A day at the award winning, Macclesfield bakery, Flour Water Salt
I’d been a huge fan of Paul’s bread at Flour Water Salt, since I bought a couple of loaves during Rode Hall farm market. Me and bread have had quite the love affair all of my life. When it’s good, it’s oh sooooo good. Paul is easy to spot, in his Citroen H2 Van, but you have to move quickly. The bakery fires up very early and the van is packed when he arrives but he sells out in no time. Once you taste a proper loaf of bread, you’ll never go back so you’ll understand the stampede for his bakery talents.
A couple of emails back and forth and the shoot was on. The intention wasn’t to get a few pretty pictures of the beautiful finished breads. I wanted to photograph start to finish the whole day during Treacle Market. After all, I’m more interested in reading about the story behind the bread, whilst I’m stuffing my face with the bread.
In order to get to the Macclesfield bakery for the start of their day, I was up a 2am, double checking my gear. Even Tundra looked at me as if to say, “You’ve got to be kidding! What time do’ya call this?” I was really looking forward to telling their story so I was wide awake.
This time of year the sun takes it’s time coming out to see us. It was dark and we’d had a good dose of rain earlier on. I love to see the streets, shiny and reflective. It’s as though everything has been washed clean, ready for new day. About 03:45 I turned the corner and pulled up to the bakery. Paul, and his baker Simon, were already working away. Treacle Market is a busy day for them and great bread can’t be rushed. The dough that was being shaped and baked this morning, was mixed the day before. The fast stuff that comes from supermarkets in plastic bags, is anything but bread in my opinion. In fact the only thing it has in common with proper bread, is the name, bread. Ok, mini rant over.
The weather forecast was looking favourable for Treacle Market, which has been a big part of Flour Water Salt bakery. When I stepped into the bakery, Paul and Simon had their four bread ovens lovely and hot and were sizing sour dough ready for proving. It was the start of a busy Sunday and there was no time to waist. The centre of Macclesfield is where Treacle Market is held, a very short distance from the bakery. Many people who visit are expecting to go home with beautiful breads and pastries from Flour Water Salt. I used to go for that reason only. They were going to have to fully stock up before it opened at 10am.
Dough is a very tactile thing. It’s also alive with divine potential, but you can’t rush it, not if you want beautiful loaves full of flavour. I love to watch the hands of a baker shaping the dough, they always make it look so easy. I’m sure it is if you have enough practise.
Once the dough is measured and shaped then put into proving baskets and placed in a proving room. This is when the dough rises, creating air pockets throughout the dough, without which it would turn out like a dense bread stone. After a session in the warm proving room the loaves are taken out and scoured before heading to the oven.
The scouring part has always interested me, after hearing how you can tell which one of the bakers have made those loaves, simply by the way they have been scoured. It’s like a bakers signature and vey satisfying when you get it right.
As well as all the beautiful breads at Flour Water Salt they bake delicious coffee companions. Croissant, Danishes, Pain au Chocolate and many others. You simply can’t resist them, I certainly choose not to, that’s for sure. When I’ve been to Treacle Market, my absolute, no doubt what so ever, first port of call, is the Flour Water Salt van. Unfortunately at the market there’s only your typical chain coffee outlets around the square. Nothing that has that special taste you really want, to properly accompany your pastry from the gods.
Their delightful Citroen H2 Van gets loaded to the rafters before heading around to Macclesfield Market Square. It’s quite a wonderful sight, beautiful fresh breads, stacked up high, ready to make a good meal great.
Finding a place to sit, enjoying a heavenly, fresh pastry or two, watching the bustle of a busy market. That’s a great way for me to spend a Sundays morning.
Flour Water Salt have quite the following. It doesn’t take long before a line forms, people eager to get their favourite loaf and pastry. I’ve yet to have one of Pauls beads that I don’t like. One of my favourites is the Wilde Nancy sour dough. Dipping a piece into olive oil with a special white balsamic, it’s a bit good
The baking doesn’t stop when the van opens for business. They continue baking pastries and breads to bring down and add to the already huge range of wares. It’s only a 10min walk to the bakery from Macclesfield Market Place, so when new stock arrives, it’s straight out of the ovens. You just don’t get any better than that. It’s not a bad idea, if you’re a bread monster like me, save a few pounds and make a return trip to F.W.S. You could add a fabulous focaccia to your collection. I said I’m a bread monster, s’true
Back at the bakery all’s there is to do is clean down and look back on a great days work. When I was chatting with Paul about his work day, we both agreed that there’s something really special about starting work early and finishing when most folks are barely half way through their day. There’s minimal prep on a Sunday after Treacle Market as their closed on Monday. That’s probably just as well because it’s a busy old bake for Treacle.
The bakery cleaned down and I packed up my gear. It’d been a really great day and wonderful to see a top class bakery in full swing. Their breads and pastries really are something to write about. Paul has received several awards for his bread and that’s no surprise. He’s also running sour dough classes which have proven to be popular.
They’re open at the bakery Tuesday-Friday 08:30-14:30, Saturday 08:30-12:00. You can also find him at Macclesfield train station with breads, pastries and sandwiches. If you fancy popping into to Treacle Market, which is never a bad thing, it’s held on the last Sunday of every month.
I hope you’ve enjoyed a day at a real bakery. Where ever you are in the world, hunt out your nearest traditional baker. Taste the difference a little bit of time and love makes. You’ll be glad you did.
I’m off to Eat Street Shrewsbury this afternoon, capturing some of the atmosphere, vendors and stuffing my face at some point probably. Hopefully our high winds will die down a little, I’ll make sure I take on some extra ballast 😉
Thanks for stopping by, I’ll see you here next time.
