Imagine a meal of delicate Boulmer crab, smoked rare Ridley estate roe deer and tangy Northumbrian nettle cheese, rounded off with a scoop or two of Alnwick rum ice cream: the north-east’s marvellous diversity of regionally produced food is witnessing a resurgence of awareness and enthusiasm.

Food lovers have long been aware that the region had a lot more local fare to offer than a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale and a bag of Consett-made Phileas Fogg snacks. However, for many years the outstanding produce of its coastline, farmland and uplands received little promotion.