Wow, has it really been two months since we took over the lease at The Hop Pocket and Unit 53 became the home of Peter Cooks Bread.
The Get In
The first two weeks of March saw us (and a lot of helpers) getting the myriad of baking equipment into the unit. The most testing of which was our Tom Chandley oven which only just scraped through the doorway - that is after removing a part or two. Thankfully the promise of its glass oven doors made it all the worthwhile.
Once the equipment was in, it was time to get our hands well and truly dirty - sadly not yet in dough, but in marigolds. But after a full day's clean, the bakery was starting to take shape.
Our First Bake
Next, it was time to test out the oven, and of course our lovely big spiral mixer. Let the baking commence.
From an overnight white, to wholemeal, to some soft rolls, the bakery was starting to smell just as it should, sending out wafts of lovely freshly baked bread.
After feeding our starters, it was then time to get some Sourdough on the go and start building our repertoire of Real Bread.
Sharing the Joys of Real Bread
The next two weeks saw us take to the road as we visited local delis, cafes , restaurants and pubs, sharing our Real Bread wares. There's nothing like delivering a box of freshly baked bread to bring a smile to people's faces.
Our First Order
Thankfully our samples hit the spot and we landed our first order, followed by another, and then another. And so it was time to say goodbye to our luxury baking day's of 9am starts and hello 4am.