In 2016 I treated myself to a tabletop Komo Mill for milling wheat grain into fresh flour.
Buying this tabletop mill was a game changer for me. Using freshly milled flour in your breads, cakes, biscuits and pastry makes a huge difference to the taste. Everything tastes, well, fresh.
At the time, the only place I could reliably buy local grain was from a lady called Jan who had a fantastic stall in Oswestry Market Hall. It was from Jan that I acquired the mill. Jan has since returned to full time, regularly paid work, which was a huge shame. However, that prompted me to do some research and after contacting the UK Grain Lab co-founder Steven Jacobs at OF & G Organic I discovered Mark & Liz Lea who grow a wonderful variety of organic grains just seven miles up the road from me at Kemberton.
Mark & Liz are wonderful, innovative farmers who are always experimenting with new grains and new markets for their grain. Last year we collaborated for their Wheat Walk. This a walk through their wheat fields for bakers and millers to show them the grain prior to harvest. I baked breads, biscuits and cakes with several varieties of grain to showcase their potential. It was a wonderful evening with the sound of skylarks and the scent of chamomile.
This year the wheat walk wasn’t possible because of social distancing but Mark filmed it for YouTube instead.
Since the harvest I have been testing their different grains for bread making potential. I love doing this, it appeals to my love of the science of bread making and the child in me that used to endlessly make mud pies. If you are interested in learning more about fresh milling and Mark and Liz’s harvest this year take a look at my new website millingfresh.com.
I can teach you the wonderful world of fresh milling when the cookery school reopens once social distancing eases. Get in touch if you would like to know more.
