For years, the most well-known food item to come out of this region was the Cornish pasty. A semicircular pie filled with meat and vegetables, it was traditionally taken underground by miners and had a thick crust that they held while eating and then threw away, so avoiding the need for clean hands. While the pasty is undoubtedly delicious and popular - around 3 million are still produced here each week - it took an outsider with fond memories of Cornish childhood vacations to really put the area on the food map.
That outsider was Rick Stein, who rediscovered the idea that good-quality produce, cooked well, will bring in the customers. Based in the pretty coastal resort of Padstow, Stein has been extolling this philosophy for more than 30 years, on TV and in various food outlets, starting with his Seafood Restaurant in 1975. Since then, he's built up a mini gastro-empire, which includes a cafe, deli, gift shop and even cooking classes, should you wish to emulate one of his creations. As you'd expect in a county with more than 250 miles of coastline, fish and seafood play starring roles on Stein's menus, but if your budget won't stretch to his more expensive restaurants, then grab some of his fish and chips and find a harborside bench on which to enjoy them.
After Stein's achievement, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver arrived on the scene, opening his own place, Fifteen Cornwall, in 2006. Sitting on Watergate Bay near Newquay (Britain's most popular surfing destination), Oliver applied the same ethos practiced in his original Fifteen in London and trained up disadvantaged young people (15 of them, hence the name) to produce mouth-watering dishes in a fabulous beachside setting. The gamble paid off, and the restaurant has become hugely popular.
If celebrity chefs don't whet your appetite, or you simply prefer an alfresco picnic, then Cornwall has plenty of local specialties - apart from the ubiquitous pasty - to fill rumbling stomachs. For dairy lovers, the most famous cheese is Yarg, a semihard cow's cheese that's wrapped in nettles and whose strange name has nothing to do with the Cornish Celtic language but is merely the surname of the people who created it, Allan and Jenny Gray, spelled backward. It's made on just one farm, Lynher Dairies, but is found across the county. Similarly widespread are delicious crab sandwiches, made from the local catch and featured on many a pub menu or from seaside stalls.
If having your food stare back at you doesn't put you off, then look out for star gazy pie, a traditional dish usually made from pilchards or mackerel cooked in pastry with their heads sticking out through the crust. And to wash it all down, it's well worth seeking out an award-winning Camel Valley wine, particularly one of the sparkling wines with which you can raise a glass to congratulate yourself on having made the wise choice of a trip to Cornwall.
Decisions, decisions: Where to go, what to eat
Getting there » The quickest option for getting to Cornwall is flying from London (Stansted or Gatwick) to Newquay. Several companies operate on the route (Ryanair, British Airways, Air Southwest), offering prices as low as 15 pounds round-trip. A slower but more romantic option is by train, especially the overnight sleeper service from London's Paddington station. Once in Cornwall, renting a car is the best way to get around.
Places to stay » One of Cornwall's best seaside resorts, St. Ives, also has one of its best hotels, Primrose Valley (Porthminster Beach; 01736 794939; www.primroseonline.co.uk). A stylish but friendly place, it's right next to the beach and has fantastic, locally sourced breakfasts.
» Or for something more traditional and just a short walk from Padstow's famous restaurants, Treverbyn House (Station Road, Padstow; 01841 532855; www.treverbynhouse.com) is an Edwardian mansion offering romantic rooms and great harbor views.
Places to eat » If you plan far enough ahead (it's very popular), then Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant in Padstow (Riverside; 01841 532700; www.rickstein.com) is the place to enjoy the best in contemporary Cornish cuisine, with the emphasis on fish and seafood.
» Jamie Oliver's Fifteen Cornwall (Watergate Bay; 01637 861 000; www.fifteencornwall.co.uk) offers equally good food (with Italian leanings) and an even better setting, with views across a beautiful bay.
» For something more relaxed, Porthminster Beach Cafe (Porthminster Beach, St. Ives; 01736 795352; www.porthminstercafe.co.uk) serves dishes from breakfast through dinner on one of the area's nicest beaches.
