I hope you are all working up an appetite for the third Taste Cumbria at the end of this month — with James Martin (Saturday Kitchen), Simon Rimmer (Sunday Brunch), and Simon Rogan (Great British Menu) on the menu, festival-goers are course for quite a feast.

“To see that Cockermouth is thriving since the devastating floods in 2009, and that local food and drink have been integral to that recovery, is inspirational,” said James, who will head the bill on Sunday (September 30). “It is a pleasure to be part of such a touching success story.”

Simon Rogan is bringing his culinary style to Taste Cumbria by way of a ‘pop-up l’enclume restaurant’ where he will be serving the dishes he cooked on the Great British Menu.

Simon Rimmer will be in action throughout Saturday using only Cumbrian produce.

And both he and James Martin will be joined by several local chefs including Steven Doherty, the first British person ever to become head chef of a three-Michelin star restaurant. For information on how to book tickets, visit www.tastecumbria.com This week’s Checkout recommendations start with Dales butchers at Kirkby Lonsdale.

Three suggestions, all of which can either be pan-fried, grilled or popped in the oven starting with pork schnitzels (£15.98 per kilo), which is pork loin in breadcrumbs; then chicken fillets in a lemon and coriander sauce (£9.98 per kilo); and finally, spicy beef and vegetable stir-fry (£10.98 per kilo).

More ready-meal ideas from Country Harvest at Ingleton which recommended slices of the pies and quiches made on the premises by the Coffee Shop kitchen team — for example, chicken, ham and leek pie (£2.50), steak pie (£2.50), cheese and onion pie (£2.25), or quiche of the day (£2.25). The pies are also available to order whole as are desserts like apple pie, pecan pie and lemon meringue.

At Kendal Fisheries, the fishmonger suggested a brilliant ready-made starter — frozen spicy Thai crab cakes (£4.99 for 20), which you could serve ahead of a sweet and sour stir-fry of raw prawn tails (£10 per 2lb bag of frozen tails), for example; or what about a luxury starter of smooth and creamy fresh smoked eel (£6.50 per 100g pack)?

Finally this week, The Honeypot at Hawkshead recommended its new Cartmel Village Sticky Toffee cakes (£4.99 for approximately six portions from each cake), a rather timely suggestion as next week is National Cupcake Week and I’ve got a recipe for sticky toffee pudding cupcakes. Enjoy!

  • Sticky Toffee Pudding Cupcakes (Recipe courtesy Rachel’s Cupcakes) Makes 12.
  • 16 7oz chopped dates 125mls boiling water 1 dessertspoon black treacle 5oz gluten free self raising flour 5 ½ oz ground almonds 7oz demerera sugar 2 eggs 2 egg whites 1 tspn vanilla essence For the buttercream: 1lb 2oz soft icing sugar 1 can dulce de leche 2 tspns vanilla essence 4oz softened salted butter fudge pieces to decorate Preheat oven to 200C.

Place dates, boiling water and black treacle in a jug and set aside. Combine dry ingredients in mixer with paddle attachment.

Mix eggs and egg whites with vanilla essence in a jug and add to dry ingredients whilst mixing. Once all ingredients are well incorporated, add date mixture and mix well. Divide between 16 cases and bake for 20 to 23 mins.

For the buttercream: Sift icing sugar into mixer, add cubed butter, cover mixer with a tea towel and mix on a low setting with paddle attachment until well combined. Add caramel sauce (reserve some for decoration) and vanilla essence to icing sugar and butter and mix until smooth. Pipe onto cooked cupcakes with a star nozzle and decorate with chopped fudge pieces, drizzled dulce de leche, and sprinkle with gold glitter.