To begin at the finish: Rick prepares the order for his last bake in that fantastic Alan Scott oven. For ten years he and Maggie have been banging out fine breads and pasties at Mair’s Bakehouse and taking them to market. Either that or he’s doing his Arfer Brown imitation, “Fire!!!” …

This is the etc. No need for Panibois – French herb boxes will do (Big G used to bake mini-focacce in Camembert boxes). This is just spare dough from the Salt & Pepper Crackers from a few posts back. Then it was Sue’s birthday when we were away. Lunchtime the day before I suddenly realised […]

What was the weather like in France, Mick? Bit damp in parts although it didn’t seem to bother our neighbour, Alain, as the flood laps up to his garage door. The car is actually parked against the curb. We did wonder for a bit as the water crept up the terrace – the doorstep’s only […]

Good old campagne Salt & Pepper Crackers Black Olive Bread – a holiday tradition. Can’t ignore the amazing Olive stall at the market.

Look at this: Whole merlu (hake) off the market at Arcachon. A mere 8€ for 1.6K

End of our first week back in France. Sorry you can’t be with us but, for your entertainment I’ve put up a pdf of last year’s highlights. Go to arcabake17 on the menu and see what bakers get up to on their hols.

In just the last couple of weeks I’ve put up another seven bread formulas on the partisanbaker site: Pain Niçoise Mediaeval Barley Bread Cistercian Black Olive Bread Black Bean Bread with Herbs and Jalapeños Jamaican Easter Buns Nina’s Bread with Dark Beer Check them out. Make a contribution: paypal.me/partisanbaker Every little donation helps the site […]

One of the regular mutterings about sourdough is the length of time it takes – there’s no way you can just make bread when you fancy it. Oh, really ….? Knock up a dough at 80% hydration. It’s wet enough for you to mix with a spatula so you don’t even have to get you […]

When you’ve made your Jamaican Easter Buns, what to do with the rest of the Titanic Dry Stout? Nina’s fabulous Bread with Dark Beer of course! Bread formula coming shortly.

Couple of weeks back in the Guardian, Meera Sodha, presented a vegan recipe for Jamaican Easter Buns containing highly unnatural ingredients like almond milk and sunflower spread (see here). People of a nervous disposition might also be disconcerted to be faced with commercial yeast hidden in the ingredient list. Still, nothing is beyond redemption: a […]