21 April 2009, 13:16 PM
  • Fodder, the new food shop and cafe set up and championed by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) chose some of the key food producers, with the help of international food critics Jay Rayner and Simon Majumdar.

Fodder aims to inject new life into the rural economy and support the region’s farmers and producers when it opens in June.

Heather Parry, deputy chief executive of the YAS and self-confessed foodie, has been scouring the countryside for the best producers. “I’ve spent the last six months assembling the best producers to launch Fodder, but I’ve some tough decisions to make in some categories, particularly pies and ice cream. I am spoilt for choice and I needed professional tasting help, so I called in the critics.”

The panel was wowed by a trio of pork pies that came from Voakes Pies — just a scant ten miles from the shop in Whixley, Scarborough based Glaves Butchers and the Michelin starred Chef Andrew Pern from the Star at Harome.

Fodder will be a pivotal market for her ice cream and will help to change the fortunes of the farm. Award winning food critic, Jay Rayner, said, “The killer combination of crunchy honey comb and the creamy velvety texture of proper ice cream was a real winner. I’m delighted to hear it comes from a local family farm using honey from a local beekeeper. This is a great example of how food should be produced. It’s delicious.”     

Fodder is run by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, a registered charity which runs the annual farming and rural events, the Great Yorkshire Show and Countryside Live. It is also supported by Yorkshire Forward.