Local Product

Win a cookery school voucher with Pip’s charity raffle

Pip’s Hot Sauce is one of the indie food-makers who started at Stirchley Market and we’re honoured to call Pip a good friend of Loaf. So when she said she was looking for raffle prizes to raise money for a dear friend with brain cancer, we said yes, of course.

The range of prizes in this raffle is quite something, from meals to artworks to a one-off crystal skull hot sauce — a real testament to Pip’s importance in our community. We’ve put a £140 cookery school voucher in there too. She’s given so much over the years and it’s an honour to give something back.

Raffle tickets are £2.50 each, and you can of course buy more than one. Please help and spread the word.

Rea Valley bees on tour

Most of the bees looked after by Rea Valley Apiary live, as the name implies, along the River Rea, which includes Stirchley so if you have a garden there’s a good chance there’s nectar from there in one of those jars. This produces a their polyfloral Local Honey — a mix of whatever flowers are in bloom when the bees are active — and its flavour is a reflection of our area.

But there are areas where one particular flower will dominate, and beekeepers will often take a colony to forage and produce a monofloral honey with a distinctive colour and flavour. Rea Valley took some of their bees out of the city for a change of scene and we’ve taken delivery of two of the subsequent monoflorals. Borage Honey from borage fields in Stratford and Heather Honey from moors in the Peak District. Enjoy!

Introducing Quinton Meadows honey

We’re always looking to stock new local spreads and condiments so we were delighted when a new honey supplier got in touch. Quinton Meadows Honey is run by George and Sue Jackson whose hives are based in Quinton, on the edge of Birmingham. Their bees collect nectar from the Quinton Meadows Nature Reserve, Woodgate Valley Park, the local allotments and urban gardens — all of which provides a mix of rural and urban blossom.

George likes to think of their honey as ‘one year in a jar’, as the honey is harvested just once in August, creating a unique amalgam of all the flora in the area.

Sue gave us a sample jar to try and we loved it, so we’re delighted to add it to the shelves.

George with his hives

Peels are back in stock again!

A peel is a wooden board with a handle used to quickly and safely take bread out of the oven. It’s effectively a large spatula, as demonstrated by Neil in this video:

Our new supplier of peels is Dale Hipkiss, a local artist and woodworker, who hand-makes them in his studio in Stirchley. You may know Dale from Artefact, where he works, and as part of the duo Hipkiss and Graney.

The peels have been tested and approved by our bakers and are now on sale for £18 each. If you’re struggling to get your sourdough off the stone, come in and buy one!

Easter opening times!

It’s almost Easter and we’re in the throes of Hot Cross bun season, it comes round quicker and quicker each year!

As you may already know, we’re offering our Earl Grey flavoured HCB’s right up until Easter, available everyday in our shop.

We’re ramping up the numbers as we get closer to the long weekend, so make sure to take advantage as there’re only 7 baking days til they’re gone! #RIPHCB

We will be taking pre-orders for Good Friday and Saturday (14^th & 15^th April), just pop into the shop and place and pre-pay for your order.

Please note that we will be closed after Easter for some general maintenance, dates and times are as follows:

Good Friday 14^th April – 12-6.30pm (pre-order collection)

Saturday 15^th April – 8.15am-1pm (last day for pre-order collection)

Easter Sunday 16^th April – CLOSED

Easter Monday 17^th April – CLOSED

Tuesday 18^th – Friday 21^st April – CLOSED

Saturday 22^nd April – 8.15am-1pm – open as normal

Rye not?

We started out with our Revolutionary Rye, way back when Tom first started Loaf back in 2009 and it has graced our shelves ever since!

Our recipe was based on Andrew Whitley’s Russian Rye, ours is 100% rye sourdough, topped with toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

Why is it revolutionary? (Everybody wants to know!) Mainly because back when Tom started, no one was making a rye sourdough up here in the Midlands at least! Not only that, but he figured given its Russian roots, he’d pay tribute to their revolutionary history…

If you didn’t already know, Rye is a type of grain, low in gluten, high in fibre, protein and most importantly flavour.

Over the years, we’ve played around with rye specials such as the Borodinsky and Volkornbrot, but this year we’ve decided to feature them more frequently, because rye is great, and ‘rye’ not right?

Our Borodinsky is made with a rye starter and flour, malt extract, molasses and caraway seeds for a surprisingly refreshing flavour despite its density! Find it in the shop on TUESDAYS

Our Volkornbrot, is made with a rye starter and flour, chock-full of sunflower seeds, and kibbled rye for lots of texture! Find it in the shop on THURSDAYS

Will you be trying it? Let us know! Tweet or Tag us – we’d love to see how you’re enjoying it!

BAO HOUSE Part II with Lap-Fai Lee

BAO HOUSE PART II

If you came to the last BAO House Pop Up at Loaf, waited in that incredibly long line and were rewarded with food, you’ll be excited to hear we’re doing it again. If you came to the last BAO House Pop Up at Loaf, waited in that incredibly long line and didn’t get food because we ran out, you’ll be excited to hear we’re doing it again – with more BAO, extra sides…. but you should still get here earlier.

September 22nd is the date for your diaries.
No bookings/pre orders/reservations.
BYOB
All food is to take out, but you can sit in if you’d like – we have seating.
Cash or Card payments taken.

#BaoHouseTwo

Popsicle anyone?

Well the weather may be no good for proving sourdough, but it’s perfect for ice cream!

We’re chuffed to be stocking CREAMED POPS, a brand spanking new Birmingham based, small-batch artisan ice cream lolly brand! We rally behind our fellow Brummie food brands, so we just had to have them!

All natural ingredients, no artificial preservatives and fresh produce, combined to create a super delicious treat! Their ‘pops’ are fast frozen, meaning their ice cream stays silky smooth, creamy and icicle-free.

We’re currently stocking: Cinnamon Toast, Raspberry Cheesecake, Salted Caramel, Carrot Halva, Pure Origin Chocolate and fast-favourite Vietnamese Coffee.

What flavour will you choose?!

DIY Butchery!

Impress your friends at your next dinner or BBQ by doing your own Butchery! The question is: Chicken or Lamb?

Local Master Butcher Steve Rossiter, who runs Birmingham’s first organic butchers – Rossiters – in Bournville, leads our Butchery courses here at Loaf Cookery School (we also buy all of our meat for the Bakery/Shop lunches from him too!)

In the Perfect Poultry course, Steve will teach you how to joint, spatchcock, and butterfly your own chicken and poussin.

As well as learning the simple secrets to the perfect chicken stock, we’ll be making chorizo-stuffed chicken breast wrapped in streaky bacon, spatchcocked poussin with lemon and garlic (wild garlic when in season), Raz al Hanout tagine chicken, and chicken liver salad.

We sit down to feast on the fruits of our labour towards the end of the evening, so save plenty of room!

In the Nose to Tail: Lamb course, he’ll take you on a guided tour around a whole organic lamb carcass, explaining the provenance of the animal, the classic butchers cuts, the quality of the meat, and typical dishes cooked from each joint.

Steve will then demonstrate how to respectfully take apart a whole side of lamb, before handing over his saws and cleavers to us to take apart the other side, under his expert guidance.

You’ll learn how to bone out, roll and stuff various joints, ready for the oven. Always finishing with a sit down dinner of delicious slow-cooked lamb – usually chump chops with butter beans and salsa verde, plus lamb curry with rice and raita.

At the end of the course you’ll also take home your oven-ready boned and rolled roasting joint to cook at home!

*These are the last two courses available until Autumn, so don’t delay! Book today!*

Loaf’s Menu this week

Hey! Here’s our menu for the week!

Eat well, keep warm.

Good morning!
Here’s this weeks lunch menu!

We look forward to seeing you!

Christmas!

Good Monday Morning!

Christmas feels very much upon us!

We’re open as usual on Tuesday 23rd – 12noon-6:30pm. We’ll have some delicious roast beef & cucumber relish baguettes, or pear, stilton & walnut butter baguettes for lunch.

Then Christmas Eve, we’ll be open 8.15-12noon. No lunches, but plenty of bread to see you through christmas time!
Next door in the cookery school, Curds and Whey will be selling their gorgeous cheeses. (Cash only for cheese please!)

Remember if you have ordered stollen and mince pies, to come and collect on your allocated days!

And if you need a reminder of our opening hours over the next couple of weeks, click HERE.

We hope to see you this week, but if we don’t… have a lovely Christmas and New Year!

Sarah x

New Loaf Bakery Shop Opens – Sat 26 April

Stirchley Just Got Tastier!

At Loaf this week there has been a hive of activity. We have done a complete refit of the shop and are introducing some new editions – including weekday takeaway lunches, and a small selection of cookery equipment, specialist cookery ingredients and local produce to buy. We’ll also be selling our usual selection of speciality bread and cakes . Thanks to a fantastic team of staff and volunteers the new & improved Loaf Bakery Shop re-opens tomorrow – Saturday 26th April 2014. Particular thanks goes to Tom, Sarah, Nancy, Andy, Jordan, Mike, Alasdair, Russ, Walter and Jane for all your hard work. You’re amazing!

Below you’ll find out what’s new, discover our new opening hours and salivate at this week’s takeaway lunch menu – changing every week. We hope you like the look of the new shop too, with much of our furniture made from reclaimed palettes and recycled materials….

New Loaf Bakery Shop Opens – Saturday 26 April 2014

So here’s what we’ve got on offer. Pop in to discover what’s new….

New Opening Hours

Tuesday – Friday: 12 – 6.30pm

Saturday: 8.15am – 1pm

Tuesdays – Fridays: Takeaway lunches, from 12noon

Weekday Takeaway Lunch Menu

Tuesday 29 April to Friday 2 May 2014, from 12 noon

Tuesday – Daal with sourdough; Baked ham & mature cheese croissant.

Wednesday – Herb & mushroom Frittata with green salad; Baked ham & mature cheese croissant.

Thursday – Rosso Pomodoro Soup with sourdough; Baked ham & mature cheese croissant.

Friday – Spinach, artichoke & chilli goats cheese pizza; Spicy ‘Nduja sausage, mozzarella & parmesan pizza.

We will also have brewed coffee and loose leaf teas to takeaway.

Pick up a Loyalty Card

We like to reward our regular customers with the Loaf Loyalty Card, to enable you to collect ‘Loaf’ stamps and redeem a free loaf of bread!

You’ll get your last loaf in a baker’s dozen on us

when you buy 12 loaves, you’ll get the 13th free!*

Ask at the till. Subject to terms and conditions – details on the card*.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

The Loaf Team

New Loaf Bakery Shop Opens – Sat 26 April

Stirchley Just Got Tastier!

New Loaf Bakery Shop Opens – Saturday 26 April 2014

So here’s what we’ve got on offer. Pop in to discover what’s new….

New Opening Hours

Tuesday – Friday: 12 – 6.30pm

Saturday: 8.15am – 1pm

Tuesdays – Fridays: Takeaway lunches, from 12noon

Weekday Takeaway Lunch Menu

Tuesday 29 April to Friday 2 May 2014, from 12 noon

Tuesday – Daal with sourdough; Baked ham & mature cheese croissant.

Wednesday – Herb & mushroom Frittata with green salad; Baked ham & mature cheese croissant.

Thursday – Rosso Pomodoro Soup with sourdough; Baked ham & mature cheese croissant.

Friday – Spinach, artichoke & chilli goats cheese pizza; Spicy ‘Nduja sausage, mozzarella & parmesan pizza.

We will also have brewed coffee and loose leaf teas to takeaway.

Pick up a Loyalty Card

We like to reward our regular customers with the Loaf Loyalty Card, to enable you to collect “˜Loaf’ stamps and redeem a free loaf of bread!

You’ll get your last loaf in a baker’s dozen on us

when you buy 12 loaves, you’ll get the 13th free!*

Ask at the till. Subject to terms and conditions – details on the card*.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

The Loaf Team

Who’s Hungry?

From Saturday 26^th, Loaf isn’t just a bakery and a cookery school – it’s also a shop. As you’ve probably gathered, Stirchley Stores are leaving and Loaf is taking over the space.

This means you’ll see some changes. The shop will look different, thanks to some clever friends and a lot of planning. The bread will mostly look the same. It should all be on the shelf 1pm on week days. Depending on who’s baking, it will be more burned or less burned! The shop will stock equipment, ingredients and books that we love and use at Loaf. The hours will be slightly altered. The staff will rotate shifts, so you should get to know the bakers, as well as you know Tom and Nancy. We’ll have two new faces for you to meet – Jordan (some of you might know from her good work with Stirchley Stores) and Martha, who are both joining the Loaf family! But perhaps the biggest difference for you, will be LUNCH.

If you ever came to Brewhouse here at Loaf, you’ll be familiar with our ever-changing menus. No two weeks were the same. I think that’s the way we like it. You can depend on us to make a tasty lunch. But we plan on changing the menu daily to keep it as fresh and exciting for you, as it is for those preparing your food.

We’ll be keeping it simple, seasonal, affordable AND delicious.

So, think a couple of options every day. Think stuffed croissants or daal, soups or stews, sandwiches or salads or sourdough pizza slices (you can bet sourdough pizza becomes a regular occurrence!).
Along with this, we’ll be serving up our regular brewed teas and coffees every day.

We’re all really excited to welcome you!

Sarah

P.s:
Lunches available Tuesday-Friday only from 12 noon.
We don’t have much space, so your lunches will be to go.
As ever, first come, first served!