The 10th annual Real Bread Week is underway. Bakers across the country are celebrating additive-free loaves by creating special products, running workshops and through social media activity.
Running from 24 February to 4 March, the celebration was started by the Real Bread Campaign in 2009 which is encouraging bakers to use the #RealBreadWeek. Hundreds of bakers and novices have taken to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to share their beautiful creations, top tips and recipes.
And the snow has, arguably, been favourable for the campaign. While some retailers struggle with stock levels thanks to the ‘Beast from the East’, Twitter users are encouraging shoppers to pick up ingredients to make their own loaves instead, offering recipes to aid them in this.
Here’s some highlights from Real Bread Week so far:
Sugardough Bread & Cake
Say hi to Keith – Sugardough’s nine year old sourdough starter. To celebrate Real Bread Week, the bakery is giving away pieces of Keith every day to a handful of lucky. They’ll be given a kilner jar, instructions to keep it alive and a bread recipe to make sure Keith is happy in his new home.
Doves Farm
Flour supplier is encouraging bakers to get social this Real Bread Week by supporting numerous competitions on social media. It’s offering 10% off all flour bought from them, and offering Twitter users the chance to win an ancient grains hamper if they tweet a one minute #DayInTheLoaf video.
Doves Farm’s Clare Marriage also hosted a bread making class on Thursday complete with live demonstrations, hints and tips on how to make the perfect loaves.
Ma Baker
Liz Wilson and the Ma Baker team are hoping to impart their skills and knowledge to Londoners by holding bread classes throughout the week. Courses include Italian and artisan breads, an introduction to bread and, of course, sourdough.
Vicky’s Bread
Cornwall-based Vicky’s Bread has been celebrating by creating a different sourdough every day this week. Monday saw the creation of a wholewheat levain, followed by a smoked chilli sourdough. A fig, hazelnut and pumpkin seed loaf made an appearance on Wednesday with a special butternut squash and cranberry sourdough planned for tomorrow (Friday 3 March).
Bread Ahead
Kicking off the week, Bread Ahead offered amateur bakers the chance to win an £80 Bakery School voucher by dropping off their home baked ‘real loaves’ for a competition. Former BBC news editor Mark Ellis (pictured) was awarded the prize for his sourdough.
“Of the 28 entries in the home baking competition, 24 were genuine sourdoughs, an indication of the popularity of this delicious, and perhaps more nutritious, way of leavening a loaf,” said Chris Young, Real Bread Campaign coordinator.
Brook Food Equipment
This equipment supplier is encouraging its customers to get back to basics this Real Bread Week by offering 25% discount on every Couche Cloth and Bannetons alongside free UK mainland delivery.
The Epsom Bakehouse
Rhiannon from The Epsom Bakehouse took to Facebook to offer hands-on baking advice in response to her followers’ questions. It included basics such as kneading teacake and other enriched doughs to discussing what types of yeast work best for these kind of doughs. She also explained how to store and use a rye starter.
Tamarisk Farm
Tamarisk Farm’s Adam Simon and Rosie Gilchrist are holding a special a special stall at Bridport Street Market in Dorset tomorrow (3 March). They will be selling organic wheat and rye flours, grown and milled at West Bexington alongside sourdough loaves made with the flour. Also, a handful of lucky visitors to the stall will receive a sourdough starter to help them make their own bread at home.
Eatsterly
Sourdough are like children, and should be given a name that reflects their personality and characteristics. EatsterlyLDN is giving its Twitter followers the chance to name its sourdough – a young, Pisces born dough that likes acidic environments, dislikes telemarketing cold calls. Suggestions so far include Mick Jagger and Krust Cobain. Apparently Starter McStarter Face has already been taken.
How have you been celebrating Real Bread Week? Send your photos and information to Ashley.williams@wrbm.com.
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