The seeds of Sedgwick’s Charcuterie were sown many years ago with possibly the most romantic Christmas present ever - a sausage stuffer! Initially buying pork from friends, we experimented with many a homemade sausage. Our recipes gradually became more complex and, following family holidays to mainland Europe, we began to incorporate European charcuterie methods into our sausage making and cures. Our trips to France, Germany and Andalucia gave us inspiration to try different techniques and recipes, and we were soon making air dried hams, chorizos and salamis at home.
The next step - and a huge one at that - was quitting the day jobs and moving to our current smallholding where we could raise our own pigs, as well as grow most of our own veg, and rear chickens, ducks and guinea fowl for eggs and meat. Following a few more tasting trips to Europe - including a week touring the Artisan Norcini (pork butchers) of Tuscany - we took the step to convert an outbuilding into a butchery and curing cave so we could begin to make and sell our own charcuterie.