I’ve Started So I’ll Finish…?

The trouble with me, is that I get bored.  Easily.  Which is probably why I ended up started my little micro bakery in the first place.  The minute I get used to doing something, i.e. it becomes less of a challenge, I have a tendency to chuck in little obstacles that I have to overcome and to raise my stress levels so it all starts being more exciting again.  It usually begins with putting things off until the last minute, or prioritising the fun jobs over the ones which are necessary.  I’ll give you an example. 
I have Hexton Farmers’ market this coming Friday;  it’s my absolutely favourite, the

organisers and other stallholders are incredibly friendly and the customers are charming; they often want to stop and chat for a bit, which I am more than happy to oblige.  Anyway, I digress.  (as I often do…) so on with the  example.  I have planned far too many loaves that will sell on the market and it’s going to be more hard work for me, but feel I need to bake them all so that my repertoire is fully represented.  I usually mix a lot of my dough on Wednesday evening;  it then get’s shaped at some point on Thursday and then baked either on the Thursday evening or Friday morning depending upon what it is (sourdough has excellent keeping qualities and in my opinion is just as delicious if not more, the day after it’s baked).  So I have all this to do including all the pre-weighing, preparing ingredients, such as roasting garlic, chopping tomatoes and picking rosemary leaves.  I also have to eat and prepare food for the men in my life for when they return home.  I have a present to wrap for a party that my son is attending tonight, and another tomorrow night for that matter.  And I am taking on some more work from my ‘proper’ job, which thankfully, I can do at home.

So aside from the procrastination of all these tasks, with the obvious fact that I am also currently writing this blog, I have also well and truly rejuvenated the sewing bug in me and started to make myself a lovely summer dress to take away with me on holiday.  I am at the ‘sewing the darts’ stage and my machine keeps calling me to it to get it finished.  I do believe, I have the recent BBC programme “The Great British Sewing Bee” to blame for all this.  It’s a good job Mr Hollywood isn’t having any influence on me, that’s all I can say. 
12:45pm you say?  That’ll be lunchtime then, I’ll start some weighing after that…. 
Before I pop off, please come and see me at Hexton Church this coming Friday, from 1 until 4pm.  I will have loads to sell, including a range of sourdoughs, baguettes, focaccias, my new garlic and herb flutes AND Raisin & Stilton loaves.  Please prove me wrong and make it a sell out!

In a Daze, Hol-i-days!

Truth is, I have had so many crazy ideas and material to write into this blog of late, that I’ve just been dazzled by which bits to write about; and then of course, there’s the question of when I am to fit it in to my busy life.  I am currently in the throws of school holidays with I think, the rest of the the week now is pretty much mapped out, I should be able to relax a bit.  (Just a figure of speech, I never relax, you all know that).

I had Offley Farmers’ Market last Friday and massive thanks to my mother-in-law who was able to take Bruce overnight so I could get everything done.  I introduced a new loaf to the event – Roasted Garlic and Herb Flute; this was a big hit and despite attendance numbers at the market being well down, I sold out of these within about 30 minutes.  Sadly, myself and the other stallholders had a really bad day overall; we were not sure if it was the persistent cold weather, the lack of signage in the week running up to the event, or just the fact that it was school holidays that kept people away.  I am hoping things will improve for next time!

Anyway, I have to keep this post short, as I am writing this at the same time as doing some paid work, plus I want to be finished by 9 to watch Broadchurch, (won’t even mention that I am missing Paul Hollywood!)! So with a puffed up chest, slight trepidation but immense excitement, I would like to quietly announce that I will be teaching Real Bread Baking starting this summer, at the Novelli Academy in Tea Green, the home of the very charming, Jean-Christophe Novelli.  I have been a guest Chef there 3 times now and enjoyed every minute.  I am looking forward to planning the first course which is Better Bred Bread on the 3rd July; you can book through the Novelli Website.

Better Bred Bread – New Course for 2013 at the Novelli Academy

Please note the excellent photography skills of Jim Barker who managed to capture a fantastic picture of me (those who no me personally know that I tend to gurn and act the fool at every opportunity!) and also some lovely bread close-ups from my wonderful friend James Berry who has been a supporter of me from the start and was the first to take some great shots for my website in 2011, which I am ashamed to say, is still not built!