Yes, I could taste the difference. I could taste that their fake sourdough bore no resemblance to sourdough.btrad.
Check out the long list of ingredients.
Support local independent bakeries, and taste the difference to the fake sourdough bread pedfled by Sainsbury’s.
Sourdough: Long slow fermentation using wild yeasts. Ingredients sourdough starter, flour, water and salt.
The long fermentation breaks down the gluten. Low gluten, not zero gluten. Randomised trials have shown gluten intolerance, is caused by the additives, not gluten.
I learnt of this tiny pop up shop on Steep Hill during a recent visit to Vine’s Bakery in Saxilby. Until today, Saturday afternoon after the farmers market Castle Hill (third Saturday of the month) I’d never found open.
Vine's Bakery Steep Hill pop up shop #bread #sourdough #bakery #croissants #SteepHill #Lincoln
Walking down Steep Hill my eye was caught by the window display of fresh baked bread.
I walked in. I was surprised how tiny, how old. Oak panel lined walls, an old fireplace with logs, shelves to the side of the fireplace, at the back, and in the corner a tiny counter manned by a helpful young lady. All very tastefully done.
The entrance is unusual but typical of Steep Hill. A main entrance, to the left entrance to the bakery, to the right a chocolate shop (not recommended).
All the time I was there, a constant stream of customers. Like me, brought in by the eye catching display. Every single one who walked in made a purchase, be it a sourdough loaf, almond croissant or a croissant mince pie.
I would have bought a sourdough loaf, very tempting, but I’d only bought a Wellbeck sourdough loaf from Bailgate Deli the day before. I did though come away with an almond croissant and mince pies.
They were so busy, they had to restock mid afternoon. Easy to see why, the only bakery in Lincoln.
The young lady was very pleasant and helpful.
Hot tip: Half an hour before they close, everything free (not sourdough loaf) or a freebie with a purchase.
Other recommended businesses on Steep Hill: Bunty’s tea shop , Steep Hill Wines, On the Hill jewelry, Bells tea shop.
Fermented wild fungi, simmered in their own juices, then fried in butter,olive oil and peanut butter, herbs and spices added, simmered in two shots of Grind espresso, then finished with vanilla Greek yogurt and kefir, served on buttered sourdough toast.
An adaptation of the recipe below.
fermented wild fungi cooked in espresso served on sourdough toast #fungi #sourdough
– splash of cold pressed extra virgin olive oil – knob of butter – fermented wild fungi – Himalayan pink salt and ground black pepper to season – two shots Grind espresso – Greek yoghurt and kefir – two thick slices sour dough, toasted – herbs and spices
method
Splash of olive oil and a knob of butter in a large frying pan on medium high heat.
Add fermente wild fungi. Simmer to reduce the juices. Add if necessary butter and olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes, until starting to brown. Season with salt and pepper.
Add herbs and spices, cook for a further minute, stirring.
Pour in two shots of Grind espresso, bring to a boil, simmer until reduced by half.
Over the last few weeks I’ve tried several different sourdough loaves, M&S, Waitrose, Riverford, Vines, Wellbeck, Grain of Truth.
All very similar. It also depends on when eat. The day of purchase, three days later.
The worst was Riverford, though improved when ran under a cold tap then baked in the oven, can oven 180C for 10 minutes.
Word of mouth, I learnt of Grain of Truth stall outside Lincoln Central Market. No information inside the market, but that unfortunately indicative of mismanagement of the market.
The Grain of Truth Bakery sourdough loaf very doughy. I suspected at the time, not long baked, maybe I was eating too soon.
I visited the stall again yesterday. My thoughts on the doughy loaf were correct. Baked in the early hours of the morning. On sale by seven in the morning. Most sourdough we find on sale is at least a day old.
I’d been recommended to try their New York sourdough loaf OMG., this was in another league.
I’d also recommend their croissants, especially their almond croissant. Not as good as Overoll Croissanterie, but then it is in another league, especially their pistachio croissants.
I’ve yet to visit Wellbeck or to try a sourdough loaf from Økende.
Hot tip: Revive an old loaf, run under a cold tap, fan oven 180C 10 minutes.
Grain of Truth bread and croissants on sale on a stall outside Lincoln Central Market Wednesday morning, Forage and Fill Friday.
Industrial bread, bread with all the nutritional value removed, a long list of ingredients, including emulsifiers. It is what we find in the supermarket.
Yesterday I had sourdough bread off a market stall.
What is sourdough bread? Ask most vendors and they don’t know.
It is bread using a wild yeast, with a long slow fermentation. Once the baker is happy, will cultivate the yeast for future loaves. Strictly speaking, a symbiotic relationship with a wild yeast and a lacto bacteria (which we find in Greek yogurt and kefir).
I chatted with the baker. He said sourdough bread in supermarkets uses dead cultures. I was baffled, what use if not active? He said, to give the flavour of sourdough bread.
I bought a sourdough loaf (or at least shared half with a lady, who had bought the last one) and two croissants.
This sourdough loaf was different to any I’d experienced to date. Very doughy, the crust not hard, and more flavour. Next time I see the baker, more questions.
Bread stall: Grain of Truth Bakery. Bread, croissants and farm cheeses from raw milk. Wednesday in the market square outside Lincoln Central Market.
Cheese on toast, yes. Cauliflower cheese, yes. Try cauliflower cheese on toast.
Is bread healthy? It depends. Most people will be surprised to find bread classed as ultra-processed
I buy bread from a long established family business. It will be sitting on the shelf. I ask for a wholemeal loaf and they slice it for me on an ancient machine. One day it was aleady sliced and wrapped in a plastic bag, attached was a kong list of ingredients. I asked of the bread not wrapped, to learn what sits on the shelves also has a long list of ingredients. The lady was primed, and gave a detailed defense. I now take a greater interest in the bread i buy, ask questions.
Gail’s if beleive the hype, an up market bakery. It is not. Poor service, dirty dishes piled high on dirty tables, undrinkable coffee.
And what of the fresh bread at Gail’s? Sat outside, talking to a baker, he said it was no different to a supermarket, shipped in and hotted up.
Beware of fake bread and other chicanery. White bread bleached to make it look whiter, brown bread died to make it look browner.
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