Here at the Pandora Inn we believe in keeping it local, it makes sense on so many levels. It means we are supporting local employers and in turn their local workforce, reducing air miles and bringing you fresh, locally grown Cornish produce. Here’s the first in a series of features on our great local suppliers.
We purchase our fruit and vegetables from WestCountry Fruit Sales one of the oldest produce trading businesses in the region and in the UK. Over the years, the business has built an unrivalled local network of dedicated high quality local growers of seasonal fresh produce.
Lizard Leaves – grown organically less than a mile from the Pandora Inn!
The company can trace its roots as a fresh produce wholesaler in Cornwall as far back as 1856. Members of the same family have owned and operated the company since 1961, providing a consistent approach to delivering excellent produce to customers, where they want it, when they want it.
Working with Pete Lawrence, a vastly experienced organic grower famous for his Lizard Leaves range (and who we featured in a blog a few years ago) WestCountry Fruit Sales purchased Canara Farm, an organic market garden near Mylor, virtually on the Pandora’s doorstep! Canara Farm has around 14 acres of prime market garden with several huge polytunnels and produces a wonderful range of specialist vegetables, salads and herbs plus a few fruits.
Heirloom tomatoes growing at Canara Farm. Photo: WestCountry Food Sales
They grow heirloom and artisan tomatoes such as black cherry, green sausage and Hawaiian currant; baby carrots, turnips and beetroots of various shapes and colours; a plethora of peas and beans from purple mange tout to striped French beans, edible flowers like marigolds, nasturtiums, borage and, of course, the wonderful courgette flower for stuffing or deep frying.
Head Chef John Poole is passionate about using fresh local produce, he’s has lived in the area for most of his life and sources the freshest fish, meat and vegetables from local fishermen, farmers and growers.
“We are fortunate to have a range of first-class local producers right on our doorstep, all really keen to supply their produce to us. We’ve been buying fabulous organic vegetables from the Lizard Leaf Company, situated less than a mile from us, for many years. Using quality ingredients is absolutely key to producing great food!”