Supporting local, small businesses is something that we are passionate about. We recognise that within our community, there are so many talented individuals - by working in partnership, we are creating a holistic network of professionals to support the community.
Our first collaboration is with Bron Taylor, a local Sourdough aficionado.
Upcoming, full day workshops with Bron, at the Community Cooking & Wellbeing Kitchen, High Wycombe (CCWK): -
Thursday 8th December 2022 and
Saturday 21st January 2023
Read Bron’s story below…
I’ve always enjoyed good bread. Some of my earliest bread memories include the soft flavourful crusty bread that I experienced in Italy age 9 and the billowing yeasty white dough being turned into loaves by my Mum. I started making bread from a young age, just the usual yeasted variety but miles away from anything that we could buy at the time.
Then at a later stage in life, usual stresses of a family/work/life, I started to experience IBS. My youngest sister suggested that sourdough might be more digestible, and she kindly gave me some starter- named Phillipe. Sadly, my early attempts weren’t very inspiring, tending to be heavy and rather flat. Phillipe was neglected and gave up on it all too. Not long after that my daughter gave me a book about sourdough for Christmas and it revved up my interest again.
I became fascinated by this age-old approach to bread making shared by many cultures around the world that uses naturally occurring yeasts and lacto acidic bacteria. I started to read more about sourdough and learnt about the nutrients available within a wheat grain much of which was being lost through modern fast flour milling and bread making processes. I learnt too that the process of fermentation leads to a bread that is more digestible (for most people) and gut friendly as well as lower GI.
I joined the real bread campaign and subsequently Vanessa Kimbell’s Sourdough School. Keen to turn out a great loaf, I attended a workshop held by Vanessa and a week-long bread making course with Richard Bertinet.
Turning out decent and even delicious loaves has become a joy that I never tire of, and my IBS is a rare visitor. Sourdough keeps well too because of its increased acidity, and it makes great toast so rarely any wasted. The word ‘Companion’ means ‘with bread’ and I thoroughly enjoy sharing bread with friends/ family/ neighbours and anyone really who shows interest including the oven cleaning man.
The journey continues. Having mastered a basic loaf, I’ve found many different sourdough breads to experiment with, for example sourdough bagels, baguettes, pizza. As well as uses for left over sourdough starter including flat breads, cakes, and muffins. I tend to be a bit of a purist and don’t often add to bread rather preferring to eat cheese, olives etc with it. Having said that, I do occasionally enjoy a porridge or muesli loaf.
Sourdough isn’t tricky to make once a few basic steps are understood and practised. It is personal to the maker, patience, their rhythm with it, ingredients etc. Once adopted as part of weekly routine, it gives an opportunity to nurture both mind and body and those around us too.
I’m now looking forward to the rewarding pleasure of sharing sourdough bread making with others.
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