The short answer is: "it's complicated." I've lived in Exeter now for two and a half years and though I don't think I will ever be able to call myself a Devonian it really has started to feel like a kind of home (my fourth home, to be precise after Hampton, Cambridge and Claremorris... one can't have too many homes...).
I'd like to think that I've contributed to plenty of small businesses in the county (particularly purveyors of fine ale and other licensed victuallers...) and have not constantly simply added to the coffers of big, faceless, tax-dodging multi-billion pound corporations. My big fail on this score, however, is that I do use the big supermarkets - Tesco, Sainsbury's and M & S - for pretty much all of my food shopping. This has been bothering me for a while.
I've gone off my food right now. My weekly shopping is cheap, yes, but much of it is tasteless. Tomatoes taste like water, my mince is soggy and my 'sourdough' bread, tastes of nowt much at all. When it comes to paying up, all I'm greeted with is a faceless automated till ("please place your item in the bagging area" FML). What incentive is that really? And if you're someone who lives alone, like my Grandad, where is the human side to shopping? Where's the "hello?" And "have a nice day, Sir?" I'm just at the end of my wick with it to be quite honest.
I've been thinking about buying more local food stuff for a while, ever since I was visiting friends in Cambridge over Easter. One of them, regularly buys local vegetables and bread and the food she cooked just tasted splendid and part of the reason I think was because the ingredients were fresh and organic (and she's a great cook too, obvs).
So...over the long weekend, I checked out The Real Food Store on Paris Street, off the High Street.
I've seen it many times before, and once bought a proper loaf of Sourdough there when we first moved here back in early 2013, but had not been back since. What I hadn't realised until I went on their website last week, was that it is owned by 300 local investors, that 70% of its produce is from Devon and 100% is from the South West Region. Sadly, there had been a bit of a run on it by the time we got there 3pm Saturday (it was the long weekend, after all) but I did get the idea spotting some locally made Topsham Chorizo, huge rolls of cheese and some nice looking focaccia bread. Though I didn't buy anything this time round, it was really nice to see all the local produce and to be greeted by the friendly cashier (and not an annoying automated till that I wished to smash... I feel like the luddites had it right sometimes...)
The experience had left me emboldened to seek out more local produce, and quite by accident I found the Exeter Farmer's Market this morning. I'd just been to vote in the General Election and been accosted outside the polling station by some mad hag clutching a bottle of Lambrini under her arm, shrieking "You've got to vote for him love! Because the others are all t$%*!" (of whom she spoke I have no idea... all our candidates are men here in Exeter...) I sought sanctuary then in the green tents full of exciting local products.
The market was bustling and lively with all kinds of organic and locally sourced produce: pies, spinach, goat's cheese, bread, lamb chops, eggs, flowers and herbs. I was like a delighted child in a sweet shop. I decided to start small on trying local produce and picked up a oat spelt loaf from the very helpful chap at Bread of Devon and 1/2 a dozen eggs from a very nice chatty vendor at Random Farm. I worried my purchases would break the bank, and though it was slightly more expensive, £2.05 for the small loaf and £1.50 for the eggs, it was not massively so, and I got a bit of a buzz from meeting the people who would be benefiting directly from my shopping trip, having a banter with them and seeing the passion they have for their products.
And quite frankly, I had one of the best dishes of scrambled egg on toast I've ever had as a result. So yellow, so fluffy, so scrumptious... I will definitely go back next Thursday if I have the chance.
In other news, exam season is upon us, and I am up to my neck in work, in particular marking past exam questions, so have had no time to forage these past couple of weeks...
"Stanley says: "All this marking - t'int right, t'int fair, t'int proper! I'll sit on it instead for you..."
...but I have managed to get to celebrate the happy nuptials of my university friends Andy and Rebecca near Masham in Yorkshire. The Bivouac where the reception was held was absolutely stunning - a converted farm house, with yurts, cabins and a teepee AND I even spotted a field of wild garlic opposite the church. I even got my friend Hugo to try some. He said "its not often I eat stuff from the side of the road, you know, Cathy..." but he liked it, so I've another convert to the foraging cause! Anyhow, congratulations again my loves! Such an amazing couple!
And finally, the weather was rubbish over the bank holiday weekend, but we took advantage of the brief break in the rain, getting the small passenger ferry to Shaldon near Teignmouth, where we found the coastal path and the most humungous hill I think I've seen (or been up for that matter) since I went gorilla trekking in Rwanda. Once home we rewarded ourselves with a pint in our old favourite the Beer Cellar near the cathedral. I really recommend it to anyone based down this neck of the woods. Local people run it, who are friendly, know your names, get local beer in and the quality is excellent.
Anyhow, that is enough from me. More past papers beckon. Before I go, remember:
1) Avoid mad ladies with drinking problems who hate unnamed politicians and find a farmer's market instead
2) There you can meet passionate, friendly sellers of local food which is tasty, good for the local economy and better for the environment
3) Buying local is not that expensive
4) Vote! (if you haven't already done your civic duty as a responsible human being!)
I leave you for a week or two with the link here to a great video of two cute cats discussing UKIP. Ta-ra!
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