FOODIE DESTINATIONS

East Suffolk

Twiggy is a Suffolk resident, and says she loves shopping – especially for food – in a number of Suffolk markets.

It was one winter in 2004, when she and her husband were having lunch in a pub after one of their walks on the gusty beach, that she was spotted by Steve Sharp, the marketing executive for Marks & Spencer. He had the immediate idea of using her in the now well-regarded M&S campaign. Twiggy says, "I'm very happy I went to that pub. It's funny, when I think of all the times I've been to meet someone about a job, and worried about what to wear, and got changed a million times. And then there I am that day in Southwold in my woolly hat and anorak, and Steve spots me. It just shows, doesn't it?”

Maybe the Suffolk produce is her secret!

Here is what The Guardian thinks about the area as a foodie destination:

With a mixture of freshly caught seafood, a rich agricultural tradition and fine artisanal products East Suffolk has much to offer the hungry traveller.
The obvious place to start exploring the region's edible attractions is the farmer's market at Snape Maltings which happens on the first Saturday of every month. It's teeming with intriguing produce and, being out of town, has a villagey feel. Everyone seems to know each other, or at least they all know local food expert Polly Robinson, the brains behind FOOD SAFARI who whisks us - and anyone else who wants to book - around to meet local producers who share their skills, from shucking oysters to preparing and cooking game.

Our first taste of the county is of rich and creamy Suffolk Gold Cheese and we meet a woman who is passionate about her Red Poll cattle which she farms for both milk and beef.

The market closes at lunchtime, after which we ravenously drive seven miles south west towards Woodbridge, for lunch at the British Larder. It has only been open a year, but the gastropub, has already established itself as a key Suffolk foodie destination. Many of the producers you meet at the farmer's market, such as Sutton Hoo chickens and Butley Oysters, see their output showcased on the menu there. The pub is run by chefs Madalene Bonvini-Hamel and Ross Pike who run a recipe website, have a book in the offing and plan to run cookery courses.

Too greedy to commit to single courses, we share two "tasting platters" - the Dingly Dell (named after the nearby pig farm) for pork, and the Orford Smokehouse fish selection, both arranged beautifully on thick, wooden slabs and garnished with curly pea shoots. The former includes a smoked ham scotch egg that is, from the crunchy crumb through to the yielding yolk; perfect.

Another highlight is the ham hock and Sutton Hoo chicken terrine. I don't usually go in for terrines but this is sensational. The smoked prawns and creamy mackerel pâté are also to die for. The puddings are well worth carrying a few extra pounds for - the treacle tart filling oozes in its short, thin pastry shell, all toasted and caramelised on top, served with Suffolk Meadow vanilla ice cream. And the cherry and brown sugar meringue mess is gorgeously topped with three whole horns of meringue, powdery on the outside and sticky within.

After lunch, we pootle coastwards to take in Orford's offerings. With its twelfth century and a coastal nature reserve just across the river, it is stupendously picturesque. The short walk to the quay from the castle is a beautiful route to the river, which is hidden by a little hill on the approach, so you hear it and smell it and detect its reflected light before you see it.
Pinney's quayside store makes for an interesting stop. The company have been smoking fish in Orford since the 1950s, much of it caught in the North Sea by their own boats. The smoking still takes place out at Orford Ness, and they have a restaurant (Orford Butley Oysterage) in the middle of the village. It is intimidatingly quiet in the shop when we enter, but as soon as you break the silence and ask about the products and Pinney's history, the man the behind the counter opens up like a book. We buy treacly smoked traditional Suffolk black bacon (possibly an acquired taste, this one), and hot smoked (Scottish) salmon cutlets. Lurking in quiet Bakers Lane is another smokehouse, Richardson’s – where they smoke and sell on the same premises.

We've already sampled some of the wares of our next stop, Pump Street Bakery because they supply the British Larder. The place has a light, modern feel to it, including the café where customers congregate around one vast table. A glance at the menu tells you that everything they sell is a bit special – from the cherry and hazelnut Bircher muesli to the green pea and lovage soup, with Tuscan olive oil and a mini baguette.

Before we head up the coast to find our digs in Aldeburgh, there's time for a brief detour just outside Orford to visit High House Fruit Farm, whose shop is manned by nothing more than a set of scales and an honesty box. Our visit hits the end of the asparagus season and there are some beautiful fresh specimens that are hard to resist - along with some lovely apple juice (it's the cloudy, unfiltered stuff, and they sell it by variety: James Grieve, Cox & Bramley, Discovery and Russet).

Unsurprisingly, come dinner time, we're just not that hungry so we hole up at the Brudenell Hotel, sheltering from the blustery wind coming in from the sea, which it overlooks. Our favourite comestibles there turn out to be the cocktails made with spirits from the new Adnams Distillery, and the lovely home-made jams, served at breakfast.

The perfect start to Sunday morning is a stroll along the beach to the Fish Shack, where fishermen sell their catch fresh off the boats at bargain prices.

Before the long drive home, some light country rambling is in order so we stock up on picnic food at another must-visit in Aldeburgh. A quick nose around Lawson's Delicatessen on the high street reveals a good mix of local artisanal produce (from ripe cheeses to freshly picked fruit and veg), specialist ingredients from further afield (such as Spanish salted almonds), and fine food made in their own kitchens – from soups and salads to glazed local pork and sweet pastries. When we finally, reluctantly set off on our journey, we are hungry for more.