Take a Culinary Tour of Derbyshire
Feast on Trout, Blue Cheese and Oatmeal Porridge in Derby County
Derbyshire, in England’s East Midlands area, is famous for its wonderful scenery and the Peak District National Park. However, its culinary delights are worthy of praise too. It is the county where the original Bakewell pudding was invented and Derbyshire blue cheese is made. Buxton is where the mineral water is bottled and Isaac Walton fished on the banks of the river Dove. It is also the home of the oatmeal porridge called Lumpy-tums.
Visit the Dovedale Area for Trout and Blue Cheese
The river Dove marks the boundary between Staffordshire and Derbyshire. It was here that Isaac Walton fished for trout. There are several idyllic spots along the river where today’s anglers can buy a licence to fish. There is nothing quite as delicious as catching a trout, cleaning it and pan frying it in some butter over a little camping stove then eating it all within the hour.
Dovedale is also where the blue stilton like cheese that is a speciality of Derbyshire is made. According to the Information Britain website, only pasteurised milk from nearby counties is used. The cheese is milder than the traditional Stilton and delicious on a chunk of granary bread or used to make broccoli and Dovedale soup. There are plenty of farmers markets and shops in the area which stock it.
Buxton’s Mineral Water and Bakewell’s Pudding
The spa town of Buxton, with its glorious Georgian architecture, is the source of the water bottled and branded as Buxton Natural Mineral Water. The town was an extremely fashionable spa resort in Victorian times. The town is also home to the Buxton Real Ale Company – a small microbrewery which makes real ales using the local spring water.
Bakewell, a small market town about ten miles or so from Buxton, is where the famous Bakewell Pudding was invented and which has now morphed over the years into the more familiar Bakewell tart. The original pudding is essentially a shortcrust pastry base on which is spread jam and an egg, butter, sugar and almond concoction. The puddings can be bought in one of the bakeries in the town or even online.
Derbyshire Oatmeal Porridge Called Lumpy-Tums
The lumpy-tums of Derbyshire are a sort of oatmeal porridge. They were traditionally made by taking some oatmeal, squeezing it together slightly by hand then dropping it into a pan of boiling water. The lumps were then drained and eaten with milk poured over them. It is ideal for breakfast on a cold winter’s day, or as a milky dessert.
If none of the above Derbyshire specialities appeal to the gourmet traveller, there are plenty of farmers markets, microbreweries and award winning restaurants and hotels in the county that provide a range of local produce and excellent dining experiences. The brilliant Derbyshire scenery provides many delightful walks to work of any excess calories. Or, why not try the gourmet delights available in the counties of Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire which are geographically next door?
Other sources:
A Derbyshire Glossary 1866
Enjoy Food in the Beautiful Scenery of Derbyshire
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Catch Trout in Isaac Walton's River Dove
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