Brad'sabakin': Summer baking event in France

[Teck Poh]

We want......
pix of everything! Breads, People, Place.

Good weather and good baking to you!

Cheers
TP

[pab]

Hello all who cannot make it

Just to keep you posted, I have been up to Brad's and delivered some flour and met him, Volkar and Ben - what a wonderful place he has.

There's mountains of flour and half a dozen starters fermenting away - terribly exciting (and then I had to go to work!)

There's not a lot of email access at Brad's I believe so I will convey your good wishes to all and try and give a bit of a bulletin when I get back to my humble house Saturday evening just 30 kilometers away.

Small world is it not?

All the best

Pete

[stig]

Oh you lucky lucky folk. Have a wonderful time and I shall enviously enjoy the pix and news afterwards.

Love, Stig

[pab]

Morning Everybody

Here's a brief report and a few photos of Saturday at Brad'sabakin' - lots more to follow.

So we started with Volker's amazing demonstrations of his glorious and complex German and Swiss breads.



They are made with several different starters and a fascinating selection of ingredients (I was particularly taken with the sprouted sunflower seeds) and starters.



There was some staggeringly deft hand work to watch.



All this was taking place in the glorious setting of Brad's house in the beautiful Ain countryside. The weather was glorious but eventually the sun started to set. Here's the view from Brad's living room.



So it was time for dinner.



Food and wine was utterly sensational. Brad's mum in law ('la belle mère' en français) had cooked an utterly sensational 'Terrine de Sanglier' (wild boar terrine) and the local hunter provided more for the civet main course.

A glorious 'Tarte aux Fraises et au Chocolat' to round the meal off had, of course, been made on site by Clair and Jonathan.

Hope this keeps you all up to date. I must get back up there - there's a lot of baking to be done!

Pete

[Jeremy]

Thanks Pab,
Now that I was thoroughly depressed at not being there, you had to tell me about the terrine and the civet!
Looks great and Mick well, Mick looks quite dapper!
As usual have a great time!
Send me pics for my site as I have already written a small bit on the event!
John, you must send me some formulas as well.
Brad, aren't you glad there isn't a Tesco chef roaming around the woods either?
Jack Sideburns is in NY, we may meet up and commiserate our fate as well!

Ta!
Jeremy

[nina_hj]

Wow, sounds like you're all having a fantastic time! I wish I could have been there with you *sobs*
Pete, thanks for keeping us posted - keep it up

Mick, I'm so happy to hear you're still baking my bread.
Nifty new haircut by the way

[adam]

Just about back in the land of the living now, having felt like one of the living dead yesterday after my trek back home from Conzieu, via a day at the office.

And wanted to say a HUGE thank you to Brad for such incredible hospitality (not to mention putting up with being dragged out of bed at 6 in the morning to ferry Mick and me to the railway station). What an amazing weekend! A real joy to spend time with all you committed and passionate bakers. And I can't remember when I've ever been so well fed and watered.

Since I didn't bring a camera (not enough room in my luggage after packing bowls and bannetons), I'm waiting for you all to start posting your pics!

Adam

[bethesdabakers]

For the moment I just want to second Adam's sentiments. One of the weekends of my life.

Phew! Enough to make your hair stand on end.

Mick

[jc]

Hear hear!

Brad, you were an absolute star - it was an incredible weekend that Claire and I won't forget, thank you so much. How brilliant to have met everyone and finally be able to put faces to names, and what a setting!

All rounded off on Sunday afternoon when Marie turned up and with no effort at all baked some superb baguettes to eat with our meal! I've obviously been a bit inspired as last night I was straight in the kitchen knocking up some of her baguettes...not quite the same but I'm getting there....and some pizza dough for tonight

Plenty of photos and videos to follow (as soon as I've found everything, having had decorators in over the weekend).

Jonathan

PS..was anyone else stopped at airport security and asked why they were carrying a load of flour, or was it just me?!

PPS..Brad, please thank Volker and Marie for us, they were brilliant, and as soon as I win the lottery I'll be in touch about the house

[pab]

Brad, thank you so much for a wonderful weekend.

Total agreement also to all that has been posted above. Simply magnificent - only ended for me at 7.30 this morning (Thursday!) when I dropped Ben off at Culoz.

Wonderful to meet all of you, I learnt so much and I've not eaten so well for ages.

I will post more photos etc as soon as I have a bit more time.

I'm still astonished by how Marie arrived and using flour, yeast, salt and water produced, in about an hour and a half, possibly the greatest baguette I have eaten...

Pete

PS Japanese dessert vinegar, anyone?