The Magic Behind Our Sourdough

Our loaves are handcrafted using the finest of stoneground flours from both Stoate & Sons and Shipton Mill.

It is really important to us that we use such high quality flour due to its high nutritional value, while ensuring that we provide our customers with the best quality bread that we can! It’s a combination of our flour plus the size of our loaves that makes them so different to most bakery products. 

Our White Country ‘True Loaf’ is made with 100% stoneground flour, giving it a complex flavour profile with a much higher nutritional value; stoneground flour is a high gluten flour, meaning it has a much higher protein and fibre content. It is also 750g, which makes it about 1.5x to 2x larger than the average store-bought loaf of bread of 400g.

Why is stoneground white flour better than regular flour? 

Stoneground White Flour has been slowly ground between two millstones then sieved to remove any of the larger bran pieces.

This particular grinding process also leaves the wheatgerm more intact than the grinding process with regular flour, which is usually ground between rollers and crushes out more of the grains.

These larger bran components cause stoneground flour to have a coarser texture but a much deeper flavour than regular flour, whilst having additional nutritional benefits. The bran and germ retain much more of their natural, original proportions, and additionally, as the stones grind slowly, the bran is not exposed to extreme temperatures; too much heat would cause many of the vitamins to be destroyed. 

Stoate & Sons: 

Stoate & Sons are based in Dorset and remains a family run operation by fifth-generation millers. The mill was established in 1832 and has continued to produce stoneground flour for both bakery and domestic trade throughout. Their flour is produced using French Burr millstones, driven by a 19th Century iron waterwheel powered by the river Sturkel. 

The continued growth in popularity of artisanal breads produced by traditional methods has enabled Stoate & Sons to continue running into its third century. 

Shipton Mill: 

Based in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, the ruins of Shipton Mill were discovered in 1981, overlooking the River Avon. The mill and all the original machinery were restored, resulting in the flour also being ground with the traditional French Burr millstones. Both the mill and the river at Shipton Mill are home to a diverse ecosystem and they are now working on generating their own electricity. 

Both Shipton Mill and Stoate & Sons use traditional machinery that remind us how even today, these ancient methods produce better quality, artisan bread that is more nutritious. 

The Size Of Our Loaves: 

Not only is our bread made with some of the finest quality flour available, but our loaves are about a third bigger than the standard size. They are made fresh daily and then delivered to YOU across London, with storage tips, recipes and much more included in each subscription!