Breadcrumbs archive 2015

Back issues of Breadcrumbs, the Real Bread Campaign's monthly enewsletter

NB As this is an archive, some of the infomation and links given might no longer be current or correct.

To receive Breadcrumbs by email and help our charity lead the rise of Real Bread, please JOIN TODAY!

• December
• November
• October
• September
• August
• July
• June
• May
• April
• March
• February
• January

See also:

• Real Bread news

December

I guess some of you will be up to your mince pies* in mince pies, so I’ll keep it brief.

Here are a few snippets office volunteer Henry and I have rustled up for you.

If you have news that you think might be of interest to the thousands of people in more than 20 countries who read this enewsletter and True Loaf, the Campaign supporters’ magazine, please drop us a line.

* eyes, for those not familar with rhyming slang

UPPER CRUST

Honest Crust Act delegation to Defra
On 13 October, Sustain’s deputy coordinator Ben Reynolds and Real Bread Campaign supporter Vanessa Kimbell met with George Eustice, Minister of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The main topic on the agenda was the Campaign's demand for a legal definition for the word sourdough to protect shoppers and support small, independent bakeries that make the genuine article. The meeting was positive and we are now working to arrange a second meeting with DEFRA early in 2016 to discuss our proposals in more detail.

Give the gift of loaf
Stuck for a food-related pressie for someone who really doesn’t need another pasta machine? Sign them up as a Real Bread Campaign supporter. For just 25 quid, they’ll receive all of the benefits for a year, including discounts on classes, ingredients, equipment and more. They’ll also receive True Loaf every three months. Meanwhile, you’ll get the satisfaction you’ve given our charity another boost.

MORE CRUMBS

New Real Bread bakery in Greater Manchester
Francesca Barker has just opened The Barker Baker on Winton Street, Littleborough. It is run as a social enterprise to help ex-offenders into employment, so go and show them your support.

Latest supporter discount
Craft Food London in Dalston is offering a 20% discount on Real Bread classes, taught by Dusty Knuckle founder Max Tobias, to paid-up Campaign supporters. Find details of how to claim this, and dozens more baking class offers, on our website.

MAKING DOUGH FROM BREAD

Vacancies

Full-time bread and cake baker at The Modern Bakery in Oxford. For more information email bread [at] modernbaker.com

Full-time apprentice at The Firehouse Bakery in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Get in touch with them at info [at] thefirehouse.ie or via Twitter @firehousebread

Do you run a Real Bread bakery with a job vacancy? Do you have a bakery or equipment for sale? Campaign supporters can post details in our forum and email to us.

END CRUST

‘Avoid those who don’t like bread and children’ Swiss proverb

November

A small but perfectly formed handful of crumbs this month…

UPPER CRUST

Iceland ad banned
As the result of a complaint we submitted to the Advertising Standards Authority back in June, the Real Bread Campaign has scored another victory against questionable industrial loaf marketing. The ASA agreed that an ad for the supermarket chain Iceland, which showed a windmill and a baker kneading by hand before loading a loaf on a peel into a wood fired oven, was misleading and ruled it should not appear again.

Together We Rise
Among the many great things that came out of The Uprising oven in September was recognition of the power of baking as both a form of therapy and employment. We are now pleased to announce that our long-planned Together We Rise initiative is up and running.

In this phase we are collecting examples of good practice and success in helping people – particularly living with mental health issues - benefit from the therapeutic nature of bread making. We are also interested in enterprises creating training and employment opportunities for people facing one of a range of challenges. We welcome anyone running, or who has benefitted, from such an enterprise/initiative to get in touch: realbread [at] sustainweb.org

Offers
Don’t forget all of the great benefits we’ve secured to help say ‘thank you’ to our supporters, whose annual contributions are currently the ONLY money our charity receives to run the Campaign. They includes around 100 discounts and offers on baking ingredients, classes, equipment, classes and more; the exclusive True Loaf magazine; and access to our supporters’ forum.

PS – Wherever you are in the world, if you run a mill, baking classes or do other stuff you think might be of interest to Campaign supporters (who can be found in more than 20 countries) round your way, please drop us a line: realbread [at] sustainweb.org

MORE CRUMBS

Real Bread winners at the World Bread Awards
The World Bread Awards were again dominated by Real Bread. Campaign supporters on the podium on 6 October included triple category winner Mark Bennett of Patisserie Mark Bennett, double category winner Rebecca Bishop of Two Magpies Bakery, Stephen Harrison of Farnley Market and Dominic Salter of Sandwich Box. Collectively, other bakeries that have listed their loaves on the Real Bread Finder map scooped more than 40 gold awards, including overall winner James Freeman of Victoria Bakery, and category winner Steve Winter of Bread Source.

Real Bread at the Oxford Real Farming Conference
A highlight on day two of next year’s annual conference (6&7 January) will be the Real Bread talk ‘The New Grain Revolution: Growing Healthier Bread.’ Join Real Bread Campaign co-founder Andrew Whitley of Bread Matters, Campaign supporter Rupert Dunn from Bread of Leaven, and Brockwell Bake founder and heritage grain expert Andrew Forbes to explore the need for a seed to sandwich revolution. The workshop will be followed by a lunchtime discussion on how communities can take control of their own Real Bread.

MAKING DOUGH FROM BREAD

Job: Trainee and second baker opportunities in Hampshire. For details email thebakerboys [at] icloud.com

END CRUST

“Tomorrow is being baked right now.” Roger McGough in the 1997 poem Fresh

October

It was great to see around 200 of you at The Uprising last month. From what I heard on the day and read in the feedback we received afterwards, people have a real desire to meet up more often and get things fermenting in areas of shared geography or interest.

Included in this month’s missive is the link for the rest of the thousands of you on our mailing list to have your say about the future of the rise of Real bread, so please seize it!

UPPER CRUST

Help shape the future of the Campaign
Please take a mo before 9 October to answer a handful of questions to help guide what issues the Campaign should focus on and what work we should be doing.

(PS No need to if you left feedback at The Uprising)

Farm to Loaf symposium
Join pioneering cereal farmers, millers and bakers at Real Bread Campaign supporter E5 Bakehouse on 25 October for discussions of the grain chain. Topics include approaches to organic farming, biology and evolution of grain, heritage varieties, milling methods, legislation and supply chains, adaptation of baking methods for UK wheat, and a panel discussion chaired by BBC Food Programme presenter Sheila Dillon. Limited tickets available in advance.

MORE CRUMBS

The new True Loaf magazine
Issue 25 of the Real Bread Campaign magazine will be out next week. It includes features on beigels, bread in Portugal, preferments, bakery crowdfunding, and glyphosate in wheat.  It is exclusively for Real Bread Campaign supporters, so if you’re missing out, it’s yet another reason to JOIN US TODAY!

Real Bread Week Ireland
In addtion to the annual international Real Bread Week, this year people in Eire get to enjoy a second celebration of their own, courtesy of our friends at Real Bread Ireland. From October 4-10, the network of bakeries is running open days and workshops to share what makes Real Bread special.

Uprising talks and photos
To help you catch-up with some of what went on at The Uprising we’ve uploaded audio clips of Andrew Whitley’s keynote speech and two panel sessions, plus some happy snaps from the day.

Manchester crowdfunding campaign
Real Bread social entrepreneur Fran Barker is raising dough to complete the refit and renovation of a new bakery in Littleborough. The Barker Baker will provide employment opportunities to ex-offenders in the Greater Manchester area.

Say no to sourfaux!
In addition to the three companies marketing packet mixes as ‘sourdough’, the chain EAT is promoting toasties as made with it. They have repeatedly refused to confirm the ingredients, so as flour, water sourdough starter and salt is hardly a trade secret, we have to wonder if they are toasting cheese between sliced of what we call #sourfaux…

Use your loaf to avoid food waste
Love Food Hate waste has found that 18% of Brits admit to chucking away unopened loaves and that our households bin 24 million slices a day. While we reckon that the vast majority of these are industrial loaves, rather than bread, here are our tips to reduce and prevent food waste.

MAKING DOUGH FROM BREAD

Job: Trove in Manchester
An opportunity for Real Bread baker.

Job: Flour Water Salt in Macclesfield
An opportunity for a Real Bread night baker. For details email paul [at] flourwatersalt.co.uk

END CRUST
Last month, Google helped celebrate the 22nd anniversary of the French 'décret pain', the law that protects both people looking for traditional bread and the independent local bakers who make it.

September

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you'll know that this month is Sourdough September.

You'll also know that it's less than two weeks until Real Bread: The Uprising, the biggest gathering of breadheads in one venue Britain has seen in almost six years.

I look forward to you joining in the fun with one or both!

UPPER CRUST

Sourdough September
Thanks to bakers and baking schools from the UK round to South Australia, more people will get to experience the power of sour and learn that life’s sweeter with sourdough.

Find special events
Find Real Bread classes
Find discounts on Real Bread ingredients, equipment and classes
Read all about sourdough Real Bread

Keep an eye out on our website, forum and social media during the month as we’ll also be urging people to say no to sourfaux!

Real Bread: The Uprising
In case you need further encouragement to join fellow Campaign supporters and friends, SOAS Food Studies Centre and us on 12 September, we’ve now published full details of what we’ll be chewing over.  

The day’s main themes are sourdough, social enterprise, running a microbakery, and the therapeutic benefits of baking.

In the main theatre we’ll have

• Keynote speech by Real Bread co-founder Andrew Whitley: What is the future of Real Bread?
• Expert panel Q&A on baking
• Expert panel discussion: what is the future for Real Bread and how can we all help shape it?

There will be three sessions for smaller groups to chew over particular topics in expert-guided conversations led by:

• Tom Baker: Loaf, loafonline.co.uk
• Francesca Barker: The Barker Baker, thebarkerbaker.com
• Emma Borbely: The Lantern Bakery, lanterncommunity.org.uk
• Hilary Cacchio: Divertimenti / Leiths, hilarycacchio.com
• Aidan Chapman: Bread Ahead / River Cottage, doughanarchist.com
• Gerry Danby: Artisan Food Law, artisanfoodlaw.co.uk
• Jessica Doyle: Homebaked Anfield, homebaked.org.uk
• Andrew Forbes: The Brockwell Bake Association, brockwell-bake.org.uk
• Fergus Jackson: Brick House, brickhousebread.com
• Vanessa Kimbell: The Sourdough School sourdough.co.uk
• Mark Kinally: Better Health Bakery, betterhealthbakery.org.uk
• Ben Mackinnon: E5 Bakehouse, e5bakehouse.com
• Jane Mason: Virtuous Bread / Bread Angels, virtuousbread.com
• Yvonne O'Donovan: School of Artisan Food schoolofartisanfood.org
• Julia Ponsonby: Schumacher College, schumachercollege.org.uk
• Zig: Leeds Bread Coop, leedsbread.coop
• Michael Quille: Ruskin Mill Trust / Freeman College, rmt.org/freeman
• Carole Roberts: Love Bread CIC, lovebread.org.uk
• Max Tobias: The Dusty Knuckle, thedustyknuckle.com
• Tabitha Wells: Better Health Bakery, betterhealthbakery.org.uk
• Catherine West: Significant Seams, significantseams.org.uk
   

END CRUST

I wasn't going to do an end crust this month, but these crossed my radar on the same day:

A production company emailed Real Bread bakeries in London looking for 'fun, skilled and enthusiastic baker for a series of online Tesco adverts.' Can we take this to mean that they were unable to find any in-house or at the Euphorium bakery chain the retail giant owns?

And in response to a question from one of its Twitter followers: 'how much of your fresh bread is made using only flour, yeast, water & salt?'  T*sco replied 'Unfortunately, this is sensitive information and we would not be able to release to the public.'

August

As ever, it’s been a busy mix of championing and challenging here. On the positive, the line-up (and ticket sales) for The Uprising just keeps improving. It was also great to hear the Campaign get another mention on the BBC Food Programme.

Counter to this, is the worrying increase of what we see as questionable marketing. I have been in correspondence with manufacturers and am now raising our concerns with trading standards, whilst also awaiting the outcome of another complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority. I will keep you posted.

If you’re in London, please help The Mayor (yes, Boris) crown The Londoners’ Loaf, and wherever you are in the world, make sure you have your Sourdough September plans made and on our calendar.

UPPER CRUST

Book your tickets for Real Bread: The Uprising
We’re on target for a sell out, so make sure you don’t miss out by buying a ticket today! Campaign supporters get a discount. This event on 12 September is for everyone with passion for Real Bread, but particularly those interested in sourdough, social enterprise, running a microbakery, and the therapeutic benefits of baking.

Help crown The Londoners’ Loaf
London Food Link, a Sustain sibling to The Real Bread Campaign, and the Mayor of London’s food team have launched the Urban Food Awards. This annual celebration of the best of London’s local larder recognises fantastic food and drink grown and made across the capital’s boroughs, and the small, community-focussed producers behind them. One of the six categories is The Londoners’ Loaf, and you have only until 17 August to make your nomination.

MORE CRUMBS

Can you help with Brockwell Bake harvest?
Harvest time for Brockwell Bake’s heritage wheat lines is fast approaching and likely to be early this month.  If you can get to WoWo Farm in East Sussex or Perry Court biodynamic Farm in Canterbury and are prepared to get handy with a sickle or scythe, or help with manual threshing and winnowing, please contact Andy Forbes for details: atty [at] area3.net 07852863952

Say no to weedkiller in food
The Soil Association is calling for a ban on glyphosate weedkiller being sprayed on UK wheat. The organic organisation has also launched a petition urging industrial loaf manufacturers (including Hovis, Warburtons and Allied Bakeries) and all major supermarkets to reject flour made from wheat sprayed with glyphosate. Ways for all bakers to keep it clean is to use flour that is certified organic or from a mill that can show full chain of custody and categorically guarantee the cereal grower(s) did not use glyphosate.

Real Bread on the radio
Media coverage of the Campaign in the last month included the 26 July episode of the BBC Food Programme, which featured community bakery Breadshare and Campaign co-founder Andrew Whitley’s Scotland The Bread initiative.

MAKING DOUGH FROM BREAD

Stalls available at Real Bread: The Uprising
As part of the event at SOAS, University of London on 12 September, we will have a small marketplace for stuff and ideas called Bread Street, which attendees will be able to visit at the start of the conference and again during their lunch and tea breaks. This may be of interest to the likes of millers, baking equipment suppliers, booksellers and third-sector organisations that share our interests and values, Find further details and express your interest by 17 August.

Sourdough September – last chance to share your plans!
The annual celebration is less than a month away.  We’re doing this as much for the small, independent Real Bread bakeries that craft genuine sourdough as for shoppers, so please HELP US TO HELP YOU! Visit our website to:

• find ideas of how to GET INVOLVED
• ADD DETAILS OF YOUR EVENT/ACTIVITY to our calendar
• Download the Sourdough September logo and posters to use in your promotion

Send us your pukka PoS pix
Is your bakery communicating clearly and celebrating transparency by giving a full ingredients list (not just allergens) at point of sale alongside The Real Bread Loaf Mark? If the answer is YES, and you’d like to be featured a photo montage in our next edition of the True Loaf, please email a photo of your display to us by 17 August. realbread [at] sustainweb.org

Traditional mill lease available
Campaign supporter Simon Spiller is moving on from Otterton Mill near Budleigh Salterton in Devon at the end of the year. For enquiries about taking on the lease, contact Malcolm Williams at Harrison-Lavers Potbury, the agent for freehold owner Clinton Devon Estates, on 01395 516633.

New qualification includes Real Bread production
If you are looking to gain accredited bakery training, Leicester College now offers FDQ bakery qualifications (level 2 & 3). Courses are led by professional baker and Real Bread Campaign supporter Paul White, who teaches apprentices how to produce and sell Real Bread, including the arts of sourdoughs, starters, and sponges, alongside the compulsory industrial baking stuff.

END CRUST
‘…it was a food furthest from the field, part of a distribution network more akin to gas or electricity. It had nothing to do with mothers and very little to do with pride.’

Sculptor Antony Gormley on the industrial loaf product he chose for his sculpture ‘Bed’

July

As ever at this time of year: hats off to the northern hemisphere Real Bread bakers without retarders who are struggling to keep their frisky dough under control in the hot weather.

We're delighted that tickets are going well for The Uprising - looking at who's coming, there'll be interesting conversations aplenty.

And please don't forget to add details of your Sourdough September activities to our calendar. It might seem a long time off but writers and editors (ie the people whose help we need so more people find out about your event and everything else the initiative is designed to promote) work to deadlines that are weeks and months ahead.

UPPER CRUST

WIN!
The July-October issue of the Campaign supporters’ magazine includes the chance to win a bundle including  The Larousse Book of Bread by Éric Kayser, Sourdough by Sarah Owens, The New Bread Basket by Amy Halloran, Better on Toast by Jill Donenfeld,  and a Breads of Great Britain tea towel from Edith & Bob.  All this in return for the favourite of the recipes we receive. Find full details, including competition Ts&Cs in True Loaf 24.

New experts announced for The Uprising
The most recent experts confirmed for our massive Real Bread gathering with SOAS Food Studies Centre on 12 September are Ben Mackinnon (E5 Bakehouse), Francesca Baker (The Baker Baker), Tabitha Wells and Mark Kinally (Better Health Bakery). We’ve now sold a fair chunk of the tickets, so if you’re interested in sourdough, therapeutic and other community baking initiatives, microbakery, or Real Bread in general, book now!

Together We Rise is go!
Rather than waiting until we find the funding we’re sure is out there, we’ve decided to go ahead with our therapeutic and social baking initiative on volunteer power. We’re currently in the research phase, so if you’re involved in a social enterprise or charitable scheme that helps people having a tougher time than most of us to benefit from Real Bread making and would be happy to share your story and what you have learned, please drop us a line.

MORE CRUMBS

New supporter discount
Thanks to Farmdrop and Eckley Farms, Campaign supporters in London can claim £10 off their first order (over £25) from Farmdrop.

New socent bakery in Northampton
This week sees the opening of The Good Loaf, a Real Bread social enterprise committed to creating ’real employment opportunities to vulnerable local women so that we can break the cycle of poverty, unemployment and offending.’

Edinburgh bakery bags some dough
Real Bread bakery Breadshare CIC is one of five recipients of the money raised from the new shopping bag levy in Scotland in recognition of its positive social impact in the local community.

Jail bake
Campaign supporters might remember Matt Fountain’s feature in issue 18 of True Loaf. Now his Freedom Bakery has become Scotland's first Real Bread social enterprise at a prison. Based at HMP Low Moss on the outskirts of Glasgow, the mission is to bake up training and employment opportunities for prisoners and ex-offenders.

Otterton milling days
Otterton Mill near Budleigh Salterton in Devon is running regular milling days throughout the summer when you can see its working watermill in action. Entry is free.

Misleading marketing?
What we believe to be inappropriate use of words like ‘sourdough’, ‘artisan’, ‘fresh’, and ‘natural’ to market industrial loaf products appears to be on the increase. We are currently awaiting responses from the Advertising Standards Authority, two supermarket chains and a sandwich shop chain to questions we have raised with them around this issue. We will keep you posted.

MAKING DOUGH FROM BREAD

Head baker opportunity
Peel and Stone, a Real Bread bakery based in Birmingham are looking for an experienced baker to head up the operation.

Baker opportunity
True Loaf 23 star Peter Cook has a vacancy on his award-winning team for a committed, hard worker, ideally with professional baking experience, able to work night shifts five days a week. Sharing the joys of Real Bread with the good folk of Herefordshire and Worcestershire, you'll have the chance to play a key role in shaping the future of the business. Get in touch with hello [at] petercooksbread.co.uk

Look for The Loaf Mark
If your additive-free loaves aren’t already wearing this hallmark, please join the 160 bakeries that have signed up to The Real Bread Loaf Mark scheme.

END CRUST

And to leave you with a whiff of satisfaction - apparently the smell of freshly baked bread comes in at the number one smell, according to a recent survey.

June

Thanks (or thanks again, I lose track) if you got involved in Real Bread Week in one way or another.

Some great stuff went on but now we’re looking ahead to September, which again will not only see a month-long celebration of sourdough, but also the largest Real Bread gathering in the UK since 2009!

Meanwhile, there have been some really encouraging developments in the fight for better loaf labelling and marketing, involving The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK and The Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

PS – if you’re a Campaign supporter, please don’t forget that you can get much more frequent news snippets, funding/job opportunities, and the chance to ask for and share ideas and information, in The Real Baker-e forum.

UPPER CRUST

Real Bread: The Uprising
Real Bread is on the rise but what does the future hold? Organised by the Real Bread Campaign and SOAS Food Studies Centre, Real Bread: The Uprising on 12 September will be the largest UK Real Bread gathering since 2009. Domestic, community, therapeutic and professional bakers - and all non-baking dough nuts – are invited to hear from leading Real Bread bakers including Campaign co-founder Andrew Whitley; meet and chat with fellow breadheads; and share ideas, information and lunch. Themes include therapeutic baking, sourdough for beginners and experts, and running a small Real Bread enterprise.

ASA recognises Real Bread
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigation team has recognised: “…that consumers were likely to associate the term Real Bread with the Campaign, and therefore any references to ‘Real Bread’ which related to bread that did not comply with the term as defined by the Campaign had the potential to mislead consumers.” Congratulations and thank you to Campaign supporter Rex Artisan Bakery for all of their work on this case.

If you have spotted loaf advertising that you believe to be misleading, this is how to complain to the ASA.

MORE CRUMBS

Closer to an Honest Crust Act in Ireland?
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has issued new guidance on the use of words often seen in loaf marketing. The good news is that it at least clarifies how 'artisan' should be used. The bad news is that 'farmhouse bread' effectively remains meaningless. Worse still, at over 30 years old, the Chorleywood 'Bread' Process (unleashed in 1961) could now be considered 'traditional' as perhaps could Hob Nobs…

Please send your Real Bread Week photos and doughnations
If you haven’t yet sent photos of a Real Bread Week event you ran or attended, please do asap. The same goes for any dough you raised.

Thanks again to everyone who has done so already, or bought a t-shirt or apron, which helped Balcony Shirts raise hundreds of pounds for the Campaign.

Real Bread prize bundle
The next (July-September) issue of Real Bread Campaign supporters’ magazine True Loaf will include the chance to win the books The Larousse Book of Bread by Eric Kayser, Better on Toast by Jill Donenfeld, Sourdough by Sarah Owens and The New Bread Basket by Amy Halloran, plus a breads of Great Britain tea towel from Edith & Bob. If you don’t already, please subscribe today!

Want to be in our Sourdough September media release?
The glossy monthly magazines work months ahead, so we’re sending details of the annual initiative to them this week. For the chance of us including your event/activity in it, add the details to our calendar today!

Artist/designer and video maker wanted for pro-bono work
We’re looking for two generous people: the first is an artist or designer to do a rush job on this year’s Sourdough September poster – think big, bold and colourful.  The second is a professional standard video maker to record talks at The Uprising in London on 12 September to help promote the Campaign and share with supporters who can’t be there. For information please email realbread [AT] sustainweb.org

Staffordshire Community Supported Bakery crowfunding bid
Followers of our work might have read about Campaign supporter B Arts’ Bread in Common initiative before. Now the group has launched a crowfunding scheme to set up a Community Supported Bakery in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Manchester Community Supported Bakery crowfunding bid
You wait for ages for a new CSB and then two come along at once…which is a BRILLIANT thing! Here's Campaign supporter Russell Goodwin’s Companio plan.

South London food social enterprise meet up
Setting up or running a Real Bread or other social/community enterprise in Croydon or south London? The Hospitality Sharing Network is holding its first meet-up at 7.30pm on 3 June for you to share experiences and challenges of the trade. To book a place contact Geoff Ranson on 07909 547982 or e-mail bridgetohospitality [at] yahoo.com

Bake for Freedom
From 22 June to 5 July, the charity Freedom from Torture is asking the nation to Bake for Freedom. By holding bake sales you can help raise awareness and money to provide care for survivors of torture. The organisation told us ‘We would love you to join in by baking and selling bread, cakes or whatever takes your fancy!’

Can you offer a work placement for Bulgarian social enterprise trainees?
Phoenix Café in Bulgaria was established to train disadvantaged young people in the arts of bakery, patisserie, cookery and service.  The ambition is to train these youngsters sufficiently so that when they are fully trained they will move on and into meaningful employment. If you run a professional Real Bread bakery and might be able to offer a training placement, or could visit the café to share your knowledge and skills, email Mick Cooper to arrange a chat mick [at] phoenix-inspirebg.org

Survey suggests greater gluten awareness needed
A study commissioned by a company we won’t advertise, found that although 29% of interviewees aged 18-24 had cut gluten out of their diet, more than three in ten thought that gluten is a carbohydrate and 9% thought that coeliac was the name of an Italian restaurant.  The autoimmune coeliac disorder is thought to affect around 1 in 100 people, while around 1-2% in total are affected by all food allergies combined.

May

The main news is, of course, that it’s Real Bread Week! If you’re running an event, thank you and I hope it goes well. If not, then please see the bake it, buy it, wear it item below.
…and whatever you do, please help me to make some noise: the first rule of Real Bread Week is you DO talk about Real Bread Week!

If you have a website, blog, enewsletter, social media account, or other means of communicating across the intermesh, please jot down a line and link to this page. Otherwise, please just tell people you meet.

Along the way, please take photos of Real Bread Week activities and post any you are happy for us publish on social media using #realbread and/or email them to me realbread [at] sustainweb.org

UPPER CRUST

Real Bread Week: bake it, buy it, wear it!
Yes, it’s time for the annual celebration of baking Real Bread and buying it from small, independent local bakeries. Here are three ways we can help YOU join the fun:

• Bake it: find discounts on more than 70 classes
• Buy it: discover where using the Real Bread Finder map and look for The Loaf Mark!
• Wear it: buy your DOUGH NUT and FLOUR ARRANGER t-shirts and aprons today!

Hurry: the limited-edition Campaign clobber is ONLY available during May and the nice people at Balcony Shirts is making a doughnation to our charity for each one they sell.

You can find details of special Real Bread Week events on our calendar.

Australian fake off fine
Since the last ‘crumbs,  the Australian Federal Court has fined a supermarket AU$2.5 million for ‘making false or misleading representations and engaging in misleading conduct in relation to the promotion of its par baked bread products.’ Here’s the Campaign’s reaction to the ruling.

MORE CRUMBS

New discounts
They just keep on coming… The latest Real Bread baking class discounts for Campaign supporters come courtesy of Badgerbrook Breads, Bread Ahead and Canterbury Baking School.

Gift subscription
You’re not the only bread lover you know, are you? Well, how about treated a loved one to a year’s subscription of True Loaf magazine? He or she will also be eligible for all of the other benefits of being a campaign supporter.

Bakery launch
The newest Real Bread bakery we’ve heard about is The Bakehouse at 124, which opens on High Street (guess which number…) in Tonbridge in Kent on 21 May. 

Bread debate
Snippets of TOAST magazine and Borough Market’s bread debate, with a panel that included Campaign ambassador Aidan Chapman, Brockwell Bake Association founder Andy Forbes, and Campaign coordinator Chris Young.

Andrew Whitley sourdough talk video
‘Mind How You Bake! The Transformative Power of Sourdough’, the Campaign cofounder speaking at Schumacher College back in March.

END CRUST
The Gluten Free Museum’s take on a g-free world.

April

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock (or simply deleting Breadcrumbs) you’ll know that Real Bread Week is only a month away!

Thanks to those of our supporters and other friends who’ve added details of the events and activities to our calendar. As for the rest of you: pull yer doughy fingers out! Please.

UPPER CRUST

Volunteer opportunity in the Campaign office
Want to help the rise of Real Bread? The food and farming charity Sustain kneads an intern to start as soon as possible to support its Real Bread Campaign coordinator. Find full details on the Sustain jobs page.

Real Bread Week guide
We have emailed a copy of the guide to all Campaign supporters who have listed their loaves on our Real Bread Finder map. Two versions of this guide (one for people running Real Bread businesses, the other for the rest of us) are available to download.

Real Bread t-shirts and aprons
Only last week, someone asked how to get hold of the Real Bread finery Balcony Shirts produced as a previous fundraiser for our charity. The bad news is that you can’t – it was a limited edition. The good news is that they’re producing a new range this year! Again, the t-shirts and aprons will only be available during May, so please make a note in your diary to get in there while you can.

MORE CRUMBS

New True Loaf magazine
Campaign supporters should all have received issue 23 of our magazine by the end of this week.  Features include Sophia Elek baking in the mountains of Papua New Guinea, Ben Mackinnon swapping E5 Bakehouse’s railway arch in east London for a social enterprise bakery on the edge of an extinct volcano crater in Kenya, Dan Brown honing his skills in Sweden, Henry Mackley chatting to bread hero Peter Cook, Chris Stafferton on gluten free Real Bread, and an overnight loaf receipt from Hilary Cacchio. Read it now!

WIN: The School of Artisan Food Lectures tickets
Speakers confirmed so far for this Campaign supporter’s second annual weekend (16-17 May) of lectures include our cofounder Andrew Whitley; journalists Sheila Dillon and Bee Wilson; the Pizza Pilgrims; and food historian Ivan Day. Here's where to find more details on the event and how to win two tickets.

WIN: Spelt by Roger Saul
Spelt is the new book by Sharpham Park owner and member of the Real Bread Campaign’s original working party, Roger Saul.  The subject? The clue’s in the title, really. Published by Nourish books later this month (RRP £20) we have a copy to give away.

WIN: Swallow This by Joanna Blythman
We’re delighted that Joanna’s latest rummage around the murky corners of ‘a strange and inaccessible industry, with methods a world-away from our idea of domestic food preparation, and obscured by technical speak, unintelligible ingredients manuals, and clever labelling practices’ namechecks the Campaign. Out now from 4th Estate (RRP £15) we have a copy to give away.

NEW bread class discounts
Around seventy baking schools now offer discounts to paid-up Real Bread Campaign supporters. The latest to help us say ‘thank you’ for supporting our charity are White Cottage Bakery near Cambridge, Harts Barn in the Forest of Dean. Find details of all baking class discounts.

Domestic doughmongers bake for victory!
The ranks of World Bread Awards alumni are simply heaving with Real Bread Campaign supporters. Still, let’s not rest on our laurels, eh? This year, the homebakers amongst us have an extra opportunity to bring yet more glory upon Real Bread with the newly created sourdough section. For details of how to enter this, and every other, category, click here.

Wood fired ovens and the Clean Air Act
Another invaluable guide from Campaign supporter Gerry Danby on his Artisan Food Law site.

Bakers wanted for BBC series
The makers of TV shows including Back In Time For Dinner, Turn Back Time: The High Street, and The 1900 House are at it again. They’re after professional bakers to join the workforce of a Victorian bakery for a BBC series, and we want to make sure there’s at least on Real Bread baker amongst them. Click here for the application form or more info, please email bakers [at] walltowall.co.uk

END CRUST

Living with coeliac disease, a genuine allergy or other real medical condition triggered by wheat, or gluten generally, isn’t a choice and can’t be much fun.

On an unrelated note, here’s a guide to taking up ‘gluten intolerance’ as an irrational lifestyle choice…

March

We’ve just had confirmation that to tie in with Real Bread Week, our friends at Balcony Shirts will be producing limited edition tshirts and aprons again as dough raisers for the campaign.

They’re not on sale for another couple of months yet but I wanted to give you an early heads up so you can make a note in your diary to order them on 1 May.

Before that, there’s plenty fermenting in the world of Real Bread…

UPPER CRUST

Bread debate at Borough Market
As part of a series of three debates around the history, science and politics of three staples of the British diet, TOAST is inviting people to chew over the subject of bread at London’s Borough Market.  Chaired by food journalist Joanna Blythman, the panel on 25 March includes Campaign ambassador Aidan Chapman, Brockwell Bake Association founder Andy Forbes, London Food Centre director Chris Brock and Campaign coordinator Chris Young.  For tickets click here.

You can find your Campaign supporter 20% ticket discount code on this supporters-only page of our website.

Real Bread Week won’t happen without YOU!
We just about to get into the second phase of work promoting the forthcoming Real Bread Week in May.  We can ONLY repeat the success of the previous six years (!) in raising awareness for the issues on which we campaign, dough to help our charity to keep doing it, and getting people in through the doors of local, independent bakeries if YOU – our supporters and other friends – get involved!

Please read what it’s all about and add details of YOUR activity to our calendar TODAY! Chris always feels a right pranny when we get this close to an event and all he can say to journalists wanting to know what’s happening is: “erm, don’t know yet.”

If you’re in the capital and add your details this week, you stand the chance of a mention in The Jellied Eel, True Loaf’s sibling magazine, which is read by more than 50,000 Londoners.

MORE CRUMBS

More offers for Campaign supporters
The latest Campaign supporter offers we have secured for you come this month from The Artisan Bakery School in Devon, Bordeaux Quay Cookery School in Bristol, Greenfield Bakers in Lincolnshire, and Cracking Good Food in Manchester. Each is now offering a discount on baking classes to Real Bread Campaign supporters.

Salt Awareness Week
This month sees Consensus Action on Salt and Health run the 16th annual seven-day drive to highlight the health risks of excessive salt, and encourage both food manufacturers and the rest of us to reduce the amount of salt in the food we make and buy. The Real Bread Campaign has always supported this message, encouraging all bakers to make sure the salt in their loaves doesn’t exceed 1%.

Best bara
Congratulations to Campaign supporter The Bakers Table in Talgarth, Wales, which has been named one of Britain's 20 best small shops by The Daily Telegraph.

Bricks and mortar for Brick House
After several years of wholesale trading and selling out every Sunday at Herne Hill market, Campaign supporter Brick House, has just opened a bakery café in East Dulwich. Good luck to Fergus, Sharmin and the rest of the crew.

MAKING DOUGH FROM BREAD

New offer for professional bakers
Family-owned bakery equipment service and maintenance provider First in Service is offering fellow Real Bread Campaign supporters 15% off maintenance contracts and standard call out rates for reactive repairs. The company will also offer ‘preferential rates’ on supplying bakery/catering, refrigeration, ventilation, extraction and cooling/heating equipment. For full details, click here.

Job opportunity at Thoughtful Bread Company
If you’re an experienced, professional Real Bread baker, here’s your chance to join Campaign ambassador Duncan Glendinning’s team at Thoughtful Bread Company in Bath. The successful applicant will work in rotation, two weeks on nights, one week on days, and one Saturday night shift a month. The role is for a baker with experience in slow fermentation, sourdoughs and working with different types of flour. The bakery is constantly experimenting with new recipes and production methods and promises the day shifts will allow time to really spread your creative wings. Click here for full details.

February

I was going to begin by calling a certain high profile politician a plum for recent comments about shunning bread.  Sadly, as a charity we’re in pre-election purdah, so I can’t. Hey ho.

On a more positive note, our chums at Balcony Shirts have confirmed that they’ll again be producing limited edition t-shirts and aprons for Real Bread Week, available only during May. Keep your eye on future editions of ‘crumbs for full details.

Leicester-share
Campaign supporter Michelle Stratford has secured a grant from Leicestershire County Council to launch Sharing Bread. This Planet Leicester Bakers project is inviting people who want to learn to bake Real Bread for friends and neighbours, and seeking community spaces with kitchens in which the lessons can be run. Leicestershirers wanting to get involved or learn more about Sharing bread can email planetleicesterbakers [at] outlook.com

New mill in London Fields
Having always been local loafers (UK milled flour, neighbourhood deliveries by bike and what not) Campaign supporter E5 Bakehouse in east London recently installed a stone mill. Their eventual aim is to mill their own flour for up to 80% of the loaves it bakes, and they are now looking for a farm in the southeast that will grow wheat especially for them.

World Bread Awards
Having all but swept the breadboard in the first two years of these awards, professional and amateur Campaign supporters are again invited (along with everyone else) to enter the 2015 contest. In addition to the glory, prizes include bits of kitchen kit, an invitation to a rather fine awards do, and a grand in cash for the overall winner.

Wheat database
Those of you who know that saying ‘wheat’ is a bit like saying ‘apple’ (ie one word that covers thousands of variants) might be interested in wheat:gateway. This new online tool created by The Brockwell Bake Association’s Andy Forbes contains a growing list of nearly 400 thousand wheat lines held in gene/seedbank collections around the world. 

Your bread and microbakery questions
True Loaf agony aunt Sally Lunn’s letterbox is looking a bit empty at the mo. You have until the end of February to help fill it.  To get the gist, please see page 12 of True Loaf issue 22.

Oh, and the news page has tumbleweed blowing over it, too. Some of you must have done something that will be of interest to your fellow supporters…

Bread Exchange competition
While we’re on the subject of our exclusive magazine, don’t forget that your chance to win a copy of this book by globetrotting bread sharer, Malin Elmlid, ends on 20 February. Find out how to enter on page 5 of True Loaf 22.

New offers for Campaign supporters
Please do stop me if you get bored with reading each month that we’ve secure yet more discounts to add to the already bulging incentive package to say thank you for people supporting our charity’s work.

No? Okay, here are the latest two, then:  Campaign co-founder Andrew Whitley is offering 15% off Bread Matters classes; and for the microbakers amongst you, the Tom Chandley team have renewed their half-price deck oven offer. The gateway to all of these, and many more offers, is here.

Real Bread Week planning
I know I mentioned this last month, but for those of you not hanging on my every word, please get planning what you’ll be doing for this annual awareness (and dough) raising event and adding the details to our calendar NOW!

We want you, we want you, we want you as a new recruit
If you have been standing in the sidelines as a Campaign friend, then please whip off those trackie bottoms, do some warm up stretches of yer clickin’ finger and JOIN US!

If you are a supporter already (the big clue is that you receive True Loaf magazine each quarter), then please step away those Ferrero Rochers (they’re for really spoiling guests at receptions, not to munch on your own in a quiet corner) and get ambassadoring!

This applies in particular to the pro bakers - we’d love to see all of your staff members and customers lending their support, too!

End Crust

Returning to the subject of heritage wheat, our friend Andy Forbes joined by Campaign supporter Vanessa Kimbell  as guests on last weekend’s edition of The Food Programme about that topic.

January

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a good festive season, whether that was because it gave you a well-kneaded break, or (if you’re a pro baker) business boost.

Straight off the bat, the new issue of True Loaf has just gone in the post to our paid-up supporters across the UK (and available to download around the globe), with its usual mix of floury features, plus a prize draw.

Looking ahead, it’s time to start planning for Real Bread Week in May and I need your ideas, please.

UPPER CRUST

New True Loaf magazine
Issue 22 of our exclusive supporters’ magazine includes a chance to WIN The Bread Exchange by Malin Elmlid, who also writes about baking in Afghanistan; Andy Forbes reports from a heritage grains conference in the Åland Islands; The Itinerant Baker & Chef’s shares a sourdough naan recipe; Danielle Ellis’ goes back to (baking) school in France; Liz Wilson chats to bakers around the UK and beyond about how they chose their bakeries’ names; and new for this issue is Dear Sally Lunn, a light-hearted advice page.

If you’re not currently a paid up supporter and don’t want to keep missing out, you can join us today!

Bake 5 offers 2015
Thanks to five very nice Campaign supporters, we’ve done it again: when you become a Campaign supporter (or renew your support) between now and 16 December, we’ll send you details of how to claim the following great offers:

• Bakery Bits - 10% off
• Bread Matters - £10 off
• Doves Farm – FREE flour from the organic Artisan range
• Marriage’s - 15% off
• Shipton Mill - 10% off

You can read full details here.

MORE CRUMBS

New baking class discounts
And yet more great offers. Thanks to Braxted Park in Essex (whose tutors include True Loaf columnist Hilary Cacchio), and The Wild Baker in Oxfordshire, Campaign supporters get a 10% discount on Real Bread classes at each.  For details of these, and about 60 more baking school offers, click here.

BBC Food & Farming Awards
You have just a couple of weeks to nominate your favourite Real Bread bakery, project/initiative (and perhaps a campaigner) for one of these highly respected awards. Picking up such a prestigious prize will help the profile of not only the winner, but the Real Bread movement in general.

MAKING DOUGH FROM BREAD

Real Bread Week 2015
Time to start planning for the seventh annual celebration of Real Bread, which will run from 9-15 May. The main aim is to encourage people to support their local, independent Real Bread bakeries, and to make their own loaves. It also designed to generate national media coverage for the Campaign (to help us gain new supporters) and local coverage for the businesses/projects that get involved...to help them sell more loaves.

What would really help us, please, are YOUR new ideas of:

a) What we can do from the office that stands the chance of catching the imagination of journalists
b) What we can ask bakers and other Campaign supporters to do to get involved with the week that could get local media attention and/or help pull punters in through their doors.
c) Designs/slogans for t-shirts and posters

You can read what we have done in the previous years here.

Helping our charity to recruit Campaign supporters
We ask all of our supporters to act as ambassadors for the Campaign, not only helping to encourage more people to choose Real Bread, but also to chivvy them along to become fellow supporters of our charity’s work. Topping last year’s roll of honour of those who were mentioned as recommenders by new supporters were: Jo’s Loaves in Luton, The Thoughtful Bread Company in Bath and Eastcourt Manor near Rainham. Congratulations and thank you!
Their success is down to the fact they all encourage people to make a year’s supporter contribution when booking a Real Bread class.  You can find details of how your bakery school can join this scheme here.

To receive Breadcrumbs by email and help our charity lead the rise of Real Bread, please JOIN TODAY!