A Self-Congratulatory Interlude

I get lots of positive feedback from people who buy my books but occasionally I get one that you couldn’t pay for from Saatchi & Saatchi. Matt from Canada bought both books just before Christmas and says: I just wanted to say thanks for the books! I really enjoyed your writing style. Where the narrative […]

Deconstruction

Funny how an email from someone who basically just wants to say hello can make you think through the fundamentals of what you are about. Got a very enthusiastic message from a guy in Ulster who has caught the baking bug and is thinking of going commercial. He likes what I do so he must […]

Bethesdabakin’ 2014

Ladies and Gents At last it can be announced!!! Bethesdabakin’ 2014 is to be hosted by Rick & Maggie at Mair’s Bakehouse 30/31 May/01 June. 20 bakers only – sign up soon

Reader, I Done IT!

Maryland crab cake on a fried slice of Brioche Antillaise (you have to have a poncey name).

Trust II

Teaching and working with other bakers is one of the great pleasures of this baking lark and fortunately 90% of these experiences are not like the situation in the previous post. Now, Gert and I have a relationship of trust. Gert is a chef who runs a B&B in Caernarfon and, since his restaurant burnt […]

Trust

So, a couple of weeks before Christmas, this guy phones up about courses. No that’s wrong. His mother phoned and I suppose that’s when the alarm bells should at least have given a little tinkle. Shortly after he managed to phone himself. Said he was a police officer who wanted to set up an artisan […]

Defrosted Crumb

There you are, Marcus. That’s what it looked like defrosted from the freezer (before breakfast).

Slow Start

Sorry about the delay. I think my brain’s lagging somewhere back in 2013 and I’m waiting for it to catch up. The speed the body’s moving at I wouldn’t have thought that too difficult. Anyway, while you are waiting, here’s a perfect 2 Kilo Pain de Campagne to look at: Look at that oven spring. […]

Grünkern II

Eight days later the Grünkern is still soft and moist – just starting to show a trace of mould.

Grünkern-Karottenbrot

Haven’t quite got rid of the festive season yet because our good friends Kathy & Dave bought me a bag of Palestinian freekeh for Christmas. Freekeh is what the Germans call Grünkern, green wheat that is roasted in a kiln. It has a very grassy and slightly smokey flavour. My first thought was Grünkern Karottenbrot […]