INSPIRED by her work in a gourmet cafe in Sydney, Australia, English degree graduate Hannah Crabtree knew that she had found her vocation.

So when she returned home, the 30-year-old went on the hunt for a place where she could celebrate her love of working with food and people.

"I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life, but I wanted the right location, so and I looked at the whole of this area," she said.

Her search eventually landed in Skipton where she learned that the building at the top of High Street, which once housed the Russian Tearoom, was still vacant. "I saw it and thought it was fantastic and decided to take it."

The result is Hannah's own vision of what makes a good eating out and food shopping experience.

Forage, that's what she calls her new adventure, is made up of a ground floor cafe and delicatessen and the first floor bistro.

It speaks of getting back to nature, using fresh produce, home made products such as pickles and jams - and focusing on keeping the menu broad in its choice but compact in the selection of dishes to eat.

"Whenever I see a menu with lots and lots of choice it floors me," said Hannah, who launched her bistro last Wednesday. The cafe will be open seven days and the bistro Wednesday to Saturday, serving between 5pm and 9pm.

"We're keeping the menu concise and we'll be changing it regularly by choosing what is in season and using our own preserves and products," she added.

The first menu offers starters such as mussels steamed in Saltaire Brewery's Amarillo Gold with chilli, Mackenzie's Smokehouse smoked salmon with pickled elderflower buds, main courses include pan roasted fillet of trout, pan roasted fillet and duck leg and wild mushroom ragu,, polished off with desserts like Forage's sticky toffee pudding and rhubarb and blood orange fool.

The cafe, which occupies the ground floor behind the front of house shop and reception, has been running since mid December.

There you can buy the pickled and jarred products, many of which are homemade, alongside cooking equipment.

And then nip into the bright and airy cafe which overlooks the landscaped garden. In the summer, Hannah, who lives in an apartment above the business, intends opening up the area to customers.