From A Country Kitchen

Market Stall

"KEEPING ALIVE THE RICH TRADITIONS OF AN EARLIER AGE"

"From a Country Kitchen Ltd" is a speciality food company based in Ross-on-Wye, rural Herefordshire. Its principal aim is to produce country dishes in a way that was done a century or more ago in traditional country kitchens.

Popular and more unusual regional dishes, pies and puddings would have been handmade, seasonal and using ingredients from the region. Additives, flavour  enhancers and chemical preservatives were unknown; thus people enjoyed as natural a product that could be made.

Today, Eileen Brunnarius is holding fast to this culinary philosophy. A former multi-awarded restaurateur and `Master Chef of Great Britain', who has gained praise from Egon Ronay, Tom Jaine, Rick Stein and Matthew Fort; she is taking cooking `back to the future' !

Sourcing the ingredients, wherever possible, from the historical region known as the southern Welsh Marches, means that the naturally raised meat and wild game are highly flavoured. Slow cooking methods and subtle seasoning create superior pies (raised and gravy), puddings (savoury and sweet), soups, tarts and meals.

To round off the package many historical and regional recipes have been researched and rejuvenated. For example, Shropshire Fidget Pie. Several counties had their own variations on this going back many centuries. The origins of the name are not known, but it was regarded as a harvest time dish. This one contains Gammon, Apple, Potato, Onion, Cider and Herbs; which is made with an exposed centre (the pastry being folded back).

The historical theme is continued with the Christmas offerings. With the exception of the Pilgrim's Pudding (which is an American recipe from the late 1500s), the puddings and cakes have been researched from Nineteenth Century cookery books, and have been chosen for their unusualness and even quirkiness. The quality of the pies was recognized in 2005, when Eileen was made a "Rick Stein Food Hero". Also, at the prestigious Ludlow Food Festival, the Gloster Old Spot pie won "The Pork Pie of the Marches" in 2005 and 2007; and the Game pie won "The Meat Pie of the Marches" in 2008.