Jo's Loaves

Not Last week but the week before, I attended and baked for the Stopsley Baptist Church Christmas Craft Market.  I made 12 40/60 loaves, 6 White loaves. 6 Malted loaves, 6 Christmas Boules, 6 Sun-dried tomato & oregano Focaccia, 6 Rosemary & seasalt focaccia and 3 Mediterranean soda breads.  All made and baked single-handedly and in my one oven.  It nearly killed me.  
Thankfully, the day before and on the day, my lovely mum helped with childcare and manning the stall whilst I tried to get through the day bleary eyed on ‘baker’ sleep sleep and a bad back. I loved every minute of it and sold all 45 pieces of bread well-before the event ended.  Whilst very proud of my achievement, I am glad this even is only an annual one. 

Since then, I have been a little happier with my bakes. having now sussed out how to get the most out of my dough starter, without having to create gallons of the stuff. I weekly plan is getting tighter and tighter all the time as I continue to improve.  

Last week saw the birth of my first sourdough focaccia bread, which was the best bread I’ve ever made even If I do say myself; I baked it for a friend’s craft party and shared with friends whilst we mused over our bread eating habits.  I was delighted to hear how the children are enjoying my bread, (rather than the nasty plastic stuff)  Having said that, I think that I am my bread’s biggest fan and I apologise to all my friends for talking about nothing else for the last 6 months. I clearly have an obsession which won’t go away.

BAKE DAYS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR:
Saturday, 10th December – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am -Ring/text/email me before 3pm on Wednesday
Tuesday, 13th December – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton from 9.45 until 12pm – Ring/text/email me by 6pm Saturday
Saturday, 17th December – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am -Ring/text/email me before 3pm on Wednesday
Tuesday, 20th December – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton from 9.45 until 12pm – Ring/text/email me by 6pm SaturdaySaturday, 24th December – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am -Ring/text/email me before 3pm on Wednesday

Saturday, 31st December – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am -Ring/text/email me before 3pm on Wednesday

Forgive me, it’s been about 10 days since my last post, in which I mentioned that there was no baking for the upcoming week (last week).  This was because I attended a Breadmaking course in Chester – not to learn how to make bread, but more to pick up ideas and tips about baking in the community. I met some truly inspirational people – not so much the course leaders, but fellow delegates, that selflessly give up their time to devote to those of need within their communities and they themselves living on the equivalent of Shameless’ Chatsworth estate and prefabricated accommodation.   It was a humbling experience.  Most of the people I met (including the course leaders!) knew very little or had never baked a loaf of bread.  I did, however, meet one fellow bread-head, and I enjoyed talking to him the most.  We shared information and he put me onto two books that are now on my Amazon wishlist.
On the first day of the course, we were to bake our ‘first’ loaf of bread.  Unfortunately, the ‘cocky’ in me, merrily threw together the ingredients provided, without stopping to check whether things were as they should be. Unfortunately, my loaf was to be doomed from the start, as I didn’t read the instructions on the yeast (never used this type before) and didn’t check the temperature of the water before I poured it in.  In fact the instructions that we were provided on the recipe sheets for the novices, omitted to tell us how to prepare the yeast so we were all doomed.  Also, I would have thought that most people would know that water for bread-making should be blood-heat, not ice cold….

After an over-extended proving session, some of which were placed on radiators(?!) and a bake in a not-hot-enough oven, there we all were, gazing at our bounty of flat loaves.   I felt it was such a shame for those whom it had been a first time, as the misplaced gasps of satisfaction and delight went around the kitchen.  It could have been so much better for everyone and I could kick myself for not stepping up to the plate and getting a bit more involved.

My ‘bread’ and many others went back with some lovely ladies from Coventry to feed their pigs in the community centre and suffice to say, I have been haunted by the memory of that flat loaf ever since.

There are just 2 days to go until the Christmas Fair at the Stopsley Baptist Church on Saturday (10am to 2pm) where I shall be selling as many loaves as I can muster and also children’s aprons that I have sewn myself (something that I did before I became obsessed with flour).  So in between childcare, my proper job (which I earn money from), housework, cooking and sewing I have been experimenting, failing and stressing over the method and production of my bread.  The day before yesterday, I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown, but today, I am feeling marginally better and a little more confident.  After all, it is only bread.

BAKING THIS WEEK:-

Saturday, 26th November, Christmas Craft Fayre, Stopsley Baptist Church, st Thomas’s Road, Stopsley, Luton, 10am until 2pm, Collection from here only, not taking orders, but there should be:-
White
40/60 White/Wholemeal
Malted Wholegrain
Rosemary & Seasalt Focaccia,
and possibly one other…

Thursday, 1st December –  Ring/text/email me before 3pm on Wednesday, collection from Hullaballoo, SBC
Saturday, 3rd December – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am -Ring/text/email me before 3pm on Wednesday

DATE FOR THE DIARY:
Saturday, 26th November, Christmas Craft Fayre, Stopsley Baptist Church, st Thomas’s Road, Stopsley, Luton, 10am until 2pm,

There are just 12 days left to go before my first ever Christmas market and I am trying to get organised.   Thanks to a special friend, I have borrowed lots of lovely wicker baskets that I can arrange my bread in.  The biggest challenge ahead is keeping enough natural levain (sourdough yeast) to make all the loaves I need.  I have worked out a strict diet for it’s flour-feeding regime and even roped in my husband to help feed it at the times I won’t be here this week (more on that later).  I am so proud of my new sourdough off-spring; it is making some amazing loaves (even if I do say so myself).  I took a photo of my white loaf at the weekend – just look at that lovely crumb structure!

Upon seeing my beautiful white bread, I have had a handful of comments from people saying, “but it’s brown!” I delight in telling them that it’s because there is are no bleaching agents in the flour that I use.

Ingredients: Organic flour, filtered water and Sea-Salt.
Method of manufacture: All hand, no machine.
Time in production: About 17/18 hours.
Price: £2.00
Cost per Hour:. £0.11p

This is Warburtons Farmhouse Soft White Bread

Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Water, Yeast, Vegetable Oil, Salt, Flavouring,
Soya Flour, Preservatives Calcium Propionate, Emulsifiers E471, E481, Flour Treatment Agents Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), E920.
Method of manufacture: Machine
Time in production: About 1 hour (truly!)
Price: £1.15.  (Occado).
Cost per Hour: £1.15

Which bread is better value…?!

BAKING THIS WEEK:-

Tuesday, 15th November –  Ring/text me before 5pm for information
There will be no baking on Thursday, 17th November.
Saturday, 19th November – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am

DATE FOR THE DIARY:
Saturday, 26th November, Christmas Craft Fayre, Stopsley Baptist Church, st Thomas’s Road, Stopsley, Luton, 10am until 2pm,

Surprisingly, Monday is one of my favourite days in the week.  I get up at a reasonable hour, have breakfast with my 3-year old son and then we play for a few hours before he goes to nursery at 11.  On other days, he’s whipped in there from 9, and there is barely enough time to get teeth cleaned, washed and changed before it’s time to head out.  This morning, I was playing with a different variety of dough  – the pink kind – and we moulded it into a treasure map and a pizza.  From 11, my day changes into what I can only describe as a sort of crazed mania, where I work down my A5 list of ‘things to do’ in the hope to cross off as many as possible, before I have to re-collect my son at 5 ‘o’ clock. Writing this blog, being one of them.  As usual, I haven’t quite got everything done (reviewing my rookie website being one – sorry Bro) but I am reasonably contented at seeing more scribbled out lines of text, than actual words, across the page.

I am baking tomorrow – or rather I have prepared my loaves for baking tomorrow; the thing about sourdough bread which is created with a natural yeast, is that it takes time; time to ferment, time to develop the flavour and time to rise.  Sometimes, I wish I was dough.

Next bake days are:

Tuesday 7th November (sorry, too late for orders!)

Thursday, 9th November – Collection from Hullaballoo from 10 until 11.30am
Saturday, 12th November – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am
Tuesday, 15th November –  Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton from 11.30am
There will be no baking on Thursday, 17th November.
Saturday, 19th November – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am

DATE FOR THE DIARY:
Saturday, 26th November, Christmas Craft Fayre, Stopsley Baptist Church, st Thomas’s Road, Stopsley, Luton, 10am until 2pm, I’ll be there with loaves and aprons. Will tell you about that later).

I was quite surprised that we had about 8 sets of halloweeners last night; I think last year, we only had a couple, so I was a bit anxious as my Haribo supplies were rapidly depleting.  Varying degrees of costume brilliance I might add; I think the booby prize, went to a couple of lads who were wearing hooded tops with no other recognisable ghoulish features. One of the hoodies was green, so I suppose that might count.

I have had an exciting milestone kind of week in the bakery; every loaf I have made since Saturday has been created with my own natural levain; (that’s yeast, or sourdough to the unbaked). No one has complained, in fact I have had nicer compliments, so I lno longer have to skulk around the supermarket bakeries, scamming for their yeast.  I am now, what you’d call, 100% ‘au naturale’.  So, on to Christmas then, I wonder what it will bring us all?  If you find yourself scrabbling for something to do on the 26th November, the Stopsley Baptist Church are holding a Christmas Crafts market from 10am until 2pm.  I shall be there on my very own stall, hopefully with lots of bread for sale and also some childrens’ baking aprons that I make from time to time (I have many talents).

Next Bake days are:-
Thursday, 3rd November – Collection from Hullaballoo from 10 until 11.30am
Saturday, 5th November – Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton 9.45 until 10.30am
Tuesday, 8th November –  Collection from 54 Tameton Close Luton from 11.30am

Don’t forget, if you live in Tameton Close, Rylands Heath or Rowington Close, I will deliver to you approximately half an hour before the above times (Stay in your pjs, most people do!!)

I was wondering if I would ever start my blog with, ah, what a relaxing week I’ve had.  No fear of that around here.  As it’s half term for the schools, I’ve been to visit my beautiful granny in Sussex, my plumcious pregnant friend in Oxfordshire and a fellow supermum for a pre-halloween get together in Bedfordshire.  I have given myself the arduous task of peeling 3 kilo’s of onions for pickling – a tradition is to always do them on halloween weekend.  I always makes my fingers sore and brown from the acid in onions, so I use half a lemon to scrub my nails with afterwards and return them to normal colour.  If I have time before the weekend, I 2 more pumpkins to carve up and then find recipe’s for – we don’t waste food in our household.  I have had a resounding success with my sourdough bread this week, hitting on a winning recipe and formula, so just doing a couple more tests before being confident to put into my shop window!  Having said that, if anyone wants a sourdough loaf today, tomorrow or Saturday then I may have 1 or 2 going spare, please let me know.  As usual, please can I have all orders for this Saturday, by 9am Friday.  With thanks and happy Halloween!
Next Bakes I need 24 hours notice – please let me know by the day before before by 9am.Saturday, 29th October – Collect between 10 – 10.30am (or local delivery 9 to 9.45)Tuesday, 1st November – Collection from 11- 1pmThursday, 3rd November  – Collection from Stopsley Baptist Church 10 – 10.30am

I find myself here, once again on a Saturday morning, asking myself why did I not get any sleep last night? It started last week, when I went to bed quite reasonably at around 10, knowing that I had to be up at 5.30 for the Saturday bake.  I think I got to sleep pretty quickly, until my son woke us both with cries at 11.42pm.  I leapt out of bed, settled him down and then returned thinking, I’ve got hours left, goody.  Not to be.  Awake for the whole night.  So last night, after having a long (and long awaited) chat with a dear friend, I returned to watching my film choice of the evening, which went on far longer than expected or was comfortable.  In bed just past 11, I tried my dropping off technique – comfortable -tick, eyes closed- tick, empty bladder – tick.  11.30 came and went.  Mt husband arrived soon after and I had to feign sleep for fear of taking me out of the zone. 12.30am.  Then at 1.11am, I thought to myself, well, if I can drop off by 1.30, I’ll still have 4 good hours. Not to be. I think I must have been awake for at least an hour after that and I woke and dropped off once more at some point.  I woke up naturally at around 5.14am – though how natural can it be after 3 hours sleep??  Maybe my body has truly adjusted to Bakers’ Time; part of me feels excited and exhilarated that having entered this phase, I can now call myself a fully fledged baker, although the other half of me feels that I am now a fledgling insomniac.

It has been a busy week in the bakery.  I am now pleased to have a weekly standing order from a local café, just a few loaves but every little helps!  I had my biggest Saturday ever , with 16 standard loaves (no specials L) out of the oven on time.  Mind you, it wasn’t difficult, as I had been awake since 11.42pm the night before;  my son woke up wanting a wee and I just couldn’t seem to drop off after that.  I also created my first wheatsheaf loaf for the local church children’s centre, to be their centrepiece for harvest festival week.  I was very proud of my efforts and it has been nicely varnished so that it will keep for a little while.  Hopefully no one will try and eat it.  I am also, as I write, proving my first ‘mill’ loaf made with 100% natural leaven  and a cheeky cocktail of my organic flours.  If successful, this will be my first tick in the box for a sourdough that I will add to my range. 
I am now taking orders for Thursday, (delivery to Hullaballoo) – there will be no deliveries the following week as it’s half term but if anybody still wants to purchase a loaf or two, best to get in touch – I’ll be baking next WEDNESDAY (26^th October) instead – please can I have at least 24 hours notice for each order.
Next Bake Days:Tuesday, 18^th OctoberThursday, 20^th OctoberSaturday, 22^nd OctoberWednesday, 26^th OctoberSaturday, 29^th OctoberEtc.. 

I am privileged to have two jobs where I work from home; there’s my baking, which is my first love and my ‘proper’ job, where I assist a market research company with report and proposal writing and on occasion, fieldwork.  Today, I have had the satisfying experience of doing both jobs almost simultaneously and completing both successfully and with time to spare to write my blog.  At 7.10am, I was kneading dough, at 8am I’d arrived at a supermarket to make a mammoth purchase of shopping (after returning home products needed to be photographed, logged and stored) and first bread delivered at 11.45.  To delight me even more, my kind neighbour gave me two bags of windfalls, which I will be using to make all kinds of appley delights.  I wonder if I should start to make apple bread…

A reminder for this week’s orders – please can I have at least 24 hours in advance for Thursday (at Hullaballo) and Saturday from home.

For the last few weeks I have been watching my picked green tomatoes, turn to a lovely shade of red (and yellow – different variety) in the sunshine and thoughts of making oodles of chutney to use up the rest of the harvest are fading fast.  So instead, (and some might say a little too early) I have turned to my Christmas pudding which is now all steamed and ready for the festive season. I have also been asked to make a Wheatsheaf loaf for my local Children’s Centre at the church – I had to google to see how much work was involved – lots to do but I am up for the challenge.

I am baking today as usual and also Thursday and Saturday morning; I am hoping for a bumper week, and so will be trying to drum up a little more business from my neighbours – who would not want a warm freshly baked loaf for a bacon sarnie brunch!?? Perhaps a vegetarian….