Good afternoon everyone, Well, we've got the first Hot Crossed week under our belts. The spice mix fills the kitchen with an unmistakable smell whilst the dough is mixing, and this year it includes some very special samples of cinnamon and clove, imported directly from Sri Lanka by Mohamad, with whom Hugo struck up a conversation at the bus stop directly outside the bakery. You'd be amazed what's emerged from bus stop chats over the years, and serendipitously a regular supply of directly traded spices is something we've been seeking forever. If you've heard more laughing and giggling coming from the back of the bakery of late, it's because we were blessed with the presence of one Sam Luntley, star of the...
Good afternoon everyone, These emails started life as simply a reminder that online orders were open. Gradually they evolved into their current format, weekly glimpses into the world of Hamblin Bread. We appreciate the opportunity to shed light on aspects of the bakery that might not be visible to the casual or even regular visitor. Looking back through the archive, it seems that we're roughly three years in to the current format, with the first ever being HXB themed, back in the spring of '22. However, it's the 2023 edition we're cribbing from this time around, in the form of some words of wisdom from St John restaurant which it seems worth repeating: Thoughtless traditionalism is a dangerous thing, a...
Good afternoon everyone, Gosh, these weeks are just flying by. Sunday afternoon already. It was a good week for buns - soft, fluffy, generous, that's what we look for and thanks to a great team effort that's what we got. New shaping for the vanilla buns, pictured below, was also deemed a success. Top tip - if you come to the Covered Market next week, ask for yours to be warmed up, it's a whole new level... We were also pleased with the latest financier iteration, taking advantage of the extended blood orange season, using the whole fruit in the batter, juice in the icing, and crystallised slices adorning the lid. On the cheese counter this week, Hugo would like...
Good afternoon everyone, Just a short note this week to say a huge thank you to everyone that came to see us at our new shop in the Covered Market. We were blessed with lovely weather, lots of familiar faces, as well as plenty of new ones. It was great to give the coffee machine a proper work out, we enjoyed our natty branded cups and paper, and the response to the new menu was gratifyingly enthusiastic. Pictured is a batch of our milk and oat rolls, a new bread that Kate and the team have developed with our Covered Market breakfast sandwiches in mind. Yeasted, soft, and sweet, we find them to be a pleasing partner to dry-cured bacon,...
Good afternoon everyone, So nice to have had blue skies and sunshine this week. It's certainly helped to bring some clarity and purpose to the busy business of a new opening. And here we go. Hamblin Bread Covered Market will indeed open at 10am on Thursday 6 March. As you can see, we have a menu. There's a gleaming coffee machine, stools to perch on and a bar to rest your elbows, where you can enjoy a warm bun, a grilled cheese sandwich, or just an espresso. The full Hamblin repertoire will adorn the counter, there'll be a wall of bread, the shelves will be fully stocked with marmalade and preserves and other goodies, and we can confidently assert that...
