Hello, I hope you are all well. It feels like it has been ages since I last wrote to you and apologies but we have been incredibly busy in the shop and the market and it is all new to us. Sometimes I feel like ,so far, we have been just doing some role play as bakers and right now we are properly in the baking business. I still haven't been really able to get my head around having an actual shop in this great location and I don't feel like I've had a chance to embrace all this. I only visit our coffee shop once a day in the morning, to deliver the goods and I am yet to meet all our new customers. I always get many warm smiles from the public in the queue and it feels great with all that anticipation in the air! Sometimes I share a table with those who don't know me and listen in to all the kind words they say about the bakes, and this is the most amazing feeling in the world which gives me strength to bake more. I can not forget to mention my amazing team who are working along with me, some of them for 10 hours a day at the moment (thank you Charlie). We have amazing new additions to our little team, who you must have met already. Behind the scenes (in the market's bakery) there is Jodie who is shaping bread against the time with Charlie, we also gained Louise who is helping out when she is needed and lifting our spirits with her life energy and there is also Alice who joined Oli in front of the house and it feels like she has been with us for years. Laura has nearly finished her patisserie course (it's time for exam this week so keep your fingers crossed!!!!) and she has been working super fast on the days she is in to make up for the days she isn't (also providing mental support to myself) and finally Oli who is putting up the bread show every day, against all odds. I couldn't be doing this without them. (I should also mention my husband who is the greatest support on every level but he always says he doesn't need this recognition, let's just say that his Minion's work is greatly appreciated by all of us). I feel like I have just performed a speech after receiving an award but believe me, some days feel like they should finish with a round of applause to everyone. Forgive me if I bore you, I am just very grateful.
When it comes to announcements, there are a few.
We are slowly getting round to redeeming your pledges from crowdfunding, I have been sending emails to some of you already. Just to recap here - tea towels are ready for collection, so are bags and a loaf of bread, books are too. Coffee and cinnamon bun pledge can be redeemed at any point and if you pledged a bake, feel free to send us an email about the time you would like to pick up your cake and we will arrange it (hello@leavened.co.uk). Bread for a year and a month are nearly ready too.
Due to the weather conditions this week I am not sure how many croissants and laminated pastries we will be able to make as the high temperature just melts the butter and it is very tricky to achieve what we are aiming for but, if we fail, we will provide you with some fun and tasty alternatives. Unfortunately, heat and MS are not friends and I have been struggling a little so please have that in mind if you see that we don't have a massive selection of pastries some day, these things are out of our control but we will keep trying anyway, as it is an exciting (and frustrating) lesson every time. Our fridges also seem to be having time off and we have to perform a lot of fridge swapping to keep the bread safe. As difficult as it may be I have to say that these challenges make me even more excited about baking bread, no day is the same!
Finally, the bread of this month is miso with sesame, we try to keep a similar variety of pastries for now but will be introducing new items too.
Also, and that one is quite important, we will be having one Sunday off every month beginning from this Sunday (18 June) when the Old Town shop will be closed, sorry but I am sure you appreciate that we do need some proper, two day rest :).
I hope you are not asleep by now and I didn't bore you too much. Thank you so much for keeping us busy and see you soon.
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