Bakers urged to go bananas for elephant rescue

Husband and wife team Louise Watson and Liam Pachuabsuk have launched the Freedom Field Café Elephant Project to rescue two elephants, Dokrak and Mair Ladee, from servitude after decades of logging and tourist treks. It will enable the Pachuabsuk family to create a farm in Chon Buri, on which the elephants can live and roam freely. The on-site café for visitors will help generate ongoing income for the family to help enable them to continue caring for the unchained elephants in their new home.

In support of the project, Ian, owner of Knead Good Bread and a School of Artisan Food graduate, has created a Real Bread bun recipe using banana, Dokrak’s favourite food. He is calling on own-ers of bakeries of all sizes, from microbakeries through to major commercial bakeries to make and sell these buns to raise dough.

Ian says: “I have known Louise and Liam for many years and am hugely supportive of their desire to create a new life for the elephants and a sustainable future for their extended family.” He adds that banana might be “an unusual flavour for a bread bun, but it tasted great and my customers love them!”

Every bakery that helps will be thanked and named on a roll of honour displayed at the project for all to see.

For the recipe and more dough raising details, email Ian Waterland.

Find out all about Freedom Field Cafe Elephant Project on their crowdfunding page.