Slow Rise

Evil Plans

Just finished reading Hugh MacLoed's new book "Evil Plans: Escape the Rat Race and Start Doing Something You Love".

Inspirational book. If you dream of going it alone it's essential reading.

The only part the book doesn't cover is how do you find Something You Love?

Modern life encourages teenagers to conform, study hard, and specialise early, which is exactly the opposite of what you need to Find Your Love.

I was lucky. In between studying furiously hard for lots of exams (which would get me into Cambridge and launch my Rat Race Career), between the ages of 14 and 21 I worked in my Dad's bakery on Saturday mornings and through every school holidays.

I learned how to make everything from Pasties to Chelsea Buns; this photo was taken 22 years ago (when I was 16) making apple turnover doughnuts with "Little Kev" and Michael Bywaters.

I didn't really know it then, but I'd already found Something I Loved.

Organic Rice Paper Labels - a logical suggestion from Germany

 Met an interesting German couple yesterday at Usk Farmer's Market. They run an Organic & Fairtrade coffee shop in Cologne and were visiting friends in Hereford whilst taking in the British food experience.

They asked about the rice paper labels we have to put on all our products to confirm their Organic certification. I explained that we like them but they do have their practical difficulties, have a high minimum order (50,000 per design), are expensive (each order costs £500), and how we have to order them from Holland 6 weeks before we need them.

Then the German guy paused a moment and asked "Why should you have to put something on food to explain it's natural? Shouldn't it be the other way around - and you should have to label food that isn't natural?"

I had no reply. I was stumped. The logic is compelling.

Bloody clever those Germans.

The poshest Car Boot in Wales?

Nat is (wo)manning the St Bride's Major Produce Market this Saturday 17th from 10am until 1pm (as I'm manning Usk). 

There's a big car boot on at the same time - but this is St Bride's Major (where Charlotte & Gav lived until recently) so there'll be no dodgy gear in the back of P-reg Cavaliers. . .

Usk Farmer's Market Saturday 17th Sept

We're back at Usk this Saturday for our fortnightly slot at the Farmer's Market.

 Pop in on your way to Abergavenny Food Festival if you're passing.

Can't promise it'll be quite as big a do, (but it'll be a lot more real).

Tortoise on Tour - St Fagan's Food Festival 10th &11th Sept

St Fagan's Food Festival is unique in a few ways

 

1.  it's free...

2.  it's held inside the National Museum of Welsh Life which is fascinating in itself

3.  it's dog and kid-friendly, (with plenty of places to shelter from the rain)

 

You can find us in the main tent - look out for our big Tortoise Shell banner!

http://www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/whatson/?event_id=4838

Salt is not the enemy

Salt content in bread has been in the news a lot recently.

Everyone knows that reducing salt is good for you, but the real enemy is fast bread.

Bread which is risen quickly is cheap to produce but but has very little natural flavour, so adding more salt makes it taste less bland.

Slow-rise bread is full of natural flavour, so no there's no need for lots of salt.

You can't rush real bread.

 

Salt content per loaf 2011.  (FSA guidelines are 1.1% salt/ 100g)

44hr Spelt Sourdough 0.9%

44hr Rye Sourdough 0.9%

44hr White Sourdough 1.1%

18hr Biga Italian White 1.0%

18hr Segale Italian Half Rye 1.0%

16hr White Bloomer 1.1%

16hr Wholemeal Bloomer 1.1%

This is the first time we've calculated these numbers so the salt figures in the recipes were what we thought the loaf needed - interestingly, our spelt and rye 44 hour loaves have the most flavour but the lowest salt levels.  Wholegrain + slow rise = amazing flavour.

Awaiting analysis on Sundried Tomato and Kalamata Olive loaves (but at a guess these will be higher than the FSA guidelines because of the tomatoes and olives).

% Salt based on average product weights