North-east England

Yorkshire and Northumbria boast a contrast of beautiful coastlines to the east, heathery hills and craggy mountains to the west. In between, lie the buzzing cities of Newcastle, Leeds and York. With delicious seafood, cheese and more, the north-east is a region that has much to offer.

Yorkshire's meat and dairy

The dales and moors of England's largest county, Yorkshire, are home to cows, sheep and pigs. Cows' milk is used to make the original Wensleydale cheese (originally made by the monks of Jervaulx Abbey), and pork has always played an important part in the region's diet.

York hams are famous at home and abroad. The name is now commonly applied to a curing method which has been exported to hams produced in a variety of countries, although few can match the quality of the original - a dry-salted ham with a mild flavour and light pink colour. York ham can be lightly smoked, though Scott's the butchers of York don't smoke them.

The essential accompaniment to roast beef has been adopted nationally, but a true Yorkshire pudding was traditionally served as separate course before the meat to reduce the diners' appetites.

Seafood

With Yorkshire's profusion of seaside resorts at Scarborough, Whitby, Filey, Bridlington and Cleethorpes along with quaint fishing villages, such as Staithes and Robin Hood's Bay, you'll never be short of some good seafood or fish and chips with mushy peas.

Baking

Baked goods are Yorkshire's true forte. Many contain oats, as these were originally grown all over north England. In the old days, oatcakes were much bigger than those sold now. Parkin is a dark, spicy ginger cake made with oatmeal and black treacle.

The knowledge that all Geordies are evidently born with is the recipe for stottie cake. It's not a cake actually, but a savoury bread made from self-raising flour, salt and milk. Stotties make excellent chip or bacon butties.

Drink

If you want to fit in when you visit Newcastle, ensure you ask for a 'Newkie', a 'brown dog' or a 'broon ale' - never its full title of Newcastle Brown Ale. Northumbria is also where Lindisfarne Mead originates.

Northumbrian tradition

Craster kippers come from the village of the same name and the smokehouses there use a special light cure that hasn't changed much over a century. They make for a delicious kipper paste. Every seaside town in Northumbria will wrap you up the very best fish and chips.

Pease pudding 'hot' is one of the most famous dishes of the region dating back to medieval times when it was sold by street vendors around Newcastle. Bacon is a popular ingredient in the region's cooking, used in bacon floddies, pan haggerty and Alnwick stew, and Northumbrians are passionate about their leeks.

Producers

The north-east's biggest strength lies in its abundance of small, family-run businesses. There has been a real renaissance of family-run producers, and several local companies are now supplying shops across the UK with local baked goods, beers, honey, kippers and dairy produce. Look for authentic Wensleydale and other local cheeses made by numerous family-run dairies.

Tea

Taylors of Harrogate is one of the few remaining family tea merchants in the country. Charles Taylor, a young Yorkshireman with a passion for tea, founded his own business in 1886 in the heart of Yorkshire. More than 100 years later the company is still honouring the traditions of the original founder and supplies several major supermarkets and food halls with its Yorkshire tea. Its sister company, Betty's Café Tea Rooms, has some of the most famous tea rooms in the county.