Food fanatic , Blogging Geek , amateur home cook , Wild food scavenger and hobby photographer . Father of 3 amazing children and based in Whitehaven Cumbria…..ok , so it`s in the back end of nowhere but its beautiful , pretty peaceful and the gateway to the English Lake district….(if you`re approaching by boat)
As for my day job , well its a world apart from my hobby – I work in a safety related job in high tech Laboratories…. a far cry from Gastronomy.
Welcome to my blog and website and please leave any comments that you might feel would improve my site , please go easy as it`s only a hobby and my own personal take on the World of Food.
Cumbriafoodie 
Hi,
Congratulations, that looks amazing. Can you contact me by email please?
Thanks.
Really amazing photos and even more amazing food. I’d like to actually experience food like this some day.
Great photos! I just started a blog also can you give me your professional opinion on my blog.beercanbbq.com THANK YOU
Hi Alan. I’m a Cumbrian too and trying (emphasis on trying) to write a food blog myself. I’d be interested in getting in touch with you – do you have an email address? Thanks, Helen
sure do sped98@sky.com
Hi Alan,
I’m writing a story at the minute about, a family that live in Bowness, Could you help me with a bit of foraging knowledge?
What are the first edible plants and foods available each year in Cumbria?
I googled it and found you!
Cheers
Sam
Hi Sam ,
everything normally starts coming through early spring , March april time. Most of the photos on the foraging story were taken then.Check out the foraging post.
cheers
Alan
Hi, love this site and your photos and will add a link to you when we re do our food page on Visit Cumbria. Vanessa
From one Simon Haslam to another, this looks great.
brill stuff! if a little mad x
Oh wow. This blog is brilliant! I came across it while looking for meal ideas for guests tomorrow. I’m hoping to make some of it tonight, ahead of time. The guests are real foodies, people who have never been to our place but who have done so much for me lately – I want to try something special. I’m a veggie but OK at cooking meat. Any ideas? Good to know even if you don’t see this in time. I’ll be popping by your pages for food inspiration again and again. I’m also Cumbrian but living in London, so I’m now off to the photography section to pine for ‘home’ x
Hey Kim , well im more than certain you can get some ideas off here.For veggie food you cant beat the natural dishes from Lenclume , you can adapt and simplify quite easily with a wee bit of imagination.Unfortunately i dont really do a recipe section , i should give that some thought.
Tell you what….Hit them with the “Meat fruit” girl.
Pleased to have found the blog. Love the pulled rabbit recipe.
Beautiful photos. Fantastic to have found your blog and culinary diaries. When will you be chronicling New York?
Big thumbs up for your fantastic blog! Keep up the good work. Must meet up for a pint in Shipwrights and a fish and chip lunch at Crosby’s next time I’m over!
Love your food adventures. Could you link to my Blog ? http://streetfoodwarmsyourheart.blogspot.com
Hi, I’m a big fan of your blog and your recipes. I’m also affiliated with a couple new-ish small scale restaurants in BKK – Seven Spoons and Sheepshank Public House. I’m fascinated by options for utilizing wild products in our food (gradual process). If you’re ever back again, please do contact me and I would love to invite you to sample some what I consider to be quite unique ingredients. Cheers, Regan
I’ve been following, and really enjoying your blog for a while, but for some reason never “checked you out!” I assumed that you were a professional chef whose hobby was photography! Amazed to find that both are hobbies! The blog & the photography are way better than many “professional” ones! Kudos!
I just by chance had to stumble across your web site!! AMAZING !!!!
and your from Whitehaven to boot ! ( my Birthplace )
I am a professional Chef by trade and I must say that through your blog & photography you are able to capture & deliver the passion & creativity from the Chefs & the kitchen on to web to your web site .
RESPECT!
I look forward to reading more
Regards from Switzerland
Simon Coulthard
planning to do some foraging in the north lake district in mid july – and tips on where to go and what to look out for?
Totally spoiled for choice , the lakes are your wild larder in July. New seasons Douglas fir and Spruce shoots , Lots of Sea plants on the beaches , Wild Garlic seed heads , Samphire , Elderberries , Hedgerow plants , Mackerel off the beaches , Crabs and Razorclams at low tide , Have a look at this post and you`ll get some ideas of what`s around. Cheers
https://cumbriafoodie.com/2012/06/17/late-spring-foraging-theres-lots-to-be-had-for-the-food-lovers/
Dear Cumbriafoodie,
I’m a French foodie currently working in Nottingham and I would love to see some of these fantastic Fungi, especially Girolles. Where and when do I go please?
Now is the time for Chanterelles (girolle). Just go explore the hundreds of woodlands dotted around your area. Youll find them eventually.
Sorry you were disappointed with Chez ami Louis. I have gone there at least a dozen times and have never been disappointed. PerhapsI knew what to expect regarding the price. I love the food and the ambiance. The staff had their attitude that seems to work. I am always pleasantly surprised as long as you don’t expect warm and fuzzy. The place has character and all the parts work for me.
Hi
Love your blog!!!!
Lake district on business next week……Would appreciate a “heads up”/recommendation…. lake district /high end restaurant/taster/snack/small varied portion type.
Have done L’Enclume….suggest another?
Thanks a lot!
So sorry I missed you message Ross. Where did you end up ? Cheers
Hi
Do you ever go up to Ashness Bridge for Cauliflower Mushroom. They grow in abundance up there, and the nutty taste they produce when lightly cooked in butter is lovely. Where I live in Calderbridge there is a huge amount of wild garlic which I love to cook with.
Never actually found a cauliflower mushroom Andy. Never seen them at Ashness.
Been foraging at Calder bridge yes but never found much there mate. Wild garlic and plenty of wood sorrel. Cheers
I’ve made Heston’s meat fruit following your excellent instructions a few times now. I’m wondering if you can freeze the fully completed dish – with the mandarin gel – and how you might store it. I usually make 3 at a time, halving the recipe for the mandarin gel but I don’t necessarily want to make so many at a time. I’d be grateful for any advice you have. Thank you.
Hi there.
At the restaurant they freeze the ball of pate. They dip it into the gel whilst frozen and then freeze it again.
Then once frozen they dip it a second time. That’s how they get the orange peel effect rather than a smooth shiny finish.
Once it’s dipped a 2nd time that’s when it’s then allowed to defrost before pressing into shape.
You could just keep yours frozen before dipping until you need to use them.
Cheers
Thanks. I’ll try freezing the completed ball and see how that goes!