London Baking. A Stagiere.

It's 3:41 am here in London. The night is dark, quiet and a bit of rain comes and goes softly. The train I've caught the last 4 nights at 2:34 am was late and came at 2:42 instead. I've gone in at 2 pm. The shifts are packed with an endless list and never enough time to get it all done. My body hurts in ways that are familiar and also brand new.

I am right now absolutely exhausted and also full of ideas. I look forward to tomorrow. It's a whirlwind of learning.

      

Just what the doctor ordered.

I'm also looking forward to some days off. These last four have informed me about London from a back-of-the-house perspective and I want to be on the other side again for a couple of days.

I want to tell you about the highlights but I have to get some sleep.

Just one some for the road:

I have met the most exquisite English Muffin.
And a damn fine Eccles cake.
Not to mention an endearing kitchen crew.
And the best buttermilk my tongue has ever come into contact with.
I love bread baking perfume.
And watching the rhythm of bakers dancing to the beat of dough, alive and coaxed and shaped and proofed, by hand.
Inspirational is camaraderie in the face of historical prejudices.
New feats for my Baby Offset Spatula to perform.
A taste of Iranian pistachios.

And a pastry chef who has welcomed me into ___ home, with unconditional hospitality. {thank you.}

Comments

[Jennywenny]

Yay for eccles cakes! Get some sleep too!

I dropped you an email the other day, I'll be in london the week after next, are you going to be around? Sounds like you're a bit too busy...

Hello Jenny, I fear you are correct-- I may be working like this until I leave. Thanks for asking though! - Shuna

[Elsewhere]

The Eccles Cakes with Lancashire Cheese from St. John Bread and Wine? Heaven, sugar and dairy on a plate, I believe. And the same Lanashire cheese, from Neal's Yard, that they serve with it at St. John is available at Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building here in SF.

I used the St. John cookbook to make a batch last Christmas for friends and neighbors, and they are indeed wonderful things.

[sam]

i hate eccles cakes, full of 'squashed flies' ;P But I adore the sound of an exquisite English Muffin, although they just call them 'muffin's right? The other types are called 'American Muffins' or at least they were seven years ago when I left.

Hello Sam,

O, the poor Eccles cake! Can we agree to disagree? The two competing versions I've had here are intense but also delicious. As for the muffin issue, my experience with the nomenclature issue is much the same as what I've noticed to be true in this 2008 version of London I'm experiencing: the city is full of American goods, expressions, people and traits that were not present as recent as less than a decade ago.

Where I am doing my stage they are making English Muffins and calling them such. And all this being created by and coming from a British producer. I can't say more because it is not mine to share, but I assure you the British producer in question is a Nationally trusted resource for British food and baked goods. They also make sweet muffins and call them muffins.

I will agree that it is all very confusing. But not more so than calling Pita-- pita bread or dessert-- pudding. - I think it's unfortunate in general that in order for London to embrace American baked goods, traditional British baking is being lost or shelved in the process. It is my belief that there is room enough for it all. And perhaps I will get to have a bit of a say in that one day. Shuna

[Alison]

(oh, in case b/c of the time difference/email schedule you don't see a magenta shirt with jelly donuts on it, um, nevermind.)

For your donut making days when you're back in the states.
(it says sold out, but that just means you have to pay $5 more) :p

Alison, As you might be able to see I changed the code in your comment to reflect the permanent URL of the hyperlink. I might not always have the time to do this, in which case your comment will be deleted. If you want to know how to to create links in your comments, check out this post. Thanks! - Shuna

[sam]

that makes me so very, very sad to hear :(

[Hilary]

I love the smell of baking bread, too, though for my mom it causes migraines. Growing up we had to keep our bread making machine in the garage and bake bread out there!

[Eric]

I saw you used the word stagiere in a couple post. I just wanted to point out that it is spelled stagiaire.