Celebrating Mom

Mom died in early April. She died of old age; a very full life of 99 years. For me there is the lingering sadness of loss and the inevitability of death but this is balanced by the all the good memories and a feeling that it was a natural ending. She seemed to have been […]

Orange Squash

Variation on the prize winning Butternut Squash with Sunflower Seeds and Chile – no seeds or chile because Sue can’t handle them and, after all, it was her squash, and in with a few good scatterings of red bell pepper flakes and the odd glug of olive oil. Beautiful soft crust and moist crumb. Ain’t […]

Mixed Feelings

Fixed bowl, no wheels, 90 Kilos – I’m too old to be dragging this thing around. But yesterday I hauled it out of it’s lair under the counter on two bits of cardboard and spent an hour and a half cleaning it. It’s going to a new home with Sarah Thornber at Corner Cottage Bakery […]

Lawn Mower Ring

This is our garden, about 30×70 feet. I wouldn’t say it was overgrown, but occasionally we come across a Japanese soldier wanting to surrender. Yesterday Sue decided she was going to cut the grass. It is exactly a week till our 42nd wedding aniversary. Whir, whir, whir. Silence. Sue comes in and says she’s lost […]

Scraps #1

Some of the tastiest lunches (that’s what we do) come from leftover ingredients – it’s a universal truth. A shoulder of lamb is going to provide the two of us with at least three meals, this one usually coming third after the Shepherds Pie. This is a great little book bought remaindered for pennies about […]

Can’t be Beet

Oh yes it can! Last Halloween it was Transylvanian Vladbread but as we move into Spring we shift back to the more gentle Beetbrot. If you read the previous two Posts you will know (1) I’m sort of retiring but (2) Carrie, our resident ewes’ cheese maker, has been slipping me dairy products to use […]

Sonderjydske Rye

I love wholemeal rye but I don’t often bake it and I neglect my starter and it develops moulds that have to be scraped off and I have to put the starter through an intensive feeding regime and store it in the fridge until it’s cured. Then it pops out refreshed as though nothing had […]

Bara Surgeirch

To prevent the retiring baker’s hands becoming idle, a contactless delivery occurs. Two mysterious white-filled glass jars on the porch shelf and a masked Carrie standing well back as instructed by the fading sign on the front door. Carrie Rimes is the star of Bethesda’s burgeoning artisan food scene. Well actually there is no artisan […]

Becoming a Home Baker

Maybe I should have said “Becoming a Home Baker Again”. My last gig with Cadwyn Ogwen (local community food hub) was not working out for me. I haven’t baked for sale since Christmas, had my 74th birthday in February, membership of Bread Bakers Guild of America expired yesterday, my Public Liability Insurance runs out next […]

Alright then – how about Day 2?

Yip, 80% hydration dough again. Monday morning. How to make it special? Mince in the freezer, dough in the fridge – has to be Burgers! Dough has only been in the fridge overnight – never used it this fresh before. Usual routine. 100g dough straight from the fridge. Turn on the oven to 250C. Soon […]