We ran two Start It Up - Sourdough Breadmaking courses at a new venue in West Kirby, Wirral this week - here is some early feedback

Our new date for this venue, St Bridget's Centre, is May 28th, a Tuesday.

"Hi Malcolm and Deborah

Thanks for such an enjoyable and informative course today. Just been enjoying our efforts at home.

I took a few photos which can be found through this link https://picasaweb.google.com/110243342967114497182/SourdoughLittleEyeBakery?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCKnw6t7M6JjF0AE&feat=directlink

Feel free to download them if you want.

You may want to share the link with the others.

Thanks again

Ashley "

More courses at the new venue in May and June, and also at Claremont Farm, our long-standing venue on the Wirral.

West Kirby Farmers' Market on Saturday Feb 23rd (www.westkirbyfarmersmarket.co.uk) - we will bring fruit loaves, rye, wholewheat, multi-seed and pain de campagne - with a new Boule. Also making cheese and nut breads.

Extra Dates for Sourdough Baking Classes

We have added an extra mid-week date on March 25th just before Easter, and the next date will be May 12th. All other dates are full.

 

Groups of 6 are welcome to get in touch to arrange their own class

What they say about the Little Eye Sourdough Baking Classes in November and December

December course's white sourdough bloomer

"very useful to pick up tips from experienced bakers"

"We both really enjoyed the course and meeting the others and yourself and your wife. We would recommend your course to any budding bakers."

"Great fun, I learned a lot and gained a lot of confidence. The expression “it’ll be fine” will stick in my mind as I had got rather too uptight about following everything in Andrew Whitley’s book to the letter. It was good that the group  were at pretty much the same level of (in)experience, and the group dynamics were also very positive which is always a bonus."

"We had been dabbling, and seemed to always meet the same issues. We now have answers as to why our loaves were inelastic, and a whole better understanding of managing our starters. Our first post course loaves are just cooling now, and are way better in texture and crumb than our previous efforts."

 "The lunch was great with the best bread ever I had since I’m over here. I was very much surprised about the bread we did. It was unexpected. I know sour dough bread as greyish heavy bread with a sour taste ( as you’ll find it in the French speaking part of Switzerland). I didn’t know that sourdough bread also can be light and not at all with a taste of sour. This experience was great."

 "We had a wonderful time, in a really friendly and open environment, with a small group of like-minded 'bread-heads'. The atmosphere was supportive and encouraging, with lots of helpful discussion and educational digressions. Lunch was exactly right, wholesome and nourishing, and just helped continue the 'pleasure in good food' ethos of the whole day. We were pleased that we were able to produce a range of loaves that we would actually pay good money for, and have already had the joy of sharing some with our neighbours. A fully satisfying and worthwhile day, and a great way to spend a birthday!"

The first West Kirby Farmers Market on Saturday 24th

we will be there - with 11 different sourdough loaves, a new banner, and a great bunch of producers. More info on www.westkirbyfarmersmarket.co.uk .
What will the good citizens of West Kirby make of it? How will it compare with Morrisons and Aldi. Will it hit local shops or attract more shoppers?
Time will tell - we will report next week

Baker in Residence, Homebaked Anfield

Little Eye baker Malcolm Williams has been appointed Baker in Residence by the Liverpool Biennial, at the Home-Baked project.

  http://www.2up2down.org.uk/ 

 The project aims to set up a new bakery on the site of an old family bakery that closed a few years ago. We will be making bread with volunteers and local residents, working with the Liverpool Community College to develop skills and some new lines of production - and as Real Bread bakers, Little Eye will be pushing hard to keep the quality up when the realities of selling for a living bite home. More info to follow, and on Twitter in weeks to come

From Wheat to Bread - working with young children locally

We are working with Black Horse Hill Junior School to grow wheat, harvest, mill and make bread. We have harvested our spring wheat, and will soon be planting a winter crop. Next, to mill the grain.