Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in last year’s BBC TV’s Masterchef  competition. Every Saturday Yemi will be writing on the Stray Ferret about her love of the district’s food  – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.  

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Last week Yemi was in Pateley Bridge and wrote about her experience at Cocoa Joe's.  This week she continues her culinary journey in the town..

My day in Pateley Bridge did not end without me exploring the town from the butchers to the tea rooms and I couldn’t resist entering Glad Rags Boutique where I left with a pineapple patterned summer shirt.

Charles Andrew from Cocoa Joe’s told me there were two excellent butchers on the high street so I couldn’t wait to see what was on offer.

My first stop was at Kendall’s where I first feasted with my eyes before stepping through their doors. It was a funny sight as I joined others to peer through the clear glass at their arrays of pies wondering how I would choose which one to try. I felt like ‘Oliver Twist’ about to ask for more.

Armed with information from the locals, I already found out their preferences, so I thought that was a great place to start. I dragged myself away from the street to take in the rest of their indoor display.

Their sausage roll was still warm, so I started with that, and I was really delighted by the flaky, crispy, and light pastry around the tasty filling. This was in a class of its own and I soon began to understand why their pies were award winning.

There was no way I wasn’t leaving with some sausage rolls for my boys who live in London so a pack of their ready to cooked sausage rolls were instantly on my shopping list.

I chose their hog roast pie with pulled shoulder of pork with apple and stuffing which I thought would be too sweet, but it was just right, and the chicken pie. I am a sucker for mushy peas, so the mushy pea topped pork pie made the final cut.

Kendall’s is uttered in the same breath as pies so it is easy to think that’s all they do well but that would be mistaken because they also have an amazing selection of meat – cooked and raw. I left with some lamb rack which would make a delightful dinner centrepiece and I am looking forward to sitting down to enjoy it crusted with my African spices.

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Read More:

• Plan for 15 flats on former Pateley Bridge garage site rejected


• Yemi’s Food Stories: a porky discovery at Crimple

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I crossed the road again and was soon in the Oldest Sweet Shop in the World established in 1827; it was nice to know that generations have had a sweet tooth.

From the Guinness world record by the door as you walked in, rows of sweet in glass jars, old tin jars fit for any museum to the weighing scale that took me back to my childhood, there were many moments of being wowed. It took every ounce of strength to resist buying the tiniest amuse bouche like lemon desserts which were so pretty and dainty.

I walked past a tearoom, Indian and Waffles and Crepe restaurants which offered even more selection of sweet delights.

My last stop was Wildings Tearoom which is just by the river where you can enjoy a cup of tea overlooking and listening to the soothing sounds of the river. With a good selection of cakes and a couple of plaques, I was already smiling whilst checking out the menu.

A quote said, ‘A balanced diet is a cake in each hand’ and who can argue with that?

The second quote, ‘Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away’ was my parting gift as I left Pateley bridge, a town that took my breath away.

The natural beauty, amazingly warm people and the food scene makes this a place I can’t wait to visit again with friends, family and guests.