Good afternoon everybody, Today felt like the first day of winter, with a real bite in the air. Extra pullovers very much the order of the day on the doughnut stall, with Kate and Caitlin frying their socks off. A huge thank you to everyone who braved the queue. It was a fun day and hopefully we'll do it again soon. Watch this space. On the pastry counter this week we're keeping it classic with the whole vanilla bun joining the stalwarts, cinnamon and cardamom. The brown butter coconut cookie makes a welcome return, and the Banbury cakes are enjoying an extended run. The financiers have shed their espresso buttercream and walnuts, and we're adding some perfect tayberries from Roy's...
Good afternoon everybody, First of all, a reminder that Sunday is doughnut day, with kick-off at 10 am at Iffley Road. Kate and co-conspirator, Caitlin, aka Cake On My Face, have settled on the menu for the fry off which runs as follows: Cinnamon sugar ring doughnut Coffee glazed ring doughnut with candied pecans Quince jam and crème diplomat filled doughnut Pump Street milk chocolate brioche Now over to Harriet for news of our most recent event and a cheese preview: This week the bakery played host to a group of young people and their parents trying to answer the big question: Is bread alive?Harriet, our General Manager, spent a wonderful two days exploring some of the Biology and Chemistry...
Good afternoon everybody, Firstly, a date for the diary. On Sunday 9th of November we are collaborating with Caitlin aka Cake On My Face, friend of Hamblin, food writer and baker extraordinaire, on something which has been a pipe dream for quite some time. We shall be setting up outside the bakery on Iffley Road and running a…. doughnut stall. The vision is, under the cover of a gazebo generously donated by the Magdalen Arms, we shall set up some carefully positioned deep fat fryers, and fry through the day until we run out. Open air frying in borderline winter in reach of the general public? What could possibly go wrong? Such is our love of freshly fried dough we...
In which preparations for Yuletide begin, some fine Mâcon wines are tasted, and Hamblin and Landrace compare notes. Good afternoon everyone, As we get into the second half of October, in the world of food and hospitality, it's hard to avoid the looming spectre of Christmas. At Hamblin, the first big job is to get mincemeat production underway. The garden quince have been gathered in plastic buckets and their beguiling perfume fills the car as they're ferried to the bakery, the Somerset cider brandy is resting in the shed, and the best part of ten kilos of suet is arriving any day from Swaledale Butchers in North Yorkshire. It's happening.In the wine world the tastings come thick and fast this...
In which the feelings of nostalgia engendered by the seventh birthday of the bakery find expression in musings on, and pictures of, cheese, and details are shared of an upcoming bacchanal. Good afternoon one and all, First of all, with the Autumn season well under way and lots of new bottles on the shelves, we will be having our first tasting of the term on Saturday 25th October from 6 pm. For the uninitiated, this will be a very informal affair, lots of interesting wines to try, including a few rare gems, some bread and cheese to keep us going, and plenty of good cheer. Tickets are £40 and include as much wine as you can slurp, plus snacks. Places...
