Welcome to Foodlink30 Merseyside

Merseyside, perhaps not previously synonymous with excellent food, can and does hold its head high.  Many of the regions within the County - Liverpool, Wirral, Southport and St. Helens can boast their own unique food festivals.

Perhaps that's because some 45% of Merseyside is rural and the county holds one of the highest percentages of finest Grade A soil anywhere in the country which means that almost anything can be grown within its boundaries.

The lush green pastures of the Wirral in the south for example are home to most of the region's livestock farming, jockeying for position amongst the acres of seasonal produce such as asparagus in the Spring; berries and soft fruits in Summer; brassicas and potatoes in Autumn and Winter - and that's why "pick-your-own" farms are so abundant here too.

Travelling north along the Sefton coast, passed the world famous Iron Men statues by Antony Gormley at Crosby, you arrive at the outskirts of Southport and of particular note is the Royal Birkdale Gold Club formed in 1884 and host to the Open Golf Championships (17-20 July 2008).  Just off the coast at this point are the fishing grounds for the world famous brown shrimp.

A local delicacy, potted shrimps are produced by just 2 remaining companies at Southport and, whilst the recipes are top-secret, we can reveal that the ingredients include whole brown shrimps, mace, cayenne pepper, shallots, lemon juice and seaoning, all topped with melted butter.

Over to the eastern side of the county in St Helens, famous of course for its glass manufacturing industry, is Bartons Pickles - the preferred choice for HRH The Prince of Wales.  Bartons is a family run business making good use of the local fresh vegetables grown nearby.  On the outskirts of St Helens is a plethora of farmshops, many growing their own vegetables to sell.

This website is designed to help you get the most out of local food, its producers and retailers.  Foodlink30 has a range of special events and discounts available to members and non-members as well as a forum page where you can ask questions about local food or air your views.  We hope you enjoy it!