Читать книгу Great Book of Spoon Carving Patterns - Joseph Fullman - Страница 26

This is where the Southwest really comes into its own. Here they take food, particularly the sourcing of good ingredients, very seriously, which is probably why the region supports more organic farmers than anywhere else in the country. But then, with more than 600 miles of coastline, much of it teeming with fish, the people have long appreciated the benefits of a larder stocked with fresh produce. Together, the seas and fertile farmland inspire the region’s restaurants to produce some of the finest cooking Britain can offer, based both on traditional, local recipes – often fiercely preserved and protected – and adventurous takes on more exotic cuisines. That’s not to say that the Southwest’s dining scene is one unmitigated joy. Its big resorts can offer the same low-end fast food found anywhere else. But you are perhaps more likely to find stylish, innovative eateries in places you wouldn’t normally expect them, such as in small fishing villages and rural hamlets. Generally, the Southwest’s culinary landscape – in contravention of the economic problems besetting many of the region’s other industries – has expanded and improved dramatically over the past couple of decades, fuelled in part by the correspondingly rapid growth in tourism to the region.