On a recent afternoon in Hampstead, we opened the doors to our new Reading Room for the very first time. The occasion was our Autumn Seasonal Preview; a chance to share the flavours and ingredients shaping the months ahead with friends of GAIL’s and members of the local community we’ve served for 20 years.
While summer lingers faintly in the air, autumn is already creeping in: apples are being harvested, wheat is being milled and the land is slowly coming to rest. It is a time of gathering rather than growth, a season of transition and abundance that we look forward to every year.
Our menu draws on the generosity of the land at this moment of change, celebrating apples, grains, squashes and warm spices. Guests sampled squash and chipotle fritter sandwiches, and a bright four-bean salad with tenderstem broccoli and roasted squash.
Whole round challah loaves and nutty sourdoughs were passed along tables, while cakes and pastries carried the flavours of the season: blackberry and apple crumble cake, sesame and cardamom morning buns, honey loaf cake. To drink, Wildpress apple juice captured the harvest in a glass, alongside an iced matcha lifted with quince and blackcurrant.
Everywhere, the signs of autumn were woven into the setting — bunches of herbs, baskets of apples, the warmth of brioche and babka pulled apart by hand. This was an afternoon to come together, to eat and to talk. Around the room were familiar faces who have been part of our Hampstead bakery since the early days, alongside new friends.
Conceived as an intimate extension of our Hampstead bakery, the Reading Rooms are a place to pause with something freshly baked, a cup of coffee and something good to read. Over the coming months, they will host suppers, talks, workshops and launches, broadening the ways in which we can serve and be part of our community.
This first event was a small expression of what autumn brings, not only in food, but in spirit: a slowing down, an appreciation of the everyday, a sense of generosity and connection.
Now, the autumn menu that our guests were invited to preview is available to all. For the sandwich of the season, don’t miss our Chipotle & Squash Fritter, a plant-based celebration of autumn. The earthy flavours of squash and charred cabbage are offset with smoky, piquant chipotle, tangy Haverstock White and crunchy pickled fennel from Eaten Alive.
Meanwhile, our Cheese & Leek Brioche Bun is inspired by Poireaux au Gratin — the ultimate comfort dish for when the cooler days arrive. In our sumptuous brioche version, melting leeks and cheddar-laden bechamel are nestled in a freshly baked bun dotted with tarragon and mustard seeds.
Our seasonal cake is an autumnal classic, featuring blackberry and apple — one of the best-loved duos from the British countryside. We've preserved the last of the summer’s blackberries into a thick compote that partners perfectly with tart British Bramley apples. The result is a rich and comforting cake, complete with a crunchy crumble topping and the subtle suggestion of cinnamon.
We’ve brought the flavours of autumn to our barista menu too. For our seasonal Quince & Blackcurrant Iced Matcha, we've sourced a cordial from Norfolk Cordials that captures the harvests of late summer and autumn. Perfumed, aromatic quince and tangy blackcurrant offset the complex floral notes of the matcha.
Visit your local bakery to discover all these seasonal treats and more. As your knits, coats and boots make their annual comeback, we hope the GAIL’s autumn menu will help you enjoy the magic of the months to come.
