THE umbrella brand for Yorkshire's food and drink industry was today launching a guide to generate excitement about the region's distinctive products and outlets.

The Guide To Deliciouslyorkshire Food And Drink was being unveiled at Yorkshire chef Brian Turner's Millennium Mayfair Hotel, in London, hosted by the Regional Food Group For Yorkshire and Humber (RFGFYH).

The Deliciouslyorkshire brand hopes the £5 guide will steer readers to a host of sources for thrilling food and drink, including cider-brewing monks at Ampleforth, all-female chocolate-making co-operatives, the mysterious "rhubarb triangle", and seaside fish and chip shops that earn accolades from the nation's top chefs.

Also in the guide are tearooms that retain an old-world charm to the most vibrant pavement cafes, gastronomic pubs and Michelin-starred restaurants.

North Yorkshire companies set to benefit from the extra exposure the publication is expected to generate include Ryeburn of Helmsley, the former National Ice Cream Champion and manufacturer of premium handmade chocolates.

Masham's Black Sheep Brewery, Whitby's Elizabeth Botham & Sons, Northallerton's Stamfrey Farm Organics, Ampleforth Abbey Orchard, Ripon's The Yorkshire Soup Company and Harrogate's Bleiker's Smokehouse are among the other firms featured in the guide.

Karen Carlyle, executive director of the RFGFYH, said: "The directory means people can order from home or get out there in the Yorkshire countryside and plan weekends away or days out."

Brian Turner, who also wrote the foreword for the guide, said: "Yorkshire has a unique and wonderful food heritage.

"The supermarkets don't always make it easy for us to buy good quality, seasonal, local produce.

"But this directory gives you no excuse. The companies included here offer the best of Yorkshire, within a single volume.

"Call them, go to their websites, visit the farms. This is what good food is all about."

Updated: 11:20 Tuesday, February 14, 2006