Bath lives Duncan Glendinning
ONE HALFOF THE DUO BEHIND THE THOUGHTFUL BREAD COMPANY (LEFT) TALKS THE NEW BOOK, BAKING AND BACKSTREET BOOZERS
Q. It seems bread-making has never been so in vogue, how did you get into it? A. Funnily enough it was lonely days working from home as a freelance web developer that got me into baking bread and growing my own ingredients. A chance appearance on a BBC 2 series called It’s Not Easy Being Green landed me a job doing sustainability work out in Fiji and it was upon my return that I decided to launch The Thoughtful Bread Company. Q. What sets Thoughtful Bread apart from the rest? A. We’re different from the local commercial bakers, supermarket bakeries and huge bakeries in that we make bread the way it was intended to be made. Flour, water, yeast and a bit of salt. Anyone who’s ever read the ingredients on the back of a packaged loaf will have asked themselves why all that ‘other stuff’ is in there. We stick to making good, wholesome bread. As for the other artisan bakeries, we believe we stand out from them by the environmentally and ethically sound way in which we operate. We care about good, local causes and are supportive of and supported by the local community.
Q. Tell us a bit about the new book, Bread Revolution? A. This book is the culmination of mine and Paddy’s hard work over the last three years developing a range of mouth-watering products. If you’ve ever wanted to get into baking but been worried about how time consuming it is or turning out that dreaded ‘brick’, then this book is for you. Join us on the bread revolution and we’ll show you how to make great bread from fantastic local ingredients and how to turn it into a meal to feed your family or friends. Q. What’s the best bit about your job? A. The best bit has to be watching someone sample one of our loaves or other savoury or sweet treats and see that smile grow on their face – nothing makes someone smile like a good bit of real bread . . . Q. And the worst? A. The long hours and time away from my gorgeous wife, my family and friends, but I’m no different to any entrepreneur who believes in what he’s trying to achieve. Q. What would you be doing if you weren’t answering these questions? A. Well I am currently sneakily
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answering these questions and running our busy monthly market stall in Bradford on Avon, it’s all go! Q. Share a favourite spot in the city? A. John Street where you can leave the fantastic Raven pub fuelled by a delicious real ale, stock up on cheese at Paxton and Whitfield and pop into the Salamander for a Bath Ale before finishing in one of the most incredible book shops I’ve ever come across at Mr B’s Emporium – what more would you want? Q. Where do you like to eat out in the city? A. Chequers is a firm favourite of mine for evening gastro dining, Sam’s kitchen for hearty lunchtime fare and Jika Jika’s for their demonic brekkie burritos! Q. What’s been your finest hour (so far)? A. Probably completing the book and getting sign off. For someone who isn’t a big book reader to have published my own is a huge achievement and something I am very proud of. Q. Surprise us. A. I used to go to circus school as a child, so I can ride a unicycle and juggle. Q. What’s next? A. Watch this space! Riding high from the pop-up café we ran in the Guildhall for the duration of the Bath Literature Festival, the hunt is on for more permanent retail/café premises in Bath. Plus, more exciting plans which for now are tightly under wraps. BL
Bread Revolution (Murdoch books, £17.99) is available in hardback from all good bookshops
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