Snap

My latest profile picture on Facebook got a surprising number of “likes”. Perhaps people are staring to take pity on me as I approach my 70th birthday. My amazing Mom is 95 and has lost most of her sight. It’s not at all straightforward what she can and cannot see; it’s not like seeing through […]

Sønderjydske Rye

Because I developed my own approach to baking a lot of years ago, I often get more out of non-specialist bread books where I adapt ideas to my own methods than I do out of this year’s must-have pukka baking manual. And some bread books by famous bakers, such as Eric Kayser’s acclaimed Larousse Book […]

Two Bakers

First up, Barry Fowler, The Hill Bakery at Kilmersdon. You need to be up early to buy Barry’s bread unless you’ve placed an order. He sells at Frome farmers market once a month and luckily we coincided with him last weekend. We got there shortly after 10.00 a.m. and he was totally sold out apart […]

Clive Walley

Just had a couple of days in Frome where our very good friend Clive has an exhibition at Black Swan Arts. Black Swan’s website says “Ground breaking film-maker Clive Walley revisits his love of painting, producing a special suite of paintings for the Black Swan, looking at the relationship between reality, perception and what we […]

Pissaladière Niҫoise

We had friends round on Saturday night for a sort-of international mash-up – sort-of tapas: piquillos stuffed with Italian manicotti filling (ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, eggs, nutmeg, parsley), pasteis de bacalhau (deep fried Portuguese salt cod & potato balls), Spanish chorizo in cider with honey and chile, potato salad, an Israeli cabbage salad with pomegranate seeds […]

Rosca de Reyes

As promised: Rosca de Reyes, Three Kings Bread, Mexican Epiphany Bread, (06 January Bread). Only made it once before back in 2011 according to my records. I kept the formula but without any notes and made up the dough while I tried to remember which book the original idea and method came from. Was it […]

Fallen Angels

Twelfth Night. Cards taken down, angels fallen in a heap: They don’t care. Look at their lascivious smiles, look at the size of the shortbreads in their hands. Fans of “The Long Good Friday” should imagine Bob Hoskins screaming “There’s been an Epiphany!”. Rosca de Reyes up next.

Bread Angels

The Christmas Bread Angels are still aloft: Not the Virtuous kind mind you. When’s 12th Night?

Flying Start

First day back at the millstone and, even before I’ve had time to open a bottle of Westons, things are happening already. Someone bought a course voucher for her partner’s birthday. Through the letter box comes the Bread Bakers Guild of America’ 2017 calendar and what’s on February: That’s right, they used my campagne photo! […]

Regular v. Christmas Bread

People often ask me what the difference is between regular bread (Torth Yr Ocar): and Christmas Bread (Torth Nadolig Yr Ocar): The answer: 50p No, of course I wouldn’t exploit my customers at this holy festive time, would I? There’s the reusable plastic holly – saving the planet don’t come cheap – but it’s worth […]