Food and DrinkMuch of Cumbria’s traditionally grown foods have been influenced by the constraints of what can be grown given the region’s climate,topography, geology and associated soil types. Sheep were selected thatcould survive harsh conditions. Oats and barley were the main arablecrops and many place names reflect these early forms of cultivation: forinstance, ‘Haverthwaite’ (clearing where oats grew), ‘Biggland’ (landwhere barley grew). Damsons, by contrast, prefer the calcareous andsheltered environment of the Lyth and Winster valleys.

Self-sufficiency drove the need to keep foodstuffs for as long as possible,hence butter (and to a lesser extent, cheese) was made to use up surplus milk. Meats were hung and salted to prolong their keeping life (Cumberland hams and bacons are still much in evidence today) andpreserving fruit and vegetables in the form of jams, chutneys and relisheswas another method of extending shelf-life.

The import of rum and spices into Whitehaven during the 18th centuryled to the incorporation of new flavourings into Cumbrian foods. Blackpepper became an essential ingredient in the making of Cumberlandsausage. Ginger, nutmeg and other spices were used to impart distinctnew flavours to baking. Rum was added as a preservative and sweetener in dishes such as Sweet Lamb Pie and Rum Nicky.

In recent years Cumbria has excelled as a livestock exporting county and is now also developing a reputation for high quality local food. Farmers’markets flourish, as do food festivals and there is now an extensivenetwork of farm shops. Increasingly, local food is found on the menu inrestaurants, hotels, pubs and B&B’s as local farmers and growers seek toadd value to their products.

For more information on Cumbria’s Food & Drink see Annette Gibbon’sbook ‘Home Grown in Cumbria’. For local producers, visit www.golakes.co.uk,www.discovercumbria.net, www.madeincumbria.co.ukorwww.fellsanddales.org.uk.

ABCDEFGH

JKLMNOPQR

T

WXYZ

UV

S

What images do the Cumbrian Fells and Dales bring to mind– mountainous scenery, ribbon lakes, grassy fells, exposedlimestone pavements? Or is it lesser known features, such askest banks, lime kilns, bobbin mills, Rough Fell sheep, wilddaffodils, damson trees, spinning galleries or bee boles?

The ABC technique was developed by Common Ground to help people identify the features they find special anddistinctive in their neighbourhoods – whether buildingmaterials, animal breeds, industrial legacies, place names,local traditions, or whatever they choose. Some features mayseem ordinary and familiar, but they often occur becausehumans have adapted their physical environment in order tosurvive. This has given rise to a rich tapestry of natural andman-made features that together make up the essentialcharacter of any given area.

This ABC series has been developed in conjunction withvarious interest groups, but local people can also use thetechnique to promote local distinctiveness. If you areinterested in developing your own ABC guide, please visitthe LEADER+ website (www.fellsanddales.org.uk) orCommon Ground (www.england-in-particular.info) for more details.

AApple

day

BButter

CCumberland

sausage

DDamsons

EEggs

FFarmermarkets

GGingerbread

HHoney

Icecream

JJams

KKeswickcodlin

LLamb

MMilk

NNutmeg

OOrganic

food

PPies &

puddings

QQuiggin’s

RRealale

SSticky toffee

puddings

TTatiePot

WWindermere

char

XXmasfoods

YYoghurts

ZZest

UUnsmoked

(and smoked) hams and bacons

VVegetables

F O O D A N D D R I N K

A74(M)

M6

M6

M6

37

38

39

41

40

42

43

44

36

34

35

S C O T L A N D

C U M B R I A

Carlisle•

Lancaster•Morecambe•

Broughton in Furness••Sedbergh

•Brough

•Settle

•Kirkby Lonsdale

Kirkby Stephen•

•Alston

Keswick•

Cockermouth•

• Whitehaven

•Egremont

• Workington

•Ambleside

Kendal•

•Penrith

Ulverston•

Carnforth•

•Maryport

A590

A592

A592A5091

A592

A591 A6

A591

A66

A6

N o r t h u m b e r l a n d

C o u n t y D u r h a m

L a n c a s h i r e

Y o r k s h i r e

A686

A66A66

A596 A595

A595 A685

A684

A65

A65• Barrow in Furness

Windermere•

Grasmere•

Silloth•

This project is being part financed by the European AgricultureGuidance and Guarantee Fund of the European Union and theDepartment for Environment Food and Rural Affairs throughthe Cumbria Fells & Dales LEADER+ Programme.

©Crown copyright 2002. All rights reserved. Licence number 100042269

Produced by Anna Gray at Voluntary ActionCumbria.Designed by Andrew Lathwell Design Ltd.Printed by Reeds of Penrith, 2007.Images supplied by Andrew Lathwell, Ivan Day, Juliet Whitworth, Brian Sherwen,Ted Bowness, Common Ground andVoluntary Action Cumbria.

LEADER+(Cumbria Fells & Dales)The Old Stables, Redhills,Penrith, Cumbria CA11 0DT.Tel: 01768 869533

info@fellsanddales.org.uk www.fellsanddales.org.ukFells and Dales LEADER+ Programme is based at Voluntary Action Cumbria, a company limited by guarantee.

Charity No 1080875. Company No. 3957858

This is one of a series of ABCguides being produced byLEADER+ (Cumbria Fells &Dales) to promote the area andits local products.

For those who are visuallyimpaired an enlarged PDFversion (text only) is availablefrom the website.Whilst every effort has been made to ensurethat the content of this leaflet is accurate andup-to-date at the time of printing, no liabilitycan be accepted for any errors, omissions ormisrepresentations of fact contained herein.

© Andrew Lathwell Design Limited.

Text © Voluntary Action Cumbria.

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Apple DayAn annual event at Acorn Bank(near Temple Sowerby) –cookery demonstrations, appleidentification, apple games,and advice on growing andpruning apple trees.

A Apple Day

Butter

DamsonsGrown locally in the damsonorchards of the Lyth Valley.Damsons are highly adaptableand can be made into jams andchutneys or added to gin, sweetpuddings, ice cream, meat piesand even beer!

C

EggsFresh, wholesome eggs locallyproduced from free-rangehens, geese, turkeys and ducks.

E

Damsons

Cumberland sausage

Farmers’ MarketsOver 13 markets offering agreat variety of foods andcrafts, all produced by localfarmers, growers, producersand artisan crafts people.

F Farmer’s markets

GingerbreadOats combined with butter,spices, rum and unrefinedsugar; most notably made bySarah Nelson of Grasmere.

G Gingerbread

Ice creamA growing number of dairy farms are adding value to their milkby opening ice cream parlours.

HoneyLocally produced and sold atfarmers’ markets, farm shopsor directly by the beekeeper.The best Cumbrian honey issaid to come from the heather-clad moors.

H

JamsAdding value to local apples,damsons and other hedgerowfruits.

Juices and syrups Freshly pressed from locallysourced apples and damsons.

J

Ice Cream

Honey

Eggs

LambTasty meat from Herdwick,Rough Fell and Swaledale sheep.

Lamplugh puddingMulled ale mixed with brownsugar, raisins and lemon, andthickened with porridge oatsand biscuits.

L

Keswick codlinA famous variety of cookingapple, originally found on arubbish tip at Gleaston Castleand cultivated by a nurserymanin Keswick.

K

Milk Cumbria is one of the largest‘milk fields’ in the UK, withmuch processed locally intocheese and whey products.Over 10 different varieties ofcheese are made in the countyusing milk from cows, ewesand goats.

M

Lamb

Keswick Codlin

Quiggin’sThe first makers of Kendalmintcake in 1880, followed byWilson’s, Romney’s andWiper’s.

Q Quiggin’s

Real aleBrewed by over 22 local micro-breweries, real ale is making astrong comeback in Cumbria.

Rum butterTraditionally served to markthe arrival of a new baby.

R Real ale

Tatie PotLocal dish made with muttonand black pudding, and toppedwith thinly sliced potatoes.

T

Sticky toffee puddingThe stickiest of all puddings,created in Cumbria and nowsold all over the world.

S

U

Tatie pot

Sticky toffee pudding

Jams

Organic foodsA huge array of organic foodscan be sourced locally – frommeats and milk to salads andvegetables.

O

N

Pies and puddingsFrom savoury meat pies to sweetapple puddings, all encased indelicious home-made pastry!

Potted shrimps Traditional recipe made fromlocal brown shrimps cooked in butter and potted into small dishes.

P

Organic foods

Nutmeg

Pies & puddings

VegetablesLocally grown vegetables can be sourced at most farmers’markets and farm shops, orthrough organic box schemes.

V Vegetables

W Windermere char

YoghurtA number of Cumbrian dairy farms are currentlyinvestigating producingyoghurts from their own milk.

X

ZestA vital ingredient in allculinary enterprises!

Z

Yoghurt

Xmas food

ZestUnsmoked & smokedhams and baconsMilk

Xmas food Sweet Pie (mutton mixed withrum, dried fruit, brown sugarand spices, packed into raisedpie cases) could be kept forseveral months after it wasbaked.

One of a series of alphabetical guides to the distinctive character of the

Fells & Dales of Cumbria.

For more information on Cumbria’sFood & Drink and local producers, visit

www.golakes.co.uk,www.discovercumbria.net orwww.madeincumbria.co.uk

B

D Y

ButterOriginally made for householdconsumption and for sale atlocal markets.

Borrowdale teabreadMade from fruit that has beensteeped in tea.

Cumberland sausageA distinctive coiled sausagecontaining a high proportionof coarsely chopped pork andseasoned with black pepper.

Clipping Time puddingRice pudding flavoured withcinnamon, nutmeg and raisins.Traditionally served at communalsheep shearing sessions.

Windermere char Regarded as a local gastronomicdelicacy, the fish were cooked inbutter and potted in shallowceramic dishes.

Whig A type of bread roll containingcaraway seeds, commonlyassociated with Hawksheadand Kendal.

Unsmoked & smoked hams and baconsCuring prolonged the keepingqualities of meat in pre-refrigeration times and is a tradition that continuestoday. Unsmoked & smokedCumberland hams and baconsare readily available in butchersthroughout the area.

NutmegNutmeg and other spices suchas mace, cinnamon, ginger andblack pepper were importedinto Whitehaven in the 18thcentury.

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