Forgive me, I might be showing my age, but can you remember when you bought fresh fruit and vegetables from the greengrocer, fish from the fish monger, bread from the baker and meat from (guess where?) the butcher! I love this way of shopping: from the farm to the market, the boat to the quayside, the field to the table, Ideally all via the vineyard of course! I love it!

My family are real foodies and so it’s really important that we know where our ingredients come from and why this is a core value of Trudy’s Pies.

For years we had fun keeping beautiful Buff Orpington, Araucna and even some little Millefleurs chickens. Their eggs were so fresh, the yolks so yellow, the taste so delicious, they were amazing for baking. Free range eggs are one of the important ingredients in the shortcrust pastry I make for Trudy’s pies.

As a family we have always been involved in ‘local’. The best fun was working with Tony Fleck at Coombe Farm in Sutton Valence producing soft fruit and free range turkeys.  Many a farmers market I have frozen my socks off promoting turkeys!  Tony has now moved to Woolpack Corner Farm in Biddenden and creates a lovely caring environment.

My other half, Barry is a tour guide and conducts tutored wine tastings at Hush Heath Vineyard in Staplehurst. He’s lucky to spend his time promoting amazing wines from the estate … you can imagine how useful that is … but let me tell you anyway!  With my secret source, I can match wines to menus and dishes with ease. I have even used their Late Harvest Chardonnay in Trudy’s pies … how cool is that?

One of the secrets of Trudy’s Pies moist and succulent mincemeat are Kentish Bramley apples sourced from Bardsley Farm in Staplehurst. I’ve been getting my fruit from here for years and never been disappointed.

I believe it is so important we all support our local environment, workforce and economy.  It’s good for you, is good for me, in fact is good for for everyone!

Trudy xx