Bread, the Staff of Life, our best finds

The Staff of Life – Houw Hoek Wholewheat Loaves

Having grown up on a farm where fresh bread came out of the Aga oven in time for breakfast in the morning, I am berserk about good bread.

My father used to make bread backing tins from empty paraffin tins which he treated before cutting and welding. He made then so that two loaves could lie next to each other. The raising agent was a yeast made from raw potato. Maggie, our housekeeper, used to smear the one side of the first loaf with fat from a pot on the side of the Aga stove, before placing the second loaf next to it the for the final rise. When they emerged from the oven, we were having breakfast in our large farmhouse kitchen, So, often, a crust was cut. The butter, slightly sour and salty, came from our own cows and was spread thick on top and it melted into the fabulous crumb. The flour was a simple brown bread flour, which came in a large cotton sack which stood in the corner in the pantry. No seeds or nuts, just painted with fresh milk immediately after it came out of the oven.

Shop bread, when we went to play with our friends in the village, was like cake to us.

The Staff of Life – Linden Loaves Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread

In my quest for a great brown loaf and a superb white loaf came to an end recently when Caro and Matt Tapson of Linden Loaves, just down the road from us, produced Shokupan. A Japanese Sourdough Milk bread, which I am sure they serve in heaven. Like the Man of La Mancha, I had found the impossible dream.

Caro and Matt Tapson of Linden Loaves

Caro and Matt are expert Sourdough Bakers and each week they turn out fabulous round loaves covered in a sprinkling of flour – very artisanal. But back to the Shokupan. Soft crust, and the most perfect even crumb. Heartachingly delicious on its own without butter, but a dream with a good marmalade and a slightly sour raspberry spoon jam and some fine cheese from Dalewood Fromage.

The Vissers of Dalewood Fromage

Dalewood is in Paarl and is a real Estate Cheese which Rob and Petrina Visser make from the milk of their pasture fed Jersey Cows.

Alexandra Heward, who runs her family owned Houw Hoek Farm Stall

As for brown. The Houw Hoek Farm Stall in Elgin has only one thing wrong with it. It is not in Johannesburg. On so many trips up the garden route we would stop on the way up and on the way down to buy at least two of these nut-brown loaves, made from wholewheat flour. They are as big as couches and could win prizes on a furniture exhibition. At times we got lucky, and they were warm. And like the Constantia Kugels who eat their Lindt Chocolate [high chocolate content, so its medicine really] bars in their black Range Rovers in the parking place, we have been known to break off a crust before proceeding with our travels.

Dalewood Fromage Huguenot Cheese

You have to slice it thick, spread the butter on thick, and apply Houw Hoek’s delicious jams on thick as well. Dalewood Fromage Huguenot 12 month aged is the cheese. A cup of tea completes a Sunday night Supper.

The Oregano Girls, mother and daughter Sharon & Lauren van Tonder

We are fortunate to have Sharon and Lauren van Tonder who own our favourite Patisserie and Day Time Eatery in Linden, offer a great Ciabatta and the most spectacular Brioche Buns and real Boiled Bagels. We are never sort of superb bread here in Leafy Linden.

Real Boiled Oregano Bagel filled with Black Forest Ham and Emmenthaler Cheese