Orb's Second Traditional Bread Making course -
11 real bread undergraduates managed to complete the grueling course to become Orb's second cohort of graduates last Saturday. It was again really good fun and everyone produced a great looking loaf and baguette and learnt how to make simple flatbreads - all this despite their teacher's best efforts to sabotage the baking of their breads... but enuff said!
We had a really great bunch of enthusiastic people turn up and it was a really enjoyable day - so thanks to you all - it makes all the effort worthwhile.
"Really enjoyed yesterday, great the learn the techniques and the end product was very tasty - went down well with the kids...recipe as I'm itching to try another batch with a longer ferment!...Great course and good fun!"
The next Orb Bread making course is at Swavesey Village College on Saturday 23rd April and already 3 places have gone on this. If you or someone you know may be interested in this course please visit the SVC website at http://www.swaveseyvc.co.uk/page/?title=Community+Education&pid=39 (whilst the April Workshops are not yet listed if you contact SVC Community Education team you can book places now)
.. and in development.... Italian Bakes Workshop
Caroline and I are looking at developing a workshop to learn how to bake some signature Italian bakes including Foccacia and Biscotti... let us know if you;d find this interesting and also what other Italien bakes you'd like to learn.
11 real bread undergraduates managed to complete the grueling course to become Orb's second cohort of graduates last Saturday. It was again really good fun and everyone produced a great looking loaf and baguette and learnt how to make simple flatbreads - all this despite their teacher's best efforts to sabotage the baking of their breads... but enuff said!
We had a really great bunch of enthusiastic people turn up and it was a really enjoyable day - so thanks to you all - it makes all the effort worthwhile.
"Really enjoyed yesterday, great the learn the techniques and the end product was very tasty - went down well with the kids...recipe as I'm itching to try another batch with a longer ferment!...Great course and good fun!"
The next Orb Bread making course is at Swavesey Village College on Saturday 23rd April and already 3 places have gone on this. If you or someone you know may be interested in this course please visit the SVC website at http://www.swaveseyvc.co.uk/page/?title=Community+Education&pid=39 (whilst the April Workshops are not yet listed if you contact SVC Community Education team you can book places now)
.. and in development.... Italian Bakes Workshop
Caroline and I are looking at developing a workshop to learn how to bake some signature Italian bakes including Foccacia and Biscotti... let us know if you;d find this interesting and also what other Italien bakes you'd like to learn.
Orb's Highest Chocolate & Banana Cake
Many of you will have tried this famous Orb cake - we call it Nook's cake - Nook was Caroline's mum's nick name and we use her recipe. One of our customers, Matthew Young, a keen cyclist was looking for an energy boosting treat to take away on a bit of a cycling adventure ..
"My brother and I set out to bike the length of the outer Hebrides before Christmas but when we turned up at the port of Mallaig, gale force 8 winds had stopped all the ferries. So we looked on our map (which had no contour lines) and decided to ride to a place called Applecross on the mainland because it sounded cute and looked easy to get to.
As it happened, to get there meant crossing the Bealach na Bà pass; the third highest road in Scotland and directly facing the Atlantic! The wind at the summit was so strong that it was difficult to even push the bikes. The ORB Choc & Banana cake,(squashed into a bizarre shape in my pannier) provided critical nutrition as we pushed / rode up the pass in darkness and heavy rain at the end of a long day's cycling.
There's a happy ending too, when a very kind lady gave us a lift from near the top to the Applecross Inn http://www.applecross.uk.com/inn/ on the other side, which turned out to have (justly) won awards for both food and friendliness. We joined in with carol singing, ate fabulous poached kippers for breakfast and generally dried out before crossing back over the pass (this time in daylight) to get home."
And here's a photo from Matthew which if you look at it for a couple of minutes will certainly make you feel cold!..
Many of you will have tried this famous Orb cake - we call it Nook's cake - Nook was Caroline's mum's nick name and we use her recipe. One of our customers, Matthew Young, a keen cyclist was looking for an energy boosting treat to take away on a bit of a cycling adventure ..
"My brother and I set out to bike the length of the outer Hebrides before Christmas but when we turned up at the port of Mallaig, gale force 8 winds had stopped all the ferries. So we looked on our map (which had no contour lines) and decided to ride to a place called Applecross on the mainland because it sounded cute and looked easy to get to.
As it happened, to get there meant crossing the Bealach na Bà pass; the third highest road in Scotland and directly facing the Atlantic! The wind at the summit was so strong that it was difficult to even push the bikes. The ORB Choc & Banana cake,(squashed into a bizarre shape in my pannier) provided critical nutrition as we pushed / rode up the pass in darkness and heavy rain at the end of a long day's cycling.
There's a happy ending too, when a very kind lady gave us a lift from near the top to the Applecross Inn http://www.applecross.uk.com/inn/ on the other side, which turned out to have (justly) won awards for both food and friendliness. We joined in with carol singing, ate fabulous poached kippers for breakfast and generally dried out before crossing back over the pass (this time in daylight) to get home."
And here's a photo from Matthew which if you look at it for a couple of minutes will certainly make you feel cold!..
Next Over Village Market is on Saturday 27th Feb
A note for your calendars - the third Over Village Market is taking place on 27th Feb - The stall applications are coming in apace and it looks like the third OVM will continue the success of the first two!
We hope to return to the village green - this depends on the weather and the state of the ground. If we can't be on the green we'll be in the School playground and car park. Keep in touch via our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/OverVillageMarket/?ref=hl
A note for your calendars - the third Over Village Market is taking place on 27th Feb - The stall applications are coming in apace and it looks like the third OVM will continue the success of the first two!
We hope to return to the village green - this depends on the weather and the state of the ground. If we can't be on the green we'll be in the School playground and car park. Keep in touch via our Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/OverVillageMarket/?ref=hl
A reminder on Orb capacity and your orders
Just a quick reminder that if we have a lot of orders we may have to limit some of the products we produce. We will let you know if this affects your order and, where possible, suggest an alternative. Being the size we are, and with increasing numbers of orders, this is the only way we can ensure we get a bit of shut eye on bake nights!
Just a quick reminder that if we have a lot of orders we may have to limit some of the products we produce. We will let you know if this affects your order and, where possible, suggest an alternative. Being the size we are, and with increasing numbers of orders, this is the only way we can ensure we get a bit of shut eye on bake nights!
Orb on Holiday Reminder - 2 bakes missing!
Orb will be off on its first holiday of 2016 and so we will not be baking weekends of 11/12 Feb or 18/19 Feb. So this week will be our last bake until the Over Market weekend on 26/27 Feb. If you want to stock up the vast majority of our products do freeze very well - and biscotti should last for more than two weeks - shortbread for a week or so.
Orb will be off on its first holiday of 2016 and so we will not be baking weekends of 11/12 Feb or 18/19 Feb. So this week will be our last bake until the Over Market weekend on 26/27 Feb. If you want to stock up the vast majority of our products do freeze very well - and biscotti should last for more than two weeks - shortbread for a week or so.
STOP PRESS! Orb in the Press!!
Mark will be interviewed tomorrow for a piece in March's Cambridge Magazine. I'll be showing journalist, Alice Ryan how to make Orb's Hot Cross Buns, just in time for Easter
Mark will be interviewed tomorrow for a piece in March's Cambridge Magazine. I'll be showing journalist, Alice Ryan how to make Orb's Hot Cross Buns, just in time for Easter