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Eat Local Kent food challenge day 3

06:00, 27 June 2019

updated: 15:24, 27 June 2019

We've set our editorial apprentice, Rebecca Tuffin, the challenge to only eat foods where all ingredients are from Kent for a whole week.

She has now completed her third day - check out how day two went by clicking here.

Trout, beans and of course, potatoes for dinner today
Trout, beans and of course, potatoes for dinner today

I feel like I'm in the war.

I have been to a couple of farm shops but I am running out of interesting options and am really craving a pizza.

Buying local is hard - you really have to put the effort in to firstly, find the products and secondly, cook everything from scratch.

I found what I thought was British-grown tea in Rickwoods in Bearsted, but when I looked closer, realised the leaves were grown abroad but made into tea in Kent.

So we continue this journey tea-less.

Breakfast

Good old bacon and egg
Good old bacon and egg

Bacon and eggs is as basic a breakfast as you can get - but it's still pretty good.

The bacon is from Stour Valley Game - I got a hefty 12 thick-cut slices in my £3.33 pack, which should last me the week.

I've used up my Five Acre eggs so am now onto another box, this time from Sutton Valence, bought for £1.99 from Haven Farm Shop.

I could have done with some toast though.

Having flour means I could make my own bread, if I found some yeast. But to be frank, I'm not sure if I want to spend a whole evening kneading dough.

Lunch

I had some leftover omlette from last night for lunch.

I'm a big fan of making extra portions of dinner so it can be used the next day - I do enjoy cooking but it is quite time-consuming so better to prep a few portions in one.

Whack it in the microwave and voilà - a lovely hot, homemade lunch ready in one minute.

Dinner

I wrapped the trout in foil to keep at the juices in and cooked for just 20 minutes
I wrapped the trout in foil to keep at the juices in and cooked for just 20 minutes

I was very pleased to find some fish in Staplehurst yesterday- at a brilliant price too.

Henhurst Farm Shop sells whole trout, caught in Bewl Water reservoir for just £3.50.

I let it defrost in the fridge overnight and it only took 20 minutes to cook.

Trout from Bewl Water, potatoes and beans
Trout from Bewl Water, potatoes and beans

With a few beans from Marden, bough for £1 and, you guessed it, a generous portion of potatoes, we were there.

The fish was flavoursome, even without salt - fresh and tender, but I had to battle through about 100 bones - oh, the perks of fillets.

Daily updates on what Rebecca has been eating will be published on KentOnline each morning this week at 6am.

If you'd like to get involved in the challenge, send your pictures and where you bought your food to rtuffin@thekmgroup.co.uk or tweet @rtuffinKM with the hashtag #eatlocalkent

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