Taste of the Teign food and drink festival tantalises taste buds

Gill Vosper
Authored by Gill Vosper
Posted Tuesday, September 22, 2015 - 2:26pm

One of South Devon’s newest and most exciting celebrations of local food and produce is all set to draw in the crowds this week as the Taste of the Teign (21-27 September) puts produce picked and reared in the surrounding fields, caught in local waters or harvested from the hedges firmly at the heart of this food and drink celebration.

Over the course of the seven days more than 15 events are taking place; each one using locally sourced produce as the centrepiece for culinary creativity ranging from cracking crab workshops at The Crab Shack in Teignmouth, to tours of the steepest Vineyard in England at the Old Walls Vineyard in Bishopsteignton.

Commenting on the inaugural festival, Stephanie Cherrett, General Manager for Visit South Devon, said: “The Taste of The Teign is a very rare thing – a celebration of genuinely local food and produce that comes from within the watershed of the Teign Estuary or from the boats that land their catch in Teignmouth.  Few festivals are so restrictive; they are not so fortunate to have such a bountiful location where the key components come from the land and waters that you can see, touch and visit. 

“From the mighty mussels and oysters harvested on the River Teign to wines and beer produced on the hills above Bishopsteignton, the Teign Estuary is an exceptional place for food, drink and fabulously fresh produce.”

Lori Reich, who helped set up the event and who co-owns award winning Shute Fruit and Produce with her husband, said: “Taste of the Teign is a wonderful opportunity to put the Teign Estuary and its incredible array for local foods and delights firmly on the map.  You can enjoy a meal at one of our fabulous local restaurants, which are showcasing the fine produce that can be found in and around the Teign Estuary, or you can visit our Farmer’s market in Teignmouth on Saturday, which is twice its normal size and will feature kitchen cart demos. 

“You can participate in a workshop and learn how make seasonal drinks using local and foraged ingredients at The Bronx Bar and Cue, or you can take a food and drink tour on either side of the estuary.  On the north side you can visit Old Walls Vineyards, Shute Farm and Red Rock Brewery in Bishopsteignton, or you can visit the south side of the river to see café-ODE with its in-house brewery or Luscombes Farm shop, which is having a tasting day and display of tractors.  You could even press your own apples at Milltop Orchard and take the juice home.”

Taste of the Teign - What’s on, when:

Thursday 24th September
11.00 am: Tour & lunch at Old Walls Vineyard, Bishopsteignton
12.30 pm: Lunch with tales from the riverbank with Barry Sessions of River Teign Shellfish at Cockhaven Manor, Bishopsteignton
2.30 pm: ‘Devon Preserve Us’ farm tour, cookery demo and cream tea at Shute Farm, Shute Fruit and Produce, Bishopsteignton
5.00 pm: Brewery tour, barbeque and beer at Red Rock Brewery, Bishopsteignton
6.30 pm: Autumn cocktail workshop at The Bronx Bar and Cue, Teignmouth

Saturday 26th September
8.00 am-12.00 pm: Tasting day at Luscombes Farm Shop, Stokeinteignhead
10.00 am-2.00 pm: Harvest at the Teignmouth Farmers’ Market including kitchen cart demos, The Triangle Teignmouth Town Centre
1.00 am-4.00 pm: café-ODE and Two Beaches Brewery – free tasting, at café-Ode, Ness Cove, Shaldon


Sunday 27th September
10.00am-4.00pm: The Press Gang & Slow n Low.  Press your own apples and take your own juice home.  Enjoy an American style barbeque with free samples at Milltop Orchard, Combeinteignhead
10.00 am-4.00 pm: Tasting day at Luscombes Farm Shop, Stokeinteignhead

Taste of the Teign is sponsored by Visit South Devon, Teignbridge District Council, Teignmouth and Dawlish Community Interest Company, Teignbridge Community Voluntary Services, Rotary Club of Teignmouth, Teign Estuary Partnership and Inspirations.

For more information on the festival visit: http://www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk or http://facebook.com/tasteoftheteign

About Visit South Devon

Visit South Devon is the official tourism body for the South Hams and Teignbridge; an area which encompasses some of the region’s most dramatic and breathtaking countryside as well as miles of captivating coastline characterised by iron rich ruby red beaches in the North and sweeping sandy and shingle beaches in the South.  From Teignmouth to Torcross and from Shaldon to Salcombe, this enchanting part of the world welcomes thousands of visitors every year introducing them to the delights and discoveries of this beguilingly beautiful part of the world.

Visit South Devon works with tourism businesses and attractions in Teignbridge and the South Hams to help raise the profile of the area as a destination for both national and international visitors.  Its aim is to increase the number of visitors to South Devon for the benefit of the local tourism economy.

Visit South Devon is a Community Interest Company that exists solely for the benefit of the local tourism community. It is a public-private company limited by guarantee and not for profit – ensuring all revenue is put back into marketing initiatives for the area.

Visit South Devon’s website www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk appears in the top search results for places to visit, things to do and places to stay in South Devon.  It provides an affordable portal through which local tourism attractions, food and drink and accommodation providers can promote their businesses.  Visitors can book B&B, hotel, guesthouse and self catering accommodation directly through the site.  The website also provides comprehensive information on destinations to explore as well as places to dine, enabling visitors to build up an itinerary of things to do while on holiday in South Devon.

For more information about Visit South Devon go to www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk or contact General Manager, Stephanie Cherrett Tel: 01626 215293.

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