I am SO excited about our new podcast episode, I hope you smile whilst listening as much I did whilst recording it. I this episode, I visit the fabulous Cherie Denham at home in her kitchen to discuss her food influences, hear her Top Tips and get some recommendations for leftovers while Cherie bakes traditional Irish Soda Farls and regales us with stories from her Northern Irish childhood. There’s also a recipe for a delicious vegetarian tart with roast aubergines, basil and caramelised cherry tomatoes served with rocket and parmesan shavings, AND you can watch it all as it was filmed on YouTube.
So join us for a taste and sensory overload as ‘Cherie Denham Cooks’, find it all here:
🎄🎄 And now, my very own brand new aprons! These are the exact make and style of apron that I always wear, and now you can have the same…You can find them via this link – it will take you to the website of the company that produces them where you can order direct. Use code FOODBOD15 for a 15% discount
🎄🎄 And now, my very own brand new aprons! These are the exact make and style of apron that I always wear, and now you can have the same…You can find them via this link – it will take you to the website of the company that produces them where you can order direct. Use code FOODBOD15 for a 15% discount
Bertie, from Matthews Cotswold Flour, and I, invite you to join us on Friday 2nd December for this exciting event. Come and meet us, and one another, in person, and celebrate bringing together lots of lovely bakers, in a beautiful location, with great food and great company, in the midst of the Cotswold countryside.
PLUS: There will be special early access to exciting news, top tips from experts in other areas of baking, as well me imparting more of my sourdough knowledge and tips, some fabulous specially designed recipes to take away, a bumper packed gift bag of hand picked goodies to take away, and tasty samples for your delight, it promises to be a fabulous day 🎄🎄🎄
I am often asked “Which of your books should I buy?’ Or “How do they differ?” So if you’re wondering that, I thought I’d endeavour to provide an answer…
Both of my books are good for anyone starting out with sourdough, but they are also equally good for anyone who already makes sourdough as both have lots of different recipes and ideas.
My first book introduces sourdough and includes full details about what a starter is, and how to make one; it then goes into detail about wholegrain/wholemeal flours and ancient grains and heritage flours (spelt, emmer, einkorn, khorasan, rye), what they are, how they differ and how they behave in starters.
It then introduces my master recipe with lots of detail and answers all the questions you may have as you make sourdough. The book also discusses how the different flours will behave in doughs.
The recipes that follow include all of these flours too, in varying quantities, with tips about how the doughs will feel and behave, adding extras into doughs and handling doughs differently to make other things. They include full sized loaves, baby loaves, rolls, sandwich loaves, coil filled rolls, focaccia, same day recipes and crackers.
My second book benefits from the fact that I’ve done even more sourdough making and baking in my kitchen since my first book, utilizing the help and guidance I’ve been able to give others. I learn more about this wonderful world daily and this is what I’ve worked hard to share.
This book also introduces sourdough and starters but goes into more detail about managing and using your starters. I spent a lot of time testing ideas, timescales and experimenting with my starters; pushing the boundaries of how I’ve used them in the past to be able to share different timetables and give you full confidence in using your starter.
This book also includes my master recipe, but with even more details and tips to help bakers with frequently asked questions, new timetables, and as much of information from my sourdough brain as I could download onto the page. It focuses on the freedom and confidence to know that the dough does not need to control you but that you are fully in control of the DOUGH, and how it to make that happen.
The recipes that follow are full of flavours, and shapes, and different timings. The recipes, all different from the first book, include full size loaves, baby loaves, enriched doughs, spices, fillings, same day recipes, focaccia, pizza, rolls, ciabatta, and more.
These books compliment one another, and both also work perfectly as stand alone books. Bakers do not need to have both – unless they want to of course – but the feedback I’ve received from those who do is that they’re both worth having.
I hope this helps, if you have any further questions, please do contact me xx
I give you my top knot loaf. With this loaf you will be handling the dough in a way and at a point that may feel a bit scary, but go with it, it’s great fun, and worth being brave…you’ll find step by step photos in the recipe…
PS you can use any grains, there’s full details on how to cook them in my first book, or, if you can’t find any grains, you can use seeds. I have been asked if you could use oats, but if you use oats they will soak up water and change the consistency of the dough.
A shot from my first book, Whole Grain Sourdough at Home
One of the many things I’ve learned about writing my books has been about the importance of good photography, and a good photographer! I was lucky enough to be able to hand pick my photographer so I could choose James: someone local, and someone I liked – which is very necessary as you spend a lot of time together, and it gets exhausting which can test any relationship!
Luckily, James and I created a great working partnership, he quickly understood what I wanted and that I wanted the photographs in my books to look like my bread, with no tricks, no fake finishes, just my bread in all its glory, and we quickly became an efficient working team.
He arrived with lots of kit and completely took over my home, which disturbed Bob, my dog, somewhat, but it worked perfectly to be in my space, using my kitchen and all of the equipment and things that I use daily for making sourdough.
It’s not every day you have a huge camera hanging off a tripod over your main working space!
I love the photographs James has produced, and hope you do too.
The Sourdough Whisperer Bonus Collection 