I’ve been making bread following your method every single week since I did the course with you back in January. I started with two loaves and then found another Pyrex bowl in my local charity shop for €4 and then started to make three loaves weekly, adding things – seeds, nuts, dried fruits and figs, using different flours mixed in – spelt, granary, malt, rye. Then I bought a banneton and started to make four loaves weekly baking one in my ikea cast iron pot. Shortly after I found another Pyrex bowl – yep – €4 in the charity shop!! Now I make five weekly.

Throughout the lockdown and beyond, I give loaves, half loaves and quarter loaves to neighbours; the secretary at work who posts me a photo of her sourdough toast with eggs, avocado, spinach etc etc that she enjoys for breakfast the following morning; my brother in Creve who has a passion for my fig and walnut; my sister in Manchester to whom I post a frozen loaf and she receives two days later, has some with her soup for lunch and refreezes the rest to enjoy later in the week; to my son in Denmark who devours it in one go with his Danish roommates over a Danish outdoors garden smorgasbord; my pals at the allotments including Angela the German midwife and Rosanne Irish dancing teacher who I have also passed a bit of my “mother” to and have subsequently successfully been making their own bread.

Here following are my five loaves for this week: 2 malted wheat, 2 wheat + spelt, honey and walnuts, and 1 wheat + rye. Thanks so much. Xx”