Good evening everyone,
And a very Happy New Year to you all. We hope you all found some moments of peace and joy over the festive period, and that you managed your stocks of bread better than the Thurston / Hamblin household. Not a crust or crumb left in sight round here...perhaps Kate should snap out of holiday mode and make a loaf or two. Meanwhile, at the mill, David, who is a stranger to the concept of a holiday, has redressed the mill stones ready for another year of grinding the best flour we could wish for.
Fortunately for those bare cupboards we are back baking from Thursday this week. We imagine sub-zero temperatures await us at the bakery when we start prepping tomorrow, so it will be thermals at the ready. We have an exciting few months coming up, more on which anon, but for now a counter of January delights awaits. As is the custom, the saffron and candied orange teacake is making an appearance, studded with currants and glazed with orange and saffron syrup. The citrus season being in full swing we thought we would make two seasonal cakes, a blood orange financier using a whole fruit puree in the batter and the blush juice in the icing, and an Amalfi lemon curd swiss roll. We'll also have some brown butter, pecan, hazelnut and dark chocolate cookies, and the whole vanilla bun is back. The classics will of course be returning too; cinnamon bun, cardamom bun, chocolate chip cookie, sausage roll, cheese scone, pizza and sandwiches. Keep an eye out for the Grasmere gingerbread test over the weekend too.
Right, now off to feed the starter and maybe mix a little dough whilst at it.
Very best wishes for 2026, may your starters be bubbly and your bread bins full.
Thank you for reading and see you soon,
Kate and Hugo