I started making my own bread ages ago, using a mix you can get in any shop. The results were good, I was pleased with it and it certainly tasted better than the shop-made loaf.

The next step was to make my bread from scratch, proper strong bread flour and yeast. Again. good result and also an added bonus – a therapy! When you’re cross about something there is nothing better (other than digging like a fury on the allotment) than kneading the dough.

Ok, done that. Then I discovered sourdough – here I thought that I met my match. It just seemed too complicated, but after some time I gave it a go and was converted. Of course, I’ve got to plan my baking because it is a slower process but the result is well worth it.

I wanted to get the best bread flour possible, stone-ground and organic but living in the Midlands we don’t have many mills nearby. Never mind, we found one, in Wiltshire and decided to have a day out, combined with flour buying. Fortunately for me Shipton mill does mail orders so now I’m happy and get on with the baking.

There is one more development – rye bread.

The mill has a very good website with recipes and I’m using their recipe for sourdough rye loaf – fantastic! Works every time, just follow the recipe to the letter and the result is one very tasty loaf.