Wild Farmed Bread Flour Loaf

 When I saw this flour in offer at my local Waitrose I bought a bag to try.  At first view with a protein content of 10.8g per 100g given on the packet, I was dubious about what rise this strength of flour would give.  

This was a longish rise loaf recipe, and the dough was very elastic and a joy to knead.  If anything the rise was far better than I expected, such that for this size of loaf tin I would reduce the weight by 10%.  However since I rarely make a white loaf but do mix various grain flours together, I will be confident using my own blend using this flour for my sourdough loaves.  I just hope my local store will continue to stock this flour and hopefully wholemeal too. 

I recently made such a loaf using YQ Wholegrain from Matthews Cotswold Flour, which is 100% UK wheat and local to the millers.

"Milling and Grain Provenance: YQ was the brainchild of the late professor Martin Wolfe, who bred this rockstar grain at the Wakelyns Agroforestry Organic Research centre. In 2002 he created a special population of wheat. Today Matthews sources this population of wheat from one of our local farmers only 3 miles from the mill."

I have yet to use the white equivalent from MCF and when placing my next order with them, will be sure to order some of Heritage Fifield Light to try out.

Towards a better Chelsea Bun

 By the time I had faffed around with various things yesterday, it was not till 10:50 p.m. yesterday that the Chelsea Buns were out of the oven.

Again I had not really researched my recipes correctly as I had an unplanned incident to deal with.  In the end I amalgamated 'Classic Chelsea Buns by Tamsin Burnett Hall, and Chelsea buns by Dan Lepard in his book The Handmade Loaf book which is on my shelf. So the verdict:  my friends this morning enjoyed them, but I would have liked a little more spice.  Maybe I had just not grated sufficient nutmeg on them.

It was interesting to read this article where Felicity Cloake discussed the merits of different recipes for the beloved Chelsea Bun.  Then again just by coincidence I happened to read that MP Greg Hands has lent his support to promoting this most English of Buns.  Of course other special local buns such as the Cirencester Butter Buns, are also much loved. 

No Knead Durum Stirato

 I had been thinking of  making some French Baguettes for some time, however when Karen's recipe for No Knead Durum Striato came up on my Facebook feed, I thought I would give it a try.

Its not bad for a first attempt. I used half very strong flour and half with the OO pasta flour, which happened to list the ingredients as durum wheat semolina super fine....It also needs using up, and I would rather not buy yet another bag of specialist flour at the moment.

What I particularly liked was the no knead soft dough that rises very slowly overnight, and is ready to bake and have a fresh loaf cool ready for lunch.  The long rise really does improve the flavour. I used semolina on the work surface and to help shape the bread, which also adds a lovely gritty texture to the crust.

The shaping reminded me very much of dealing with Ciabatta dough.  A second post which I have read this afternoon shows clearly the technique. In Moorland Eater's post Lynne shows clearly the folding technique. I definitely will be trying her Potato Focaccia recipe fairly soon.

Lots of mixed vegetable tapas style veggies, sliced Italian meats, olives and bread, at 25 C in the shade in the garden: a lovely lunch.

Rye, Pecan and Apricot Loaf recipe

Inspired by Jordon Bourke's Healthy Baking, and his Rye, Pecan and Date Loaf, I followed his technique but changed the ingredients slightly

380ml warm water

7g fast action yeast

1 tbsp maple syrup

100g wholemeal rye

300g strong white flour

150g wholegrain spelt flour

10g salt

75g pecans gently roasted

75g dried apricots chopped and steeped in some boiling water

2tbsps sesame seeds.

We like this type of bread with cheese or pate, or toasted with honey, so I don't make a sweet loaf , so although fruit and nut, this is not a sweet tea bread. The mixture was shaped free form without the proving baskets, with one round one and two oblong.  A nice size for two people each sufficient for two meals.

I borrowed this book from our library, and it does contain a number of recipes which I have tried or will try.  

Balkan Cheese Bread from The Baking Book

 My kind and generous friend Mandy recently sent me a book.  It was a complete surprise and I get a smile still thinking of my reaction when I opened the posted book.  Mandy had known that I had visited Honey & Co in London, and that I had probably borrowed one of their cookery books, soon after from the library, but had yet to have my own copy.  We take it in turns to choose a recipe.  So being my turn I have chosen Balkan Cheese Bread.  When Mandy bakes hers, I shall put a link to her post here.  She is a superb photographer and has a great way with words, so it will be interesting, not just to me, but to anyone wanting to try this load, to read Mandy's post.  If in the meantime before you get your own book, the recipe was published in Delicious Magazine.

I've used local Wootton White and Milestone Sheep's cheeses which I buy from Wells Market.  The Bread was delicious, and Mr S & I both thought the dough was excellent.  With the egg yolk and the golden cold pressed rapeseed oil, the dough had a soft briochy texture, which balanced very well with the leeks and the cheese.  The Nigella seeds and the chilli flakes were a great flavour too in amongst the cheese goo.  I have made several cheesy layered breads such as Tootmanik s Gotovo Testo, a Bulgarian Bread and I recognised that Honey & Co's Balkan Cheese Bread would be excellent.

This is a large loaf easily serving six hungry people together with a bowl of soup.  We ate just a third, and there are now two chunks in the freezer.  Next time I shall make two smaller loaves from the same amount of ingredients.

Christmas Baking Review

 Although I love to try different recipes and techniques, because this Stollen is as good as it gets, I have kept exactly to Andrew Whitley's original recipe in Bread Matters. I've been making this each year, and the first time I mentioned this in a post was in 2011.

Andrew Whitley's Christmas Stollen

I baked my Pumpkin Panettone, but with goose eggs rather than hen eggs this year.  I used pistachio and pecan nuts, and the fruit soaked in my Old Mauritian Rhum.  I thought there was a little too much dough, so I made two smaller brioche tinned buns.  The rise was great, but the next morning, when I saw the  panettone cooled, I realised that I ought to have done my usual trick of cooling it upside down,  suspended with long skewers through the base.  We enjoyed that for breakfast on Christmas morning, and it is delicious, and this morning had a slice lightly toasted for a change.

I felt so grateful to have a little encouragement from Mandy on Christmas eve, and asked her to share again with me the recipe for the Ricciarelli Mince Pies she had made this year. We had a conversation about these quite early in the morning, and forwarded that the quantities in the recipe were not quite enough to make the 12.  In the end I tweeked the recipe.I must remember to write down my variation in my recipe book, as when printed from the Good Housekeeping site, it only gave quantities and not method.  I upped the pastry by 50% but doubled up on the Ricciarelli as I fancied some almond petit fours.

With all that is happening with the 'will we have one, or not post Brexit arrangement', families having to plan last minute Christmas meals because of new travel restrictions, etc., too many people were out last minute shopping, and anyway all the Pistachio and other very good Turkish delight was sold out, the Ricciarellis would be my 'chocolates', since now chocolate is nearly top of the list for causing adverse reactions.

The pastry needed a little more water than the recipe even though it had two egg yolks.  Once chilled it handled easily and there was sufficient for twelve standard and twelve mini mincepies.  I also got to play with my wooded pastry pusher.  The mincemeat was my homemade January 2020 vintage one. The 12 minis are in the freezer for later in the week.

My response is why make any others, since these are just perfect!  I'll be using the pastry recipe and the Ricciarelli recipe even if not making mince pies. 

Carrot and cumin burger buns

The recipe is available out there, but I followed the recipe in Short and Sweet my go to baking book by Dan Lepard, which is a little different.  Even before they went in the oven, Mr S commented on the wonderful smell. We are having these will home made spicy turkey burgers tonight.  These will be great with some veggie burgers, and I have a few recipes to try out in the coming week.  In the meantime most of these beauties are destined for the freezer.

Baking Muffins together with Jane Mason

I accepted the invite to bake along with others this Sunday guided and directed by Jane Mason.  This recipe features in her Book of Buns, and also in her Sourdough book, which is now sadly out of print.

There is always something new to learn, and also having an appointment to meet, gives one something to look forward, with discussions and advice.

Having had the recipe and appointment details, I had everything ready and had the muffins cut, and proving before the rendez-vous.  I was particularly pleased as in the notes, I read that this could be cooked in oven instead of on a griddle. I no longer have a griddle, as the old one was specially for the gas cooker.  The baking in the oven method was not using the rolling with a rolling pin and cutting with a cutter, but cutting a 'log' then dipping it in polenta or semolina. However I had already used the rolling method.  

I had a 'eureka' moment, after Jane advised that the muffins ought to be squashed down prior to going in the oven, to prevent them simply rising rounded like a bun.  I tried out my idea, which was to cover the raw muffins with another sheet of baking parchment with another baking tray on top.

They are a little browner than muffins are traditionally,  and as the Silverwood biscuit trays are great conductors, next time I shall pre-heat and bake at 200 C fan,  rather than 220 C.  I loved the technique than Jane demonstrated on forking the buns all around to 'tear' them opening, thus giving just the right amount of raggedness, so that when they are baked, they have lots of crannies to capture sauces etc.

I tried three different sized cutters.  The smallest one was a little 'dainty' but just right for afternoon tea.  The middle sized one if the one I shall settle on in the future.  The largest was right as a base for large poached eggs and spinach with a lovely Hollandaise Sauce.

In 2013 I wrote about  muffins

Four years ago once again, but this time a sourdough version was used.

Easiest Focaccia Bread

Yesterday my son baked his first loaf...I am as gleeful as when he took his first steps.  I was sent pictures of course.  He usually has a fresh crusty loaf and some of my way he has made me into  a proud mother!

Just in case any friend wants to have a go at making something when they can't go out, I found an excellent tasting Focaccia Bread recipe and technique with video of some of the key techniques.  You are welcome to share this.

For British Bakers, I would only add that I used 500g flour and 450ml water.
I used dried yeast not the instant yeast as that is all that I had, and soaked it in the room temperature water with about 50 g of the flour. As I was making this overnight I used room temperature water and half the yeast. I just weigh the water in grams.

The mixture is brought together, without any of the conventional kneading, and left to rise overnight.  We have a small under the counter fridge, so the bowl spent the night in the conservatory.

This is what it looked like this morning.....

Greasing the pans with butter or lard first then adding olive oil...other oils at this C time if that is all you have will be fine.  Next time I will make three in smaller cake pans then just half of the cooked ones will be fine for lunch...

They came out of the oven and were left to cool for ten minutes or so.

We had it with a mixed salad....

I have several posts on different focaccias...I particularly like the sourdough focaccia.

Baking when you are bored

So the weather is gloomy and cold, and just to cheer myself up, indulged in a little sweet playdough.  The recipe is from Bake with Jack.   These are Malted Cinnamon Buns, but with the bits sifted out of the malted flour.

Cinnamon and Mace Babka

With a clear weekend to myself, I had the space and time to concentrate on a new technique in my baking journey.  I had never tried a Babka before.  I started the dough on Saturday, and it seemed to be on a slow rise journey, and baking would be a little too late.  I chose to do all the rolling, spreading of butter and spices etc., late evening, and then a morning bake.  After an overnight cold rise in the fridge, the two loaves still needed more time at room temperature, three hours to be precise.

The recipe was altered and became an amalgamation of Martha Collinson's recipe, but not wanting to use chocolate, baking times syryup and filling from Shannon Sarna's recipe for Cinnamon Babka.  A few tweaks of course, and all along being inspired for the next batches.

I enjoyed making this...and the smell when baking was wonderful.  Brushing it with its sugar glaze was just an excuse to have a close look and smell.

As our neighbours had just come back from the holidays, I thought a little welcome back Sunday bake would be welcome...still warm, and requiring the cooling rack to taken out the cupboard, I am sure their home too would be smelling delicious.

Once back, the paper was removed...and promise, I haven't cup into it, and will wait for Mr S's homecoming this afternoon.

I just had to leave the house before I succumbed.....off to the Wells Food Festival!

Date stuffed Buns

Mr S and I have a thing for dates....the sweet ones, and enjoy our brazil nut stuffed dates as our lunch time sweetmeat after dinner.  Since moving I have been buying them from Persepolis, but lately very similar dates were on sale up at Rocky Mountain twice weekly fruit and veg market.  Sadly they ran out and stated that they would supply them seasonally.  By that I understood to be around Christmas.

Anyway, as we are about to be without, I was researching the different types of dates, and came across 'Komaj Buns'.  To think there could be buns stuffed with dates for breakfast got me thinking.  We were out of breakfast buns, and I decided to make some date stuffed ones.

For my bun dough I revisited Jane Mason's Sfoof recipe, which I adapted in a number of ways.  I omitted the mahlab and the orange blossom water, and reduced the butter to 75g.  Half Spelt and half wheat flour was used, as was the anise seeds and ground turmeric.

For the filling I decided to chop up the dates together with some juicy candied orange peel.  For half the batch I followed the Komaj Buns technique using a cutter.  Finding it quite tricky to get each bun the same weight, I reverted to one of the techniques learnt in the Book of Buns, and stuffed buns with the filling.

Friday Bun Day was moved to Wednesday! With our afternoon drink it was the two smallest buns, one each.  The rest are in the freezer. 

The bun is as light as a feather, the golden colour from turmeric, and taste combinations of the date, orange and anise seeds delicious.  We have six wonderful breakfasts to look forward to in the coming month.  We love sitting together in the conservatory having our breakfasts and watching the birds and the clouds.  We have a rolling menu but always a boiled egg each on Saturday, and a special bun each on Sunday, with great coffee and tea, and a fruit platter selection. 

Inspired to bake Moroccan Anise Ksra

One of the blogs I receive announcements from regularly is Karen's Kitchen Stories.  Sometimes they inspire me to try something out.  When I saw her version of Ksara Moroccan Anise and Barley Flatbread, it reminded me of the wonderful cart loads of bread we saw when we were on holiday in Morocco.  

Loaves for sale in Morocco

Adapting Karen's recipe in several ways...using chickpea flour in place of barley flour since I had non, kneading a bit...as I love kneading...leaving in the fridge but not overnight, here are my two loaves.  The texture is soft and it is hard to believe that there is no sugar or honey.  The anise seeds give a lovely flavour...just right for mopping up meat juices.    Perhaps they are not quite flat enough...a sure reason to try this again soon.

January Sticky Buns

How could I call these Autumnal Sticky Buns when it is January....

A revisit of Autumnal Sticky Buns from Jane Mason, which I first made back in 2015, was part of a large pumpkin bake today.  This time I shaped the buns as for 'free standing' Chelsea buns as I wanted to freeze them individually.  I didn't bake them with the underneath goo, so put the pecan nuts on top of the filling before rolling them up.  A little glaze with the remaining sugar and lemon 'sauce' from left over from making the crystallized candied lemon peel. (Waste nothing)

I had already baked the pumpkin before Christmas, so it was just a matter of defrosting and allowing the pumpkin to reach room temperature.

The first bake of the morning was a big batch of cheesy pumpkin twisted sticks , link to the recipe,filled with herbs and chopped olives....sorry they are all batched up and already placed in the freezer.  Since first devising this form and recipe, and having shared them with friends, and found them exceptionally good, rewarmed from frozen, they have just got to be a standby in the freezer.

Masala Buns

Yesterday's bun baking jamboree in the snow included Masala Buns from the Book of Buns.  This recipe was amongst the last ones set in February 2017...and just over a year later I'm finally baking it.  Mr S really thought the smell of the filling was wonderful.  With spices and chilli, lunch with a bun each and other tasty morsels will help warm us up...well the house is rather cosy, but a nice hot spicy bun is just the ticket!

Isn't it a coincidence that both the recipes have a mixture of black and white sesame seeds. I chose half wholemeal and half white wheat flour.  Now that I have followed the recipe exactly, next time, I shall allow my inspiration to make little tweeks: maybe nigella seeds on the top, and fresh coriander in the filling, perhaps pumkin instead of potato in the filling.  There are other recipes in the Book such as Khara Buns and Kahvalti with nigella and feta...all rather delicious savoury buns which on rebaking I have fused the ingredients and come up with many permutations.

Bun Muska and Snow

Having one or two new bakers join the Facebook page baking through Jane Mason's Book of Buns, and displaying their bakes is a good way of inspiring me, so out came  one of my favourite baking books.

It was rather cold yesterday and starting to snow.  I had planned to walk up to Wells Market and buy my usual dozen eggs, but put off the outing.  With just four eggs left after breakfast, I went through the book and chose Bun Muska to bake again, and took out some left over frozen egg wash from the freezer to thaw.  

It was March 2016 when I last baked these.  I wish I had read that post first...then I would have been reminded to coat the bottoms with seeds too!

Looking out on a snowy scene this morning, what nicer than fresh coffee  Bun Muska warmed in the oven, and recently made rhubarb jam, for breakfast.

As usual six went into the freezer yesterday evening, with two reserved for breakfast this morning.

Rosemary Sourdough Bread - Perfecting sourdough by Jane Mason

This is the last of the recipes in 'Perfecting Sourdough' in the long list set for the Facebook Page.  I have baked almost all of them, those I missed out were because we were moving or had the house totally upside down.  I kept this recipe to be the last one as I love the association of herbs and plants and Rosemary is for Remembrance, and the picture of this loaf is also repeated at the end of the book.

Both my wheat and rye sourdough starters are really reliable.  I refresh them every three weeks or so, and often use them to top up other standard yeast bakes I may be making.  This was one of the tips my fellow moderator Nigel.  Another trick I have tried at last with this loaf, was baking in a closed roasting tin...similar to using a dutch oven.

I have also learnt and understand how the dough feels when it has been sufficiently kneaded, seen how folding at intervals really does help the dough to stand up.  What I still feel lacking in confidence is the turning out and slashing.  Some times I feel confident and go ahead, if not, I just use baking tins...the bread tastes equally good.

I started the refreshment part of the starter mid morning, when I also set the raisins to soak in the remaining water together with the chopped rosemary from the garden.  This meant the water had taken on some of the sweetness of the raisins and the rosemary. 

By 6 pm the starter was bouncy and ready to go.  Before dinner I set to kneading the dough.  Not quite according to the instructions, but following Jane's technique from the book of buns, the fat was added after the initial 10 minutes, and then I folded the raisins and rosemary, before the bulk fermentation.

Last thing I divided the dough into two and set them in cloth lined bannetons, covered them with their 'shower caps', and left them in the cool kitchen.  By six the next morning, I had a peep and were they more or less ready...but I wasn't, so they went into the fridge.

As soon as I was properly awake and the oven hot enough, out came the first loaf from the fridge, it was very light and airy, and I was concerned that it may have been just a little too far gone. So I just brushed it with egg and didn't score it.  I'm pleased I used the Bannetons with their cloth liners as that made them easier to turn out.

I watched it rise, and decided to try the technique of baking the second loaf in a closed container.  I have an oval stainless steel roasting dish with a lid which I used.  I am so pleased that Jane Mason recently gave guidance on turning out the loaf onto a large sheet of baking parchment, then using the paper to manoeuvre it into the tin. 

Not actually being able to peer at the loaf rising through the window in the oven seemed disconcerting at first, so I was totally relieved when it was time to take off the lid for the final fifteen minutes of baking.  The loaf look marvelous, and felt really light when it was ready to be turned out and left to cool.  It felt lighter than the loaf baked on the baking sheet, even though it was bigger.  I put them on the scales and it was actually heavier but felt ligther and spongier in the hand.

We don't usually eat anything in-between meals, but I could not resist a slice when it was time for coffee, and Mr S definitely did not want to left out.  The aroma, taste and mouth feel were bliss.

Perfect with goat's cheese and grapes.  Lunch was just soup and fruit....


Some of the recipes I have now baked many times, as they are so easy.  My favourites are Do Good Loaf, Mixed grain Sourdough and all the ones based on Rye Starters particularly Finnish Rye.  The 100% wholewheat is amazing, and whenever I buy craft Stoneground flour, bought on my visits to mills, this is the one I use to really get the full flavour of the wheat.  Often I scale up the recipe to yield two or three loaves, which are either shared with friends or frozen.  With options within the recipes for different flours, sweeteners and fat, there are even several variations of most to be tried.

From starting in May 2016 I feel that my sourdough technique has really Improved...not perfect, I just 'knead to keep at it'!

Cheese and Onion Sourdough Bread

It seems ages since I had my hand in sourdough, and having refreshed the starter last night, I set about one of the baking challenges set this month.

At the same time I made up something that approximates to Do-good Bread, divided  into a loaf, and some mixed up with soaked up bottom of the bag fruit and fibre cereal with added fruit.  Its one of the ways I use up all the fine stuff left at the bottom of the cereal bag!  We end up with breakfast bread that uses up what would have been wasted.  Our wild birds prefer sunflower hearts to left over cereal!

As I write this up, the smell of the cheese and onion loaves, slowly cooling on the rack, is wafting upstairs. Supper this evening will be this bread together with a warming and spicy soup.  We had a altogether delicious and filling lunch, and this will do very nicely indeed.

The recipe gives a 1.4 Kg loaf, which would be great for a gathering.   I therefore chose to make two smaller loaves, and feeling that my dough would slide across the baking sheets during its two to three hours final proof, used two deep pan  baking tins. 

As for the 200g mature Cheddar Cheese, this was not on the cards for us.  Such a shame as Cheddar is just down the road...Instead I thought some goat's cheese from a farm even closer at Wookey, bought straight from the farmer at the Wells's farmers' market on Wednesday would do very nicely.  It came wrapped in grease proof paper..so absolutely no plastic in this instance!

Once the dough was ready for its final rise, it was popped into tins...

and after about two hours I brushed them with egg wash and added just a small sprinkling of cheese.

Then after another hour...I felt they were ready for the oven.  After the first blast I decided to sit out in the kitchen and watch the loaves carefully through the oven window and was happy that the cheese did not burn.

Here they are turned out and cooling....

When I popped into the library this week...out on the New Books stand I found this one.  Of course, I was drawn by the title...and I have found it entertaining and amusing and read about Lois being shortlisted, or not for a market stall in San Francisco.  Nice to have a novel with a character who is beguiled by sourdough!

Off to heat up the soup now.....

Cranberry and Nut sourdough Loaf

This is one the December 2017 baking challenges from Jane Mason's Book: Perfecting Sourdough.

I doubled up on the bulk fermentation ingredients, then make half with dried cranberries and pecan nuts, and the second one with hazelnuts and raisins.  For the flours I used a mix of half and half white strong wheat, and creamy spelt.

As always the nuts were first baked a little in the oven till smelling and light golden, then with the fruit they were soaked in some of the liquid overnight, whilst the sourdough from the fridge had its overnight refresh.

These loaves took a very long time to rise, most probably because it was so cool.  They are meant to rise in proving baskets, but I felt more confident using tins for this dough.

They were shaped up and put into tins around 15:30 on Saturday, and by 18:00 still were not ready, so they went into the very cool conservatory for an overnight 'refrigerated' rise...but at 6:00 am they still were not high enough in the tin.  Having been brought them back into the kitchen then, and having been given a boost by sitting on top of the cooling toaster from breakfast, they finally went into the oven at about 11:00 am.

The Cranberry and Pecan Nut loaf is now in the freezer, and will come out for Christmas morning breakfast...but I could not resist cutting into the hazelnut and raisin loaf:

The flavour is topnotch, with hazelnuts warm and mellow, and the raisins soft and tangy in contrast..spread with a little butter and thick honey, then have made a tasty snack with Sunday afternoon tea.

Stuffed focaccia

I've had Bread from Ciabatta to rye by Linda Collister since it was first published in 2001, and its one of those books that is a keeper.  Having made sourdough for weeks on end, I was looking for a bit of breadmaking that would be a little quicker.  That means to say I fancied a bit of baking, but had not made my preparations the previous evening.

I was taken by Linda Collister's recipe for stuffed focaccia...it had a spinach, chilli and anchovy filling.  However I had none of the stuffings...but was inspired by this idea.  It is rather like a stuffed pizza or calzone...here is my take on the focaccia, and it is really open to so many other interpretations regarding the filling.

For the dough:
7g dried yeast, left to melt in a jug of 300g warm water.

It nestled in the bowl of 500g strong bread flour helping to warm up the flour too.  I took a few tablespoon of the flour and added it to the water to feed the yeast.  Then I draped over a tea towel over the top, and went away for a little while.

One of the things I did was roast all the little peppers which I had bought on Wednesday from one the veg stalls together with some rosemary and loads of garlic.  I love to have a few roasted pieces of garlic which I then add to things like Hummus, rather than raw garlic.

Before kneading the above, I added 3 tablespoons olive oil, a few leaves of chopped purple sage, 2 teaspoons salt and a good few twists of the pepper grinder.  The mixture needs to be quite soft and supple, so you may need to add a little more water, I did!

After it is well puffed up, after about an hour and a half.  I divided the dough into four, as I was making two stuffed focaccias.  I just stretched a piece into an oblong straight onto the parchment lined baking tray.

This one has torn leaves from the swiss chard which I have been growing for the first time this year...stems were kept back for another dish, roasted peppers olives, thyme and rosemary.  The second one had big spoonfuls of soft goat's cheese as well.

After the covers went on, they were left to prove for about 40 minutes, then brushed with oil from the roasted peppers and sprinkled with maldon salt crystals.  25 minutes at fan 210 C left us with two lovely baked focaccias.  Nicely browned on the bottom too..no soggy bottoms wanted.

We had the one with cheese with a nice large mixed salad for our lunch...the other one went in the freezer.

Last Saturday when Mr S and I sauntered into town and walked round Wells Market, I spied some Somerset Grown Garlic, but did not get it.  Today I asked again, is this really garlic grown in Somerset?  Yes it definitely is.  I shall find out exactly which farm it is from.  Having googled it I find that there are several garlic growers in the county.  This lovely bunch of 9 huge heads of garlic cost £10..here it is with a small head from the supermarket as contrast.