James Tanner takes an Isle of Wight foodie tour

• Transport used: train, FastCat, electric vehicle

James chose sustainable transport options for his visit to the Isle of Wight. He travelled to Portsmouth with South Western Railway and caught the Wightlink FastCat passenger service from inside Portsmouth Harbour Railway station.

On arrival at Ryde Pier Head, James jumped into an all-electric Volkswagen ID.4 from Esplanade, allowing him to get around the Island with zero emissions.

• Location: Portsmouth Harbour FastCat Passenger Terminal, Portsmouth, PO1 3PS

• Ingredients used: Isle of Wight Tomatoes

James already uses Isle of Wight Tomatoes at his restaurants and was delighted to pick some up here, freshly picked in the fields next door.

Farmer Jacks has since closed and has been replaced by Harvey Browns, a destination farm shop, food hall, butchery and lakeside café bar – where you can still find Isle of Wight Tomatoes.

• Location: Arreton Old Village, Main Road, Arreton, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 3AA

• Ingredients used: Isle of Wight Blue

In our film, James picked up his Isle of Wight Blue from Farmer Jack’s and went on to meet the makers at the Isle of Wight Cheese Company.

First made in 2006, this naturally rinded soft cheese is made with pasteurised milk. It is blue veined and is sold at 3-5 weeks of age. The moulds give the cheese bags of character and makes it stand out on any cheeseboard.

Look out, too, for other delicacies, such as the Isle of Wight Cheese Company’s Gallybagger, said to make soufflés so light they ‘evaporate on the tongue’.

• Ingredients used: Fresh Crab

James was lucky enough to meet one of the fishermen here, right off the boat, with crab and lobster in tow.

The team at Ventnor Haven Fishery run day boats into the bay meaning the fish you buy is the freshest it possibly can be having being caught and landed that morning. Ventnor is renowned for its quality crab and lobster, but the team serve up a whole selection of daily catches depending on the season.

• Location: Eastern Esplanade, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, PO38 1JR

• Ingredients used: Mermaid Gin

If, like James, you’d like a tipple to go with your evening meal, head to The Isle of Wight Distillery. Founded by friends Xavier Baker and Conrad Gauntlett, they laid down their first barrel of whisky in 2015, following it up with Mermaid Gin, a smooth, elegant, and complex gin made with locally foraged rock samphire and Boadicea hops.

Their Rock Sea Vodka and HMS Victory-branded Navy Strength barrel-aged gin – incorporating real oak from the famous warship – are worth a try, too. Find their products all over the island but especially at the distillery’s home, inside The Mermaid Bar, which is also their visitor centre in Pondwell Hill, Seaview.

• Location: Mermaid Bar, Pondwell, Isle of Wight, PO33 1PX

• Ingredients used: Isle of Wight Garlic

The world-famous Garlic Farm which has been producing the pungent bulbs for more than 40 years. Try one of the garlicky dishes in their on-site restaurant or take something home with you – their shop stocks myriad garlicky delicacies, from smoked garlic to Black Garlic beer and vodka.

• Location: Mersley Farm, Mersley Lane, Newchurch, Isle of Wight, PO36 0NR

• Ingredients used: The Watermill Flour – Strong White

Calbourne Water Mill takes pride in the fact that their flour is ground the ‘traditional way’. Using only the power of water, millers Neal and Alex produce approximately 50-60 tons of flour and oats each year.

Calbourne Water Mill supplies many shops across the Isle of Wight, but you can also visit the Mill itself alongside the Rural Museum and beautiful grounds. Flour and bread can be purchased at the Gift Shop here.

• Location: Newport Rd, Calbourne, Newport PO30 4JN