January 2012

What a great start to the year: mild weather; herbs in tip top condition and the sourdough culture's 1st anniversary.  Lots of new ideas for 2012 including the Pop-Up Bread Shop and Bakery Experience Days but I'm still burning wood to make the breads you love.

Please join in with your ideas on Twitter (@MortalGreenWhim) and Facebook (Greenfield Bakers).

Happy New Year

Sonya

Visitors at Woodlands Farm Open Day enjoying some hands-on experience of bread making.

JULY 2011

This is a brilliant time of the year for us as we are out and about at events meeting our customers. Thanks for your comments and support at these events. If you want to let us know how you eat your bread or you just want to chat with other bread lovers please join us on Facebook

APRIL 2011

Malted Cob and the new Beer Bread (made with a sourdough starter and Bateman's Combined Harvest Beer) are still going strong so they will continue into summer. Beer Bread will be available at shows & events; Malted Cob will be part of the weekly bake. And thanks to all our Sourdough supporters at Sandringham Farmers' Market. The warmer weather is making the oven fun to work with again although the gusty winds last week somehow managed to suck the smoke down from the chimney and blow it back through the bakery door...

JANUARY 2011

After some experimentation I will be baking the first batch of Country Sourdough in the wood-fired oven this month. I have nurtured a culture started simply from flour, water and a few raisins into a thriving mixture of naturally occuring yeasts and flavour-enhancing bacteria! The result is a fabulously chewy bread with a subtle tangy flavour. Country Sourdough will be available at all our events this year.

Ciabatta is having a rest until the Spring but Malted Cob will be available again until the end of March.

After the most difficult December weather conditions: Snow; ice; extreme cold and the dreaded cold damp unmoving fog, I am really looking forward to warmer baking days and resuming a positive relationship with my oven...

NOVEMBER 2010

Yippee - Chocolate & Raisin has returned! Great for breakfast lightly toasted if you can get it home before everyone else has ripped out a chunk...

OCTOBER 2010

Well the pears are still going strong so we'll keep making the Pear& Honey! Sage & Onion Focaccia is back and remember - only a month until Chocolate & Raisin makes a return...

Thank you to the customer who asked if I was making a pumpkin bread. I only managed to grow two pumpkins this year - not enough for bread making but we still managed to make good use (and soup) out of the biggest one.

SEPTEMBER 2010

We've gone all seasonal! In addition to using local ingredients we are now using seasonal ingredients too. This summer we've had a Mixed Herb & Garlic Focaccia on offer as well as Ciabatta with fresh herbs. During September we have Rustic with Cheese & Courgette and Pear & Honey breads available - until the local courgettes and pears run out...

JANUARY 2010

With the pipes freezing in the bakery we've had a delayed start to the new year but we're up and running again after the extra long break! The Rustic with Cheese and Onion started as a special but is here to stay. Lincolnshire Poacher cheese and locally grown onions make for a sweet and nutty flavour. It is great with soup and excellent for sandwiches.

JULY 2009

We had a great day at Woodland Farm open day and there are more pictures on Facebook. Many thanks to Paul (of Paul's Bakery) for the loan of his beautiful mobile wood-fired oven and to Andrew Dennis for fresh farm produce which we put to good use making focaccia with the farm visitors.

JAN 2009:

Thanks to all those who tried the 'special' (Chocolate & raisin!) during December as the smell in the bakery was divine...

Also a big thank you to all our customers who ordered on Christmas Eve.

During January we are baking on Fridays only and I will be experimenting with oats, muesli and wholemeal - so look out for more specials in 2009.

Sonya

OCT 2008:

NEW AUTUMN BREADS AND PRICE LIST AVAILABLE.

After a steady summer it's back to baking twice a week on Thursdays and Fridays. If you are local to Friskney and want to order bread please make your enquiries at ruralfabulous@btinternet.com . We will send you a detailed price list and work out how to get bread to you! We had some grand plans for a van but the van was beyond our repair budget so we are still utilising the school run and collection as our main forms of distribution. At least I'm making good use of my supply chain and logistic skills albeit on a much smaller scale than in my previous occupation!

I have a new bread for the Winter and work has started on a wholemeal loaf - I'll keep everyone updated on the results!

JUNE 2008:

THE BAKERY IS OPEN!!!!

We've just had a great day at the Friskney Show where we sold 45 loaves - that was everything we had. I made a pheasant out of bread which most people thought was a duck despite its tail made from green wheat . One child thought it was a sheep. Clearly my bread sculpture skills require some developing...

FEBRUARY 2008:

• We have power!
• We have water!
• We have great bread!
• When the scales arrive I can sell the bread and then we will finally have customers!
• More pictures to keep you interested...

 Cheeky Cottage Loaves                   Rustic White and Pesto Breads

                         The interior of the wood-fired oven at 400C+

DECEMBER 2007:

• Finally I have my bread oven tools - all the way from Italy.
• Still no electricity which means we are not up and running yet.
• So here are some recent bread pictures instead from my test baking...

    Sage&onion focaccia      Sesame topped white       Cranberry&walnut fougasse

Loaves from the first bake in the wood-fired oven

OCTOBER 2007:

• The oven has been installed
• The chimney has been built
• We have a mixer
• And now we're in the process of getting the rest of the kit
• Major issue is total lack of electricity due to the scarcity of electricians!

This is what it looks like now...

Outside                                           Inside - showing oven and woodstore below

JUNE 2007:

• The bakery exterior has now been completed and has windows and doors!
• Inside there is now a floor and the base for the oven.
• The oven has been ordered.
• Swallows have built a nest in the eaves.

This is what we started with:

MARCH 2007:

• Bakery shell is two sections of an old stable block still with rubble floor!
• Terrifying thoughts of how the space may not easily accomodate the wood-fired oven
• Sonya has been on a Wood-fired oven course at Cann Mills run by Paul Merry of Panary (www.panary.co.uk)
• Pictures of amazing breads made on the course are below