Amazing food news in Devon, October 2022

Published:
12:15 AM October 12, 2022

The hottest news for foodies across the county.

Soon to be revealed

The numbers speak for themselves and reflect the wealth of quality food and drink offerings across Devon: 270 products, 80 hospitality establishments and 30 retail outlets. Judges and industry experts have been busy, visiting, sampling, tasting and scoring the many food and drink places and products across the county who have entered the annual Food Drink Devon Awards.

The results will be announced at a black tie awards ceremony at the Crowne Plaza, Plymouth on October 3. The host for the evening will be Tony Hawks, the Devon-based comedian and author, who regularly appears on BBC Radio Four panel shows Have I Got News For You, Just A Minute and I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue.

Food Drink Devon represents hundreds of leading food and drink producers, specialty retailers, hospitality and catering businesses in the county. Its celebrated awards are now in their 11th year and a new category for 2022 is the Sustainability Pioneer Award designed to celebrate and promote sustainability, and shine a light on businesses going that extra mile in their endeavors to be environmentally friendly. It received an impressive 27 entries.

Food Drink Devon chair Greg Parsons says: “The producers and retailers, along with the tourism-providers and those working within the hospitality sector, really do have a passion for making this one of the best places to eat and drink in the UK – and these awards provide the county with an extremely high benchmark as well as a shop-window for the rest of the world.”

Fooddrinkdevon.co.uk

The Midnight Sun non-alcoholic G&T
– Credit: Salcombe Distilling Co

Feel good cocktail

It’s Sober October, so why not enjoy it with a cocktail. New London Light is a collection of non alcoholic spirits and aperitifs from Salcombe Distilling Co. It includes Midnight Sun, which combines wild coastal berries, fresh kelp and pine. Try a Midnight Sun & Tonic – fill a highball glass with ice, add 50ml of Midnight Sun, 150ml premium light tonic water, a raspberry and a mint leaf. Gently stir, then serve.

Enjoy the huge range of squash available this autumn
– Credit: FaradayPhotography / Getty Images/iStockphoto

This month try: Squash:

It’s not just the ubiquitous butternut, squash come in a wide range of shapes and colors and they are surprisingly diverse. Crown Prince is magnificently indulgent when cut in half, filled with cream, wine, cheese and garlic and baked in the oven. Or how about the zucchini-shaped Delicata, which can be cut into rounds, drizzled with oil and seasoning, and again roasted. Squash store well too, leave them in a warm, dry place and enjoy their rich autumnal colors

Corin and Rebecca Burton from Bovey Larder zero waste shop
– Credit: Emma Lambe

Easyzero

Lucky shoppers in Bovey Tracey can make the most of a new click and collect service at the Bovey Larder zero waste shop. The shop sells all sorts of foods and household staples, which can be bought in individual quantities and using as little packaging as possible. Now, customers can go to an ‘online larder’ on the shop’s website, put in an order and collect at a time that suits them.

Boveylarder.com

Charlie and James Garnham with new chefs Dan Kavanagh and Amber Brice
– Credit: The Five Bells Inn

Two join The Five

Two new chefs have joined the team at the Five Bells inn in Clyst Hydon. Head chef Dan Kavanagh’s two decades in catering has included stints at the River Exe Café, ABode Exeter under Michael Caines and most recently at The Galley in Topsham. He is joined by sous chef and long-term colleague, Amber Brice, 22.

Fivebells.uk.com

Devon Cove Passion Liqueur
– Credit: Devon Cove

Passion and potatoes

Devon Cove has launched a Cove Passion Liqueur. It’s made by combining fresh passion fruit with its own Devon potato vodka. Try it over ice with a twist of grapefruit, with cloudy lemonade or in a Pornstar Martini cocktail. Cove founder Leanne Carr says that it also works well as a digestive, for those who prefer something sweeter than whiskey.

Devoncove.co.uk

Burts limited edition prawn cocktail crisps raised money for the RNLI
– Credit: Burts Chips

Charity Crisps

Burts’ limited edition prawn cocktail flavor crisps, launched earlier this year as a fundraiser for the RNLI, have been selling so well that the Roborough-based snack maker has been able to double its donation to the charity to £20,000. Burts CEO, Dave McNulty says the response from customers was remarkable and that they hope to develop more authentic flavors and continue to fundraise for the lifeboat charity.