Back to Brioche

Aren’t my customers lucky? I was messing around with simple brioche in France. Now I’m back in Wales the sheep’s cheese has been substituted with feta to produce Fig & Feta Brioche.

Back Home

Yes, I’m afraid we’re back. I don’t much like it. Sorry the blog dried up – the more of the bread book I wrote the less I found I had to say on the blog. We were very good. We’d get up at 6.00 a.m., work ‘til about 12.00, go up the market and buy […]

“Sabbatical”

This is our very good friend Wendy Shea’s take on our “sabbatical” in France:

Seagulls

Wild for a taste of sourdough. Alfred Hitchcock used to holiday here. For Zeb belatedly and Andrew who doesn’t get to see them because he’s so far from the sea. Mick

Courgette & Parmesan (for Phil)

No, I’m not taking the piss, Phil. I discovered I didn’t have a photo for the website last time I did Courgette & Parmesan so I improvised. The trouble is, this sort of flatbread isn’t very photogenic. These are Orange & Cumin flatbreads and look more or less the same if that’s what you are […]

Pain de Chataigne

Here’s one for Gareth and his box fetish: I bought it from my man Marc Brion from Le Fournil des Boiens in Biganos who has a stall at the market at Arcachon on Sundays. I bought it for its looks – couldn’t actually remember what chataigne meant – chestnut of course. Delicious.

Paula Wolfert’s Pissaladiere

Sometime last year I invested in a copy of Paula Wolfert’s Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking. We’ve been using her Cooking of South West France for years plus I have a slight fetish for ceramics. The clay pot book has lived by the side of the bed since I bought it because I’ve just been too […]

Olive Oil Brioche

Seigle d’Auvergne (2)

As requested, Zeb. Seigle d’Auvergne To be honest I can’t remember if I made up the first starter or just used my regular active rye starter at 100% hydration. DOUGH Strong White 218g 29% Rye 533g 71% Water 638g 85% Starter 135g 18% Salt 23g 3% Total 1545 STARTER 2 Starter 41g Rye 47g Water […]

La Bête Humaine

From her carefully camouflaged hide Madame Merle observed with some disdain the habits of the English humans. “You wouldn’t Adam and Eve it”, she thought …