The power of loaf
Real Bread Week is an ideal time to swap the supermarket branded loaf for some sourdough or Sherston. Read on as we toast a slice of the authentic.
Here at 44 Foods, we know all about ‘real bread’… and our varieties are the best thing since – well, you know the rest!
Real Bread Week is the annual, international celebration of additive-free loaves and the people who make them. And that means putting local, independent bakeries under the spotlight, highlighting the joy of bread that’s made in a time-honoured, natural way.
But what exactly is ‘real bread’, and what makes it different and great?
Although plenty of people have their own opinion on what defines real bread, one important factor is avoiding so-called processing aids or other additives – all except the four ‘fortificants‘, which are added to most UK milled flour by law.
Don’t be fooled by so-called ‘artisan’ loaves turning up on supermarket shelves: always read the label. True artisan bakers don’t use additives.
Artisans like our supplier Hobbs House, a family business with five generations of baking experience.
Born with flour on their fingers, the Hobbs House Bakery’s team really know their stuff when it comes to producing the finest artisanal and everyday bread.
Its unique sourdough starter is a living, multi-award-winning wild yeast culture that’s added to the bakery’s sourdough as a signature ingredient. It’s more than 65 years old and was a gift from a German baker. It’s fed daily, and is used in all of Hobbs House’s sourdough loaves, as well as some of its other products.
Over its lifetime, the Hobbs House sourdough starter has raised some of the finest bread. Refrigerated, it can rest for weeks. Fed, it can raise an infinite amount of magnificent loaves. To become a custodian of this edible heritage is priceless.
The bakery’s Sherston Loaf is its go-to product, born from a decades-old recipe, and at a time when yeast was really expensive. Instead of having a high yeast content, the bread is left to rise overnight. This slow process gives the Sherston Loaf much more flavour than your average sliced white.
How about some soft, beautifully spiced, handmade hot cross buns? Generously filled with the juiciest fruit, this much-loved seasonal treat is finished with a hand-piped Easter cross on top and a sweet and sticky spiced glaze. To make sure no one has to miss out, Hobbs House has improved its recipe to make them vegan-friendly.
With the cold dreary weather not yet out of sight, the slightly sweet Pumpernickel Loaf is perfect for a cosy treat. Try a slice of it warm, served with a cup of tea – and relax, safe in the knowledge that the future of real bread is in good hands.
