Locally caught, beautifully fresh seafood is a West Country speciality. Wherever you go you’ll find mouth-watering examples of local catch such as oysters, mussels, crab, Dover Sole, Monk Fish and Red Mullet. And when it comes to meat, traditional breeds like the Red Ruby Devon Cattle, Dorset Horn Lamb and Exmoor Lamb provide excellent cuts, not forgetting other tasty treats such as the Dorset sausage and traditionally prepared bacon and ham.
With its extensive farmland, the South West also has a wonderful variety of fruit and veg. Dorset’s chalky streams provide an ideal growing habitat for wild watercress and at the other end of the scale, the South Devon Chilli Farm has gained a significant reputation in the chilli arena.
For cheese lovers, the South West offers a wonderfully variety, from Cornwall’s Old Smokey, Cornish Yarg and Cornish Brie, to Dorset’s Blue Vinney and not forgetting firm household favourite, Somerset Cheddar. West Country dairies also produce heavenly clotted cream, ice cream and yogurt.
To quench your thirst there’s an equally impressive list of local drinks, from Somerset’s renowned ciders, Plymouth gin, Devon Mead, an array of speciality ales and a growing number of wines and bubblies from the many vineyards springing up across the South West, to delicious locally produced fruit juices made with fruit from West Country orchards.
Of course, no trip to the West Country would be complete without sampling a gorgeous cream team (whether you opt for the Devon or Cornish method!) and a super-tasty pasty.
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