Excellent Eating in Essex
When you think of Essex, you might not think about food and drink. However, thanks to its impressive 350 mile coastline, Essex has been serving fish and shellfish for many hundreds of years. The ample marshlands have provided perfect grazing for cattle and sheep, while the inland forests have been ideal for hunting game.
A unique strawberry is grown in the county so fruit growing and in particular, jam making is big here. The coastal villages held Sprat festivals and bacon and ham are the main focus of many markets. Essex’s food scene is a vivacious mix of tastes from all over the world and there are so many eateries to cater for all palates. Essex has a huge variety of cafes, bars, restaurants and pubs.
Food in Essex has been a big deal for a long time. The Colchester Native Oyster was originally cultivated by the Romans and is still harvested off Mersea Island. They are apparently named as the best oysters by TV celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver and can be tried in the many restaurants along the coast. For Web Design Essex, visit https://webwax.co.uk/
Tiptree jam is made here as Wilkins jams and preserves. The factory also has a visitor centre so you can discover how the tasty jam is made. Before you leave, make sure you try some of them out in the tea room, maybe on a scone to be quintessentially English.
It’s not all about the grub either as thanks to the more pleasant climate in this region, Essex has also produced excellent wines since Roman times. Vineyards around the county are open to visitors for wine tasting and vineyard tours. You’ll find more than 20 vineyards around the county, including New Hall Vineyards which is one of the oldest and biggest in Britain. There’s also a micro-brewery at the Mersea Island Vineyard where you can sample an interesting mix of grape and grain with the ‘Mersea Mud’ or ‘Yo Boy!’
There’s nothing quite like attending a local farmer’s market for purchasing all your fresh, local produce. There are many markets operating throughout Essex that sell good local food and produce from independent farms in the county.
One of the joys of being in England has to be the past-time of taking afternoon tea. There are many pretty villages in the area with tearooms complete with gingham tablecloths and cakes a-plenty. If you’re feeling adventurous then push the Victoria Sponge to one side and indulge in some of the other delights on offer – puddings, buns, pastries, scones and cakes of all kinds. But when in Essex, surely one should sample the traditional homemade scone complete with cream and the famous local jam. You’ll find tearooms all over the place, including Finchingfield, which is said to be the most photographed village in Britain. You’ll be sure to enjoy great views while you scoff and sip as this is the area that inspired John Constable and his famous landscape paintings.
