'I started my artisan bakery business in Staffordshire after my children bought me a bread making course'
From the moment Ruth Redgate began learning how to make bread by hand, she was hooked.
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Now she is the owner of Hunnypot Cottage Bakery and creates a wide range of breads and pastries, from traditional white and wholegrains to more exotic treats.
“In 2013, my children bought me a bread making course – and I loved it,” says Ruth, who lives near Lichfield.
“When you take a baking course at a commercial bakery they use deck ovens which means you come back with loads of bread so I gave it away to neighbours and friends who asked for more and that’s how the business started.”
Ruth sells her breads and pastries through her website as well as at local craft fairs. They are also delivered to homes and farm shops in Lichfield, Elford, Tamworth and Sutton Coldfield.
“We offer 30 different types of breads – not all of these are on offer at every market – ranging from the simple white or 100 per cent wholemeal to our classics such as the rosemary, stilton and onion, and the continentals of the baguette, fougasse, ciabatta and focaccia.
“We also offer a range made without gluten, although customers are made aware we do not have a separate kitchen for this.
“And we will adapt recipes, so if you can’t have cranberries because you are on blood thinners then we will add another fruit to our hot cross buns and tea cakes,” explains Ruth.
All of the breads are freshly made to ensure each bake retains its moist and airy consistency.
