North West tea emporium and cookery school, Room Forty, has just scooped at top accolade at the Tiptree World Bread Awards 2017 and has places available on its courses. Tony McDonough reports

 

There are few aromas more beautiful than that of freshly-baked bread – and how many of us would love to bake our own bread that tastes as good as that made by the experts?

North West tea emporium and cookery school, Room Forty, has just scooped at top accolade at the Tiptree World Bread Awards 2017.

The Warrington-based business won a Silver Award for its white bread at the ceremony at London’s Westminster Cathedral Hall… regarded as the ‘Oscars’ for baking.

Strong competition

Room Forty, owned by Jen Perry, was competing against hundreds of craft and artisan bakeries for the first time. Loaves are judged by a panel of prominent, elite craft and master bakers who represent the pinnacle of baking excellence.

As well as selling her creations at her Afternoon Tea Emporium she also offers regular classes both in Warrington and St Helens that take place in the early evening and on Sunday mornings.

‘Quite overwhelming’

It has been a meteoric rise in the world of baking for Jen, who only 18 months ago was just an enthusiastic amateur.

“Competing in the Tiptree World Bread Awards was a complete first for us. It was daunting, but very, very exciting,” she said.

“We always thought that our bread was good but are astonished and humbled that the crème de la crème of the professional baking industry have awarded us Silver Prize.

“Only 18 months ago I was an amateur baker and then I stepped into my dream little business.

 

“To have our baking win this award competing against hundreds of fabulous and established bakeries and judged by top professionals from across the world is really quite overwhelming.

“We are passionate about baking, passionate about real, additive free food and delight in passing on our baking skills.”

Places available

Room Forty has places available on a number of courses taking place over the next few months.

Courses last approximately three-and-a-half-hours and cost includes all materials and everyone leaves equipped with new baking skills, recipes and the fruits of their labour.

Aprons and equipment are provided along with samples, refreshments and nibbles along the way.

The Room Forty Festive forthcoming classes include:

• Festive Breads – learn to bake a showstopper of festive sundried tomato & olive rolls and plain white, pane cioccolato e canelli (Italian chocolate & cinnamon bread) and ciappe (Italian olive oil & rosemary crackers). Classes on December 3 and November 14
• Christmas Cake – Bake your own. Class on December 5
• Christmas Cake Decorating. Classes on December 3 & 12

Bread Baking Classes:

• Speciality bread – learn to bake lower gluten breads using rye, spelt and kamut flours. Classes on November 5 and January 21, 2018
• Bread Baking for beginners – learn to master white and wholemeal loaves, sodabread and the secrets of the perfect pizza. Classes on February 6 and 15, 2018

Classes cost £50 for the beginners class and £55 for all others which includes the cost of all ingredients, samples of bread and nibbles to eat and copious quantities of tea and coffee.

To book a class contact Jen at Room Forty 01925 357940 or email hello@roomforty.co.uk