Lucy Vanel: Give us this day… a bread making workshop w/Emmanuel Hadjiandreou
When Lucy Vanel came to visit and meet Baker Emmanuel Hadjiandreou, I asked her to write a post about the special weekend workshop at Camont. In her own beautiful words and photographs…
“The first day of our vacation this year found us on the road to Kate’s. Our goal was to attend a weekend bread baking seminar with Emmanuel Hadjiandreou. I have his book, called How to Bake Bread, geared to the beginner bread baker, with plenty of photos and interesting recipes. I have a lot of books about bread. After pastry, bread has been one of those subjects that I am attracted to because of how little I understand about how it works…
Sourdough Starter Basix at Camont
Baking is as much science as art.
There are machines that bake bread in factories and at home.
Bakers bake bread in bakeries; boulangers bake bread in boulangeries.
In this country, France, that revers not only its daily baguette and the artisan bakers who produce it, very few people bake bread at home.
Here at Camont, we are changing that thanks to good friend Emmanuel Hadjiandreou and his very good “How to make BREAD” book.
Following the step-by-step instructions and photographs, Camont’s cooking intern, Felix King, has turned into a sourdough bread baking machine. Here’s a few pics of this handiwork including the amazing magenta Beet Bread!
Want to know how to make a simple sourdough starter and great bread with it? Come to Camont for a special 2-day Le Weekend Workshop with Emmanuel . And to order Em’s book- order here!
French Summer Fun at Camont
What were we doing last year at Camont? It was a big year for cherries, gatherings and a lot of cooking. This year the cherries are less abundant but the spirit of summer cooking makes up for it. We (Felix, Steph and I) are foraging the farthest corners of Camont and finding: some cherries for vinegar shrubs, the last of the elder-flowers for sirops, tender grapes leaves to brine, roses for Turkish delight, and ever present nettles for tea.
I love these iPhone pics that Kate Fletcher took last year as Dorothy from Jauntsetter and I made a version of my favorite Goat Cheese Tarte with Olive Oil pastry laid on a bed of grape leaves, topped with olives and walnuts. Like a giant Gascon Dolmas, it fed our ever expanding party accompanied by a pitchers of cold Rose and icy Pastis.
Take a look around your garden or neighborhood and see what you can find. I call it Frontdoor Foraging. Here’s the schedule of Summer events at Camont!
- July 2-6 Summer School Basix. Think of Camp-4-Cooks! join a small group each morning in the French garden and kitchen for a few hours of cooking fun. Day Camp or Sleep Over. Just 600 euros per person- for five half-days including lunch.
- July 13-15 Food, Foto & Fun! This is a overlapping weekend- our serious Natural Light Natural Food photography workshop with Tim Clinch AND a light-hearted tribute to the Bastille Breakout with Summer Breakfast Camp Cook-up.
- August 4-5 How to Bake Bread with Em. This is the only French workshop offered by Emmanuel Hadjiandreou and based on his award winning book. A perfect time to earn your real bread badge.
- August 11 Kate’s Keeping Kitchen. A one day introduction to filling your French pantry with summer sun in a jar.
- Private Day Classes are available each week upon request- for more info click here!
Thanks to the lovely Kate Fletcher for the lovely pictures!
le weekends at Camont: the friends sessions
Remember those special times when Bob and George and Willie got together and jammed all night? Or the Duke dropped by with his entourage for a mid-summer masquerade fest? How about when your favorite friends showed up with a hamper full of goodies for an impromptu pique-nique on the terrace? Put them all together, pop open a box of cold Pink Wine, and join me in celebrating the French Summer with old friends and new… at Camont!
Pop over for a weekend to bake, i-shoot & can to your heart’s content with some of my best friends. This French Summer I am booking out the Gypsy Caravan for friends only- those mad, special creative and talented friends of Camont.
Le Weekend #2, August 4 & 5 with Emm at Camont.
“How to Make Bread”- A 1-day bread making workshop with Emmanuel Hadjiandreou, a.k.a. Em, based on his best selling, award-winning book.
Meet Emmanuel. Emmanuel Hadjiandreou. Just call him Em.
Em lives with his family in Hastings on the South Coast of England. Originally from South Africa of a Greek family, he bakes. And bakes and bakes. And now, he teaches you to bake, too. Join Em at Camont in Kate’s Kitchen to discover the journey of good bread using organic local French heritage wheat and Em’s fool-proof, easy techniques. You’ll go home smiling with the knowledge that you too, can make good bread. Who else is coming over for a weekend? Read More
