Big British Food Map Sampling Somerset

Date Published:

14/05/2008

The hunt for first class food continues. Andrew visited Somerset, got nostalgic over Wookey Hole then made it to Wales in time for the footy

My old house

Wookey Hole! No not anything to do with Chewbacca from Star Wars, but home to some fantastic caves, the ace Wookey Hole Inn, and as it happens, myself from 1981 – 1982 when my dad was the chef at the visitor's centre. It was weird coming back as last time I was here I was six years old. My old school is now an old people's home. But the house I lived in is still there.

The topsy turvy world of Wells

A brief stop in Wells, where I saw this excellent sign above a barber's shop, then on to Bath. WANTED: Someone into food, not a nutcase and willing to go Dutch on dinner, drinks or a cuppa tea any time over the next seven months. Mail me at bigfoodmap@channel4.com because I've just sat in a lovely B&B room and scoffed Charles' excellent salad leaves like popcorn for tea whilst typing this. And although I'm loving this job, I could do with a local guide and someone to talk rubbish to.

The glamour of the road

After a nice kip at Brook's Guesthouse, the very kind Lee from the Dolly Tub launderette in Bath did a service wash for me. Being the Mr Gadget I am, I got flummoxed by how to work the washing machines, and being bereft of powder thought it best to hand the whole lot over to an expert. Ah the glamour of life on the road.

Pimped and primed

Headed up to Worcester today to judge a Worcester Sauce competition and check out a few places. On the A44 saw this custom pimped up Model T Ford - amazing. The garage also had a MKII Ford Escort in, which was getting a custom paint job.

Off to Wales

On to Wales, the land of song. I'm spending a day in Mumbles. The weather's turned, with the odd spot of rain and battleship grey skies. I'm reminded 0f Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas. 'It is a spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobble streets silent and the hunched, courters'-and-rabbits' wood limping invisible down to the sloeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea.'

Beside the seaside

Me on Caswell beach, there's no one here, it's beautiful, just miles and miles of sand and sea. Tomorrow I'm moving on to a mushroom place in the Brecon Beacons.

Swansea fans don't like Cardiff much

Spent the day in Swansea visiting the traditional market then took a walk around the shops. Lots of large ladies in Swansea; most of the fellas were in the pubs watching the FA Cup Final. It's an odd one because Swansea fans hate Cardiff, so were all cheering the English team. I imagine Southampton fans were all cheering the Welsh team, such is the nature of football rivalry. Caught a bit of the game in a bar on Wind (pronounced as in to wind a watch, not as in a gust of wind). Portsmouth scored and the place went mental. I left at half time to nip round the Dylan Thomas centre nearby.

Last week Andrew was in Devon.

Next he headed off to Wales.

Back to top