The Flour Station

Shelf Life

1-2 days

What is it?

An English take on the traditional French baguette as traditionally the English like a bit more dough in their bread sticks. Consequently we use our biga (natural yeast starter) to give this stick a hard crust but a light moist crumb.

The English can do religion too?

The baker who created the English stick was obviously quite a pious man as he created the English stick to to resemble the body of Christ.

What to eat with?

This is quite simply a great white stick. Let your imagination go wild in choosing what you use it with!

Shelf Life

2-3 days

This is the most recent addition to The Flour Station repertoire of breads.

A bit of science – why wholemeal is so good for you!

As the name suggests, whole meal bread is made from wholegrain flour. Whole grains are cereal grains that contain bran and germ as well as the endosperm, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm (Endosperm is not just a naughty word but is the tissue produced in the seeds of most flowering plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch)

A 2002 study suggested that whole grain consumption is an important component of reducing risk factors for type II diabetes. Consumption of whole grains has also been consistently linked with a significant decrease in risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Regular wholegrain consumption contributes to an overall 26% reduction in coronary heart disease risk factors.

The Flour Station loves local ingredients!

At The Flour Station not only do we source the very best ingredients, we also try to source them as locally as possible. This is why this bread holds a special place in our hearts because the main ingredients come from within the Greater London area.

The flours used for this bread are milled by Wrights Mill, 5th generation family millers, milling in the area since 1867, from a mill that has been milling on the same site since. Wright's is London's last miller. They are a small business in an industry dominated by huge milling companies and have prospered through their dogged determination to produce very high quality, specialist flours.

The wheat for the flour comes from Benton’s, 4th who’ve been growing wheat in Essex since 1926. The farm is in an area of low rainfall on fertile, “moisture trapping” London Clay – ideal for the cultivation of Britain’s best quality bread wheat variety, Hereward.

So not only is it great flavorsome flour but it’s also helping us to reduce our carbon footprint.

The butter is added to the dough in order to give the bread a smoother crumb and richer taste. However, if someone is lactose intolerant this is not the bread for them.

What to eat with?

This bread is a brilliant why to start the day as toast, or a great way to get that goodness into your body as sandwich bread.

At The Flour Station we prefer to eat ours with smoked fish, such as salmon or haddock.

Shelf Life

3-4 days

History and process

The London Bloomer is a fantastic white loaf that was created during war-time Britain in 1939.

There are two answers as to how many scores should be on top of the bread and what these scores represent. The first is that there should be thirteen scores, each representing Jesus and the twelve disciples. The second belief is that there should be seven scores, each one dividing the loaf into a slice for each day of the week. We normally go for around 10, ensuring everyone is kept happy!

Like all our breads the whole process from mixing, proving, shaping and then finally cooking takes over 24 hours. This process combined with the quality of our ingredients is what set’s this white loaf apart from the competition.

Gold Star Winner 2009

The Flour Station Bloomer has been awarded Gold Start Status by the Guild of Fine Food and it is not surprising why. It has a robust crust with a beautiful natural luster and once you cut inside you are presented with a light soft crumb.

Sometimes all you need is the perfect white loaf!!!!

What to eat with?

Why not try it to create a tastier sandwich. It really does help make the best Ploughman’s.

Available as

• Bloomer 400g 800g
• Farmhouse Tin 400g 800g
• Sliced Bloomer 400g 800g
• Sliced Farmhouse Tin 800g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

Why it is good for you?

A true multigrain bread (such as The Flour Station’s) is made with multiple whole grains such as oats, cracked wheat, buckwheat, barley, millet and flax. A diet including these wholegrains is best for you in nutrient content because of the fact that the Whole Grain has been used in the making of the bread and certain nutrients have not been processed out. Besides the fact of having more nutrients available, it has been suggested that whole-grain breads and cereals are good for the heart and as such conducive to a longer life. This is good for us as it allows our customers to buy our breads to a ripe old age.

Our special Campagrain mix

Campagrain has been specially selected by The Flour Station for its mix of wheat flour, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rye flour, brown flax seeds, yellow flax seeds, oat flour, barley flour and malted wheat flour. This is what puts the multi into our multigrain.

Like our other breads, this bread is proved overnight to give it a fuller flavour. This is Flour Station’s best selling bread and once you have tasted it you will know why.

Do not be fooled by imposters

Please note, not all multigrain breads are made with whole grains and you should read bread labels carefully so that you know what nutrition you are receiving. If the words ‘enriched wheat flour’ can be found near the top of the list of ingredients on a loaf of multigrain bread, then the product is not made of whole grains.

What to eat with?

Multigrain bread can add interest, flavour and texture to sandwiches. Toasted slices of multigrain bread can be cut into large cubes to top salads and soups. However Jon says that this bread was destined for one thing and one thing only . . . beans on toast!!!

Available as

• Round or Bloomer 400g 800g
• Farmhouse Tin 400g 800g
• Sliced Round or Bloomer 800g
• Sliced Farmhouse Tin 800g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

Why it is good for you?

A true multigrain bread (such as The Flour Station’s) is made with multiple whole grains such as oats, cracked wheat, buckwheat, barley, millet and flax. A diet including these wholegrains is best for you in nutrient content because of the fact that the Whole Grain has been used in the making of the bread and certain nutrients have not been processed out. Besides the fact of having more nutrients available, it has been suggested that whole-grain breads and cereals are good for the heart and as such conducive to a longer life. This is good for us as it allows our customers to buy our breads to a ripe old age.

Our special Campagrain mix

Campagrain has been specially selected by The Flour Station for its mix of wheat flour, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, rye flour, brown flax seeds, yellow flax seeds, oat flour, barley flour and malted wheat flour. This is what puts the multi into our multigrain.

Like our other breads, this bread is proved overnight to give it a fuller flavour. This is Flour Station’s best selling bread and once you have tasted it you will know why.

Do not be fooled by imposters

Please note, not all multigrain breads are made with whole grains and you should read bread labels carefully so that you know what nutrition you are receiving. If the words ‘enriched wheat flour’ can be found near the top of the list of ingredients on a loaf of multigrain bread, then the product is not made of whole grains.

What to eat with?

Multigrain bread can add interest, flavour and texture to sandwiches. Toasted slices of multigrain bread can be cut into large cubes to top salads and soups. However Jon says that this bread was destined for one thing and one thing only . . . beans on toast!!!

Available as

• 250g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

If you are connected to the Flour Station you have to know what a levain/sourdough/mother is. It is our ability to create levain breads that people keep coming back to us.

What is a levain and why is it so special?

Levain refers to the process of leavening bread by capturing wild yeasts in a dough or batter, as opposed to using domestic, purpose-cultured yeast.

Many bakers prefer the predictability of baker’s yeast to levain, as it enables them to create bread within a couple of hours. However, it is only through a levain bread that you are truly able to get breads with a depth of aroma, flavour and complexity. Of course, this takes time (in our case over twenty-four hours) and skill, but the final product proves that it is worth the extra effort.

Originally, to make a levain, water and flour are mixed together, and were allowed to sit out in the open for several days as to develop the yeast culture. One of the true talents needed by an artisan baker is an ability to keep their levains alive. Levains need to be nurtured ensuring that they are kept at the correct temperature and conditions.

Each time we begin the process of baking a new batch of a levain bread, a portion of the levain is removed and mixed with flour and water to make the dough.

Some bakers have kept repeating this process for many decades, how great would it be when we are all old and grey, we could pop down our local market and buy a levain from The Flour Station knowing that we were working with the same yeast culture that we have today.

Why is it called a country levain?

Country folk tend to know what they like, “good quality ingredients not messed about with.” Consequently, this is our most unadulterated levain. Simple, but great bread just as Mother Nature intended.

What to eat with?

Makes a really good Bruschetta!

Available as

• Bloomer 400g 800g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

What is a levain?

Levain refers to the process of leavening bread by capturing wild yeasts in a dough or batter, as opposed to using domestic, purpose –cultured yeast.

What is wheatgerm?

Wheat germ is part of the wheat kernel. The germ is only a small part of the kernel, approx. 2.5% in total. The wheat germ is the reproductive part that germinates and forms the wheat grass.

Like bran, wheat germ is often a by-product of the milling that produces refined grain products. When wheat germ is toasted in the baking process a wonderful nutty flavour is produced.

Wheat germ is also one of the most nutritional products available. In fact, wheat germ contains 23 nutrients and has more nutrients per ounce than any other vegetable or grain. It is also high in protein and Vitamin E.

Taste and tradition

By adding wheatgerm, malt extract and rye flour with the levain, The Flour Station have created a sweet, nutty flavour with a slight sour note creating a unique and delightful bread.

The Flour Station is a firm believer in keeping with the traditions of artisan baking. One of the main skills of artisan baking is scoring the bread, which is done just before the bread goes into the oven. Its purpose is primarily to control the direction in which the bread will expand during “oven spring.” Intentionally creating a weak spot on the surface of the loaf prevents the loaf from bursting at weak spots created during shaping. The pattern of cuts also can create a lovely pattern on the loaf, helping the baker to identify each different loaf. The beautiful pattern on the wheatgerm actually resembles the wheatgrass – how clever is that!

What to eat with?

This is a beautiful loaf with a moist crumb and complex flavour. Subtle enough to serve with mild cheeses, robust enough to round off a simple meal of soup and salad.

This bread is also a great way for parents to get their children eating really healthy food.

Available as

• Bloomer 400g 800g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

What is a levain?

Levain refers to the process of leavening bread by capturing wild yeasts in a dough or batter, as opposed to using domestic, purpose –cultured yeast.

Levain/Sourdough more specifically refers to a symbiotic culture of lactobacilli and yeasts, giving a distinctively tangy or sour taste (hence its name), due mainly to the lactic acid and acetic acid produced by the lactobacilli.

A few facts about our olives

For millennia, olives have sustained people, especially coupled with that other product of civilization, bread. All food aficionados know that olives and bread are a match made in heaven. Mediterranean cultures often graft the two, baking bread with olives inside. The result for The Flour Station is our Green Olive Levain!

Each loaf has a distinct light and crunchy crust with at least a man-size handful of big green aromatic martini olives stuffed in side. The olives are broken up into the dough during the mixing process giving a wonderful green olive fleck throughout the final bread.

We source our olives from the renowned Fresh Olive Company (who have a stall next to us at Borough Market). The olives are not pasteurised or heat-treated. They are never dyed or spoiled by additives, stabilisers or colourants and they have never seen a can or tin. Olives are rich in iron, vitamin E and copper, and are an excellent source of fibre.

But what about all the fat? It is true that olives do have some fat, but it's the incredibly healthy mono-unsaturated variety (increasing good cholesterol!). An important note: when the Martini olives are added to the dough they are “shaken (in), not stirred”

What to eat with?

This is very versatile bread; however, using it to accompany a cheese board is a must. In fact, Joe (our market’s boss) has not been able to stop eating it with his favorite cheese Comté, and appears to be doubling in size.

Available as

• Round 500g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

What is a levain?

Levain refers to the process of leavening bread by capturing wild yeasts in a dough or batter, as opposed to using domestic, purpose –cultured yeast. Our levain dough mixed with spelt and sultanas creases a lovely nutty but sweet bread that is a dream spread with a little butter or topped with cheese..

What is spelt?

Spelt is a grain in the wheat family that has been in cultivation for thousands of years. In fact, it can be traced back to ancient Egypt some 9 thousand years ago. Some debate has occurred over the classification of spelt, with some botanists considering it a subspecies of common wheat and others saying that it is an entirely different species. All we know is that it makes fantastic bread.

Spelt fell out of popularity among grain cultivators due to the hardness of its outer shell, but with the advent of the health foods movement in the 1980s, spelt began to enter the popular diet again. Spelt supporters feel that the grain has more nutritional value and flavour than wheat, because the hard outer casing protects the kernels More importantly, the hull protects the kernel from many insect pests and infestations, making spelt easier to grow without the use of pesticides.

Our Spelt supplier, Doves Farm

Our spelt flour is sourced from Doves Farm; Doves Farm is a family owned enterprise with over 60 staff, drawing the majority of these and many raw materials from the local Wessex area. They are dedicated to upholding organic, ethical and Fair-trade agricultural systems, nurturing partnerships with suppliers and customers and supporting local community projects.

Our clever bakers are ‘raisin’ the level of baking

Spelt has a delicious and characteristic nutty taste that is unlike the more mild flavour of wheat. However, our ingenious team of bakers have off-set this nutty flavour by adding beautifully plump raisins and sultanas.

What to eat with?

This is the perfect bread to kick-start your day just by adding a little butter. However, you could even go that extra mile (that’s The Flour Station way) and try adding a sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon as well. This is how Jon (our market’s manager) kick starts his day and we all know how ridiculously enthusiastic he is.

Available as

• Bloomer 400g 800g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

What is a levain?

Levain refers to the process of leavening bread by capturing wild yeasts in a dough or batter, as opposed to using domestic, purpose –cultured yeast.

Levain/Sourdough more specifically refers to a symbiotic culture of lactobacilli and yeasts, giving a distinctively tangy or sour taste (hence its name), due mainly to the lactic acid and acetic acid produced by the lactobacilli.

We are (wal)nuts for this bread!

Our Walnut Levain is defined by a crisp and robust crust boasting more than a handful of big and luscious nuts. It is the sort of bread one could curl up with, while nibbling at from dawn 'til dusk, if not forever.

The Flour Station's remarkable head baker, Cyril, said that if he were a walnut, he would give anything - his shell, even himself - to be associated with a bread of such beauty. It is, we dare say, the best final resting place for a walnut.

Walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, having been shown as helpful in lowering cholesterol.

At The Flour Station we believe in keeping with traditional baking practices. Therefore, to create the amazing flavour that is found in our Walnut Levain, our bakers roast the walnuts before adding them to the dough. This allows the natural oils that are trapped inside the nut to be released. This oil spreads the amazing flavours throughout the loaf to create an outstanding nutty aroma

What to eat with?

This bread goes great with stronger flavored cheeses or salami’s

Available as

• Bloomer 400g 800g

Shelf Life

7-10 days

A gold star winner

This is an exemplary example of how The Flour Station is dedicated to traditional baking methods and recipes. In fact, the Guild of Fine Food considered it such a good example they awarded it a gold star in 2009.

What is Rye?

Rye is a hardy grain crop that has been under cultivation by humans for over 4,000 years. It is a grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe and is closely related to barely and wheat.

Since the Middle Ages, rye has been widely cultivated in Central and Eastern Europe and is the main bread cereal in most areas east of the French-German border and famously Scandinavia.

Rye also produces kernels, which are smaller and much darker than wheat kernels. Rye flour also has a lower gluten content than wheat flour, and contains a higher proportion of soluble fibre.

What’s our 100% rye made with – and why does it stay fresh for so long?

Our 100 % rye uses a natural rye sourdough starter, rye flour, roast potatoes shavings, sunflower oil, cane molasses, salt and water. In effect this means the bread is wheat free (though it is made in a wheat environment).

A great property of our 100% rye is that it stays fresh for at least a week. One of the reasons the potatoes are used are because they attract moisture therefore keeping the bread moist for longer.

Ok, we admit it, we would love to be Scandinavian!

The sourness of our starter and the rye flour combined with the sweetness of the roast potato and the cane molasses makes it very similar to the Scandinavian 100% ryes. In fact many of our Scandinavian customers tell us it reminds them of home.

Traditionally 100% rye breads were popular in Scandinavia as storage rations for long boat trips and outdoors expeditions. It is usually sliced very thin because of their density, sometimes only a few millimeters thick.

What to eat with?

The classic way to eat 100% rye is in Smørbrød (a Scandinavian open sandwich). Typical toppings include shrimps, smoked salmon, caviar, hard boiled eggs, bacon, herring, fish fillets, liver pâté (called leverpastej), and/or small meatballs.

Available as

• 800g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

This bread really does deserve to be much more popular. However, it seems that many of the top restaurants we supply to like to keep it as their secret. It has a fabulous flavour, created through the mix of rye, ground baked potatoes and cane molasses. As it is only 20% rye, it is not as dense or as intense as the 100% rye, and is an amazing way to experience the subtle taste of rye.

What is rye?

Rye is a hardy crop that has been grown extensively for both grain and foraging, for over 4,000 years. Although it’s closely related to barely and wheat, it can withstand wetter and poorer growing conditions and therefore became the main bread cereal in most areas east of the French-German border and famously Scandinavia.

Rye also produces kernels, which are smaller and much darker than wheat kernels. Rye flour also has a lower gluten content than wheat flour, and contains a higher proportion of soluble fibre.

What to eat with?

This is a very versatile bread and lends itself to all manner of uses.

The wild mushroom stall next to us at Covent Garden market uses it for their fried mushroom sandwiches, which are nothing short of sensational.

Available as

• 800g

Shelf Life

2-3 days

This brilliant bread ties in fantastically with our Italian heritage (as you know The Flour Station started out of the back of Fifteen Restaurant).

This bread is made using a “biga” with potato flour made from freshly baked ground potatoes and honey.

What is a biga?

“Biga” is a type of starter used to make traditional Italian breads. In Italy, “biga” is used to refer to sourdough sponges, collectives of wild yeast, and other starters. Like our other levains when a biga is used, bread is lighter, with bigger holes and a moister crumb. In some parts of Italy, the biga is known as “la madre,” or “the mother,” a reference to the idea that biga is the mother of the bread. Since the yeast is more developed, the bread made with a biga takes longer to rise, but it also has a more complex and evolved flavour. As with many pre-fermentation processes, it takes practice to make a biga (luckily The Flour Station have some amazing bakers who know how to do this). Many Italian breads such as Ciabatta (including the Flour Station’s) are made with a biga base. As the biga rests, the yeasts inside multiply, forming complex flavours and aromas which enhance breads. The flavours and textures of biga-based breads are significantly more intense than ordinary yeast breads.

Special ingredients create ‘righteous’ bread

The addition of the potato flour and honey create a bread that has an amazing depth of flavour. The honey does not create a sweet bread but a nutty and intense flavour. It is a real favourite with many of The Flour Station’s restaurant buyers. As with many Italian breads, the tortano has religious connotations. The crown is meant to represent Jesus’s crown of thorns.

What to eat with?

During the winter (or on all year wet days in the UK) Tortano goes great with sloppy stews and soups. Tortano can also be used to make one of the greatest roast beef sandwiches ever. Cold roast beef (preferably cooked medium rare), tons of horseradish cream and some sliced baby tomatoes. Buon appetito!

Available as

• Crown 400g 800g
• Long 800g
• Roll 110g

Shelf Life

1-2 days

This brilliant bread ties in fantastically with our Italian heritage (as you know The Flour Station started out of the back of Fifteen Restaurant).

The history and meaning of ciabatta

Ciabatta was first produced in Liguria, a coastal region of north-west Italy, although at least one type of Ciabatta can be found in nearly every region of Italy nowadays.

Our Ciabatta resembles the style found in the area encompassing Lake Como which has a crisp crust, a somewhat soft, porous texture, and is light to the touch.

In Italian, Ciabatta means ‘slipper’, leading some people to call the bread ‘slipper bread.’ The name is a reference to the shape, which does sort of resemble a slipper.

What is a biga?

This bread is made using a “biga”. “Biga” is a type of starter used to make traditional Italian breads. In Italy, “biga” is used to refer to sourdough sponges, collectives of wild yeast, and other starters. Like our other levains when a biga is used, bread is lighter, with bigger holes and a moister crumb. In some parts of Italy, the biga is known as “la madre,” or “the mother,” a reference to the idea that biga is the mother of the bread. Since the yeast is more developed, the bread made with a biga takes longer to rise, but it also has a more complex and evolved flavour. As with many pre-fermentation processes, it takes practice to make a biga (luckily The Flour Station has some amazing bakers who know how to do this). As the biga rests, the yeasts inside multiply, forming complex flavours and aromas which enhance breads. The flavours and textures of biga-based breads are significantly more intense than ordinary yeast breads. The great taste of our biga has resulted in many food lovers proclaiming that our ciabatta is the best in London

What to eat with?

Ciabatta is ideally suited to sandwiches. We also love it with olive oils and other dips, since the crumb absorbs dips and liquids very well, and it may be toasted when served for this purpose. Dried Ciabatta bread can also be turned into excellent croutons.

Most of all it makes a fantastic Bruschetta (as world renowned chef, Gennaro Contaldo demonstrated on television).

Available as

• Slipper Loaf 400g
• Roll 130g

Shelf Life

1-2 days

Inspiration

Our focaccia’s have been heavily influenced by the world renowned chef Gennaro Contaldo. Gennaro has built a vast fan base for his recipes and cooking style and he is constantly being asked about his focaccias. The Flour Station is the only London Gennaro consults, and though we will probably never quite live up to his expectations we would like to think we do him proud.

The Method

Each focaccia is individually hand made by our amazing team of bakers headed by Rameck (the Don Juan of the baking world).

Using our remarkable Italian Biga we create a “beautiful dough” (Gennaro’s words not ours), which we then mould into the shape we desire.

The bakers use their extremely large fingers to press down into the dough to create little divots for the ingredients to settle. After adding the flavours (for example tomatoes and basil or rosemary and sea salt) we then push these ingredients firmly into the dough.

This ensures the flavours permeate throughout the bread and hopefully results in the toppings not falling off. We add a generous amount of first class extra virgin olive oil which adds an evermore tender flavour to the bread. Additionally, it avoids the bread from becoming too dry and prevents the over cooking of the toppings.

Finally, we place our focaccias into our ovens to bake for 20 to 35 minutes at 190°C to 220C° depending on size.

What to eat with?

One of the best things about our focaccia is not only their dashingly good looks and sensational taste, but they are ready to eat straight away, almost like a sandwich.

However, we do believe the most gratifying way of consuming this zenith of breads is to take it home, lightly warm it through, and have some olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side ready to dunk, crack open a bottle of wine and just sit back and think of Italy (or Gennaro).

Available as

• Tomato & Basil 300g 450g 2kg
• Rosemary & Sea salt 300g 450g 2kg

Flavours

• Tomato & Basil
• Rosemary & Sea Salt
• Chilli & Coriander
• Leek, Ricotta & Pinenut
• Mushroom & Garlic
• Parsley & Garlic Pesto
• Potato & Thyme
• Sweet Potato, Red Onion & Sage
• Mixed Olives & Polenta

Available as

• 300g

Shelf Life

3-4 days

Facts

The Chelsea bun is a type of currant bun that was first created by the Hands family in the eighteenth century at the Bun House in Chelsea, an establishment favoured by Hanoverian royalty and demolished in 1839. The first day it was introduced it is believed that no less than 50,000 people queued to buy one.

The Chelsea Bun is a Flour Station classic and is a well loved and permanent feature at all our markets. Many people will remember loving them from their local bakeries as a child. It is these kind of memories that we wish to recreate.

The mixing process is watched to make sure the dough absorbs the right amount of water.

During fermentation, the smell is checked so that the dough isn’t under/over proofed.

Weighing and shaping is done by hand to ensure the seam (the natural dough folds where it was cut) sits correctly.

It is cut by hand to aid optimum steam release and oven spring (the oven temperature which gives bread its last rise, also known as bloom).

As the product bakes in the oven at 240°C for 40 minutes, it is watched closely to achieve the colour and crust.

Ours are made using Lescure butter, the best currants we can find and of course NO artificial ingredients

What to eat with?

There’s no better way to enjoy a Chelsea Bun than with your feet up and a lovely cuppa!

Available as

• Trays of 8
• Trays of 35

Shelf Life

2-3 days

Our Eccles cake brilliantly demonstrates The Flour Station’s commitment to championing classic British bakes.

What is it?

An Eccles cake is a small, round cake filled with currants and made from puff pastry with butter and topped with demerara sugar.

Origins of this popular pastry date back to the mid or late 18th century, depending upon which version of the Eccles cake history you choose to believe. Some suggest the Eccles cake was really invented in Cheshire, and a recipe much like it exists in a cookbook published in 1769, written by Elizabeth Raffald. Others credit James Birch, a local Eccles shopkeeper for first selling the cakes in his corner shop on Vicarage Road. The Flour Station Eccles cake is a combination of cooked currants, candied fruit, butter, sugar and spices like nutmeg. We also add a little brandy and sherry as this is said to be part of the original recipe because Eccles Cakes were exported around the world and the brandy was used in order to preserve the cakes.

How we make it?

A flaky puff pastry, encompassing the sweet centre, is rolled out, and cut into circles. Each circle gets a dollop of the fruit mix, and then is folded up to produce a bun-like shape, which can be crimped. The cakes are then brushed with egg and sprinkled with sugar before they are baked in the oven

What to eat with?

Traditionally the Eccles Cake is eaten with a slice a Lancashire cheese on the side (we recommend Neals’ Yard Dairies Kirkham’s cheese.)

On the hand if you can’t wait you might as well just scoff it down as soon as you get your hands on it.

Available as

• Sold individually

Shelf Life

1-2 days

Facts

Did you know that almost no English muffins are made in an artisan process?

The vast majority sold and eaten in the UK are made using the Chorleywood method on vast machinery.

By contrast, we at the Flour Station have got a fabulous recipe, using brilliant (natural) ingredients and the skill of our fantastic bakers to create a luxury English muffin.

Shuna has been reading about and making English muffins for 10 years she is quite proud to be an integral part of the production of this real article.

We make a soft, supple bread dough enriched with whole milk for eventual softness of crumb, and colour attractor for toasting. The dough is portioned and formed by hand. Each ball of dough is rolled gently in a rice 'bran' so that
1. a skin does not form while proving
2. it doesn't stick to the griddle.

We prove the dough for a number of hours, gently and slowly, heat up tall pastry rings until sizzling hot, and drop each proofed ball into an individual mould. At a halfway point, the ring is removed, and a few minutes later, each muffin is turned over by hand, ensuring equal browning and baking on and from each side.

Our kitchen makes English Muffins daily. Shuna personally tests one every few days. She can say with confidence and surety that the Flour Station English Muffin is the best in London, and perhaps England. We use a traditional recipe and method.

Her own experience of making English muffins with natural yeast starters (sometimes called sourdoughs, although they are not one in the same) do not create the soft, pliable give that an English muffin should have, after the initial crunch from toasting and exposed crumb from forking. Natural yeast starters tend to produce wetter, chewier textures. But she is pickier than most about this bread item.

What to eat with?

This is a breakfast classic.

It can be simply toasted and served with butter and jam. However, to make something really special use it for eggs Benedict (half of an English muffin, topped with ham or bacon, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce) or eggs Royale (swap the bacon for smoked salmon)

Available as

• Sold individually

Shelf Life

2-3 days

Facts

Mince pies are a very tasty part of the Christmas tradition! Children leave one or two mince pies on a plate at the foot of the chimney (along with a small glass of brandy, sherry or milk, and a carrot for the reindeer) as a thank you for filling their stockings.

What are mince pies?

A mince pie is a sweet fruit pie, made with short crust pastry (Time Out called our pastry ‘pitch perfect’) with icing sugar scattered across the pie top. Despite being sweet fruity treats, mince pies are made with something called "mincemeat".

What is Mincemeat?

Mincemeat contains no meat - a source of much confusion! In the US, mincemeat is known by the more accurate name "fruit mince".

The filling in our scrumptious mince pies is a spicy riff on the fruit mix used for The Flour Station’s popular Eccles cakes with a healthy dose of brandy and sherry providing the jingle bells

History of the Mince Pie:

The mince pie goes back hundreds of years - England's King Henry V was a great fan of them and was served a mincemeat pie at his coronation in 1413.

Originally the mince pie did contain meat - mincemeat was a way of preserving meat by mixing it with fruit, spices and alcohol. The initial mince pies were large rather than bite size. It is sometimes said that the large pies were cooked in an oblong dish and that the top often used to cave in. As a result the mince pie looked a little like a crib, in keeping with the Christian nativity story.

The Flour Station Mince Pies

Our delectable mince pies were highlighted in Time Out's list of top Christmas treats for 2008. We were not overly surprised, as we know that the skill of our pastry chefs combined with the quality of ingredients we use, creates a really special mince pie.

What to eat with?

These mince pies are good enough just to eat now however, traditionally they are eaten with custard, brandy butter or cream."

Available as

• Sold individually