Truro Farmers Market celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2024, and has announced the release of a very special recipe book to celebrate the milestone.
The first copies of the book are expected to arrive any day now; the limited edition hardback is available to pre-order online alongside a seasonal food calendar, and both will be for sale throughout The BIG Christmas Market on Lemon Quay which begins on November 29.
The market, which is a cooperative of local producers, was one of the first of its kind in the UK when it was formed in 1999; it continues to go from strength to strength and is regularly listed as one of the best local food markets in the country.
Creating Truro Farmers Market – The Cookbook has been a year-long team effort, with local chef Todd Studley devising affordable and approachable dishes charting the course of the seasons at market, while taking inspiration from food cultures around the globe.
According to fellow chef Jude Kereama, who wrote the Foreword for the book, the recipes: “eminently suit the Cornish lifestyle, with a focus on outdoor cooking over live fire, ideas for enjoying the very freshest fish, and nourishing comfort food for those months of long, windswept walks on empty beaches.”
Photography by Stewart Girvan, who is also the market’s co-ordinator, celebrates Todd’s down-to-earth cooking, while vividly bringing into focus the people behind the produce.
Stewart said: “Working so closely with the stallholders every week, I know the hard graft that goes on behind the scenes. This book captures the community spirit and passion for great Cornish produce which exists at the market, and we had a lot of fun making it. Plus, as official photographer I got to sample first-hand all of Todd’s delicious dishes, and I can vouch for everything being super tasty!”
The stories of the market stallholders – farmers, growers, bakers, fishermen and many others - are told by writer Lucy Cornes of Cornwall Content, who has worked closely with the market for many years.
They include David Buscombe of The Cornish Mill and Bakehouse, who leads four generations in baking sweet and savoury treats using flour milled on the family farm; Nick Dymond of St Piran’s Pork, where regenerative farming methods are improving soil health and producing nutrient-rich food; and Chris Bean of day boat Lady Hamilton, who has been launching from Helford for over 50 years and exclusively supplies the market with supremely fresh fish.
Lucy said: “As much as we wanted this to be a useful recipe book which rarely spends too long on the shelf, we also wanted to do justice to the local food heroes at the grassroots of Cornwall’s culinary culture.”
The bold colours and eye-catching illustrations of the book and calendar are the work of Becky Hutchens of Stanhope Design, who has overseen the market’s brand evolution over the past five years.
Becky said: “This was possibly the most enjoyable design and illustration project I’ve worked on to date, showcasing delicious food and so many fabulous small producers and local businesses. I was constantly hungry throughout the design process!”
Styling and further photography were provided by Rebecca Lily, who can often be found with her trusty camera at market, documenting the evolving array of produce from week to week and sharing inspiring content on social media.
The book was printed by TJ Printers in Padstow and a limited number are available initially; any local businesses interested in stocking the recipe book should contact stewart@trurofarmers.co.uk.
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