the North Devon Coast and Countryside Service once told me: “Devon is the only county that has a type of hedgerow named after it. The Devon hedge is unique, it’s basically an earth bank that may be faced with stone or turf with a line of shrubs on top – elsewhere in the country most areas don’t start with a turf bank but at ground level. “There are a lot of theories, but no one knows exactly why our ancestors put structures in with a combination of wildlife and shrubs on top, as well as flowers, but it does make them very special. “Many are very old. A quarter are more than 800 years old – and we need to compare them to parish churches in historical importance.” Loss and Conservation of Devon’s Hedgerows Mr Hynes regrets there was a time when farmers were pulling them out. Records in the 1950s show Devon alone had a staggering 45,000 miles of hedges compared to the pretty amazing 33,000 today. “Some have gone and what we’ve got left we must look after,” he said. “Hedge Week (which is held in October) is all about getting people involved in looking at hedges and that’s important for farming, for wildlife, the landscape and for the people of Devon. “Huge numbers of species are very dependent on hedges – take the dormouse as an example. Devon’s dormice are doing better than many other counties because we’ve got more beautiful hedges than most.” Reviving the Ancient Skill of Hedge-Laying Part of the future sustainability of the county’s hedgerows will depend on the willingness of property owners to employ proper hedge-laying techniques. “There’s been a real revival in interest in this ancient skill partly because agricultural grants are more widely available, but also there’s a huge uptake in interest,” said the expert. “I’m a keen hedge layer myself. It’s one of those things people get hooked on. You’re cutting down trees but creating something at the same time – converting a tangled old mess into something that is stock-proof and that will soon provide a habitat for wildlife.” Hedgerows: Keeping the West Country Cool And help keep us cool in summer – and long may the trend continue.

Learning the Art of Fish Cookery with Annie Seabourne How many of us home-cooks think we know our way around a fish? Really know it, I mean, so that we can clean, gut and fillet any kind of swimming creature that is about to bless our dinner tables? My guess is there’ll be a smallish number who’ll feel confident when confronted with any kind of raw seafood, but also a majority who will look at different kinds of fish and wish they were at the chip shop buying something deep fried and free of bones. I would place myself in the first group, although having said that I can report that I am now 100 percent more knowledgeable than I was just a week ago. Why? Because although I thought I knew most kinds of fish, I didn’t. A Seafood Cookery Course in Mawnan Smith I learned this truth after I spent two days with my new pal and seafood mentor, Annie Seabourne. A Cornish fisherman’s daughter with many years of experience working in the fishing industry, Annie now runs her own seafood cookery school, called My Fish Kitchen . Which is an accurate description, because it is actually based in Annie’s own kitchen in her small cottage in the village of Mawnan Smith - and the one thing she specialises in is teaching people about the edible delights of the sea. Learning from a Cornish Fish Expert Could I fillet a fish before I met Annie? Yes. Could I do it well? No. Did I know the different cuts and techniques you need to make a good job of different kinds of fish? Definitely not. Now I do. If I can remember them all, which is doubtful for me with a brain like a sieve. However, I am likely to remember the basics. Because that is what Annie is very good at teaching. Even though I spent a day-and-a-half at My Fish Kitchen, what we did was to simply cover the basics. In such a short time, how could you glean the entire knowledge of someone who’s spent the best part of 40 years in the fish trade? Annie began her career by setting up her own business selling seafood in Cornwall - and as such she is a walking encyclopaedia of all things marine and edible. Hands-On Seafood Skills: Filleting, Squid, Stock & More The sessions were practical, allowing for a direct engagement with various types of fish and their preparation. The curriculum covered different methods of cooking and handling seafood. The instruction was clear and focused on developing a basic proficiency and, as I say, my understanding of fish preparation expanded enormously. Annie’s instructions included details on selecting fresh fish as well as exacting details on the various techniques for filleting. We worked with a range of local species, gaining experience with their individual characteristics. On our first four-hour day we looked at fresh mackerel, red mullet, whiting, lemon sole and John Dory - we also dealt with squid and we made a simple but fabulous fish stock. On the second morning we went on to deal with lobster and brown crab. Annie’s Filleting Techniques and Fish Wisdom Each of the fish required a different filleting technique. Of course, saying that, you do not have to fillet any of them. Cooking them whole is excellent for flavour, but there are a good many folk who would prefer their fish with no pesky bones - and at least by filleting something like a lemon sole you can use its carcass to make a good stock. I was amazed by the different cuts Annie showed me. For example, there are certain little swipes with the sharp knife you can use around the neck area to release an entire fillet, but you need to know exactly how and where. To give another example, there’s another kind of knife action with a flat fish which sees the filleter jabbing the point directly down between the flat bone structure and the rear of the fish - angle the blade out towards the edge and you can work your way along to release a wonderfully clean fillet. Cornish Knowledge Passed Down Generations A Falmouth fisherman’s daughter, Annie was literally born to work in the Cornish seafood industry. In her kitchen she demonstrates techniques learned from her lifetime of experience, explaining and demonstrating each step so that I, as the pupil, could replicate the process. This hands-on approach allowed me to get to grips with the feel of each fish - and, believe me, they are all quite different. Simple Seafood Cookery: Less is More In short, I reckon Annie must be one of the UK’s best teachers when it comes to basic fish and shellfish preparation. If you don’t know the basics, then it’s difficult to fly to higher places, and Annie covers the rudimentary seafood knowledge with great gusto and aplomb. As and when we’d finish with a fish, she’d then cook it in some way or other, but always with maximum simplicity. Needless to say, I consumed a large quantity of delicious seafood on both days. Keeping things simple is the best way to cook just about any fish. These creatures of the sea have delicate flavours and I cannot see the point in drowning them with things like strongly flavoured sauces. Even the humble whiting can be absolutely delicious when filleted and fried in a speck of butter. One of Annie’s mantras is to leave the cooked flesh to rest somewhere warm for a minute or two, just like your would a piece of steak. Tips, Tricks, and Tasty Treats from the Sea The squid was fried for no more than a minute while a whole red mullet was baked on top of some roasted summer veg for less than 10 minutes. And talking of the red mullet, it’s a fish famed for its liver - and Annie demonstrated how to relieve our sample of its delicious organ. Delicious, that is, when fried in a tiny knob of butter for a few seconds. Cornish caviar. That’s what I called it. But then I used the same description for the mackerel liver and its roe, which Annie also prised from the fish and fried. Fabulous, yet so many home-cooks ignore these delicacies and throw them away. Shellfish Masterclass: Lobster & Brown Crab When it came to the shellfish part of the course, I was amazed at the lengths Annie went to in order to gain every last edible gram out of our samples. And why not? Lobster ain’t exactly cheap, so it’s worth spending an extra ten minutes winning every last morsel. Lesson 1: do not throw away that gungy looking green stuff that runs up into a lobster’s head, it is the equivalent to the ultra-tasty brown crabmeat. It will have sometimes turned red during the eight minute boiling time which the fishmonger get will have given it - whatever the colour, do not squander this maritime gold. Lesson 2: there’ll also be quite a bit of meat in the head if you know where to look, and when it comes to those thin little legs (not the main claws, which obviously feature lots of flesh) they’ll also contain meat which you can release like a straw by pushing a rolling pin down each section. You could fill a book with Annie Seabourne’s tips - indeed, writing a series of books is exactly what she plans on doing. In the meantime, if you love preparing seafood at home I would very much recommend a day at My Fish Kitchen - visit www.myfishkitchen.co.uk or email her at annie@myfishkitchen.co.uk PANEL 1: Recipe – Whole Red Mullet on Summer Veg Whole red mullet is one of Annie Seabourne’s favourite fish… “Ask your local fishmonger to gill and gut the red mullet, also removing the scales. Retain the liver, it’s delicious,” says Annie. “Pop it in the cavity for roasting on top of Mediterranean vegetables. “Namely: red pepper, red onion, chopped red chilli and garlic. Pre-roast the veg at 150 degrees for 30 minutes. Seal the fish in a nonstick pan, with hot butter, for 1 minute on each side. Transfer the fish with the liver, to then sit on the veg and roast at 180 degrees for 11 minutes. “Rest the fish, straight out of the oven for about 6-8 minutes with foil on top. Once the thicker part of the flesh comes away from the bone, it’s ready to serve!” PANEL 2: Seabourne Fish, Penryn – A Cornish Seafood Institution Anyone who enjoys a lesson at My Fish Kitchen will be tempted to go home with a cool-box full of seafood - and they can do no better than visit Annie’s cousin, David Seabourne, who happens to run one of the best fishmonger businesses in all the South West. Seabourne’s Fish, on Commercial Road, Penryn (just 10 minutes drive from Annie) is described by many local people as a “Mecca” for all things seafood. Having visited the shop I am happy to agree - a quick glance at the fish on offer will tell you that this company really does go the extra mile in providing the very best quality seafood. “Our reputation has been built on quality, service and freshness,” says a very modest and quietly-spoken David. “Not only do we guarantee our fish is delivered to you as fresh as we can possibly supply, but we also source our products, whenever possible, from sustainably caught fish - and we are proud to be associated with the South West Hand-line Fishermen's Association.” Visit www.seabournefish.co.uk

Dimos Balopoulos is a chef based in eastern Crete, and I remember him telling me how each winter his bosses send him around the world to work for short spells in top kitchens so that he could expand his kitchen’s repertoire. And if it’s good enough for a leading light like Dimos, it’s good enough for an amateur like me. Indeed, one reason I was in Crete was to learn a bit more about how the Greeks in general — and the Cretans in particular — centre all their culinary practices on the quality of local ingredients. The Tradition of Foraging for Wild Greens in Cretan Cuisine Here’s an unlikely example which Cretan home-cooks share with their neighbours across the Aegean in Puglia — it concerns what they call “wild greens” ( horta in Greece), plants which most English people would describe as weeds. As wild edible plants pop their heads above the rocky soil in both places, so they’ll be collected daily by men and women from the rural villages, and at weekends by those who live in towns. “You can find many varieties in Crete which come out season by season,” says Dimos. “So what local people do is collect them and preserve them — you can’t eat all you pick. Some they pickle, others they salt or freeze. And they use them all year.” He is talking about things like dandelion leaves, wild rocket, even thistle stalks. “First they put them in salt and then wash them and put them in (white wine) vinegar in a jar. That is happening in every Cretan farm because they cannot eat all they pick when it’s in season.” And so the pickled vegetables — which are delicious — have become a feature of Cretan cuisine. One which a top chef like Dimos adapts and extends until pickled vegetables become a small but important signature of his five-star cooking. Why Don’t We Pickle More Wild Vegetables in the UK? Why aren’t we pickling wild vegetables? Why don’t we have that kind of foraging as part of our culinary tradition? Such things are a mystery to me. It’s not as if our forefathers always lived so high on the hog, they didn’t go hungry. Wild greens, seaweeds and other things besides were left untouched… We’ve got them, but for some reason the peasants of this land never ate them, no matter how desperate they became. If I am wrong about that and they did — then how is it the routine never became a part of a tradition which saw the dishes being handed down? Sea Urchins: The Flavour of the Cretan Sea What I like about talking to chefs like Dimos is how linked with such tradition — and with such simple local ingredients — they seem to be. We were talking about eating sea-urchin — the spiny shellfish which he told me had become illegal to harvest in Crete. Not that this seems to stop anyone from gingerly picking them out of the rocks — indeed one cove I visited was black with them. “With the sea urchins you are literally eating the sea when it comes to the flavour,” said Dimos. “We like them best simply eaten fresh on their own. But then we can adapt them into the sort of cooking we do here.” A Global Culinary Perspective with Local Ingredients “Every winter the hotel sends us around the world looking for fresh ideas. Last year we went to Oslo and worked there in a three-Michelin star restaurant called Maaemo. The year before we went to Copenhagen and worked at Kadeau. These are some of the very best restaurants in the world. So yes, we can say that we travel and pick up ideas — to see what is going on and to open our eyes. “But then we bring those ideas back and use them with the ingredients we have here. It’s all about the ingredients. Crete is a really huge island and they can produce anything they want.” The Mediterranean Influences on Cretan Cuisine “Cretan food is more Mediterranean, than Greek,” said Dimos, which at first sounded strange but then I began to realise what he meant. Across the 300 kilometre long island you will see influences from the Middle East, North Africa and even Spain. “The vegetables have more flavour than they do elsewhere in Greece because of the climate. Even a green pepper will not taste the same in other places. Here it is grown in the sunshine.” Building Close Relationships with Local Food Producers “What we do is call in all the producers to show us what they have — this is happening at the beginning of the season and we choose all the ingredients and make a deal with them for the whole year. We are one of the very few hotels doing that. We have this one day when they all come here — and we do a deal with the man, say, who is going to produce us our tomatoes. He comes from 40 minutes away and he grows his tomatoes out in the sunshine and they are superb.” “All our seafood is coming from around this island. Every morning I go to the fish market in town (Agios Nikolaos) and every night they call me — even at one at night — to tell me if there’s anything special which they will buy straight from the boat for me.” Combining Traditional Cretan Cooking with Global Techniques “What we do here is combine what happens in a local farmhouse kitchen with modern techniques from around the world,” said Dimos who pointed to one dish I’d enjoyed that lunchtime. “Your starter was a kind of risotto with a Greek salad inside and raw prawns that have been ‘ceviched’ for ten minutes in lemon juice, pepper and paprika. We cut the prawns in half to marinate them — and we might also add sea urchin.” It was sensational. The freshness of a Greek salad, the creaminess of a risotto and the raw citric fishiness of prawns and urchin combined to create something that arguably encapsulated eastern Crete in a single mouthful. The Challenge: Bringing Cretan InspiratiHome The challenge I’ve given myself is to replicate the dish loosely by using fabulous fresh ingredients from here in the South West. The citrus and the rice wouldn’t be local but I might find alternatives — even so, it should be possible to emulate the idea and create some morsel that sums up Cornwall, say, in one happy bite. Recipe from Dimos Balopoulos Smoked Octopus Escabeche with Black Guacamole and Salad of Fermented Cucumber & Turnip Ingredients: For the Octopus 600-700 gr octopus Salt, pepper to taste 1 medium onion 4 bay leaves Olive oil ½ cup red wine For the Black Guacamole 2 avocados, peeled and pitted 1 green chilli ½ cup fresh coriander Salt, pepper to taste 30 ml lime juice 1 tsp squid ink For the Escabeche 360 ml white balsamic vinegar 120 ml rice vinegar 6 allspice berries 2 tsp smoked paprika 7 garlic cloves, diced 4 white onions, diced 1 chilli 240 ml extra virgin olive oil Salt 60 gr roasted almonds Smoked Octopus Method Preheat the oven to 160°C. Wash the octopus and remove its head. Separate the tentacles, cut them into long strips and place them in paper foil with olive oil, salt, pepper, the onion, bay leaves, and drizzle with red wine. Wrap in ovenproof baking paper and then wrap again with aluminium foil. Place in the oven for one hour. When you remove it from the oven, separate octopus from the juices. Black Guacamole In a blender add the avocado first and all the ingredients to make a creamy black sauce. Escabeche In a frying pan, heat the olive oil, onions, garlic until they’ve turned transparent. Then transfer to a blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until it turns into a smooth cream. Salad Lightly pickled cucumber cut in julienne style Lightly pickled turnip, julienne style Chopped cherry tomatoes Spoonful of capers Spoonful of olives Onion that you have pickled briefly To Serve Mix and place the salad on a plate then add the guacamole and either place the octopus which has been combined with the escabeche sauce, or place the octopus with the sauce on top.

Learning to Cook Cornish Fish with Annie Seabourne of My Fish Kitchen This week we were in Cornwall for a few days so that I could attend some fish cookery classes led by my new pal, Annie Seabourne, of My Fish Kitchen . In short, she is a walking encyclopaedia of anything and everything to do with British seafood . The excellent instruction focused on basic seafood preparation techniques and I will be writing all about the experience in my Hesp Out West feature in the Western Morning News and Western Daily Press . Staying at Budock Vean Hotel on the Helford River For accommodation during this period, we selected the Budock Vean Hotel , situated in a beautiful area overlooking the Helford Passage . It is a first-class hotel — very well known in the region for all the right reasons — and the grounds most definitely offered a wonderful visual component to the stay. The overall environment of the hotel contributed to a sense of relaxation throughout the visit. Seafood Cookery Classes in Mawnan Smith To put it very basically, Annie's classes , staged at her small cottage in Mawnan Smith , covered the basics of seafood cookery . The sessions were practical, allowing for direct engagement with various types of fish and their preparation. The curriculum covered different methods of cooking and handling Cornish seafood , moving from basic steps to more involved recipes. The instruction was clear and focused on developing proficiency in these tasks. My understanding of fish preparation expanded enormously during the two days. Mastering the Art of British Seafood Preparation Annie’s instructions included details on selecting fresh fish as well as exacting details on the various techniques for filleting fish . We also looked at various cooking applications such as pan-frying fish , baking fish , and steaming seafood . We worked with a range of local fish species , gaining experience with their individual characteristics. Expert Instruction from a Cornish Seafood Professional Annie, who is a Falmouth fisherman’s daughter and who has many years of experience working in the Cornish seafood industry , demonstrated each step, and then I, as the participant, replicated the process. This hands-on approach allowed for immediate application of the concepts presented. Questions were addressed as they arose, clarifying aspects of the cooking process . In short, I will be saying in the newspaper articles that Annie must be one of the UK’s best teachers when it comes to basic fish and shellfish preparation . If you don’t know the basics, then it’s difficult to fly to higher places, and Annie covers the rudimentary seafood knowledge with great gusto and aplomb. Dining and Relaxation at Budock Vean Hotel Evenings at the Budock Vean Hotel offered a contrast to the daytime culinary activities. The hotel's setting provided a quiet atmosphere and we had a lovely meal in its restaurant and as well as a couple of excellent breakfasts. The service was attentive, and the hotel's common areas provided spaces for unwinding. Exploring the Helford Passage and Visiting the Ferry Boat Inn The outstandingly lovely grounds were ideal for short walks — although we took one slightly longer stroll to the excellent Ferry Boat Inn at the wonderful hamlet of Helford Passage — where, indeed, we enjoyed a lovely dinner one evening with Annie. It’s a great pub and I’d heartily recommend anyone to visit if they’re down in South Cornwall . For more details about My Fish Kitchen visit https://www.myfishkitchen.co.uk/ To find out more about The Budock Vean Hotel visit https://www.budockvean.co.uk And for the Ferry Boat Inn at Helford visit https://www.ferryboatcornwall.co.uk/

The Enchanting Landscape of West Dorset Certain corners of the landscape somehow hold or retain a greater air of mystery and intrigue than others. There’s no real reason for this - maybe something to do with the curvature of hills or a sense of intimacy promoted by the lay of the land. But somehow, when the contours combine and the geology and the flora and fauna all come together in one glorious orchestration, you can find yourself in a place that is not only different from the rest, but altogether more alluring. Exploring Ridge and Vale Country in West Dorset That is what I was thinking as I climbed a steep hill in West Dorset last week. For this is ridge-and-vale-country and as such it pulls of the difficult trick of combining grandeur on a large scale with a comfortable intimacy that would make any self-respecting Hobbit beam from ear-to-ear. There’s nowhere else quite like it, certainly in the Westcountry. Ever since I read Geoffrey Household’s, The Rogue Male , as a boy I’ve been captured by the idea of West Dorset’s great ridges, its rich verdant vales and its secret hollow lanes. Cider Orchards in Bloom Across the Marshwood Vale And, in later years, I’ve also been intrigued by its orchards. For this is very much a cider-country. You will, at this time of year, spy the apple-tree’s tell-tale blossoms sparkling white and pink down in the goyals and side-valleys which descend in their intricate multitude to prove water and life to places like the wide and fertile Marshwood Vale. A Journey With Cider Expert James Crowden As such, it is an area much-explored by the nation’s greatest writer on all things apples and cider, James Crowden, who happens to live nearby. Regular readers of these pages will remember James - he’s a great friend of Hesp Out West and as such he occasionally prepares little adventures for me, and therefore you dear readers, to enjoy. Cider Bottles, Forgotten Signposts, and Dorset Tales A week ago he sent me an invitation… “Come to my place and we will cross the border into Dorset, climb the ridges, meet some interesting characters, ascend Pilsdon Pen, visit an ancient inn that has been rescued from the bulldozers and which will soon once again be serving wonderful ciders made locally - indeed, we can perhaps meet some of those cider-makers and try their wares.” In other words, it was the kind of day that promised nothing too scintillating or dramatic in particular, but a great deal in general. No big world-changing head-lines, but a rich crop of tiny, incidental, highly rural, stories. The sort of day that has the vaguest of beginnings and an even vaguer end. The kind of adventure, then, that suits Hesp Out West down to the fertile ground. Tim Beer: A Local Legend of West Dorset The first person we visited wasn’t all about cider, but partly about beer. Because his name is Tim Beer - a man who has lived in ridge-and-vale land all his life and who, as a consequence, has a great many stories to tell about the area. He has made cider, sold cider, and as a one-time road-mender for the county highways department, he has been down every single lane and byway of which there’s an absolute myriad down West Dorset way. We met Tim in his shed (man-cave really would fit the bill) in his cottage garden situated high on one of the ridges - and the reason we were there is because he had told James that he’d come across some ancient bottle of cider which he’d kept for years. Mr Crowden happens to be a collector and sampler of such things and so he brought along an equally ancient bottle of fermented apple juice for Tim to taste. Sampling Lost Ciders and Restoring Dorset Signposts A deep brown liquor was poured from Tim’s bottle which he opened with a great flourish but which was absolutely flat as village pond-water (although he described it in another much more colourful way). Actually, being dark brown it looked a little like pond-water, but the assembled throng applauded it as an absolute sensation. As the driver I literally dipped my tongue briefly into a glass, which was enough for me to conclude it tasted like a very fine sherry. Tim then proceeded to tell us all about the marvellous historic road-signs that clutter his shed. Many out in the wilds have become badly neglected over the years and Tim takes great pride, as a volunteer, in going out to rescue dilapidated examples and restoring them to their former glory. The circular-topped way-marks are one of the many mini-glories of the area. Climbing Pilsdon Pen: A West Dorset Icon “This one here was lying in a hedgerow for years and that’s why he’s all pitted. I’ve done my best to save it and we’ll put it back where he belongs,” said Tim, pointing to one old signpost before telling us some tales of the hair-raising variety all about his early years on the road-mending gangs. Apparently the first job at any new location in the “old days” was to find the best cider-farm locally where a barrel or two could be purchased a low-cost for the lubrication of the workers. “My family has been here for centuries,” he said in his rich Dorset accent. “My mother traced us back to 1530 - that’s how long we’ve been here as a family - right on the Dorset-Somerset border. Up until 1963 the house was in Dorset but the back wall was in Somerset - I’ve got one of the original boundary markers.” And so, onwards and-along-wards… We thought we’d best pay our respects to the area by climbing Pilsdon Pen. At 277 metres (909 feet), this mighty ridge crowned by an Iron Age hillfort was, for many years thought to have been the Dorset's highest point, offering panoramic views across the Marshwood Vale. However, modern surveys have revealed that its near neighbour, Lewesdon Hill, is slightly taller at 279 metres (915 feet), making it officially the county’s highest hill. The Bottle Inn and the Return of a Dorset Institution When you stand on Pilsdon Pen and look across at Lewesdon, it’s tempting to question this fact. Perhaps it’s the latter’s tall trees which give it the few extra feet - Pilsdon on the other hand is as bald as a peeled cucumber. I don’t know why I reach for such an unlikely analogy, save for the idea that you might need a peeled cucumber to soothe your tongue if you were ever tempted to take part in the stinging nettle eating competition at the local pub. The Bottle Inn is an ancient road-side inn situated a couple of miles south of Pildson and it achieved worldwide fame in the 1980s and 90s for staging the World Nettle Eating Championship. Resurrecting a Rural Pub: The Work of Tessa and Julian Blundy The place was boarded up for a few years after becoming pretty much rundown, but now it is close to being converted back to its former glory by a remarkable couple who have put an enormous amount of work and effort into what is a first-class renovation. Which is not exactly surprising given that the new landlady Tessa Blundy is an architect specialising in historic buildings - indeed her job for the past dozen years was helping to look after the Palace of Westminster. Husband, Julian, is a carpenter and together the two are doing a fabulous job of renovating the inn. They decided to retire to this corner of the Westcountry because Tessa’s relations had lived locally and she knew the place as a girl - indeed her family has a direct connection with the nettle-eating contest. The Origin of the Nettle-Eating Contest “They farmed just across the road and the legend is that there was an argument in the pub about whose land grew the tallest stinging nettles. One of them said that if anybody grew a stinging nettle longer than his, he would eat it - he was confident because he was going to win anyway. So you can imagine the result and in 1986 that gave rise to the competition. Lots of newspapers carried the story, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall got involved, there were Japanese film crews - a huge amount of publicity - and that put the pub on the map.” Looking Ahead: A Pub for the Community The renovation is almost complete and the pub should be fully opened for business later this summer - and indeed is occasionally open for locals and passers-by. “Perhaps it was a mad decision to take on the project but Julian couldn't possibly live in a village without a decent pub,” laughed Tessa. “We saw the plight of the place and I started to get involved - and that was that, here we are hopefully opening soon a few years later.” And here’s a delightful and unusual bit of news. Unlike many people who come down from the city to take on a remote country pub, The Bottle Inn is not about to become a restaurant that happens to serve the odd pint of beer. Tessa and Julian plan for it to be a proper old fashioned pub where people call in for a pint of locally brewed beer or cider. “There’ll be a few bar snacks, like pasties, and that will be it,” says Tessa, who hopes to find a live-in manager or tenant once the place is up and running. Temple Cider: A Local Star in the Marshwood Vale “And events. We have a new function room and garden where we can stage lovely events,” she added. Including, no doubt, one very famous event that will see brave folk chewing on nettles. And when it comes to the cider that will be served the Blundys will not find a more local brand than Temple Cider. And, in my opinion, they will find very few better ciders. Paul Harrison and the Craft of Minimal-Intervention Cider Following our picnic lunch at The Bottle Inn, James Crowden took me three miles down the road to meet Paul Harrison and his partner Joanne Taylor who bought a local farm in one of Marshwood Vale’s many side-valleys back in 2013, with the intention of making very good cider. They have succeeded in that aim. Some of their Temple Ciders are among the best I have tasted. Which is not a bad accolade for a couple who came down from Derbyshire where they had planted a small vineyard with a view to making wine. From Engineering to Apple Fermentation “Yes, I suppose I do like to have a go at different things,” shrugged ex-engineer Paul as he showed around his state-of-the-art cider-making enterprise tucked away in a beautiful coombe filled with newly planted apple trees. “We realised we really enjoyed the cider-making and then started looking deeper into the idea of single apple variety ciders. One of the things we’re very keen on is minimal intervention. We don’t add or take anything away from- which is different from wine-making where you can add chemicals and so on to stabilise everything. “We’ve really gone down the road of taking the natural approach - just using what we’ve got and trying to get the best out of it,” added Paul. He is the second ex-engineer cider-maker to feature in Hesp Out West in recent months and I get the distinct feeling that if you are blessed with having that careful methodical approach, then you can make some very good and interesting versions of a drink that comes from a very temperamental base - ie fermented apple juice. The Temple Ciders really are very very good and I recommend trying them by visiting www.templecider.co.uk and purchasing a few bottles or cans.

Authentic Italian Cuisine at Masseria Il Frontoio, Puglia Slow Food, Farm-to-Table Dining, and True Puglian Hospitality I’m in the mood to talk about proper Italian food. Partly thanks to an old Rick Stein programme I’ve ust watched. Not just any Italian food, but the kind that makes you want to pack your bags and head straight for the heel of Italy's boot. I'm referring to Masseria Il Frontoio , a place that's not just a restaurant—it is something of a shrine to the Slow Food Movement . By which I mean: that good old-fashioned way of eating that doesn't involve rushing about and grabbing a pre-packed something-or-other. A Taste of Puglia: As Seen on Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Adventures I was re-watching Rick Stein's Mediterranean escapades the other day and there he was, tucking into a grand lunch at this very spot in Puglia . If Rick rates it, then it’s probably something special. This is no flash-in-the-pan eatery; it has a very, very long pedigree. It is a place where they care a great deal about the food and ingredients and where it comes from. A Historic Setting in the Heart of Southern Italy And the setting is special—especially if you visit the place on a baking hot day as I did a few years ago. Tucked away within the ancient, sun-baked walls of the masseria itself, you can almost feel the ghosts of generations past muttering stuff about olive oil and sun-ripened tomatoes. Meet the Man Behind the Masseria: Armando Balestrazzi Then there's the owner who spent some time chatting with us. Armando Balestrazzi is a bit of a character. Told me he only employs "zero-kilometre cooks – not chefs." “What we do here is preserve the soul of rural Puglia,” says Armando. “Our cooks are local women who learned everything from their mothers and grandmothers. They bring more than recipes—they bring memory and instinct.” What's that all about? Well, it's these lovely local women from the hills around Ostuni . They don't muck about with fancy techniques or imported ingredients. No, they stick to what they know—recipes passed down through their families, using only the best organic produce grown right on their doorstep . “The flavours don’t come from tricks—they come from the land,” Armando says. “When you eat here, you’re tasting our story, our soil, our seasons.” These aren't just cooks; they're custodians of tradition, with an instinct for when the broad beans are just right and which wild herbs will sing with a particular dish. There's no airs and graces in their kitchens, just the honest-to-goodness aroma of proper home cooking in Puglia . The Ultimate Puglian Feast: A Celebration of Local Ingredients A word of warning: when they say "lunch" in these parts, they mean a large meal that would keep most of us going for a couple of days. Five to ten courses. So, turn up hungry, and don't go filling up on the first plate of antipasti , tempting as it may be. This is a marathon, not a sprint. A leisurely, lengthy, unforgettable ramble through the glorious Puglian larder . Fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs, and some of the best olive oil in the world . Antipasti that could be a meal in themselves – cream cheeses like burrata , cured meats , olives... Then comes the handmade pasta , with simple sauces that let the ingredients do the talking. There could be hearty stews , grilled meats , or the freshest Adriatic fish . And just when you think you're done for, out come the cheeses and a homemade Puglian dessert . “Every dish we serve is part of a journey,” Armando says. “It’s not just food—it’s a cultural experience.” Experience the True Flavours of Southern Italy It's an experience to be savoured, a chance to slow down, enjoy the company, and truly appreciate the sheer bounty of this hot and fertile corner of Italy. Masseria Il Frontoio is not just a place to eat—it’s a place to remember what real food tastes like.