Mr Lepard’s Conjoined

Conjoined quins of D. Lepard’s very fine Potato, Rosemary and Black Onion Seed bread: According to our Asian grocer, the Qur’an says that black onion seed cures all ills so that some people take a little every day. Also made yesterday, the celebrated Seigle d’Auvergne: All neat and spivvy in their shiny clingfilm suits.

Joe Firebeard’s Concoction

Hearing from Firebeard in the brioche post reminded me of a splendid concoction he made at Mair’s Big Bake last year: Looks like it should be in an Italian ice cream parlour but it’s all bread. Joe and his mate Birdbread are hosting this year’s bread event up in North Yorkshire which we are looking […]

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 […]

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 […]

Seigle d’Auvergne

Two Christmases ago we were staying in Bath which is Sue’s home town and it was even colder than it is here now. I found a copy of Dan Leader’s Local Breads and bought it because I can’t pass by bread books. It’s written for beginners but I thought the methods were hopelessly overcomplicated but […]