News from The Cook Shop Online

Sourdough baking course at Vicky’s Bakery, Helston, Cornwall. 11/11/11

by Lulu Roberts

Vicky opened her bakery in Helston about 5 years ago. We were soon convinced that it was the best bread we had eaten, and ensuring that we had a supply on our visits to Cornwall became a compulsive behaviour disorder for Marilyn and me. Similarly, not wanting to be deprived of our fix, we had resorted to taking frozen loaves back to Surrey. When we heard that Vicky was holding one day courses in sourdough baking it seemed too good an opportunity to miss.

The bakery is located on a modern industrial estate and is approached via a drive with lawns on either side. Inside it is spotless but warm and friendly.

A bit of background on sourdough breads

Essentially sourdough is the process of using a pre-ferment (sourdough culture) that starts the natural fermentation within the loaf. Why use a sourdough? Here is an extract from Vicky’s recipe book which answers this question better than I can.

“Using a sourdough culture to leaven bread has some fantastic advantages. A sourdough is naturally acidic, as it produces organic acids and ethers as it ferments. This increases the acidity of the final loaf, which has a number of effects.

Firstly, this naturally lengthens the shelf life of the bread without using artificial preservatives. Secondly, it strengthens the gluten structure, therefore allowing us to make a wetter, looser dough, resulting in a final loaf that is more moist. Thirdly, the acidity developed during a long fermentation and proof improves the flavour of the dough. Fourthly, the use of a sourdough culture encourages our body to extract more of the minerals and goodness from the flour as we digest the bread.”

The course given by Vicky spans 8 hours. This duration is an imperative as the sourdough baking process requires between 5 & 6 hours from initial mixing to taking the loaves out of the oven. For much of this time the dough is resting between short periods of gentle human intervention.

I was one of six students, each of us managing to bake from scratch three different types of sourdough loaf. Additionally we were involved I a shared effort to produce some Venetian rolls which use a slightly different type of pre-fermentation process.

The course is very well structured, based around the proving and baking times of the various breads we were making. Vicky had great presentation skills and makes the whole process very uncomplicated, which in fact it is. Her approach to bread making is non-interventionist; there isn’t any knocking back or heavy kneading with the dough. It’s more of a mutual cooperation between her and the fermenting dough mix, both working towards a really happy outcome. It’s always good to see someone who is truly enthusiastic about their product and I know from buying the finished product for many years how the combination of knowledge and experience manifest themselves in brilliant bread.

The day was punctuated with tea/coffee breaks including home-made brownies and flapjacks. We shared a lunch with Vicky’s family and care was taken to fit in with any special dietary needs.

I left with armloads of bread and a goody bag containing a sourdough culture starter, a recipe book and all the tools and equipment to get me started. I also came away with a little more knowledge than I began with and the realisation that nice people taking care with great ingredients produce great products. The course cost £150.00, which I felt was extremely good value.

Vicky’s contact details are:

Tel: 01326 572084

Email: vicky@vickysbread.co.uk

Web: http://www.vickysbread.co.uk/

Sausage Rolls:

by Lulu Roberts

Every Christmas that I return to the UK to visit my family we have a 'Roberts Tradition' of my father and I making home made sausage rolls and then taking them with champagne up to the North Coast of Cornwall where there is a wonderful walk along a beach and headland at a place called Porthtowan. At the top of the cliff is a bench in memory of a surfer who died of leukemia and as you look out at the breathtaking view your heart is filled with the joy of life and all of its beauty. It's often too windy at the top to eat and drink so we will carefully climb back down the pathway to the car where we will have our picnic.

There is something wonderful about the combination of sausage rolls still hot from the oven and bubbles enjoyed in the crisp winter air.

Now, these sausage rolls have become such a family favourite that I often make them for friends and families at parties. And in America where they don't have an equivalent it is quite a conversation starter!

Here for the first time is the 'secret' recipe which after much deliberation I have decided to share with you all, as something that tastes as good as these, needs to be enjoyed with friends.

Hope you enjoy and I look forward to your comments! Lulu x

Sausage Rolls:

Ingredients:

1 – 2 packs of puff pastry

Flour for dusting counters and pastry with

1 lb (450 g) good-quality pork sausage meat

2 teaspoons of Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder (for the meat – more will be needed for the dusting of the pastry)

2 level teaspoons chopped fresh sage

1 level teaspoon of Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg, beaten

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C).

Method:

When you're ready to make the sausage rolls mix the sausage meat, sage, and Italian seasoning with some marigold stock powder and salt and pepper together in a mixing bowl.
Then roll out the pastry on a floured surface to form an oblong (as thin as you can). (I used my rolling pin from The Cook Shop Online for this as it is long enough not to make the pastry rolling difficult).
Cut this oblong into three strips and paint with the beaten egg. Net sprinkle more Marigold stock powder and salt and pepper onto the egged pastry surface.
Divide the sausage meat also into three, making three long rolls the same length as the strips of pastry (if it's sticky sprinkle on some flour).
Place one roll of sausage meat on to one strip of pastry. Then fold the pastry over and seal it as carefully as possible. Lift the whole thing up and turn it so the sealed edge is underneath. (You can either choose to cut them into smaller ones or cook them big and then cut them up later at this point - )
Cut V-shapes in the top of each roll with scissors and brush with beaten egg. Then sprinkle the top with a tiny bit more of the Marigold stock powder (sieved is preferable) and then more salt and pepper to season.
Repeat this procedure with the other portions of meat and pastry. If you are going to cook straightaway, place the rolls on baking sheets and bake high in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy to the touch. Cut into one to check that the pastry is cooked through but only do this after a few moments of cooling on a baking rack to allow pastry to recover.
If you want to cook them later, store them uncooked in a freezer box and freeze until needed. Although you can store the cooked and cooled sausage rolls in an airtight tin, they do lose their crunchiness. For this reason I think it is preferable to remove a few at a time from the freezer and cook them as required.

Look out for new recipes as we add them to www.thecookshoponline.com. The home of innovative and exciting kitchenware.

News on the oyster clamp

by Marilyn Parker Roberts

We visited our favourite restaurant last Friday, the Wheelhouse in Falmouth (01326 318050). It’s run by a delightful couple, Tina & Matt, who offer a simple menu of really fresh local shellfish served in cataplanas.

It’s the place to go if, like us, you love lobster, crab, prawns mussels, oysters etc., served simply but with great style.

An aspect that my husband Vin really likes is that the value is exceptionally good. You can really eat well for a modest sum.

When we called to book Matt asked if we could bring along another oyster clamp (we’ve already supplied him with one). Bearing in mind that these guys are professionals - opening literally dozens of oysters a day in the season, Matt said the clamp had made a huge difference in the kitchen, making the process a lot quicker and safer. We think this is a brilliant testimony to the clamp and knife set.

The oyster season will come to an end soon, not recommencing until the onset of autumn, so we are offering an out of season discount on the oyster clamp of approximately 20%. It’s a great present for the gourmet/cook who has everything else already!

The intrepid Bobble!

by Marilyn Parker Roberts

We are so delighted!

We have always loved the Bobble self-filtering water bottle, hence the decision to stock it on the website. But in the last 3 days our decision has been justified. A friend's son is off to South America and he has taken a Bobble with him, with the proviso that while he should not use the Bobble with swamp water it will definitely improve the taste of purified water! Well done Bobble!

Then, someone else, who does fell running, inquired. He drinks from streams, but thinks the Bobble
will be ideal, plus not using up many plastic bottles!

So many people are buying the Bobble, but we can always sell more, so please do tell your friends!

WARNING: Do not use where water is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality.

Bobble Bottle in UK

by Lulu Roberts

Not long until I fly ‘home’ to my ‘other’ home in the UK now and although I have a large supply of Bobble replacement tops in the UK office, none with me forced a purchase.

It’s amazing how much I use the Bobble bottle now, considering I was never a fan of mineral water! When I originally saw the Bobble at the Chicago Homewares Fair I was impressed with the design but even more so with the company ethos.

These are great everyday items but also great for the environment. I was shocked when I returned to the UK to see they weren’t being sold, however it wasn’t long before we found that they were perfect for the English market and are now going to be selling them on the UK site for Christmas. The real problem with the Bobble is trying to choose a colour!

Click here for full product details.

WARNING: Do not use where water is microbiologically unsafe or of unknown quality.