- Albert Camus.
With the heady days of summer behind us and the frenzy of the festive season ahead, autumn is a time of pause, harvest and reflection. The tempo becomes gentler, quieter and slower as the daylight begins to dwindle and that nip in the air grows ever more distinctive. It’s a time of year that invites us to slow down, to take stock, to appreciate the changing leaves, the crisper, cooler days and perhaps, most importantly, to take a moment to ourselves.
It will therefore come as no surprise that autumn is one of our favourite seasons.
From celebrating Autumn’s produce to the return of old favourites and the introduction of new ones, our seasonal offerings reflect this quieter, more thoughtful time of year.
We hope you accept them as an invitation to pause, reflect, savour and most of all, enjoy.
In praise of afternoons
As the days become shorter and the nights draw in, that dappled, golden light of a late autumnal afternoon attains a special, somewhat tangible quality. And such afternoons are what our bakeries were made for. Warm and light filled, these beautiful spaces become almost sanctuary like in the homely embrace they offer.
The perfect place to linger over a slice of Apple & Sesame Butter Cake, a pot of your favourite tea and a window to watch the world go by. Where a lunch of nourishing soup relaxes into an afternoon cup of Blackcurrant & Hibiscus Tea with a Maple & Pecan Scone for good measure. A relaxed time of day where the light is just right, pull up a chair, take that moment for yourself and savour all the small and quiet splendours that autumnal afternoons bring.
Change is in the bread
As part of our The Way We Bake initiative, we’re reconsidering our bread recipes from the perspective of nutrition, flavour and sustainability. Over the next two years, you can expect tastier loaves made with a greater variety of grains, grown in ways that support the shift towards more soil-friendly farming. This autumn, we’re introducing the following new classics to our bread range:
Focaccia
Inspired by traditional Genovese and Sicilian baking methods, this country style focaccia is made from heritage grains such as emmer, spelt and buckwheat for a bake that is darker in colour, spongier in texture and more complex in flavour.
Farmer’s Loaf
The wholegrain loaf we’ve always wanted to bake, this recipe was designed to utilise the entirety of a farmer’s yield. Using multiple ancient and heritage whole grain varieties to improve nutrition and depth of flavour, this rustic inspired loaf has a mild crumb and deep malted notes.
Hazelnut & Walnut Sourdough with chestnut flour and rosemary
This hand-twisted loaf is where a French Pain au Noix meets the best of the British countryside. Made from UK-grown walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnut flour and a pinch of rosemary, we bake it to a deep purple crumb and stud with hazelnuts and walnuts for extra good nutty measure.
Welcoming back old friends
There’s something quite comforting about the little rituals that each change of season brings and autumn is no exception. From digging out your favourite sweater and remembering the snug embrace of a woollen scarf to kicking up leaves in the park and seeing your seasonal favourites are back in the bakery.
This autumn, we’re thrilled to welcome the return of our much loved Maple & Pecan Scone. Lighter than a traditional English scone, it falls somewhere between a cookie and a cake which we like to bake until golden cracks appear in the maple glaze. Our sticky Honey Loaf Cake with cinnamon and honey icing returns with blue cornflower petals whilst on the savoury side, our Mushroom & Caramelised Onion Quiche and Sage & Squash Slice are both back on the menu. Our Overnight Seeded Oats take on the richer, deeper flavour note of the season with sesame tahini butter, cacao nibs and raw brownie. All worthy additions to your daily autumn rituals.