Apple Glut? 3 Delicious Ways to Preserve Your Bumper Harvest (Plus a Secret Tip for Better Flavour!) The autumn air signals more than just changing leaves; it brings the annual apple glut ! If my own trees are any indication, it’s been a great year for the harvest. But the sudden bonanza of ripe fruit—especially after a weekend of gales—brings a classic problem for the proud apple tree owner: how do you deal with a mountain of fruit before rot sets in? Forget eating ten a day; we need solutions for long-term apple preservation . Thankfully, the answers are easy, delicious, and will fill your home with the warm, autumnal scent of apples. 1. Dehydrated Apple Rings and the Magic of Apple Leather The domestic food dehydrator ($\pounds 35$ from Amazon or similar) is your best friend right now. While it makes a gentle humming noise, it uses a tiny amount of power and delivers jars full of delicious, leathery snacks and cooking ingredients. Classic Dried Apple Rings Prep: Simply core and peel your apples, then slice them thinly. Flavour Bath: Dunk the slices into a mix of lemon juice and a little sugar . Dehydrate: Place them on the dehydrator rack to dry for eight to nine hours. These versatile rings are perfect for future puddings , stews, homemade apple sauces , or even eating straight from the jar. Try: Homemade Apple Leather This year, I’ve been experimenting with apple leather , which is basically a slow-dried apple puree. Blend: Mix your fruit, sugar, and lemon juice until completely smooth. Spread: Line the food dehydrator tray with parchment paper . Spread the puree mixture evenly and thinly across the tray. Flavour Tip: Add a touch of cinnamon for a warm, spicy flavour. Dry: Set the device to 60°C . The resulting “leather” is a fantastic, healthy snack for a long winter’s walk . It keeps for months in a sealed container in the fridge and is a brilliant, dense base for crumbles or a flavour-booster for fruity curries . 2. Freeze Your Apple Puree for Winter Cooking If you don't have a dehydrator, or simply want a quicker solution, the freezer is a superb option. Concentrated Apple Cubes Make a homemade apple puree, but cook it down as far as you can until it is denser and thicker than the typical apple sauce you’d serve with pork. Fill ice-cube trays with the concentrated puree. Freeze until solid. You can then pop out a couple of these handy cubes to instantly thicken and slightly sweeten a nice winter pork stew or curry . It's an easy way to add a complex fruit note to savoury dishes. 3. Pickled Apples - The Fermented Food Craze For something entirely different and a nod to the healthy trend of fermented foods , why not try making pickled apples? This results in a spicy, complex, and addictive preserve. Quick Indian-Style Apple Pickle Slice washed apples into thick batons (about 1/2-inch thick by 1 1/2 inches long) and mix in a bowl with salt , cayenne , and turmeric . In a small pan, warm a tablespoon of flavourless oil. Add a couple of teaspoonfuls of mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Add chopped garlic and ginger and fry briefly. Stir in dry spices: ground turmeric, ground fenugreek , red chilly powder, and asafoetida . Pour in one cup of white wine vinegar , half that amount of water, some sugar, and salt, and bring to the boil. After a couple of minutes, take off the heat, allow to cool for about five minutes, then pour the entire mix over your apple batons. Once completely cool, place the pickled apples into sterilised jars for long-term storage. Why Preserve? The Secret to Better Apple Flavour Some might ask: why go to all this effort when we can buy "fresh" apples 365 days a year? My reply: All of these preserving methods result in truly delicious morsels that supermarket apples simply can’t match. And how fresh are apples that have travelled thousands of miles across the globe? If you don’t have an apple glut from your own garden this autumn, I strongly urge you to seek out and buy excellent apples sold by local growers . They are no more expensive than their imported supermarket cousins and the difference in taste is astonishing. The Grower’s Secret: Ripeness is Everything Years ago I spoke to Duncan Small from Charlton Orchards near Taunton, who explains their philosophy: no eating apple is picked before it is ripe. "To maximise the flavour of the fruit, it needs to be on the tree until the starches are converted to fruit sugars ," Duncan says. "If you pick too early, the proportion of starch to sugar is much higher – the apple will keep better, but you won’t get the flavour." This is why buying local and in season is the key to that intensely satisfying, deep apple flavour. The Best Apple Varieties to Seek Out This Autumn Choosing the right variety can transform your kitchen. Duncan shared some of their favourites for the best eating and cooking experiences: Cox’s Orange Pippin: The perennial, most popular English apple . Ashmead’s Kernel: An excellent late apple sold in December for Christmas. It's an old-fashioned russet with an exceptionally well-developed flavour—sweet, slightly acidic, and slightly spicy . Suntan: A cross between Cox’s and an ancient variety. It is like a very intensively flavoured Cox, slightly more acidic , and bakes beautifully . Red Pippin: A great modern variety, very aromatic with a good fruit-acid balance and a "cleaner crunch ." Falstaff: A large, attractive yellowy-pink modern apple. Very sweet, very crunchy, and juicy—perfect for tasting at farmers’ markets . Charlton Orchards - visit their website on www.charltonorchards.com ) More Ways to Use Raw Apples When all is said and done, there’s nothing quite like the raw crunch of a sweet and juicy apple straight from the tree. If you want to move beyond eating it plain, try using raw apples in various salads . My favourite is to dice them finely and add them to celery for the classic Waldorf salad . They are also brilliant in a cold lunchtime salad with blue cheese and mayonnaise —the sweet crunch of the apple cuts through the rich, salty cheese perfectly. The Amazing Health Benefits of Apples Apart from being delicious, apples are incredibly good for you. Eating plenty of them is believed to: Lower blood cholesterol . Improve bowel function . Reduce the risk of stroke , prostate cancer, type II diabetes, and asthma . Recent research indicates that diets with the highest intake of apple phyto-nutrients were associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of lung cancer . Findings also suggest that two apples a day can reduce the damaging effects of cholesterol. So, while the going is good, grab some of that "doctor-avoiding" advice and consume as many fresh, locally-sourced apples as you can!

Luscombe Drinks at 50: The Pursuit of Britain's Best Soft Drinks The sound of milling resounded through the orchard and we watched as hundreds of fresh-picked apples bobbed along in clear water, gushing down a metal chute towards the ‘scratter’ or crusher , and eventually the press which would extract their delicious juice. Most Westcountry folk reading this sentence will immediately assume this article is going to be about the new cider season, but I had actually gone to the Devon orchard in question to interview a man who, arguably, makes the best soft-drinks in Britain. Apple juice is one of the things for which this region should be famous - and this year there are a lot of apples about. Liquid Perfection: Why Luscombe Stands Out I, for one, am happy to make the ‘best in Britain’ case on behalf of Gabriel David , of Luscombe Drinks , because I really do happen to believe the company is responsible for making the finest non-alcoholic beverages in the land. And I have held that view ever since I first tasted their products which literally burst with flavour. I first interviewed Gabriel nearly 20 years ago and so I know that he goes a very, very long way in his pursuit of liquid perfection. For a start, way back in 1998 the South Devon company became the first drinks brand in the UK to achieve Soil Association organic accreditation . But the story goes back even further than that - which is why I decided to call in at the farm in the foothills of Dartmoor recently. This year Luscombe Drinks celebrates half-a-century of operations , which alone is an impressive fact in what is a somewhat aggressive marketplace. Founder of their move into soft drinks, Gabriel David, is a man who combines a deep-seated appreciation for tradition with a pragmatic approach to business. And as we sat down to talk amid the apple trees in the autumn sunshine, I was to learn just how pragmatic… From Faltering Cider to Premium Soft Drinks He began by recounting the company’s 50-year history borne, not out of some grand vision, but with a practical need to utilise old farm buildings and a defunct cider press. Luscombe’s initial foray into cider production proved challenging. The generic product of cider had become a relic product, a relic of a bygone era of harsh farm-gate ciders, and failed to find a market. “My father set up the cider company because a family making local cider decided they were going to pack up and go to Australia. So my father comes in and buys some cider equipment from this family that were emigrating.” In his early thirties, Gabriel eventually became involved with the cider business which, for various reasons, was faltering… “I went to an event and gave out tasters of the new season’s fresh cider, but few took up the offer in a room of 100 people. Probably 99 of them didn’t taste it. One person, generously and probably because they felt sorry for me, bought a bottle! I then suddenly realised at that point that, actually, people didn’t want cider.” Gabriel’s response was to pivot. He had plenty of apples to juice and he leveraged a network of contacts from his childhood in Sicily to begin producing lemonade , and after that, elderflower from the hedgerows and ginger beer - a move that was a great hit in London and set the company on a new, successful trajectory, especially with those seeking an alternative to alcohol when the offering was only Coca Cola or lime and soda. “We went into apple juice because we had apples... and having recently come back from Sicily, I also had these contacts with lemons. And we thought ginger beer would be a good bet because all the ginger beer out there was pretty appalling.” The Ethos of Flavour: Heritage and Integrity In some ways the Luscombe approach helps Gabriel to find good natural ingredients because growers are often hamstrung by supermarkets which expect fruit with an immaculate appearance. “So wonky, knobbly fruit is what we’ve been doing since day one. It doesn’t matter to us - it’s going to be crushed anyway. But we also go in for old heritage varieties because they have better flavour…” This approach does present challenges, however. Luscombe’s commitment to using natural, ethically sourced ingredients from small-scale producers puts it at a commercial disadvantage compared to larger brands that rely on bulk-purchased concentrates. Yet, he remains firm in his belief that close, transparent relationships, which often support local communities, are a fundamental part of the brand’s identity. “We all come across a lot of drinks brands where, marketing-wise, you might think, ‘Oh, they’re brilliant’. But scratch the surface and they are not doing what we at Luscombe do. They are more or less a labelling company, buying in bulk ingredients and getting someone to mix and bottle it for them. On the other hand, the people supplying Luscombe are doing all sorts of things like school initiatives for their local children. The money’s going back into their village, really. So it’s fair trade , without the name Fair Trade. We like the idea that we might have a positive impact on somebody else in the world.” Luscombe’s growth has not been driven by large marketing campaigns, but by the quality of the product itself. Gabriel told me: “Our money goes straight into the bottles. I chose to put all our effort into the quality of the product, its taste and look and feel.” The strategy has encouraged a loyal customer base and allowed the brand to grow through word of mouth . “The best thing I ever did was put our phone number on the bottle,” he laughs. Adapting for the Next 50 Years: The Grab-and-Go Market As the company celebrates its 50th year, Gabriel remains focused on adapting to rapid changes in the market-place - something he was forced to do when the Covid pandemic put the company under huge stress, like so many other businesses. He told me about a new visual identity that “celebrates our rich heritage while setting us up for the next stage of growth.” And he revealed plans for a new sparkling apple juice , a product designed to meet modern consumer demand for refreshing, lower-sugar beverages . This new venture, likely to be sold in cans, represents a shift towards what’s known as the “ grab-and-go ” market. A shift which is, quite simply, an essential evolution for a company that has, for decades, built its reputation on quality and tradition. His goal is to strengthen Luscombe’s position in the premium soft drinks market while staying true to the core values of “integrity and care”. Which might all sound a little like modern trans-Atlantic “business-speak”, but in this instance I’m happy to go with it. Why? Well, if for nothing else, it’s because I believe this region should be proud to play host to companies like Luscombe Drinks . As I watched his fresh-picked apples bobbing down the water chute, en-route to becoming some of the most delicious drinks to be found anywhere in either a can or a bottle, I thought about how genuine and authentic the Gabriel David ethos is…. You buy in the very best raw ingredients the world has to offer and you pay a good price that keeps the suppliers happy and benefits their local communities. You also purchase the very best machinery with which you can extract the finest flavours. Even more importantly you nurture your loyal staff. Gabriel says the company’s achievements would not be possible without the patience and hard work of his employees. He believes that the hands-on approach of the staff, who manage every step from pressing and storing to bottling and deliveries, is a reason for their loyal customer base. When receiving a "Food Hero" award, he was quick to credit the 40 people " behind the scenes " at Luscombe Drinks, highlighting their collective effort. What’s not to like? I for one am happy to raise a glass of apple juice in Luscombe’s direction and wish them all the best for the next 50 years.

Fantastic News for This Website Fantastic news! For me, at any rate. This website has earned me the position of finalist at the British Guild of Travel Writers annual awards . Along with two other people, I am up for Travel Blogger of the Year. So I am over the moon - partly because I began the website six years ago merely as a bit of fun and as a challenge to see if I could do such a thing. And that is exactly how the website has continued.  Oh, and I’ve also been shortlisted for my Western Morning News and Western Daily Press article about travelling around Sri Lanka - that one is a finalist in Travel Feature of the Year for Regional Media . Anyway, I find it difficult to write about a website which I have put so, so much work into over the years and come up with any kind of synopsis - so I thought I’d break the rule of a modern lifetime and let the robots have a go. This is what AI think of this website… A Rich and Diverse Collection of Travel and Food Writing Based on the content of the website, Martin Hesp Food and Travel , it is a rich and diverse collection of posts that highlight Martin's passion for exploration, food, and the great outdoors . The website serves as a testament to Martin's personal experiences, spanning a wide range of topics from international travel to local adventures in the UK . Informative, Engaging Writing Style Martin's writing style is both informative and engaging , offering readers a blend of practical guides and personal anecdotes . The breadth of content is especially impressive, showcasing adventures across continents. For instance, the site features detailed travelogues from exotic locations and culturally distinct destinations, such as the immersive post on staying in a traditional Iban longhouse in Borneo , which paints a vivid picture of communal life, rainforest cooking, and remote travel . Other articles explore destinations across Europe and the Caribbean , providing global context to Martin's observations. Celebrating British Food, Culture, and the West Country The site isn't limited to distant journeys; it also delves deeply into local British culture . Articles cover unique UK subjects like the revival of mead at a Devon winery and the art of foraging for wild mushrooms , providing local knowledge and a sense of Martin's personal journey across the West Country . He has written about cycling the scenic Exe Estuary Trail and debates the true starting point of the South West Coast Path , demonstrating a deep knowledge of and passion for walking and outdoor exploration . Stunning Travel Photography and Visual Storytelling The photography across all these posts, which is all his own, is a key element of the site. The high-quality images effectively capture the essence of each location and experience , from the stunning landscapes of the UK to the captivating moments of his global travels , adding an invaluable layer of visual depth to his storytelling. A Unique Resource for Food and Travel Enthusiasts The wide array of subjects, from West Country food and drink to far-flung adventures , ensures there is content to attract a broad audience. Martin's personal storytelling , combined with his own captivating photography , makes the website a truly unique and appealing resource for anyone interested in food, travel, nature, and authentic British life . British Guild of Travel Writers Finalists The other finalists for BGTW Travel Blogger of the Year 2025 are: Katie MacLeod of storiesmysuitcasecouldtell.com Victoria Watts Kennedy of bridgesandballoons.com

A Celebration of Perry at the Malvern Show James Crowden, a great friend of these pages, invited me along to the Malvern show where he was judging at the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association’s annual Perry Festival. The event is dedicated to promoting knowledge, understanding and appreciation of that most delicious of English drinks, made from fermented pear juice. The Orchard Marquee: A Cathedral of Apples and Pears It all takes place in the amazing orchard marquee. If the veg baskets mentioned above are shrines, then this is an full-on cathedral celebrating apples and pears. Vast displays of orchard fruit weighed down numerous stands and tables. To a breathtaking degree… I didn’t realise there were so many hundreds of different varieties. There was every kind of orchard fruit imaginable, from vast red shiny apples that would make a fairy princess blush, to tiny pears the size of marbles. Tom Oliver and the Origins of the Perry Festival One perry-maker manning his own stall was Tom Oliver, one of the instigators of the competition. He told me it all began years ago after Charles Martell (a well known maker of perry, even better known for his Stinking Bishop cheese) planted a collection of perry pear trees at the Three Counties show-ground. “Perry is a drink unique to this area, so it deserves a prominent position at the show,” said Tom. “The event has grown from one small stall to a large marquee, which I consider a real triumph.” On his stand he had 10 different perries, but explained there are at least 120 recognised perry pear varieties. The Taste of Perry: Blends, Styles and Future Potential “Perry can be sparkling or still, and can range from dry to medium or sweet. I believe that blends, made from two to four different varieties, are often the best approach to creating a great drink,” said Tom, who is optimistic about perry’s future. He believes that, as one of Britain’s most delicious traditional drinks, it has the potential to become more widely appreciated. Judging Perry: Expertise and Enthusiasm A view shared by one of the judges, Alison Taffs, owner of The Hop Inn in Hornchurch, London, and founder of the London Cider Club. She told me that while the general population may lack knowledge about real perries and ciders, more and more people are willing to explore different styles. Perry, she explained, could achieve the same level of flavour, aroma, character, and texture as fine wines like German Rieslings or Sauternes. She is particularly fond of its “gorgeous, creamy texture” - a quality that “makes you want to keep drinking”. “It can be paired with cheese or other light foods, but it also drinks beautifully on its own, just like a good white wine,” she said. A New Generation of Perry Producers Another judge, Lydia Crimp, is typical of the new wave of perry producers. A former costume supervisor for prestigious venues like the National Theatre, she and her husband now make cider and perry after moving to the South West. “People are becoming more interested in the provenance of their food and drinks, and are looking for domestically produced, high-quality products. I really can see a shift toward drinking less, but better,” she told me. Challenges and the Road Ahead for Perry Lydia, who is vice-chair of the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association, also talked about the challenges facing the industry. A major issue is the legal definition of cider in the UK, which only requires a minimum of 35% apple juice, allowing the rest to be made up of sugars and colourings. However, she believes the quality of craft cider and perry is improving rapidly, thanks in part to initiatives like the Three Counties Cider and Perry Association’s conference, which helps new producers to make high-quality products.

Six Guinness World Records Smashed at Malvern The CANNA UK National Giant Vegetables Championship Six Guinness World Records were broken the Three Counties Autumn Show last weekend, with 132 growers battling it out for medals, including the longest sweet pepper and heaviest celeriac. Other world records included the world’s tallest runner bean plant (26 feet, two inches) and the world’s longest radish (25 feet, seven inches - there’s a lot of long thin root involved). Weird and Wonderful Vegetable Giants So weird and wonderful are some of these world-beating giants, it’s not so much a case of, “Guess the weight of the vegetable” - but a more simplistic: “Guess which veg it is”. Some achieve alien-like shapes after they’ve been force-fed and watered over an entire season. A friend standing among the 30-foot long parsnips and football-sized tomatoes, observed… “There isn’t a single person coming into this giant veg show who doesn’t immediately start smiling from ear-to-ear.” Meet the Paton Brothers: Kings of the Giant Pumpkins I came across one man proudly showing his competition-winning pumpkin. Hampshire-based brothers Ian and Stuart Paton, both 63, have dedicated their lives to growing giant pumpkins and have become well-known in the world of “size does matter” horticulture. Ian told me his Malvern entry weighed 2,641 lb, but that he and his brother had previously set the UK record with an even bigger whopper. And he was confident they had an even weightier pumpkin this year which they hope might break the world record (at 2,749lb). The High-Stakes World of Giant Pumpkin Growing Ian explained that the final days can be nerve-racking for giant pumpkin growers because of splits in the tough outer skin, caused by the fruit’s immense weight. Once there’s a tear, the pumpkin can no longer be entered into a competition. “There’s no secret to our success, just a lot of hard work,” he told me. “We started with six plants this year, but lost three due to splitting.” “Our indoor pumpkin plants are enormous, covering over 2,200 square feet,” he added. “They’re so big we spend about six hours a day tending to them. My wife calls herself a ‘pumpkin widow’.”

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.