17th February 2020
as well this week if we can. We still don't have our replacement mixer so batches continue to be small but after being told it could take another two weeks we are just having to suck it up and carry on regardless.
Hello
Well no sooner has Storm Ciara been and gone that Storm Dennis decides to come and give us his two pennies worth. My father-in-law is called Dennis so you can imagine how my mind has been kept amused by this. FIL Dennis is the most laid back person I know so the irony isn't lost on me. I hope Dennis (the storm) hasn't affected any of you too badly; it seems a lot of people have been hit hard. For us the only trouble Dennis (the storm) has caused was a flood on the road on the way to soft play - aka half term hell. Cue a string of cars taking it in turns to approach the flood, ponder it for 30 seconds, decide it was too deep to risk before screwing a u-ey (how does one write that phrase?) and turning back. I'm sure there's a comedy sketch that could be written on this very British of behaviours and the discussions that probably happen inside each of the cars, one by one:
"Oh Frank, I don't know, it does look very deep."
"I know Veronica but that van just went through and our Saab is pretty robust."
"Frank I really don't think..."
"Veronica I think I'm going to go for it."
"Frank, what about the engine?"
"Veronica, it's fine."
"Frank."
"Veronica."
"Frank!"
"Veronica it's fine, see? It's absolutely fi.....oh god."
We decided to adhere to Veronica's advice and we turned around. You'll be delighted to know we found an alternative route to Half Term Hell and are now 'enjoying' the ambience that can only be experienced in an enclosed space with 60 hyperactive children and their sleep-deprived parents. But at least our children have got to the age now where we can sit and read the newspaper/write blogs/read trashy magazines. It seemed the ultimate goal a few years back. Sitting undisturbed in an industrial unit full of frantic children. GOALS.
Half Term opening hours
We will not be open on Wednesday or Thursday this week (although you may see one or other of us at the shop on Thursday doing tag team to get bread ready for Friday, but there will be no bread for sale) but we will be open as normal on Friday and Saturday with our usual selection, including specials and buns.
This Week's Sourdough
Our white special this week will be Stoneground White & Toasted Hazelnut. I've mentioned before the benefits when we use stoneground white flour (the whole of the wheat grain is used in a more gentle milling process resulting in more nutrients being retained and more flavour. And it's all UK grown and milled. It's a 'win win' flour). And the nutty flavour this flour imparts is the perfect pairing with the organic, toasted hazelnuts we add to the mix. It's going to be good.
Our brown sourdough will be a Seeded Spelt & Rye. The Spelt & Rye from last week seemed to go down well so we thought we'd do it again but with soaked seeds and grains added into the mix as a few of you have been asking for a seeded loaf. And we will have the usual selection of Super Sours and Walden Whites, Rugbrøds and possibly some Tinned Whites (good for packed lunches and sandwiches) as well this week if we can. We still don't have our replacement mixer so batches continue to be small but after being told it could take another two weeks we are just having to suck it up and carry on regardless. We will do our best.
And of course buns. And cookies. And filter coffee (talking of which - if we were to invest in the full coffee shebang in order to be able to offer cappuccinos, flat whites etc would that appeal? It's a big investment for us so I'd want to be confident it'd be a popular move. Answers on a postcard please (I haven't told Jeff about this idea yet. He'll freak. 'Where Megan? How Megan? Megan, the plumbing?')
Have a good week y'all.
Megan