22 November 2022
This is the weekly newsletter from Loaf in Stirchley, keeping you abreast of our bakery and cookery school, and other news we think you might be interested in.
This week we welcome Dave to our co-op, announce our new ‘baking surgery’ at the revived Stirchley Market, and contribute to Pip’s fundraising auction.
We’ll have plenty of bread and pastries on the shelves all day, with lunches served from noon on weekdays.
Scroll down for this week’s lunch menu, cookery school spaces and community news.
Our opening hours this week are:
Wednesday: 12-4
Thursday: 12-6
Friday: 12-6
Saturday: 8-1
Hi Dave!
Those of you who came to the shop last week may have already met Dave, the latest member of our co-op. Dave comes to us from Cherry Reds and joins Dorit in looking after the shop, He’s really keen to get involved in our community activities, once he’s settled in of course!
Dave says: “I’m thrilled to join the Loaf team. I moved to Stirchley earlier this year and Loaf is one of the things that attracted me to the area. I have a lot of respect for what it means to the community and hope to do my part to keep that going.”
You’ll recognise Dave from his big smile and somewhat prodigious beard. Say hi!
New ‘bread surgery’ as Stirchley Community Market returns
Way back in 2010, before we had a shop on the high street, Loaf was a founding smallholder at Stirchley Community Market. The market had a pandemic hiatus but is returning on Saturday 3rd December from 10am-3pm, and we’ll be there!
We’ll have a selection of baked goods for sale and Neil, one of our baking tutors, will be on hand to answer any questions you have about your home bread-making. Whether you’ve done a class with us or not, we’ll be happy to help for no charge — though we will be taking donations for the food bank, hint hint!
As promoters of real bread we’re always happy to give help and advice, but a busy shop is not always the best place. So come along to our first ‘bread surgery’ where there’ll be plenty of time to get some tips.
If you’re not familiar with Stirchley Market, it’s a non-profit project completely run by volunteers and is one of the seeds of Stirchley’s current blossoming, with many independents finding their feet there. We’re delighted to see it back and hope you’ll go check it out.
Win a cookery school voucher with Pip’s charity raffle
Pip’s Hot Sauce is one of the indie food-makers who started at Stirchley Market and we’re honoured to call Pip a good friend of Loaf. So when she said she was looking for raffle prizes to raise money for a dear friend with brain cancer, we said yes, of course.
The range of prizes in this raffle is quite something, from meals to artworks to a one-off crystal skull hot sauce — a real testament to Pip’s importance in our community. We’ve put a £140 cookery school voucher in there too. She’s given so much over the years and it’s an honour to give something back.
Raffle tickets are £2.50 each, and you can of course buy more than one. Please help and spread the word.
The Breadcrumbs
🥖 From 6th December Loaf will be open Tuesday through Saturday, and closing at 6pm Tuesday through Friday, just like before the pandemic. These will be our permanent opening hours going forward.
🥖 The Christmas Blend coffee from Quarterhorse is back in stock. Rejoice!
🥖 The recording of Not all Real Bread is White, a celebration of Black bakers and Real Bread business owners, is online.
🥖 Are you a nervous cyclist? Our sibling worker coop Birmingham Bike Foundry is running a day to build your confidence on Sunday 4th December. An introductory session will take part in Cotteridge Park from 10am, followed by a led ride into town. There’ll also be a chance to try out folding and cargo bikes. The day is free but must be booked. More info here.
🥖 Yoga Borne is running an indie makers Christmas market this Saturday in their studio over the road from us.
🥖 It’s definitely wreath workshop season in Stirchley — Verbena has one next Tuesday with festive nibbles that you know are going to be splendid.
🥖 If that’s a bit too hardcore for you, how about Christmas crafting with Kerry and Rachel a week later, making decorations from leftover bits and bobs at the Old Post Office.
🥖 And if that’s too highbrow, try Hipkiss & Graney’s Awful Christmas Card workshop this Friday at Artefact.
🥖 Kerry has a massive roundup of local news in her newsletter this week, if you’re not already subscribed for some reason.
If you’ve got news or an event in Loaf’s wheelhouse (some variation on bread / community / cooperatives), let us know at newsletter@loaf.coop
Lunches this week
Wednesday
- Curry: Tarka daal with sourdough (Ve)
Thursday
- Soup: Spicy roasted parsnip and toasted pumpkin seeds with sourdough (Ve)
Friday
- Curry: Roasted potato, pea and spinach with sourdough (Ve)
- Salt beef on challah
Wed — Fri
- Sourdough pizza: Caramelised leek, blue cheese, rocket and toasted pine nuts (V)
- Ham and cheese croissant
- Pine nut pesto and cheese croissant (V)
Wed — Sat:
- Sausage rolls
- Vegetable rolls (V)
Lunches are made fresh weekdays for 12 noon.
Our menu for the week — with ingredients and allergens — is on the website.
Cookery school classes
The following classes have spaces as of this newsletter being posted.
- Simply Sourdough: Sat 26 Nov
- Sausage & Charcuterie: Tue 29 Nov
- Thaali: Wed 30 Nov
Dates for the new year will be released mid-December. You can sign up to alert lists for specific classes here.
Thanks for all your continued support. See you next week!
Team Loaf: Nancy, Martha, Dorit, Rach, Sarah, Neil, Molly & Pete