It’s For You-ooooooo!

It’s the last bake of the day. The scent of courgette & parmesan flatbreads in a hot oven is giving the taste-buds a going over. The phone rings. “Hello”. I’ve been developing this terse, not-very-friendly “hello” implying that I was just on the brink of finding the Lost Chord when the phone shattered my concentration, […]

St Patrick, Great Danes, Dalmatians & Flying Saucers

For today’s St Patrick’s Day offerings I asked my customers to suspend their disbelief. Main Special: Nina’s Bread with Dark Beer & Spelt: That photo was taken at the original Bethesdabakin’ in 2007 – Nina’s recipe, Rick’s famous Bodger oven. So I assured my customers St Patrick’s origins were Danish and poured in plenty of […]

Focaccia Dewi Sant II

I have to say it was pretty good this year.

Focaccia Dewi Sant

This is the sort of thing you won’t get from other bakers – Focaccia Dewi Sant. Being baked today for my customers, nearest bake to St David’s Day. Leek focaccia with a single red chile to represent the Welsh dragon. I bill it as a “traditional” Welsh focaccia (made up a couple of years back).

A Birthday Present from Phil Joy

“Want a recipe for Apple, Cheddar and Guinness Soda Bread, Mick?” said Phil at my birthday bash in The Old Harkers, Chester, last Saturday. “Is pork chops greasy?” I replied, even though I was still on my first pint of Old Rosie. What a birthday present!

A Glimmer of Light

The famous Oat & Honey. Yesterday for the first time this year sunlight featured in a photograph. This morning it’s grey and wet.

Move Over Jamie Oliver

The first printing of my book, Bethesdabasics, has completely sold out. Jamie needn’t worry quite yet – the print run was only 100 copies – but I feel pretty pleased with that. As well as the UK, there are now copies in Denmark, Luxembourg, Ireland, Holland, New Zealand and the USA. This is what Chefcdp […]

This Bakers Life No. 277

On the eve of my 64th birthday senility raised its ugly head or at least gave me a hard stare over the parapet. I have a spread sheet calculator that works out quantities for the day’s bake, so the ingredient weights for each dough are detailed on a printed worksheet. The weight of starter for […]

A Real Baker

Azélia wants to know why I say I’m not a real baker? One of my talents is annoying people – I don’t have to try, it just comes naturally. I think there is a lot of bullshit talked about baking and particularly sourdough baking and I have a habit of saying so. Where can you […]

2nd Generation

This will worry some of you. There are two of us. The bread bug has spread to the next generation. This is one of my nephews, Tobias, who was bought a copy of Bethesdabasics by my youngest sister, Helen, and is now producing sourdough. Might have some way to go but not bad for a […]