The fresher the better

(published May 2001)

It saddens me a little when I see so many excellent fruits and vegetables come into season, yet many bakers within our community seem unwilling to use them. Preferring instead to rely on the convenience and consistency of tinned or frozen fruit. Listen, I do accept there are many times when preserved fruits are preferable. There are health and safety issues that must be addressed when using any raw produce, and procedures and routines that must be followed. And the reliability of tinned or frozen food is a reassurance. But they should compliment and add to a frequent use of the best fresh produce you can buy.

I was in one town where the high street baker was situated next to the greengrocer. In the grocer’s window, and outside in baskets, were fine purple plums, rose blushed apricots, small boxes of fresh berries, and locally grown apples and pears. The grocers were very busy. Yet, bleakly displayed in the bakers window were the usual suspects - a half filled tray of donuts with fondant and a glace cherry, a couple of cheese and pickle sandwiches, and six custard tarts. There was an image of sadness to the window, and the bakers were quiet. I'm not suggesting that the lack of customers was due to the food on offer. Yet, I wouldn't have brought anything there.

Are the skills needed to utilize fresh produce so foreign to us now? The ability to peel an apple, to slice a plum, to poach and simmer fresh fruit in sugar syrup, or to roast it simply with cinnamon, lemon and honey, are surely not forgotten skills to those of us who call ourselves 'Master Bakers'? The cost of producing a few items each day, perhaps labour-intensive but rewarding both to the satisfaction of the baker and customer, is repaid tenfold by the customers it attracts. I may not always buy variety, but I sure want to know it's there. We are creatures of habit, buying that same donut every day, but we want to buy it in a shop that inspires us.

Look at the way food is advertised on the television, say the Sainsbury's advertisements with Jamie Oliver. What they attempt to say is that there is a youthfulness and vitality about the store. If you're feeling the need to be active, without wanting to break into a sweat, there is something enticing and convenient to buy in the store. Certainly they don't expect the profits to be generated by a few dried tomatoes and a portion of mozzarella. No, the big sellers will continue to be those everyday items like milk, eggs and potatoes. But to move those, they need to present an image that's invigorating. These small attractive food items, whilst not adding greatly to the revenue, do have a vital role to play in the health of the business.

As bakers we have become confused about the meaning of ‘freshness’. It has little to do with a crisp crust on a loaf, or a crumb that stays bouncy soft for days. It refers to the way we capture and preserve the natural qualities of the produce we use to bake with, and the speed in which we make it available for purchase. So as the weather warms up, and the local market fruit becomes available, take advantage of it.