Big British Food Map Eating Yorkshire’s pudding

Date Published:

12/08/2008

Andrew travelled the Yorkshire Dales in search of the perfect pudding

Wetherby's ambassador

I headed to Wetherby today to drop in on the Market Place Deli plus others; it's a lovely little town. Whilst I was admiring the plaques on the town hall John Tatterton, who's lived in these parts all his life, came up and we started talking. He used to be the local bobby, but retired from the force 20 odd years ago. Now he's employed by the council and helps out with just about everything, from watering the 200 plus hanging baskets every night, to being the Farmers Market superintendent, to cleaning up the play ground. He gives me a low down on the town, the history and the gossip; he's like Wetherby's ambassador. John Tatterton comes across as one of those people who've spent their life talking to and serving a community. The good people of Wetherby should be proud.

Slate grey skies, where's the British Summer gone?

Rain of biblical proportions today meant I could do very little in the way of gastro exploration. In fact I contemplated staying in and building an ark, frantically running around the room finding things to put into pairs - shoes, socks, pillows, all in two by two. In the end I didn't, and instead headed out to scoot around Headingley to recce one or two places on the Map.

The battle commences

Hurray, the sun came out! I headed into the city centre to seek out Pickles and Potter, a deli added to the Map by Dexim and endorsed by Kersti, both of whom raved about the sandwiches. I also watched two guys do battle on a giant chess set outside Leeds town hall and popped into the Adelphi pub for a swift pint. Leeds is the land of arcades. And there are still plenty of independent boutique shops and businesses in the city centre, cheek and jowl with the larger chains.

Feeling sheepish

I visited Bondgate Bakery in Otley today. Lovely guys and girls there. As Stephen the owner says: "when you're up and working at 4am you need a sense of humour." Also headed north and found Mackenzie's Yorkshire Smokehouse, which was a hidden gem, not on the Map, but will be now as the restaurant and shop are fantastic. But the best news of the day was that I rescued a sheep! I was driving north of Otley, sat nav off, just looking for interesting things to photograph, when I came upon a lay-by where I could park. The view in the distance was of the rolling Yorkshire hills, raining grey skies slowly breaking to blue and deep purple heather on the moors. A look down to the ditch in front of me however, revealed a pile of fly-tipped rubbish, including a lorry tyre, a wellington boot, cans, bottles, stones, and just beyond that, a wire fence with a sheep stuck in it.

Caught in the wire

He didn't make a noise as I approached but started struggling as I got near. He had managed to get his head and front legs through the gap in the fence but couldn't get the rest of him through. I wasn't sure how long he had been like that but I approached, stroked his nose and began pulling the wire fence over his fleece. With a final push he struggled free and ran off into the field where, at a safe distance, he looked back as if to say thanks, before shaking himself down and trotting off, none the worse for his ordeal.

Time to get active

After spending a day in Huddersfield, eating nothing but Andrew Jones' pies, I decided I better get some exercise. The hotel where I'm staying has a cheap admission deal with a nearby Virgin Active health centre. So taking my lead from Michael Phelps and his rather unorthodox diet I went along. I managed a respectable 25 lengths before giving up and heading for the jacuzzi. Take my word for it, there are only oddballs and posers in gyms on Friday evenings.

It's all in the name

Well if you owned a chip shop, in the Yorkshire dales, that was also the birthplace of the famous Georgian cabinet maker, what else would you call it?

Coffee stop

I said so long to Leeds this morning and set a course for the historic city of York, just over 40 mins away. On the way I stopped off at the A64 Red Bus Cafe - an old bus that's now been converted to a cafe, though you've probably guessed that by now. Earlier this year its future was in doubt, but I can gladly report it's still serving up fried food to hungry motorists. I only stopped for a coffee, which being instant didn't taste great to be honest, but hey, it was only 60p!

Last week Andrew was in Newcastle.

Next he's off to York.

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