Monday, June 17, 2024

Dear Panarians,

The most exciting thing about this newsletter is my announcement that my book is now getting close. There is a frenzy of final editing going on now as the publishers and I are pleased to announce it will be launched in early autumn.

Your Baker’s Topic concerns those occasions when having a strong flour is to the detriment of what you are trying to achieve.

Good baking, from Paul

BOOK NEWS

As mentioned in my greeting the book launch is set for early autumn. I shall write again when the date is known, and to outline the procedure for buying my book, its price, and other details.

At the moment I am tidying up some chapters, carefully checking some ‘recipes’, and even making the odd fact-checking mission back to the hallowed British Library.

It is satisfying to report that we are in the final straight.

CALENDAR

Course dates can be viewed taking us from July to October.

July 2024

• Tue 9th — Basic Bread Baking · 1 day (2 places)
• Sat 20th — French Baking with Sourdough · 2 day (1 places)

August 2024

• Sat 10th — Sourdough Baking · 1 day (4 places)
• Sat 24th — Italian Baking · 1 day (4 places)

September 2024

• Sat 14th — Going Professional · 3 day (4 places)

WOOD-FIRED OVENS

Recently there has been some work done on my website to make it more personal about my knowledge of masonry ovens and my experience as a baker working with them for some fifty years. The superb ovens I sell, Le Panyol, are imported from France.

It is easy to navigate around the website so that the hobby or amateur baker can find the right domestic sized oven rather than being caught with the grander professional ones.

Visit Home • Woodfired Ovens (panary.co.uk)

BAKER’S TOPIC

When to make strong flour weak

Monday, September 25th

Dear Panarians,

Soon the year ends. There are a few courses in CALENDAR to complete the year, and then some dates are set forward to March 2024.

There has been a postponement for my book publication date, and it is now coming out next Easter.

This newsletter features two special items: a call for a new ‘Apprentice’ to attend my commercial baking day every Thursday, and the Baker’s Topic is ‘Plaiting’ – such lovely and handsome shapes for white dough.

APPRENTICE NEEDED

Will Armstrong has been with me for a few months and he has been learning fast, Already he is a capable baker, being stationed on the electric deck oven while I see to the wood-fired oven. His table work was improving fast and his knowledge of fermentation is becoming deep. Unfortunately for me, Will is returning to uni after having taken a year out.

The ‘apprentice’ position really suits a person who is keen to become a capable baker. It is old-fashioned in its way since every Thursday the apprentice gives me labour, and in return I give the apprentice all my knowledge and skill. For anyone out there interested – do get in touch by email or phone.

CALENDAR

Click on a course and you are taken to the course description and the booking procedure.

November 2023

• Sat 18th — Sourdough · 1 day (3 places)

December 2023

• Tue 5^th –  Basic (Christmas)  1 day (4 places)

February 2024

• Sat 3^rd – Pizza & Italian 1 day (4 places)
• Tue 6^th – Basic 1 day (4 places)
• Sat 24^th – Sourdough 1 day (4 places)
• Tue 27^th – French 1 day (4 places)

March 2024

• Tue 12^th British 1 day (4 places)
• Sat 16^th French with Sourdough 2 days (4 places)

Thank you, Panariarians, good-bye and good baking, Paul

April 21st, 2023

Dear Panarians,

This newsletter is brimming with news and celebration. Its Baker’s Topic is Lardy Cake, an old-fashioned standard for a cold climate.

ANNIVERSARY

In the last newsletter I announced that I was celebrating 20 years that PANARY bread school had been at Cann Mills.

That felt pretty special, but wait until you hear what I’m celebrating this year……..50 years a baker! Fancy spending fifty rewarding years in my chosen and much loved craft, along with interesting excursions into brick oven building and consultancy.

BOOK BLOG

Some of you will have enjoyed reading the promotional blog on my publishers’ website for the foreword to my forthcoming book. It was about how I became a baker (in London) and later the steps I took to create my first bakery at St. Andrews, outside Melbourne, Australia. In this newsletter you are directed to the second half of that foreword, an account of what it is like plying a craft in our modern world. Visit https://riversmeetproductions.co.uk/2022/12/the-bread-bake-looks-within-part-two/

APPRENTICE FOR THURSDAY

I am looking for baking assistance on my weekly commercial baking day – every Thursday. This would suit a person who wants to become a capable baker since I view the arrangement as an informal apprenticeship. The ‘apprentice’ gives me supporting labour and I give the apprentice my entire knowledge of craft baking. Please email me if you are interested.

Recently the commercial Thursday has been stimulated by getting a new customer whose opening order is several large 2 kg sourdough wheaten loaves that are for their toasted sandwiches. It is The Stalls Cafe in a beautiful farm courtyard in Sutton Mandeville on the A30 road to Salisbury. The barns and handsome farm buildings have been developed to house various businesses, a gallery, and a splendid cafe.

These are the 2 kg sourdough loaves, set to prove in a couche.

GREEN PACKAGING

I am proud to announce that all PANARY packaging for the various wholesale breads is now compostable, including even the labels that must be placed on the bags when the bread is being sold in a shop. The viewing window in the bags is made from vegetable starch.

COURSES PROGRAMME

There are fewer courses running into the summer since I am now working hard to complete the book. Click here to view the website CALENDAR: https://www.panary.co.uk/course-calendar-and-booking/

That’s it, Panarians. Thank you for your interest and good baking!

Paul

BAKER’S TOPIC: Lardy Cake