Bed and Breakfast is now open

The perfect table to enjoy your sourdough toast &  Fairtrade pot of tea at in the morning  

Oh I am just so excited. It's been months of hard work, with electricians, roofers, tilers, plasters, decorators, carpet fitters and plumbers here .. but the newest Northamptonshire bed and breakfast is now ready to have guests.  

I've tried to think of every small detail.  From buying beautiful organic cotton bedding to sourcing British made fluffy white towels, to making sure all the furniture and crockery are all vintage so as to be as ethical as possible where ever possible, and we even found some 100% wool carpets, with no man made fibres.

I think that the piece of furniture I am most delighted with I bought from Sugden and Daughters - it's a French dough table which is so appropriate in the breakfast room not least because of the sourdough bread making courses I run here. 

We started the project in July and left the builders to it whilst we were in France, but this week has seen a run for it.  Just 4 days ago there were bare floorboards and now after a marathon three day put together marathon we are up and running just in time for Dan Lepard to stay as he will be teaching here on Friday. 

Thankfully we are ready!

For more details on how to book click here. 

Inspiration

The Kitchen Garden is looking beautiful at the moment. 

I've just popped a dozen chocolate and lavender pekin eggs under a broody .. so watch this space because in 21 days we will have some more chicks.  

This week has gone in a flash. I love teaching especially when it involves Fairtrade products combined with local seasonal food.  It is perhaps my favourite thing to do.  On Tuesday a lady simply hugged me because she was so thrilled as we took her sourdough out of the oven and it was the best feeling in the world. 

I suppose I value my quiet time more then ever when I am busy.  The time to reflect is in my garden and even though the weeds are giving me a real run for my money ... and the cutting garden is a month or more behind I love it. The truth is that the garden is always slightly out of control .. but oh how time disappears when I am phone free and alone.  I never thought I'd say that I actually enjoy pulling weeds.

At heart I am a cook who gardens rather than the other way around.  I plant with my stomach in mind, and do my absolute best to plant and grow things that minimise our impact on the environment, herbs and salad being my first priority but fruit and vegetables are never far behind.  I grow my food,  talk about food, write about food, photograph food and teach other people to make delicious food.. so on the odd occasion I get totally fed up of food.  So where do I go when I am looking for inspiration?  I always end up in the same place.  I sit at my kitchen table with Nigel Slaters Tender I a cook in his vegetable patch.  It is my absolute favourite book because the recipes are delicious, practical and always get me back in the mood to cook.  

Thank you Nigel.  Your books are wonderful.  

New Bread and Jam making courses in Northampton

Today I put this advert into my local village magazine.  The last course I did was fully booked and went really well.  I'll do another how run a pop up bakery as part of the Sourdough in a Day on 11th December, as part of learning to cook in Northampton.