MALTON Museum is appealing for help from local people to discover more about the town’s foodie past.

The museum is looking for handwritten recipes of Ryedale as part of a new project looking at the development of the town.

It plans to collect recipes and stories, from the area, connected with producing, cooking and eating, in order to preserve them for future generations.

With the expert help of food historian Peter Brears, the museum will then publish selected ones in a recipe book.

Peter said: “Ryedale has a long history of agriculture and for hundreds of years Malton’s market was famous for the sale of items of food, a history that continues today through its wonderful food markets.

“Therefore, we are appealing for the help of local people. Do you or your family and friends have, or know of, hand-written or locally published collections of recipes or memories of stories passed down the generations that you would be willing to share with us – to let us look at them, and perhaps to copy and use selected ones?”

Peter was formerly curator at Castle Museum, York, and director of Leeds City Museums. His vast knowledge of domestic artefacts and the periods and places in which they were used, together with his knowledge of the preparation and consumption of food through the ages, has made him one of our leading food historians.

Malton Museum is currently closed for the winter period but will re-open in April when it will develop its current project Malton Goes to Market for a second year, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Anyone who can help should email enquiries.maltonmuseum@gmail.com or phone 01653 691262 and leave your contact details and a brief description of what you can offer. They will contact you and arrange either for you to bring things to the museum or to collect them from you.

For more information, go to maltonmuseum.wordpress.com