If this blog was a tabloid newspaper, the banner headline above would read something like this: 'BAKING BREAD KEPT ME SANE,' SAYS EX-TOWNIE. The truth is a little less prosaic; when I was getting my head round my (by now) much documented move, I read an article in a recent CAMRA magazine about the bond between beer and bread. When adding beer to the flour, yeast and water 'alchemy is unleashed.' So said writer and broadcaster Sue Nowak whose article 'Thorough Bread' ignited my passion.
To cut a long story short I'm now getting the ullage from my local pub and am baking dozens of loaves every week. My unique bread (each loaf is different, depending on the ale I use) is, for better or worse, the talk of the town. Well, alright, the talk of The Sun Inn! I recently spoke to Sue Nowak on the phone - we talked at length about about beer & bread and pubs, the upshot being that she's coming over to The Sun, next Tuesday evening, to see us all and sample the pub's excellent cask beers. And my (soon to be world famous) bread. Cheers!
Fantastic! And positively Lennonesque!
ReplyDeleteI haven't made bread for years but I used to love it - seeing my efforts gradually improve from the instant-indigestion bricks of the early days to something you might actually want a second slice of, was really gratifying. I don't know why I stopped. Maybe I'll have another go (do you use fresh yeast or dried, and if fresh, where do you get it?)
Sounds lovely JM - How does it keep? Am a big fan of fresh, home-made bread, but not so keen on eating a whole loaf in a day, just to get it at its best!
ReplyDeleteWe were in Bridport last month, where our favourite bakers (Leakers) is. Fab selection of home-baked wares, including my personal fave the Chilli Cheese & Beer loaf (you've got to try and do a version of that one!).
Other Leakers winners include Raisin & Walnut, Cheese & Cider, Crunchy Date, Cheese & Nut Loaf, Foccacia, Pugliese, Onion Bread, Pesto Bread and New York Deli Rye. Yum!
Look forward to trying a bit of MeddLoaf soon??!
P
ISBW - I always think of John Lennon when I'm baking (I need to get out more). In fact, I once wrote a two-hander play about the day Macca visited Lennon in the Dakota; and yes, John showed Paul how to make bread. Don't quite know how that would have worked on the radio - which is probably why the BBC back-heeled it! Yeast? One 7g sachet of dried per loaf. Email me: john(at)johnmedd(dot)com and I'll send you a couple of my recipes.
ReplyDeleteP - I can see I've got competition! What do they charge? Mine are £1.30 - which goes straight in the Air Ambulance charity tin on the bar. If you and the Mondettes are ever up this way you'll have to call in. Don't think I could put a loaf in a jiffy bag(?) Maybe next time I hook up with Mondo in London I'll bring one down for you - but then we'll just be carrying it from pub to pub so maybe that's not a good idea either!
Sorry Piley, why should you be taking the Mondettes on an away day? You've got your very own Smiley Pileys! Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteI assumed you thought it was like the war days down here, all mucking in & looking after each others kids! You could leavw your front doot open blah blah...
ReplyDeleteBit pricey in Bridport, a chilli, cheese n beer loaf was up to 2.95 on our last visit, yours are a snip! Cant get a loaf in a jiffy no, but slice it & send me one in an envelope daily!!
I have dabbled at the baking too, as well as 'plain' I have made a cheese and chilli bread (no beer in mine) it worked well and as chilli is a big deal in my house it was scoffed in an afternoon.
ReplyDeleteLJ - We should trade
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