More than 550 visitors descended on Bolton Arena last Sunday for the first combined autumn Bakers’ and Butchers’ Fair. The fifth annual Bakers’ Fair Autumn was a great success, featuring a wide range of exhibitors, interesting and informative stage demonstrations and talks, the Richemont Club of Great Britain’s eight annual competitions, and an entertaining bakers versus butchers ’Generation Game’-style live contest.

John Robertshaw from Bako North Western kicked off the presentations and demonstrated how to make cake pops in a quick and cost-effective manner. He said the easiest way was to start with a standard sheet of chocolate brownie, with no inclusions. "Brownie is best to use, because when it’s portioned there is very little crumbing," he said. "You can also make it in advance, and it’s fully freeze-thaw stable." For decorating, he demonstrated with the use of Bako’s own-label chocolate, with sprinkles and sugar strands to coat the cake pop. He also piped white royal icing round a chocolate-coated brownie square to create a Christ-mas parcel design. And he recommended using an oasis block, wrapped with cling-film, to use as the cake pop holder. At a cost of 16-20p to make, he told bakers at the show they could sell for around 50-60p in their shops, or even £1.50 if packaged as a gift.

Soil Association trade relations manager Lee Holdstock’s talk on Demystifying Organics covered a range of areas including what is meant by organics, and the work carried out by the Soil Association. He said there had been a slight decline in the growth of the organic market in recent years, but said it had been slowing in the past few months, and he hoped the sector would be back in growth next year.

He discussed the reasons why bakers should certify their organic products one of the main ones being that it inspired consumer trust. The overall organic market has declined 4%, while bread has fallen 18.4% according to the latest Kantar Worldpanel data, but Holdstock maintained there were business opportunities for bakers as the market breaks into a recovery, especially for brands within the retail sector, and said consumers were prepared to pay more for a product that was a bit different.

Keith Clarke, from Unifine Food & Bake Ingredients, gave visitors a few ideas about how the company’s range of ingredients could be used to create innovative Christmas products. He suggested bakers could make a Christmas tree display from macaroons, or test out recipes such as white chocolate and Baileys tarte, chocolate liquor tarte and white chocolate and ginger choux buns.

’Allo ’Allo actress Vicki Michelle and Birds of Derby’s Mike Holling then compèred the bakers verus butchers ’Generation Game’, which saw bakers trying to make sausages, and butchers decorating cakes. Lee Batterbee and Richard Patterson, bakers from Bradwell Butchery and butchers John Mettrick of Derbyshire-based JW Mettrick & Son and Brindon Addy of J Brindon Addy in West Yorkshire took part in the crowd-pleasing event, with the bakers crowned the winners.

Richemont success

For the first time ever the Richemont Club of Great Britain’s annual competitions were opened up to other bakers to enter not just its own members. Vicki Michelle announced the winners and handed out the trophies.

Slattery’s Patissier & Chocolatier walked away with the Rank Hovis Trophy, CSM Trophy, Renshaw Tropy and Richemont Trophy, while the British Baker trophy was also won by Oliver Campbell at Slattery’s. Terry and Leanne Tang were triumphant in the live cake decorating challenge, winning The President’s Challenge Cup, while Greenhalgh’s was awarded the Best Item in Show for its oven bottom loaf. See the table opposite for a full list of the winners.

Chatwin’s Trevor Mooney, who organises the competitions said he was really pleased with how they had gone, and said the quality of the entries and level of competition had been raised. This year saw a 45% increase in entries, which Mooney said had left him wondering where he was going to put them all. "It is so rewarding to see such skill and enthusiasm on display. It really makes all the efforts worthwhile," he added.

British Baker editor Martyn Leek said the event had been a great success, with lots of happy visitors and exhibitors. "The skills shown in the entries to the Richemont competitions were fantastic, and the event hosted a great array of talks and demos before the crowds were entertained by the butchers versus bakers competition."

Testimonials

Mhairi Coull Cake Portioner
"We really didn’t know what to expect, but felt it would be a great show at which to launch Cake Portioner. We’ve certainly had lots of interest. A few people even said they came to the show especially to see the product, based on what they had read in British Baker, so we’re very pleased. It was really worthwhile attending."

Chris Hudson BFP Wholesale
"It was definitely worthwhile coming. We’ve had a number of good leads from people we don’t already do business with more than we expected to. We highlighted the fact we deliver to craft bakers on the high street and some of the products we offer."

Chris Huish Mono Equipment
"It’s been very busy, and there has been a good cross-mix of visitors. It’s the first time we’ve exhibited at the combined Butchers’ and Baker’s Fair and it was beneficial, as we also had enquiries from a number of butchers. There was a lot of interest in our deck ovens."

Richemont Club Competition Results

Class One
Three Sausage Rolls
1st Janet Horn,The Dickens Pantry
2nd Mike Brierton, M Ray
3rd Nigel Hofmann, Hofmann
Class Two
Three Meat Pasties
1st Brendan Stones, Rose the Bakers
2nd Jamie Humphrey, Chatwins
3rd Eric Cran, retired baker
Class Three
One Pork Pie
1st Nigel Hofmann, Hofmann
2nd Eric Cran, retired baker
3rd Steven Barnes, Slattery’s
Class Four
One Quiche Lorraine
1st Sarah Phillips, Shuga Buds
2nd Garry Thew, Greenhalgh’s
3rd Beverley Kenny, Bevs Bakery
Class Five
One Brown Tin Loaf
1st Anne Barnes, Slattery’s
2nd Scott Osborne, Rose the Bakers
3rd Steve Barnes, Slattery’s
Class Six
One Multigrain Cob
1st John Done, B F Done & Son
2nd David Morton-Smith, Apple Pie Bakery
3rd Stuart Hartlebury, Greenhalgh’s
Class Seven
One White Plaited Loaf
1st Anne Barnes, Slattery’s
2nd Steve Barnes, Slattery’s
3rd Aaron Nugent, Greenhalgh’s
Class Eight
Four Fresh Creams
1st John Done, B F Done & Son
2nd Debbie Martin, Slattery’s
3rd B Smith, Rose the Bakers
Class Nine
Four Danish Pastries
1st B Smith, Rose the Bakers
2nd Mike Brierton, M Ray
3rd Steven Bowes, A W Scott
Class Ten
Four Christmas Fancies
1st Janette Lyons, Slattery’s
2nd Judy Justice, Rose the Bakers
3rd Dawn Dunn, Chatwins
Class Eleven
Four Pastries
1st Graham Ashworth, Slattery’s
2nd Jamie Humphrey, Chatwins
3rd Craig Wright, Chatwins
Class Twelve
One Novelty Celebration Cake
1st David Wilson, Slattery’s
2nd Andrea Campbell-Jackson, Shuga Budz
3rd Terry Hardman, Slattery’s
Class Thirteen
One Sugar Paste Model
1st David Wilson, Slattery’s
2nd Andrea Campbell-Jackson, Shuga Budz
3rd Amelia Nutting, Shuga Budz
Class Fourteen
Four Halloween Cup Cakes
1st Vicky Johnson, Fallen Angel Cakes
2nd Hannah Midgley, Rose the Bakers
3rd Craig Wright, Chatwins
Class FifteenOne Christmas Cake
1st Lisa Smith, Peter Herd Wilmslow
2nd Patricia Peel, Chatwins
3rd Mel Hughes, Slattery’s
Class Sixteen
One Christmas Pudding
1st Jamie Humphrey, Chatwins
2nd Michelle Ray, M Ray
3rd Amanda Rowart, Wienholts
Class Seventeen
One Chocolate Log
1st Janette Lyons, Slattery’s
2nd Helen Murrell, Chatwins
3rd Jess Hawthorn, M Ray
Class EighteenFour Fruit Scones
1st Filippo Salvaggio, Tameside College
2nd Rachel Scott, Tameside College
3rd Nicole Goodall, Tameside College
Class NineteenOne Oven bottom Loaf
1st Aaron Nugent, Greenhalgh’s
2nd Oliver Campbell, Tameside College
3rd Amy Whitehead, Tameside College
Class Twenty
Four Novelty Cup Cakes
1st Oliver Campbell, Slattery’s
2nd Sarah Phillips, Shuga Budz
3rd Jessica Desborough, Tameside College
Milling & Baking Trophy
Nigel Hofmann
Rank Hovis Trophy
Slattery’s Patissier & Chocolatier
CSM Trophy
Slattery’s Patissier & Chocolatier
Renshaw Trophy
Slattery’s Patissier & Chocolatier
British Bakels Christmas TrophyArthur Chatwin
British Baker Trophy
Oliver Campbell, Slattery’s
The President’s Challenge Cup
Terry Tang & Leanne Tang
Best in Show
Greenhalgh’s (Oven Bottom Loaf)
Richemont Trophy
Slattery’s Patissier & Chocolatier