Today I was able to find another great local producer for our cake ingrdeients. This time it was honey. Although we were buying English honey, I really wanted to be using honey from as near to us as possible. After a chance discission one morning a few weeks ago and a quick phone call, we were able to track down a producer of local honey. The irony is, I already knew her and had totally overlooked her as a potential supplier for us. The old saying is true, one never looks directly on your doorstep. She lives only four houses down from me in the lane!

This afternoon I visited Pam in her kitchen and we chatted about the wonders of honey, surrounded by jars and a huge bucket of honey gently warming on her Aga, so she could filter out any nasties, to leave the purest clear yellow honey. It tasted amazing. And the best thing is that her bees forage on the crops and hedgerows along our lane and around our farm. A truly local taste unique to our little corner of rural Sussex. Pam told me she also has some hives 10 miles away, further south towards the downs, where the bees forage on oilseed rape and the honey is different again. I can’t wait to try honey from those hives when it’s ready. Our honey cake will certainly be made with local ingredients. The more I go looking for local ingredients, the more I find. Like minded small scale producers dedicated to their own crop or food ingredient, who are more than happy for us to use their excellent products. Sussex is teeming with small growers, breweries, farmers and dairies who make the most amazing food for any of us to enjoy. And the best thing, is that it is just on our doorstep.