This year’s Devon County  Show opens at Westpoint Arena,  near Exeter, tomorrow. Locally produced food and drink,  which is both affordable and accessible,  will be one of the  highlights of the three-day event, now in its 115th year.

THIS year’s Devon County  Show could change people’s  shopping habits as its focus is  the affordability and accessibility of local food.

A series of live cookery  demonstrations throughout  the three-day event, which  starts tomorrow and runs until Saturday at Wespoint Arena, near Exeter, will reveal  how buying local food and  drink makes sense  taste-wise, nutritionally and  financially.

Now in its 115th year, the  show has earned a reputation  for championing local producers.

As usual, the food and  drink marquee will be  packed with specialist producers, many from Devon  and the Westcountry.

They will all be selling and  offering tasters of everything  from cheeses to ale brewed  especially for the show.

Home economist and food  and drink steward Celia Hyland will be helping visitors  explore how to use cheaper  cuts of meat and buy seasonal  fruit and vegetables.

She said: “In the current  economic climate the share  of the available budget to be  spent on food is diminishing,  often at the expense of health  and nutrition.

 “This adds to the pressures  of trying to feed the family  healthily.”

 She urged people to try to  include the five-a-day.

 She said: “Vegetables are  often cheaper than fruits and  seasonal produce is usually  cheaper. Crisps, sweets and  chocolate snacks are expensive so are best viewed as a  treat, one per day.

“When planning menus,  give as much variety as possible. It’s  amazing how many  dishes can be made from  minced meat.

“A concern for many is  fuel, so when using the oven  cook as much as possible at  the same time.”

 Most vegetables can be  oven cooked using a small  amount of water and a  tight-fitting lid. Cook double  the quantity and freeze some  for later, she recommended.

“When possible plan meals  and make a shopping list, but  to take advantage of any special offers some flexibility  may be needed. Do not be  afraid to ask questions or for  advice on preparing and  cooking,” said Celia.

 “Also try farmers’ markets, box schemes and visit  the food hall at the show. In  the food and drink marquee  recipes can be collected. Also,   bring along your food questions.”

Inspiring everyone to get  cooking will be a busy programme of live cooking  demonstrations taking place  over the three days, highlighting local food and the  best of Devon produce.

Among the chefs and producers in the kitchen will be  Dez Turland, senior chef at  Brend Hotels, who has been a  staunch supporter of the  show for many years.

 Dez will be assisted by two  junior chefs, who were the  winners of the Brend Hotels’  cooking competition.

He will be joined by Mark  Streeter from the Dart Marina Hotel, who will be using  food from the South Hams.

 Also keeping it local will be  Angus McCaig from The Holt  in Honiton, who specialises  in smoked food from the area.  It will be his first appearance  at the show.

 Over the past four years he  has perfected the method of  smoking his own meat, fish,  poultry, oil, cheese and even  salt.

“Smoking has become a  very big thing now,” said Angus. “It is something that was  born out of practicality when  people needed to preserve  their meat, fish and vegetables, but has now become an  art.

 “Today it is about adding a  delicate flavour to food,  rather than preserving it.

“We predominantly use  oak, cherry, maple and apple  woods for smoking, but you  can also use rosemary and  gorse, anything provided it is  not soft wood, which can create a bitter flavour because of  the  high sap content.”

Angus’ scrumptious selection of smoked dishes includes hot and cold smoked  duck, hot smoked chicken,  hot and cold smoked salmon,  cold smoked bacon, smoked  olive oils, and smoked  cheeses  and other types of  meat, fish, poultry and shellfish.

Representing young chefs  of the future will be students  from Exeter College, joined  by deputy head of hospitality  David Phillips.

Lancashire cheese-maker  Robert Kitchen also returns  with more mouthwatering  recipes.

Something else to watch  out for is a group of young  farmers who will be making  butter and the Devonshire  speciality — junket. The  fruits of their labour will be  in competition for points  counting towards the county  club championship.

Representatives from the  food and farming sector, as  well as local food producers,  will be talking about their  products and answering  questions to highlight the  traceability of local food.

Advanced tickets cost  £14.50 adults, £5 children  (aged five to 15), £12 senior  citizens, and £34 families  (two adults and up to three  children).

Children get in free on Saturday,   when accompanied by  a paying adult. Over 60s can  get two tickets for just £12  when bought in advance.  Telephone 01392 353700 or  08705 321321.

For further information visit www.devoncountyshow.co.uk.