‘This is a fantastic time to think about planting fruit trees,’ says Helena Murch.

Bristol's bustling Gloucester Road may not have the swank-factor of Clifton Village, but it's got some foodie gems worth discovering, says Stef Fox Adcock.

Funky food, chic places to shop and on a clear day you can see forever ... Stef Fox Adcock paints a picture of foodie St Ives.

Looking after cheese

Free-standing kitchens

April 9-11 - get the date in your diary, because it’s time to head to the city for the brilliant Exeter Festival of South West Food and Drink and we've got some lovely places to eat out while you're there.

Fanatical about fish and local food, Clive’s the owner of Tracey Mill Trout Farm in Honiton, and one of the driving forces behind Taunton farmers’ market. Catriona Roberts donned her waders to chat with him at the farm.

Delicate microgreens, heirloom tomatoes and French heritage strawberries ... it’s no wonder that some of the South West’s most prestigious restaurants can’t get enough of produce from Buttervilla Growers. Ismay Atkins met its champion of small-scale horticulture, Robert Hocking.

Exeter-based wine expert Susy writes for the Sunday Telegraph, delicious. magazine, food (of course!) and presents on Saturday Kitchen, amongst much else. She tells Jo Rees what pops her cork.

Previous generations of Brits were dab-hands at turning cheap cuts into delicious dishes, and it’s a way of cooking that’s back with a vengeance. Grab a fork and dig in to some British faves.

When only soup will do, rustle up Jane Lawson’s recipes, drawn from the snow-clad regions of northern, central and eastern Europe.

Cornwall’s highest-rated chef recently made the shock announcement that he was leaving the Marina Villa Hotel in Fowey, where he held a rising two Michelin stars. He’s moved the entire operation to Rock, where for the first time he has total control of his destiny. Jo Rees spoke to a man on a mission.

The Bath institution that is the Hole in the Wall first opened its doors in 1952, and was at the forefront of the early British foodie revolution. Nowadays it’s in the capable hands of wine merchant Guy Adams, who has updated the restaurant, whilst keeping the character for which it’s loved, says Melissa Blease.

As head chef at Lifton’s famous sporting inn The Arundell Arms, Steven Pidgeon has fabulous game at his fingertips, and as one of only a small number of Master Chefs of Great Britain, he knows what to do with it. Steve talked trout with Stef Fox Adcock.

If you are planning a wedding in Bristol, Bath or Somerset this year, make sure it's a gastro-wedding to remember, says (newlywed) Stef Fox Adcock.

Getting married in Devon this year? Whether you’re planning a posh do or a laid-back love-in, here's everything the foodie couple could desire, says (newlywed) Stef Fox Adcock.

Cornwall has all that the foodie bride and groom could wish for. From private islands to fabulous foodie hotels, make sure you make it a gastro-wedding to remember, says (newlywed) Stef Fox Adcock.

There will be lots of occasions over the coming weeks when a perfectly cooked roast will be in order; here are some top tips to get you rockin’ and roastin’.

Try Mark Lane’s festive wine quiz out on the troops after Christmas lunch - much more fun than another game of Triv.

Plus, make a fabulous 'hedgerow sling'.

Look beyond the supermarket and high street for your foodie Christmas shopping in Cornwall this year. Here are some of our fave ideas.

Look beyond the supermarket and high street for your foodie Christmas shopping this year. Here are some of our fave ideas in Devon.

Look beyond the supermarket and high street for your foodie Christmas shopping this year. Here are some of our fave ideas in Bristol, Bath and Somerset.

Celebrate the season with these lovely festive drinks from Louise Pickford and Ben Reed. Photographs by William Lingwood.

Cornwall’s queen of chocolate has been crowned! Andrea Parsons opened artisan chocolate boutique I Should Coco, a year ago, and has already scooped four Taste of the West gold awards for her fresh hand-made truffles and chocolates. Andrea spoke to Ismay Atkins about sugar, spice… and a pinch of Cornish sea salt.

Acclaimed Bristol chef David Wheadon is a rock in the stormy seas of ever-opening and closing restaurants. He brought the bring-your-own concept to town with his restaurant The Muset in 1987, and 20 years on, the Clifton bistro is as popular as ever. David talks to Melissa Blease about history, longevity, and the original celebrity chef.

Four years ago, chef Mark Dodson and wife Sarah bought The Masons Arms on the edge of Exmoor. A year later, the pub was awarded a Michelin star and has just been named Michelin Pub of the Year 2010. Catriona Roberts went to experience the winning formula at The Mason’s Arms.

Plus, Vanilla Bar shares its newest original cocktail on the menu for the festive season.

Plus, Abode Exeter's 'cocktail of the month'.

You can now read your favourite local food magazines online

Make the most of the catch of the season by learning a new skill. Round fish have a backbone along their upper bodies, with a fillet on each side, and include salmon, cod, bass, trout, snapper, hake, haddock and whiting. Any round fish can be filleted and this suits those who don’t like having to deal with bones (or heads and tails).

Showing us how to live a culinary ‘champagne lifestyle on a lemonade budget’ is Allegra McEvedy’s aim in the BBC 2 series Economy Gastronomy. As co-founder of Leon, the healthy fast food restaurants, resident chef-writer for the Guardian, award-winning cookery author and regular Radio 4 Food Programme contributor, if anyone can give us a few tips, Allegra can. Words by Ismay Atkins.

One of the latest graduates from the Fifteen Cornwall chef-training programme, 22 year old Natalie Dale from Bodmin was previously stuck in a dead-end with no idea of what she wanted to do. She tells Stef Fox how learning to cook has changed both her palate and her life.

When writer and The Idler editor Tom Hodgkinson moved from London to a rented farmhouse in north Devon, he and his wife planned to give it a go for a year. Seven years later they’re still there - with three kids. Catriona Roberts whiled away a few hours chatting to Tom about his philosophy on living – and eating.

Rescue the kids from the school holiday doldrums and get stuck into some food-based fun near you, says Catriona Roberts.

Here are some great places to dine out in Devon with a view, plus many local delis will make up a posh picnic hamper for you.

Here are some great places to dine out in Cornwall with a view, plus a list of delis that will make you a posh picnic.

Here are some great places to dine out al fresco in Somerset, Bath and Bristol, plus a list of some delis who will make a picnic up for you.

Rescue the kids from the school holiday doldrums and get stuck into some food-based fun near you this summer. Words by Catriona Roberts and Stef Fox.

Rescue the kids from the school holiday doldrums and get stuck into some food-based fun near you, says Melissa Blease.

Eating al fresco is one of the joys of summer, so ditch the egg mayo sarnies for this simple but delicious picnic lunch. Add good vino and a green salad and you’re set.

The godfather of Cornish fine dining, Kevin Viner holds the distinction of being the first chef to hold a Michelin star in the county. After many years in the business he's taken a new direction and is doing fine dining for the masses. Jo Rees caught up with him at the Royal Cornwall Show.

Bristol’s culinary star is blasting off big-time, with Ronnie’s in Thornbury winning the Good Food Guide's Restaurant of the Year award just a few months after the city got its first Michelin-starred restaurant in years. Jo Rees talked to owner and chef Ronnie about the award, curried crabs, and eating a whole pineapple for lunch.

Willie Harcourt-Cooze has become the poster boy for high quality choccy after his mission to produce the world’s finest chocolate was picked up by Channel 4. Using beans from his own cacao farm in Venezuela, Willie makes chocolate from bean to bar at his home near Tiverton. He tells Stef Fox about his sweet success.

Simple but delicious, homemade pasta is perfect for a laid-back midsummer supper; with some help from the experts you'll be making it perfectly in no time.

There are lots of beautiful kitchen gardens that you can visit this summer, many of them attached to lovely restaurants. Here’s our pick of the crop in the South West.

Whether you’re making crabcakes or just sharing with friends, there are few things sweeter or more satisfying than fresh crab meat, picked yourself.

Reap the rewards of your home-grown produce with these lovely recipes by Sarah Raven.

Andy Fussell crushes rapeseed to create an oil for cooking. Nothing especially new there you might think, but by bringing the idea of terroir into the mix, he's looking to make a specifically local oil which he hopes will rival the olive oils that currently reign supreme. Jo Rees found out more.

The matriarch of one of the most successful independent breweries in the South West, Mary Ann McCaig has been a driving force at Otter Brewery, which she and husband David started 20 years ago. Benefiting from the growing popularity of artisan ales, she says, ‘We’ve just had our best week of sales ever, which is almost unbelievable in the present climate’.

Rick and Jill Stein have just taken on the tenancy of St Austell Brewery pub The Cornish Arms in St Merryn. Not that they’ve turned it into a gastro pub; it’s a new style, old style pub, where everything is just as it was before – only better, he tells Jo Rees.

Good quality chicken costs more than an intensively-reared bird, but buying a whole, free-range local chicken is excellent value when you joint it yourself.

From cosy tea rooms with chintzy china, to swish hotels doing the full works, there's an afternoon tea out there for everyone. Here are our top finds.

Scones, cakes, finger sandwiches... here are our top afternoon tea finds in Cornwall.

From a classic afternoon tea at a smart hotel to fluffy scones at a countryside tea-room, here are our favourite finds.

Rustle up your own afternoon tea with these recipes for a classic victoria sponge, shortbread and scones. What a treat.

Pigs have been getting the TV treatment recently with Jamie Oliver doing for them what Hugh’s done for chickens. Pig Farmer of the Year 2008 Andrew Freemantle of Kenniford Farm, near Exeter, talks to Jo Rees.

There’s a wide range of local courses available that run from baking bread to creating chocs - and it doesn’t matter how confident you are in the kitchen, there’s something for everyone. Words by Catriona Roberts and Stef Fox.

There’s a wide range of local courses available in Cornwall that run from bread making to wild food foraging. Words by Catriona Roberts and Stef Fox.

There’s a wide range of local courses in Devon that run from baking bread to food and wine matching, for everyone from the super-confident to the not-so-experienced. Words by Catriona Roberts and Stef Fox.

Peter and Jonray Sanchez-Iglesias have just been awarded their first Michelin star at just 23 and 25 respectively, at the family restaurant Casamia in Westbury on Trym. It was one of the few new stars to be awarded in the South West this year and put Casamia top of the local foodies' wish list. Jo Rees talked to Jonray.

Head chef Sanjay Kumar has brought a fantastic knowledge of international cuisine to the menu at Falmouth's The Greenbank Hotel. He tells Catriona Roberts about his career from Calcutta to Cornwall.

Your kitchen should be a sanctuary, but if it's not working well, the new year’s the perfect time for a makeover. From a full overhaul to a bit of reorganisation, we've eight ideas to get your kitchen cookin’.

Chill out with a rejuvenating winter weekend away at one of Devon's foodie hotels that offer more than great cuisine. Here are our top tips on where to go for a winter break that'll feed both your body and soul.

Totnes is putting local food at the heart of its Transition Town Totnes project, which aims to re-think life in a post peak-oil world. Is it a pioneering project that will provide a routemap for Britain or simply a Good Life-style vision of the future? Jo Rees talked to Rob Hopkins of The Transition Network.

Our top shops for local veg in Cornwall.

Our top shops for local veg in Devon.

Our top shops for local veg in the Somerset, Bath and Bristol area.

Good veggie dishes make the most of what's in season throughout the year. We've picked some winter warmers from Bath's famous vegetarian restaurant Demuths.

Chill out with a rejuvenating weekend away at one of Cornwall's top foodie hotels that offer more than great cuisine. Here are our top tips on where to go for a winter break that'll feed both your body and soul.

Chill out with a rejuvenating weekend away at one of the region's foodie hotels that offer more than great cuisine. Here are our top tips on where to go for a winter spa break that'll feed both your body and soul.

James Parkinson is executive chef of von Essen hotels, the collection of 28 top-end hotels that includes Ston Easton Park, The Mount Somerset and The Royal Crescent in Bath. From managing the food at Dawn French’s three-day birthday party, to sourcing kitchen equipment, he says,“It's an interesting role and two days are never the same.”

Tim MacKenzie is an inspirational foodie, bringing passion, creativity and a Kiwi no-nonsense attitude to the contemporary Cornish food scene with his Falmouth café-deli Provedore.

Tom Williams-Hawkes is the 26 year old head chef at Abode Exeter who, after having trained with Michael Caines, Marcus Waring and Gordon Ramsay, plans to take the restaurant back to its three rosettes and beyond. Jo Rees met a man on a mission.

We all love chocolate, but how does the discerning foodie identify the good stuff? asks Jo Rees.

The best recipes are often the ones that get passed on between friends and family, so we asked some of our foodie chums from the South West for their top tips for Christmas culinary success.

John Collins, the proprietor of Dennis Knight Fish Merchant, supplies seafood to restaurants within a 30-mile radius of his shop in Port Isaac. Man and boy, he has been in the business for 25 years and now offers a mail-order service, too.
Catriona Roberts caught up with him to find out his thoughts on the best catch.

If you're entertaining over Christmas, wow your guests with a festive dessert by one of our favourite foodies, Annie Bell.

Andrew Dixon is head chef and proprietor of Andrew’s on the Weir - the much-loved restaurant with rooms on the north Somerset coast, overlooking Porlock Bay. Andrew and his wife Sarah are passionate about local, seasonal food served in a warm and welcoming atmosphere, a combination which has earned the restaurant three AA Rosettes for seven years running.

It's the hour of the cocktail; today's drinks are fresh, seasonal and made by professionals - with no Del Boy umbrellas in sight. Plus recipes, and the best places to buy cocktails in the Somerset, Bristol and Bath area.

Ay Caramba! The world has gone mad for Las Iguana's South American food.
The restaurant chain, which started in St Nick's, has spread to Bristol harbourside, Bath's Seven Dials and 16 other locations around the country. But unusually, the company has stayed independent and the food remains freshly cooked to order. Jo Rees met the man behind the manioc: executive chef Alan Craine.

Des Turland, group development chef of Brend Hotels, is a bit of a food tourist himself: on his travels he’s eaten a meal whilst surrounded by crocs and judged the Bulgarian Chef of the Year competition. He talks to Jo Rees about the food that has brought him to where he is today, and his role in the team that’s putting together the new North Devon Foodfest.

Giles Eustice runs Trevaskis Farm, a working farm with its own restaurant, pick-your-own, educational program and stunning new farm market. By growing fresh produce and selling it direct to the public in stylish surroundings, Trevaskis is competing directly with the supermarkets at a price that the shoppers love, says Jo Rees.

Artisan bacon is the essential item in any great breakfast, so grab your bottle of ketchup and read on for our scrummy bacon recipes, places to buy good bacon and where to go to satisfy the Sunday morning munchies.

We cornered the region's top chefs and gave them a Chinese burn until they told us where they like to eat out and shop for food on their days off. Of course they spilled the beans...

Try our fabulous fishy things to do this summer...

Try our fabulous fishy things to do in Devon this summer...

We cornered Cornwall's top chefs and gave them a Chinese burn until they told us where they like to eat out and shop for food on their days off. Of course they spilled the beans...

We cornered Devon's top chefs and gave them a Chinese burn until they told us where they like to eat out and shop for food on their days off. Of course they spilled the beans...

Fruity, refreshing, and Devon through and through, there's little to beat a cool glass of the appley stuff on a hot summer's day, says Stef Fox.

Try our fabulous fishy things to do in Cornwall this summer...

Fruity, refreshing and packing a punch, there's little that can beat a cool glass of the appley stuff on a hot summer's day, says Stef Fox.

Fruity, refreshing, and Somerset through and through, there's little that can beat a glass of the cool appley stuff on a hot summer's day. So get on, drink up thy zider, urges Stef Fox.

Iain Keith-Smith started Chandos Deli because he loves good food and wine, and he's spreading that love across the South West with seven brilliant shops selling the very best cheeses, fish, breads and more to the people. He talks to Jo Rees about the pleasure of food and the perfect peach.

Vanessa Ebdon of Marshford Organic Foods was growing and selling organic food long before it became fashionable. In over 20 years she has won awards for the Northam shop, the veg boxes, the salad bags and even for vision in organic retailing. She talks to Jo Rees about good food, sustainability and learning to cook tortilla.

Xenia Irwin is a rare vintage, one of just 268 Masters of Wine (MoW) in the world, and one of only 56 women MoWs at that. As wine buyer for St Austell Brewery's wine business Walter Hicks, she is a one-woman wine-force, influencing the wine drinking habits of Cornwall and beyond.

Seafood is fab food - light, healthy and quick to cook, so you don’t spend hours in the kitchen during the precious summer evenings.

You don't have to leave the county for some fabulous weekends away this summer. Here are four favourites in Devon, so save the petrol, save the planet and love local.

Treat yourself to a gourmet weekend break, but don't waste half of it travelling; we've come up with some great ideas near you.

The ultimate in seasonal eating, get out and forage for food for free, says The Scrumper.

Artisan bread, made properly and with a crust you can get your teeth into, is on the rise once again, says Stef Fox.

Neil Haydock is one of Cornwall's most high profile chefs, leading the kitchen at Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall. He's got the hard job of living up to the customer's expectations of Oliver's establishment, and says, "Jamie's name gets people into the restaurant, but it's my job to sustain that and make sure they enjoy the experience."

Artisan bread, made properly and with a crust you can get your teeth into, is on the rise once again, says Stef Fox.

Artisan bread, made properly and with a crust you can get your teeth into, is on the rise once again, says Stef Fox.

Hadleigh Barrett has the enviable job of working at one of the country’s most beautiful country house hotels. As head chef at Combe House Hotel and Restaurant in Gittisham he’s helped take it to rising one Michelin star status and win a gold Exellence in Tourism award for Small Hotel of The Year
2007-2008.

Chill out at home with these easy to whip up ice creams. Recipes by Annie Bell.

Alistair Mead, 30, runs Puxton Park, Somerset’s huge farm shop and all round foodie day out.
He grew up in a family of beef and dairy farmers, and is a classic next generation farmer who is diversifying the business. “We’re here to support the local economy and provide an alternative for the customer,” he says.

Wake up and smell the coffee; there's no need to settle for insipid inferiority or burnt offerings, says Stef Fox.

Wake up and smell it; follow our guide to great-tasting coffee and you’ll never again settle for burnt offerings, says Stef Fox.

'Old school' butchers aren’t easy to find nowadays, but Gerald David is flying the flag for traditional techniques, cuts and quality at his stores across the South West. “Don’t be scared of trying something new,” he says. “It’s only a joint of meat you’re buying – not a house.”

At just 24, doughboy Tom Hazzledine has his own bread empire, BakerTom, which makes fabulous back-to-basics bread, and he's on a mission to make proper bread a daily pleasure instead of a once-a-week treat. Jo Rees talks to the man whose fortunes are on the rise.

Wake up and smell it; follow our guide to great-tasting coffee and you’ll never again settle for insipid inferiority or burnt offerings, says Stef Fox.

With two Michelin stars to his name Michael Caines MBE is one of the UK's leading chefs. In addition to his day job as exec chef at Gidleigh Park and partner in Abode Hotels, he's an ambassador for the local food movement, and gives Jo Rees his take on the future of British food.

Rustle up some easy Asian fusion dishes at home - from a quick chicken satay to a noodle broth.

From cheese to chicken, prawns to pork, Cornwall produces some fantastic smoked food. Stef Fox presents the puff on how it's all done.

From cheese to chicken, prawns to pork, Somerset, Bath and Bristol produce some fantastic smoked food. Stef Fox presents the puff on how it's done.

Self-confessed coffeeaholic, Hugo Hercod is a star barista of the highest rank you'll find working in a UK café. That means you'll get a cracking espresso when you go to Relish Food and Drink in Wadebridge, the gourmet café and fine food deli he runs with partner Sarah Townsend. Hugo talks to Lara Glasspool about the bean.

From cheese to chicken, prawns to pork, Devon produces some fantastic smoked food. Stef Fox presents the puff on how it's all done.

Cosy up with British comfort food, made with the best local beef. Here are the faves; steak and chips, faggots, steak and kidney pud and roast beef.

Tea taster Paul Marsh works for DJ Miles Tea and Coffee, the Porlock firm that dates back to 1888. Together with fellow tasters, John Hall and Derek Miles, he taste-tests tea every day to ensure the quality stays high. Lara Glasspool sat down with him for a chat over a cuppa.

Banned by the Puritans for being sinfully rich but loved by King George I, the Christmas pudding is steeped in history and tradition - and alcohol, if you’re doing it right, says Stef Fox.

Banned by the Puritans for being sinfully rich but loved by King George I, the Christmas pudding is steeped in history and tradition - and alcohol, if you’re doing it right, says Stef Fox.

Banned by the Puritans for being sinfully rich but loved by King George I, the Christmas pudding is steeped in history and tradition - and alcohol, if you’re doing it right, says Stef Fox.

For a celebratory mid-winter dining experience, with fabulous modern cooking, get a party together and make a date at Combe House Hotel this season.

Antonina SZ Brown is one half of the team behind St Kew Harvest Farm Shop. With husband Jeremy, she manages the shop, small tearoom, a pick your own garden, some rare breed Gloucester old spot pigs… and the couple's two young children. She talks to Lara Glasspool about the politics of food.

From his role as head chef to the King of Jordan to executive chef on Richard Branson’s Necker Island, chef Graham Brundle has had quite a career. He talks to Lara Glasspool about his latest role, teaming up fine dining with the glorious views at Saunton Sands Hotel.

Somerset's leading chef Richard Guest has made his mark at The Castle Hotel in Taunton, bringing European techniques and sophistication to an already great British menu. With his first book Jam with Lamb just out, and some TV on the cards, he's a man whose career is worth watching.

It’s not just about the turkey. Celebrate the season with these divine festive recipes from Clarissa Dickson Wright and Johnny Scott. Plus we’ve got the top foodie hotels to try if you want someone else to do the hard work. Photographs by Gus Filgate.

September and October sees a wealth of local foodie festivals taking place across the region. Rev up your appetite and hit the road for two months of great eating, says Stef Fox.

One of the South West's most passionate and adventurous foodies, Chris Horridge is the Michelin-starred chef at The Bath Priory. We caught up with him to find out more about his obsession with the appliance of science.

Jason Mitchell is putting the ‘sigh’ back into cider. Using the ‘méthode champenoise’ of France’s Champagne region, he’s created Ashridge Sparkling Vintage Cider - a celebratory fizz with a difference, says Lara Watson.

Roger Ryman holds the much coveted title of
UK Brewer of The Year and has headed up the beer making at St Austell Brewery for nearly a decade. He talks to Lara Watson about French cheese, lone pipers and coffee stout.

With British Cheese Week taking place from October 1-7, we asked international cheese judge Ann-Marie Dyas of Bath's The Fine Cheese Co. for her pick of the most divine, unmissable cheeses from the region.

“You don’t rush brunch,” says local foodie Hugo Woolley, so kick back this weekend with a relaxed brunch of dishes from around the globe.

Climate change is being harnessed by Devon producers to grow crops normally more associated with the Mediterranean. Stef Fox finds out what you could be picking up from your local farmers’ market, any day soon.

Tom Cull may not have eaten all the pies but he may well have baked them. The man behind catering team and gourmet ‘P!E’ makers, Dartmoor Kitchen, he talks to Lara Watson about red snapper, celebrity chefs and eating spiders.

Climate change is being harnessed by Cornish producers to grow crops normally more associated with the Mediterranean. Stef Fox finds out what you could be picking up from your local farmers’ market, any day soon.

Phil Ugalde is a fierce champion of all things Kernow. As director of pasty makers Proper Cornish, you wouldn't expect anything less. He tells Lara Watson about his campaign to get protected status for the pasty.

It’s summer at last, so strawberries (and happy days) are here again, says Stef Fox.

Current holders of the North Devon Food and Drink Awards’ Overall Winner 06/07, The Grove Inn is the place for North Devon foodies in the know. Lara Watson caught up with owners Robert and Deborah Smallbone (and their 20 month old son Charlie).

It’s won international awards, is one of the largest employers in Cornwall, and has been run by one family for more than 150 years. St Austell Brewery certainly knows how to do a Proper Job.

Earn yourself some eco credentials and holiday in Devon this year. The food team hired a retro VW camper van and hit the road for a five day foodies’ tour of North Devon's beaches. Here's the inside story on the best places to eat, shop, visit and stay.

Earn yourself some eco credentials and holiday in Cornwall this year. The food team hired a retro VW camper van and hit the road. Here’s our six day foodies’ tour of Cornwall’s Atlantic Highway. Words by Lara Watson.

Artisan bacon is a world away from the watery, mass-produced stuff. Traditional breeds are reared with care, the meat prepared with skill and the resulting bacon a thing of beauty.

Ever dreamt of giving up the rat race for the Good Life, and exchanging the daily commute for a walk to the end of the garden? You’re undoubtedly not alone, but becoming a smallholder doesn’t necessarily mean giving up on ‘normal life’.

Even if you aren't growing your own you can still live the 'Good Life' by shopping at Cornwall's excellent farm shops and enjoying the fruits of someone else's labours. The food team visited some of the best.

Even if you aren't growing your own, you can still live the Good Life, by enjoying the fruits of someone else's labours from Devon's excellent farm shops. Lara Watson visited some of the best.

Soaring sales of fruit and veg seeds, a rise in smallholding, the fashion for allotments... the food revolution continues as foodies take buying local one step further and produce their own food. Food magazine gets the lowdown on how you can get involved.

Having been awarded six major accolades in as many years, Andy and Rowena Whiteman and Head Chef Tim Treseder at The Harris Arms make a truly winning team. Lara Watson joined Tim and Andy for lunch to discuss pinot gris, barbecued mackerel and under-cooked veg.

Carol Klein's recent series Grow Your Own Veg on BBC 2 has been the surprise hit of the season, with high viewing figures and sales of the accompanying book. food caught up with the enthusiastic nurserywoman at one of her sell-out book signings.

Who’d have thought a simple wrapping of pastry around meat and veg could invoke the pride, passion and arguments that surround the good ol' oggy. Stef Fox pokes around under the crust of the Cornish pasty.

Traci Lewis is one of the most influential foodies in Cornwall. As the head of Organic South West, the Soil Association’s project in Cornwall and the
Isles of Scilly, she’s the driving force behind the county’s burgeoning organic movement.

Planning a wedding this year? Stef Fox has some top tips on how to give it a Cornish foodie flavour - from venue to vol-au-vents.

Aah, the crackle of a roaring winter fire, the clink of fine glassware... If you need a mini-break to see you through the dark cold months, try our guide to Cornwall and Devon’s cosiest retreats.

Bill Clarke’s family business Trewithen Cornish Farm Dairy is the cream of local companies still producing great milk and clotted cream in the traditional way.

Make no bones about it, Craig Stevens is one of Devon’s rising culinary stars, flying the flag for top quality local fish at The Seafood Restaurant in Yealmpton, where he’s the Head Chef. Jo Rees met the man behind the monkfish.

If you’re planning a wedding, it’s easy to give it some local flavour, says Lara Watson.

If cooking isn't your thing but you'd like to track down some ready-to-go gourmet puds like those in 'Comfort eating' on the recipe page, try these Cornish goodies...

These little fingers of fire are being grown in Cornwall and resulting in some top local products,
says hot stuff Stef Fox.

Want to know what’s hot? We asked Cornwall’s deli specialists what they think is unmissable...

Gerald David is an old-school butcher, selling top quality meat across the South West. A traditionalist through and through, he only sells meat that has been killed in-house. "I'd never buy in meat - it goes against my religion," he says.

Josephine Symons owns and runs On The Table, the fabulous farm shop at Rose near Truro. It’s one of the new school of farm shops that is providing a real alternative to the supermarket.
Interview by Jo Rees.

The first week of October is British Cheese week, and some of the UK’s best cheeses are made here in Cornwall. Enjoy our guide to local fab fromage.

The first week of October is British Cheese Week, and some of the UK’s best cheeses are made right here in Devon. Enjoy our guide to locally produced fab fromage.

Ben Tunnicliffe has won numerous accolades for his restaurant The Abbey in Penzance. He’s recently extended his reach with another fine eaterie in the area, The Cove, at Lamorna. Lara Watson got the lowdown on the man behind the mouli.

Head Chef Matthew Mason and “Proprietor/Washer-upper” Paul Parnell are a formidable team at Rockbeare’s The Jack in the Green. Interview by
Lara Watson.

If it’s a battle getting your kids to eat anything other than beans on toast, try our guide to kids' foodie fun. It might just turn your little Ronald McDonalds into budding Rick Steins.

Discover the splendour of the East with our trail of foodie shops, restaurants and places to stay.

Toby Roskilly is Cornwall’s own Willy Wonka, creating strange and scrumptious ice cream flavours - from an unsuccessful garlic and avocado flavour to the award winning pear and Parmesan. Surely he’s got the best job in Cornwall?

Just 20 minutes from mainland Cornwall, The Isles of Scilly are a sub-tropical paradise. Each island is unique, but they are close enough to hop between on a weekend.

Wild food is the current culinary craze of the British food scene. From fungi to flowers, it’s all there for the picking. Wild Food School's Marcus Harrison tells how to forage for your supper.

Fishmonger Ian Browse explains how to get to grips with crab.

With Cornwall now famed for its food as much as its seascapes, Lara Watson went in search of the perfect (dining) room with a view.

Want to bake your own bread, or get to grips with preparing shellfish? A course can take your culinary skills to another dimension, says Derryck Strachan.

At Combe House Hotel’s fabulous new private dinner parties, all that’s missing for the perfect period drama is Mr Darcy carving the suckling pig.
Jo Rees took her place at the table.

Take your cooking skills to top form at one of Devon’s best cooking courses. Derryck Strachan took a seat at the back.

Devon’s convenient new delivery scheme makes buying local food as easy as going to the supermarket, says Lara Watson.

You don’t have to go to London’s Borough Market to pick up the finest food - we’re keeping the best for ourselves right here at Devon’s farmers’ markets.

Derryck Strachan visits Torbay’s new organic demonstration farm.

Kid’s cooking classes, farm visits, child-friendly restaurants or a trip to a farmers’ market... there are loads of fun, foodie things to do with kids this Easter holiday.

Camborne’s food scene has had a makeover with Scott Young’s new restaurant, Fusion. Derryck Strachan went to check it out. Photographs by Nick Cooper.

Plymouth’s new Barbican Kitchen pairs up two of the city's best-known names, the Tanner brothers and Plymouth Gin. Derryck Strachan talks to Christopher Tanner.

Discover the romance of a getaway on the Isles of Scilly.

Take the Tamar Food Trail and discover many of the county’s finest restaurants, as well as a few hidden gems. Try these places to eat and places to stay.

Darts Farm was recently described by The Times as 'The future of shopping'.
Just outside Exeter, the local food and drink emporium is packed with top quality produce and contemporary interiors, with people visiting as much to eat at the café and Fish Shed as to shop.

John Carley is well known as one of the front runners of the organic industry in Cornwall and the UK.

It’s no secret that Camel Valley Vineyard makes excellent wine - but did you know that it’s even the drink of choice for the EU parliament members? Jo Rees talks to Bob Lindo.

Temperate climes, a wide blue horizon, cosy hotels and good food make the Isles of Scilly an ideal getaway this season.

Rick Stein crosses the Channel for his new series and book, French Odyssey. He tells Stephanie Fox how French food measured up to Cornwall’s best.

Few regions in the UK are lucky enough to have the scope for seafood as fresh as Cornwall’s. Words by Lara Watson.

Real ale is no longer just the preserve of the stereotyical beer enthusiast. It’s fast becoming a fashionable drink in its own right, says Carol Trewin. Photographs by Adam Woolfitt.

Paul da Costa Greaves got off to a great foodie start as the son of an English mother and West Indian father. Originally from Toxteth, the “posh part” of Liverpool, Paul has been head chef at The Galley in Topsham for eight years. He talked to food about goat meat, mushy peas and his Christmas puddings.

Artisan ale is fast becoming a
fashionable alternative to wine. Jo Rees caught Guy Sheppard of Exe Valley Brewery, on the hop.

food writer Lara Watson gives her sweet tooth a treat.

Regardless of the mass produced, fluffy ‘Cornish ice cream’ in supermarkets across Britain, you can still find the real thing closer to home. Words by Carol Trewin. Photographs by Adam Woolfitt.

Now’s the time to gorge on freshly picked, crisp veggies. Farmer and grower, Lori M Reich, reveals what to look for when buying and how to make the most of the summer’s bounty.

Michael Caines is a genuine homegrown food hero. Devon’s two-star Michelin Head Chef and Co-Director at Gidleigh Park has restaurants in Exeter and Bristol and has long been a champion of the West Country’s produce and ingredients.

Chef Paul Ripley left London to work in Cornwall with Rick Stein. After ten years with Rick, and an enviable position as Head Chef, Paul took a well deserved year-long break before opening Ripley's restaurant in St Merryn.

Want some help matching wines with barbecued food? Then read Susy Atkins’s definitive guide to the best pairings of the summer.

May is the time for steamed local asparagus, slathered in melted butter.

From Cornish Earlies to tender asparagus shoots, Cornwall has long benefited from a gentle climate.
Food discovers why west is best for
early produce.

Top Devon chefs Christopher (left) and James Tanner have gone global. Their UK TV series, The Tanner Brothers has been aired all over the world. Luckily for us, they are still creating delicious food at their restaurant in Plymouth’s fifteenth century Prysten House.

Pammy Riggs of Providence Farm in Holsworthy has won numerous awards for her pork and poultry including Organic Business Person of the Year.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall goes souper loopy with seasonal produce.

Long before Jamie Oliver woke MPs up to the horror of the Turkey Twisler, Jeanette Orrey was throwing out the ready made cake mix in her local school. Britain’s most famous dinner lady told food about the changing face of school dinners. Words by Lara Watson.

Lori M Reich turns pumpkin
into some magical autumn dishes.

Go on – spoil yourself… it’s not difficult. When it comes to planning a getaway break, you’ll be spoiled for choice by the Brend Hotel Group.

New farming regulations will have a real effect on what we buy and eat. Food quizzed the NFU's Anthony Gibson about what this will mean for local consumers.

Rick tell's Food about his Local Heroes series.

For relaxed dining in one of the most beautiful environments in Britain, you don't have to travel further than The Sands Café Bar at Saunton Sands.