Bakery

The Bakery is the home of Emma's Bread, an artisan bakery based in the Real Food Store. Emma's Bread supplies the Store, the Cafe and the Take-Away with a wide range of products.

Emma's Bread aim to make real bread, using traditional methods and organically grown products where available: "We do not use flour or product improvers. We use Shipton Mill organic flours for all our bread and bakery products. Although we use a dough mixer, every loaf is weighed out and shaped by hand, a time consuming but rewarding process".

What kind of bread can I buy?

You can choose from a range of yeasted and sourdough loaves. You can also get sweet things and cake! Please visit the Emma's Bread website for more information and for pictures of the bread- and the bakers!

All loaves are available in small (400g) and large (800g) sizes.

Breads: Yeasted breads | Sourdoughs | Sweet Things | Other Savoury Baked Goods

YEASTED BREADS

Daily Farmouse White

Made with white organic flour, this loaf tastes delicious and is no relation to the white sliced! Made with just a little salt.

Daily Stoneground Wholemeal

For the real traditionalists, nothing beats a slice of wholemeal bread, nutty and dense with a smidge of black molasses and salt. Made with flour from the National Trust's Clyston Mill at Broadclyst.

Daily Malty Loaf

A perennial favourite made with malthouse flour with a little salt.

Seedy Loaf

A substantial loaf made with malthouse flour, salt and a scrummy mixture of mixed seeds, usually sunflower, sesame, linseed, poppy and millet, both inside and on top.

The Isca Loaf

Legend has it that spelt wheat was introduced to Britain by the Romans and, as we all know, the Roman name for Exeter was Isca so we've named our bread after the city. An increasingly popular grain, spelt is seemingly more tolerated by those avoiding other wheat products but it also makes a light, nutty alternative to wholemeal and is great choice for children.

SOURDOUGHS

Straight Rye

A simple sourdough loaf made with 100% rye flours, water and salt straight rye.

Borodinsky Rye

An unusual but delicious recipe originating in Russia, 100% rye sourdough with added ground coriander, black molasses and a dusting of crushed coriander seeds on top.

Seeded Sourdough

Made with malthouse flour this loaf has no added yeast, but a bit of salt and palm oil and a scrummy mixture of mixed seeds - usually sunflower, sesame, linseed, millet and poppy - which is added to the dough and sprinkled generously on top.

Pain au Levain

Delicious tangy overnight white pain au levain. This is also available in smaller sizes including rolls & sometimes as a 'baguette'.

About Sourdoughs

Sourdoughs are breads made without using conventional baker's yeast, a process that goes back thousands of years. Their basis is the use of a "culture" or "natural leaven" developed simply by mixing a little flour and water and allowing it to ferment naturally as "wild yeasts" and bacteria get to work. We start the process of making sourdoughs the night before baking, allowing the culture to ferment for at least 12 hours during which time it gets very active. If more flavouring and ingredients are added next day this can also extend the proving stage so sourdoughs really do win a "Slow Food" accolade. The advantage of this process is that the flour is effectively pre-digested making the resultant bread easier on the stomach. The flavour of sourdoughs can take some getting used to as our palates are accustomed to the bland, often sweet products produced by modern baking techniques. Try sourdoughs with cheese, meat or pickled and smoked fish on thinly sliced bread. Its keeping qualities are excellent and it will stay fresh for 4 or 5 days. Many people with yeast or wheat intolerances also find sourdoughs more acceptable, particularly as 100% organic rye flours are used.

Keeping your bread

Emma's Bread is so delicious chances are it won't last that long! However, it does keep very well. We wrap it tough brown paper when you buy it. This paper does not disintegrate and keeps the bread fresh for several days. Emma's Bread makes fantastic toast! It also freezes very well- best results if you freeze when fresh (if warm wait until your bread has cooled!). Emma's scones and cakes also freeze well.

SWEET THINGS

Emma's Bread makes a variety of delicious, wholesome cakes including traditional gingerbread, carrot cake, chocolate beetroot cake and brownies.

We also have freshly baked scones, sweet & cinnamon & raisin loaf.

Most of these are made with spelt flour. We always use real butter and free range eggs.

You will find these cakes displayed in the store, the Take-Away counter & of course you can enjoy them in the café.

We are developing our range of gluten and wheat free products; please ask the staff.

With our breads, many people with yeast or wheat intolerances find that our sourdough breads are more acceptable, particularly with the rye breads where 100% organic rye flours are used.

OTHER SAVOURY BAKED GOODS

You might like to try our popular wholemeal cheese scone or the olive & rosemary focaccia breads that come in 3 sizes including the convenient 'mini' focaccia- perfect for quick lunch time!

Visit the Emma's Bread website for more information.