Wrong side of the Jug.

Hi all,
Last week at Gt Hockham Food Festival was preceded and followed by a huge amount of work, as well as some accidental creations, hence the name of the blog post.


Whilst preoccupied with the prep for the food festival to be held in the village hall at Great Hockham, I missed that I was supposed to be preparing a SMALL batch of pastry, except that in my head I was preparing a LARGE batch of pastry. 
So I was looking at the wrong side of my measuring jug whilst pouring out the necessary amount of water to prepare the pastry.


The result was a bloody hot pastry that was so soft, that it was basically useless.
Not one to throw my teddy out of the cot (yeah right) I set to throw the lot out, when the OH stooped me and suggested creating some salt dough. I had wanted to make some faux pies and it seemed that my faux pas would give me the opportunity to do just this!


Callie combined the uber soft pastry with loads of salt and we set about  building the fake pies. 
The fake pies turned out so well that at least half a dozen people asked to buy them over the course of the food festival!


Great Hockham Food Festival was well attended by locals and people staying at Rob Muggeridge's excellent camp site in the village.
We sold all of our pies by half eleven with demands for a return at next months event.
It was delightful to see so much local support for a small market, especially so many young children sampling my pies and coming back for more dragging their parents behind them.


After packing up an shipping my stuff back to the house, it was a dirty a dive upstairs to grab my Rugby kit bag.


I popped in to see the finished farm shop at Hog Gods in Thetford, and let me tell you it is a bit special considering its location.
As I entered Roman Way I was not expecting to see a smart black aluminium clad shop front with wonderfully scripted sign writing , but that is exactly what i was faced with.
After walking through the doors I was blown away by the tasteful decor and well thought out layout of the pie and mash shop come farm shop.
The shelves were lightly stocked for this family only launch, but the promise that this little slice of rural life held was inspiring.
I can't wait to see how the rest of the trading estate receives the latest addition to its ranks.


After a strong coffee with Darren and Clive I shot off to Thetford RUFC to play against Thurston. We lost by four points, but it was a good run out and it was nice to get amongst it with the boys.


Another dirty dive home found me packing The Flying Lunch Box (my van) with sourdough starter and my trusty recipe book.


I arrived at West Lexham to be greeted by Jonny Grey and his immediate family, all kenn to learn the art of making sourdough bread.
After sorting out two willing (or not so) volunteers, I set about teaching them how to combine the ingredients and bring them to a smooth and elastic dough ready for over night proving.


Once the two balls of dough were in their overnight accommodation (plastic mixing bowls) I left to take a well earned rest before preparing to come back to bake the loaves in a clay oven.


After what seemed like five minutes on the pillow, I dragged my sleepy carcass back to West Lexham.
The whole gang had worked late to finish the first stage of the new oven being built over the weekend, and the main oven in the outdoor kitchen had been ablaze for an hour or more.


I spent a further hour stoking the oven up to around 630 degrees centigrade. WHich meant that it was plenty hot enough for Benny and I to rack up a serious pile of fresh pan cakes cooked in the mouth of the oven.


Once the oven had been emptied of embers and the floor swept of ash, I put the two lovingly cared for sourdough loaves into the oven along with two large trays of fresh vegetables for roasting.


Within half an hour the whole work party were wrist deep in freshly baked bread and roast vegetables along with a host of local cheeses and beer. Mana from heaven.


I left the gang at West lexham polishing off the food and headed home for a well deserved rest, as the week to come was going to be full on to say the least.


Dominic from www.regionsfinest.co.uk had asked to write a blog interview which I took great pleasure in taking part in and had great fun with the inventive and well humoured questions posed.
Next up was David @mylunchtweet with an offer to photograph and blog the Simple Pie making method, how could I refuse.


Whilst waiting for David to arrive Callie and I set about making and baking in preparation for two big events this week.
The first being the delivery of pies for the BBC Good Food Show as part of my bursary application.
I will post again with the results....sooooo excited.


The second big event is a Charm School event being held in London by our good friend Dana Gornitzki. So we have been busy baking miniature pork pies and cheese and sticky onion miniature quiches ready for tomorrow evening.


So once we have finished all of this, we still have to build 100 pork pies ready for this weekends Breckland Food Festival event in Swaffham Market Place.
We will be there along with the rest of the Norfolk Food and Drink Co-Operative, so come and say hello and help yourselves to some fine Norfolk cuisine, oh and some cracking beer too.


Right, that's your lot.
Sorry for the lack of photos, but it is late and I still have a lot to do.
See you all soon.
Simon

Busy bee

Hi All,


Today started early and industrious with a few kilos of fine pork shoulder butchered and seasoned before half eight, and the first batch of pies in the oven by ten.


Callie and I are preparing our monthly offering for Watton Farmers Market, plus a few samples for some interested customers. More on those as they start to order.


My to do list grows by the day, and last night saw me advertising with job centre plus for bakery assistants. I am starting with one, but feel that very soon I will need another couple.


After a short and unexpected meeting with Mark and Lindsay Able from Denver Mill, I have decided that the full time move to their bakery will need to happen very soon indeed, as demand is quickly outstripping my facilities, which is nice.


Launch packs are being ordered this week for the opening of a farm shop on Roman Way in Thetford. This venture is exciting because it brings high quality food to the heart of a big town in need of such a service.


The cafe is taking shape and they are looking to do, amongst other things, traditional pie and mash a la that here London. Can't wait to try that, and before you ask, no I am not supplying the pies for that side of the business.


Another customer is due to launch this month, so the bakery will be in full swing, even if it is just me pulling eighteen hour shifts to start with.


The business is growing in popularity with every sample sent out and I am revelling in the attention that my Simple Pies are receiving.


A fairly short post today as I hear the oven calling me again.


See you all soon.