Hello from NL 42; this is Bake Sense—a somewhat ordered record of ramblings concerning the world of baking. Along the way, you’ll find recipes and insights from life in and out of the professional bakery and plenty of fruitful chat.
As we close in on the bakery's busiest time of year, I anticipate the format of these newsletters may differ from the usual. December is not even here, and we’re all dog-tired and weary but intent on bolstering our spirits, and that means still making a little time for things that offer therapy…music, art, fresh air or, in my case, this weekly writing practice. Let’s see if I can make it to the end of the year with words worth reading.
Today’s short instalment is a gift guide of sorts. Things that I would highly recommend that make the day-to-day more enjoyable, especially right now when those days are getting longer and longer.
Lots of these items are being well used or consumed right now to see me through to the 23rd. From the fatigue-relieving support socks to the niftiest nutcracker I would never be without and the useful and beautiful bits and pieces in between. So, if you’re looking for something for yourself or a loved one wedded to this relentless baking life, here you go…
Life-changing nutcracker - forget all other nutcrackers; this is the one.
English Walnuts for cracking - you’ll need something to crack in that cracker. A bowl of English Walnuts from Food & Forest are my sofa snack of choice. Sit back, crack and relax.
Rainforest preserving PI’Y Brazil nuts - undeniably delicious and impactful nuts that preserve culture and contribute to conserving the rainforest.
Compression-conscious attire from head to toe - burns, cuts, and bruises are well-known occupational hazards in this game, but it’s the migraines and the fatigue-full and swollen legs that really wipe me out. What the migraine cap and support stockings lack in glamour, they make up for in sweet relief.
Silicone scrapers that make bowl cleaning a breeze - don’t bypass the art shop; this is the perfect shape and size for scraping bowls free from dough and batters.
Microplane to make mincemeat easy - there’s an unfathomable amount of fresh zest in mincemeat, and a proper Microplane will make grating every citrus measurably more pleasurable.
A French pin - not my go-to pin for all pastry, but when it comes to pie and pasta, this is the one I reach for.
Organic, fair-trade Vanilla beans, powder and extract - Each ndali Vanilla product comes from Western Uganda where it is grown organically and a fair price is paid to the farmers. Beyond that, it is a total joy to use, from beans that are juicy, ripe and plump with notes of raisin and butterscotch to fine-milled powder that is richly deep and smoky. Happy to have this old favourite back in my baking life, and when time allows, we’ll go on a deep dive into why it’s so special.
NOVA Bakehouse biscuits - taste the labour of my love. The biscuits are available for collection from the bakery or dispatch anywhere in the UK on set dates throughout December.
What’s on your Christmas wish list and what do you turn to as a salve or saviour when busy just gets silly?