An interview with Dorset Food & Drink

I sat down with Dorset Food & Drink’s Caroline Richards and Dorset National Landscape Manager Tom Munro who are on a mission to champion our county’s food, drink and people. Where every loaf, every bottle and every cheese tells a bigger story about place, pride and innovation. The interview was first published in Volume 12 of PIER journal.

Dorset Food & Drink (DF&D) may have gone through some changes as an organisation since it was founded by the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (now the Dorset National Landscape) in 2011, but its passion for Dorset’s food and drink has stayed the same. Caroline explains: “It’s about more than what’s on your plate or in your glass. It’s about how it connects landscapes and people in our wonderful county.”

Since 2017 DF&D has been an independent community interest company, championing and connecting more than 100 Dorset businesses. With more people wanting to eat locally and in season, and with food security a growing concern, DF&D directly connects consumers with producers so people can see where their food comes from and how it’s made. Caroline says: “When consumers get to have a conversation with the person who produced what they are buying, that’s where the magic happens – when they get to meet the people who grow, brew, bake, farm, distil or catch their food and drink.”

DF&D used to operate a paid membership model, but this ceased after the Covid pandemic when many member businesses were under serious financial pressure – particularly on top of the foot and mouth crisis. The focus shifted to giving Dorset’s producers a place to stand together. “The power in working together is shared knowledge and challenges faced collectively,” says Tom. DF&D now puts its energy into community visibility and maintaining a regular programme of events. They currently curate four core events a year (see box-out for this year’s dates) and are also affiliated with Dorset Farmers’ Markets (dorsetfarmersmarkets.com).

Thanks to an abundance of land and sea, Dorset has always been a rich county for food and drink – a place where knowledge is passed down through the generations. “That's what we champion,” says Tom. “Food and drink done properly. Local. Seasonal. Sustainable.”

Dorset has some of the best seafood in the UK, with crab, langoustine and lobster from Portland being shipped nationally and internationally. We have award-winning meat that has been organically reared and traditional farmed. Alongside the county’s most famous baked exports – Dorset Apple Cake and Dorset Knobs – there are traditional bakers making artisan bread and savouries. Caroline adds: “Did you know that Dorset Blue Vinny Cheese holds official Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status? It’s a cheese that’s as local as they come, yet quietly world‑class. A delicious reminder of the skill, heritage and dedication behind the produce our county is known for.”

A visit to the DF&D website is sure to whet your appetite – and a visit to one of their markets even more so! Among DF&D members are Oxford’s, a fourth-generation artisan bakery using wheat from local fields. The ovens they use were installed in 1921 and their largest dough mixer is the last working one of its kind anywhere in the world. Then there is Little Waddon Vineyard, where Karen and Simon Priestman make low intervention wine in small batches. The vineyard is nestled at the base of chalk and limestone downs and surrounded by native tree species and abundant wildlife.

Another member is the Book and Bucket Cheese Company, a family-owned business making artisan cheese using sheep and cow’s milk from local farms. All their cheeses are named after famous literary figures, with the Hardy being their signature sheep milk cheese. Together, these producers show what can be achieved when real craft is valued over pure scale.

DF&D are fully aware that financial pressures mean that most people can’t afford to do their weekly shop at a farm shop or farmers’ market, but it’s about doing what little we can to support local producers. That might mean occasionally paying more for an artisan loaf, committing to buy local farm eggs such as Fluffetts, or setting some money aside to attend an event and buy one thing you’ve never tried before. It’s worth mentioning that while you must buy a ticket for all the DF&D events apart from Dorset Food & Arts Festival in August, they include entry to the attraction.

The events are carefully curated to include a good mix of food and drink stalls, plus local artists, photographers and makers – and there is often live music too. Perhaps you’ll pick up some handmade beach art made from upcycled items found on our Jurassic coast beaches. Maybe you’ll buy a cold-pressed soap hand made with milk from the stall-holder’s own herd of goats. Whatever you choose to taste or take home, you are guaranteed a great day out. 

dorsetfoodanddrink.org