This year's Royal Cornwall Show, with the second highest attendance, was the best yet for the Cornwall Food and Farming Pavilion's 50+ exhibitors. Several sold out of food, some on more than one of the three days.

Many visitors praised the presentation of the three interconnecting marquees and the smiling and informative welcomes they received - including Secretary of State for agriculture Jim Paice who rated it the best display of all-local produce in the country. We were particularly buoyed up by winning the Show's award for Best Large Multi Occupancy Stand.

The array of Cornish food and drink on offer was a true feast. Some of the highlights included Kernow Sausage's "Betty's Bangers" developed in collaboration with Skinner's Brewery, and which won the "Best New Product" award (sponsored by Cornwall Catering Excellence). Kernow Sausage's Gavin Roberts also provided a crowd pleasing demonstration of how to make a string of sausages with several visitors having a go.

The Best Exhibit award (sponsored by Cornwall Food and Farming Group) was unanimously voted by the judges to go to Deli Farm Charcuterie recreating the interior of their smokehouse.

Other fine new products on offer included new sweet and savoury biscuit ranges from Furniss, a new marketing initiative from Cornish Natural Spring Water which links into RNLI, and a really good dark organic ale from Atlantic Ales.

This year's top farmer-producer was Cornish Orchards with a stunning display, closely followed by Cornish Duck. Best Newcomer (sponsored by Richards Farm Shop) was judged to be Big Buns Cakes who created a good sense of fun in food which was much appreciated by the judges. Picking up the product Marketing award was Cornish Crisp Company who strongly shout their local provenance and feed back a percentage of their price into local charities.

The occaision was also marked by the presence of Matt Dawson and Allegra McEvedy filming a new TV programme and also Kirstie Allsop who was filming as well. Kirsty Fergusson, who is writing the Slow Guide to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly called in for a chat, as did Sanjay Kumar the chairman of Cornwall Slow Food. Royalty wise we were visited by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester = and George Michael also popped in for a pasty!

Here's to 2012.