05.10.07
Cotehele Winter Food Fair attracts more local producers than ever before

As winter sets in and thoughts turn to the festive period, food lovers will have an ideal opportunity to sample and purchase the offerings of over 30 of Cornwall’s finest food and drink producers at this year’s Cotehele Winter Food Fair 2007.

Now in its fourteenth year, the fair takes place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th November 2007 from 10am – 4pm, with more producers than ever before showcasing their mouth-watering produce at the National Trust property located at St Dominick, Saltash.

The intimate atmosphere of Cotehele’s Great Barn will once again create the perfect shopping experience, allowing visitors to purchase unique, locally produced Christmas gifts well ahead of time among beautiful surrounds.

In between tasting products such as Toppenrose Dairy’s ‘Trenance Softee’ cream cheese or for those with a sweet tooth, some delicious hand-made chocolate from Chocolicious, visitors can also enjoy Cotehele’s stunning formal gardens free of charge, creating a perfect day out for all ages.

Angie Coombs, Manager of Taste of the West in Cornwall said: “With more producers than ever before, this year’s fair is the perfect opportunity to secure those special, unique Christmas gifts for friends and family, and with so much lovely food and drink all in one place, the fair really is a food lover’s paradise.”

Over 5000 visitors enjoyed Cornish delights at the 2006 Cotehele Fair. This year will be no exception, with local farmhouse cheeses, jams, pickles, apple juice, sausages and meat, crisps, breads and cakes, chocolates, beers and meads, ice cream and yoghurts. Many other delicacies and Christmas gifts will also be on display.

There are also several newcomers to the fair this year including Vicky Royall of Vicky’s Bread, a local producer of traditional French style bread based in Helston. Vicky said: “We are really looking forward to expanding into different areas within Cornwall and Cotehele will be the perfect way to do this.”

Stuart Thomson from Atlantic Brewery in Newquay will be tempting visitors with his wholly organic, premium three month matured ales, all hand brewed in Cornwall. Ninemaidens Mead in Redruth will be on hand with their Taste of the West award-winning mead, an ideal addition to a nice warm mug of mulled wine for a real festive treat. Sharp’s Brewery in Rock is another new producer at the fair and, as the South West’s largest brewer of cask beer, will be showing off their range from their Eden Pure Ale to the ominously named Doom Bar Bitter.

From 12th November, visitors can witness the creation of the Cotehele’s stunning Christmas garlands and wreaths in the Grand Hall, using beautiful dried flowers and greenery collected from the gardens throughout the year.

Charmian Saunders, Cotehele’s Visitor Services Manager, said: “Each year the visitor numbers are increasing and our partnership with the Taste of the West team is going from strength to strength.  It also gives us an opportunity to show off the property and the spread the word about Cotehele and its beautiful setting on the banks of the River Tamar.”

The Cotehele Winter Food Fair, organised by Taste of the West in Cornwall and part financed by Defra and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Objective One, takes place on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th November from 10am to 4pm at Cotehele, St Dominick, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6TA. For directions follow brown signs from the A390 and A388. Admission is free. Tel: 01579 349363 or email www.cornwalltasteofthewest.co.uk.

For further information please contact Alexis Thornely or Jilly Greed at One Voice Media & PR on 01392 278801 or email pr@onevoicemedia.co.uk. Alternatively, contact Taste of the West Cornwall on 01579 349363.

The Objective One Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has invested in Cornwall Taste of the West through the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF).

Editor's notes:

Taste of the West in Cornwall is a £5 million Objective One gateway project, funded by the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) and private matched funding. It is part of the Taste of the West regional food group. For more information log on to www.cornwalltasteofthewest.co.uk.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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