Mark Bridge: not him, the other one
Get social
  • Home
  • Writing
  • Photo and video
  • Music and podcasting
  • Social networking
  • Showcase

My Space: David Bland, Flint Owl Bakery

2/4/2015

 
We’ve been in this building since around 2010. I wanted to have the bakery in Lewes but couldn’t find any suitable buildings. And then I spotted this little unit in Glynde. 

Our building is the old dairy. I think this was the bottling room, which is why it’s on a slant. Underneath there’s a deep bunker with thick brick walls, where they’d store the milk.

My first customer was The Ram in Firle, so they’re our oldest friends. Today we cover an area from Alfriston, across to Haywards Heath and down to Brighton. We supply around 30 food businesses: restaurants, gastro pubs, cafes and farm shops, plus our own shop in Lewes.

In my 20s I went travelling a lot. I loved travelling around Scandinavia and started eating such characterful breads. When I got the travelling bug out of me, I wanted to learn a craft – and found I was good at baking. I love it.

Someone’s usually here from 8pm and we bake until around 8am. Then the kitchen opens, preparing food for the shop. Friday night’s the big night, so we start earlier. We could bake up to 1,500 loaves, plus cakes and tray bakes.

Essentially we’re making bread the old-fashioned way. We’ve got linen cloths, a mixer, a wooden table and an oven. And our hands.

All the bread is made from our own blend of flours. We might call a loaf ‘white’ but really it’s white with a bit of light rye, a bit of malt… That’s how we produce distinctive products. All those little changes will adjust the flavour.

Sunday is the only day we’re shut. We work Sunday night but don’t work on Saturday night. It’s always been that way. I like to see my kids on a Sunday.

As told to Mark Bridge

209 High Street. 01273 472769.
flintowlbakery.com


First published in Viva Lewes magazine issue 103 April 2015.

Comments are closed.

    Recent work

    Examples of my published work, with the most recent shown first. (Any links via Amazon may earn me commission on any purchases.) 

    Archives

    February 2020
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Categories

    All
    Art
    Comedy
    Interview
    Journalism
    Lewes
    Music
    Technology

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.