Food culture has gone from a joke to sublime

IS there a better time of year for great British food than autumn? After spending a morning at the Dartmouth Food Festival and a couple of hours in the afternoon preparing three brace of pheasants, I was in full foodie mode last week end, celebrating the season - and the region - that gives us some of the best ingredients available anywhere in the world.

- PHILIP BOWERN

It's sometimes hard to believe that not so many years ago food in Britain was considered a bit of a joke.

A tour of the stands and stalls ranged around the harbour side and riverside in Dartmouth at the week end demonstrate the range and the quality of local food now available.

From fabulous cheeses to a dizzying array of wines and spirits and from sensational breads and cakes to cured meats that rival those from Spain and Italy, the switch from Britain's boil-in-the-bag food culture to today's high quality is remarkable and a great credit to our farmers, food producers, chefs and retailers.

But if the transformation of Britain from the centre of stodge and slop to the nation where it is possible to eat better than anywhere in the world has been incredible, then the fact that a majority of the population still do not eat well is more than disappointing.

By 'not eating well' I'm not talking about the views of the finger-wagging killjoys who warn us against even an occasional bacon sandwich or a piece of cake.

The food police zealots who love to quote the allegedly alarming quantities of salt, sugar and fat we consume are not interested in the life-affirming pleasure of a good meal or a few glasses of wine.