A TRIBUTE TO A GREAT FOODIE AND BAKER
I have just heard the sad news of the death in St. Louis MO. USA of Mr. Frank Riordan at the great age of 92.
I first met Frank whilst working at the 3* Michelin restaurant “LES Troisgros, he arranged an exchange which influenced one young lady to go on to be one of the top chefs in the U.S.
I visited him at his home in St. Louis a few years ago and he was wheelchair bound, he and his carer Brandy were making some of the best baguettes I have ever tasted.
Frank had an extraordinary life, being on first name terms with most of the world’s greatest Chefs of his era. His love of music, particularly the clarinet meant that one of his prized possessions was a clarinet given to him by on fo the Dorsey Brothers. He had a huge interest in everything
Gastronomic and kept a keen eye on me when I started the bakery, some of the recipes coming from the huge library of cook books he had amassed.
I was very pleased to be able to nominate him as a member of “BREAD BAKERS GIULD OF AMERICA”.
He will be missed, may he rest in peace.
Declan Ryan.
BBGA Open Day
As a long standing member of the Breda Bakers Guild of America, I have been asked to participate in their open day on Saturday 25th of June 2011.
The bakery will be open for visits from 3pm to 7pm that day, all are welcome. We will have tasting's, demo's and a children's table so they can make their own bread and Pizza to take home so Mum and Dad take th enight off!
Our Address:
Unit 2b Mayfield Industrial Estate, Mayfield.
Our Advice:
Wear clothes that will not be damaged by flour.
SEE OUR BAKERY ON WWW.YOUTUBE.COM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0FLmhUc32k
Recipes
This is my Grandmother's recipe for Soda Cake.
The only changes I have made to it in the last 50 years are to add Donal Creedons Macroom Oatmeal and cream of Tartar.
SODA BREAD
1000g Coarse Brown Flour(howards one way or odlums)
360g White Flour
25g Bread Soda
25g Cream of Tartar
20g Salt
75g Macroom oat meal
1.5L Butter Milk
50ml Sour Cream
50ml Sunflower Oil
1 Egg
METHOD
Mix all dry ingredients exept bread soda and cream of tartar.
Seive those into dry ingredient mix.
Beat egg,oil cream and some buttermilk together and add to dry ingredients. Add rest of buttermilk as required. Mix gently as for pastry (do not knead). Gather together, it should be quite moist.
Roll in extra coarse flour, shape into a flat cake, cut a cross on top . Bake at 240C