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As a tourist destination, Pickering stands out because of its medieval origins and in this vibrant market town, Castlegate Taberna brings forth an array of delicious Spanish tapas and dishes. Choose from cold tapas such as prawns, squid and mussels in salsa or smoked salmon and caper berries on toasted bread while hot tapas such as lamb chops and romesco sauce or sautéed broad beans and Serrano ham are equally popular choices.

Main courses might include grilled medley of fish; chicken breast served with fried potatoes and salad, or rib eye steak with piquillo peppers while vegetarians might enjoy a butter bean and vegetable casserole. The selection of desserts includes caramelised lemon tart or a hot sponge with custard and you can sip on refreshing sangria or choose something from the typically Spanish wine list. Set menus for parties offer good value.

The White Swan has a good name as a hotel, which in no small way derives from the care and attention which goes into the restaurant, in itself an inner centre of excellence. It is always refreshing to see a hotel that lists matters gastronomic near the top of it promotional effort.

Confronted with one of those menus that causes you severe angst, such is the variety with not an instant reject in sight, the great secret is to take your time. No panic, nice and gentle, apply a little hardness of heart even, and it will come right. Says he! For starters how about the Whitby crab cakes with lemon, shrimp and sorrel sauce, or a carpaccio beef with rocket, Yorkshire Blue cheese and pickled red onion or some of their fish soup with rouille, crisp breads and gruyere. Amongst the main courses you will discover such delights as Ampleforth apple sauce, Whitby fish, leek and mussel pie, Yorkshire saddleback sausage, not to mention 'posh' fish and chips with the obligatory mushy peas, sauce Tartare or home-made ketchup.

The most gorgeous rum and raisin rice pudding comes with caramelised bananas and the return of the blessed savoury is marked by the inclusion of a Yorkshire rarebit with onion marmalade and dressed herbs. This is a county that is proud of its cheeses and at The White Swan you can savour, amongst many others, Shepherd's Purse Dairy, Rowley Round and Hard-smoked buffalo - and yes, the buffalo do reside in the county.

I do like restaurants that give their suppliers a share of the glory and every month as the menu changes a list of the current suppliers is available at reception. An elegant wine list travels the globe with a discerning eye. I particularly liked their description of the 1997 Chateau Musar, "a subtle blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrian tanks and Israeli jets".

It would be interesting some time to find out how many people stay at The White Swan because of the excellent food - my hunch is that it would be a sizeable proportion.

One of those traditional old Yorkshire pubs where gentrification has not been allowed inside the door and an air of natural charm pervades the cosy rooms, with the oak furniture and blazing fire supportive of a lazy comfort inside this pleasant 17th century inn.

The pub also had the distinction of being ahead of the game by declaring itself Ryedale's first completely non-smoking country inn, though naturally everywhere is non-smoking now.

All of which goes to set the stage for an approach to the menu which makes the best of the naturally good produce and ingredients that are an essential part of Yorkshire. Layers of black pudding and sauté potato are topped with a free range fried egg and circled with red jelly to make what is called locally a black pudding stack. Baby prawns and smoked salmon are bound in a homemade lemon and dill mayonnaise, with slices of avocado sprinkled with chopped walnuts and drizzled with walnut oil to create a toothsome seafood starter.

Moving on to the main event consider the griddled Glaves t-bone steak, served with a choice of sauces or the traditional onion rings, tomatoes, mushrooms and chunky home-cut chips. Lamb shank has become a popular dish in recent years, and here it is slow-cooked with root vegetables, red wine and the local ale. On a mode modern note there is a duck confit, slow-roasted with juniper berries and bay leaves, then finished with a plum and Madeira sauce.

For puddings there is an interesting and eclectic selection, starting with a sturdy carrot and cinnamon pudding, well laced with hot butterscotch sauce. Straying over the border is the Scottish dessert, cranachan, a rich, creamy affair containing raspberries, honey and whisky. If the juicy mixed fruit crumble is on, go for it. The fruit content is variable, so ask; it comes served with ice cream or custard. It's not often you see a good old-fashioned lemon posit nowadays, but you will here, delightfully light but still a bit naughty.

In Yorkshire you are never far from Wensleydale where some of the best cheeses in Britain are made. Watch out in particular for the sensational blue variety.

The Middleton Arms changed hands in 2005, and is now run by Andrew Green and Joanne Goff, who have previous experience of Yorkshire pubs; it seems clear that they are presently doing for Ryedale what they did for Herriot's Hotel and Restaurant in Hawes.

There is no doubt about it when it comes to old coaching inns tucked away in robust villages amongst the dales, Yorkshire has it all. No wonder they want to make it possible for the people who have always lived there to go on doing so instead of being priced out by affluent townies. And should you decide to stay awhile amidst its ancient charm you will be glad to know the family dog is as welcome at the Fox and Hounds as you are - always a healthy sign.

Their menu says that at lunch they concentrate on something light, to which I can only imagine that the average southerner would be floored not long after the start of the main course. In the evenings however, the team in the kitchen really get to work; think Peking pancakes with crispy duck, chilli jam and dipping sauce. Slow roasted belly pork loses all its elasticity and the roast garlic and cracked chilli sauce challenges the strength of the meat.

The bread and butter pudding with apricot glaze and warm vanilla sauce is a legend of the area, a deciding point in its own right.