RUSTIC CHARM AT THE ARTISAN BAKEHOUSE, ASHURST CRUMB OF COMF

The Artisan Bakehouse presents guests with the opportunity to make beautiful home-made bread in a traditional wood-fired oven.

Husband and wife Les and Louise Nicholson host a variety of workshops at their charming home in rural Ashurst, where guests bake anything from malthouse loaves and sourdoughs to baguettes and bagels. If it sounds a touch continental, that may be because the Nicholsons spent eight years running a cookery school in Souvigné, in the Poitou-Charentes region of southwestern France.

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Louise said: ‘We wanted to escape the rat race, so bought a derelict farmhouse in France and renovated the plot to offer three ‘gites’ or holiday chalets. Our daughter was born there and we had eight fantastic years, hosting cookery courses using an Aga oven, and immersing ourselves in a different way of life. I would have stayed, but Les missed the football, as he’s a passionate Brighton and

Hove Albion supporter! We returned home and nearly took on a restaurant in Steyning, but the deal fell through. That’s when we found the place in Ashurst and fell in love with it.’

‘At the time, there was also a growing movement to support local farmers and producers, so we thought that the Bakehouse could contribute to the Sussex food and drink scene. We had to patiently go through a lengthy planning process in order to create the Bakehouse and offer holiday cottages to guests, but eventually we were ready to launch in 2013.’

Slower Pace

While The Artisan Bakehouse doesn’t strictly follow a French method of baking, the business is inspired by the value our neighbours across the Channel place on bread. Louise said: ‘In France, there’s a boulangerie on almost every corner, as bread is made the traditional way

Les Nicholson across the whole country. Good bread is a way of life. Even tourists adapt and walk into the village every day to buy a baguette or croissants. But in the UK, life runs at a different pace and most people buy mass produced bread that isn’t very healthy. Our aim was to recreate the charm of France, both with the bread and the feel of the place. We could be more commercial and have manicured lawns, with bigger classes where everyone works on stainless-steel rather than wooden worktops. But in doing so, we would lose the soul and magic of the business.’

Go With The Grain

The Artisan Bakehouse hosts several courses each week, with guests working at their own bench, with all utensils and ingredients supplied too. Social aspects of the day are important, so courses begin with tea, coffee and home-made cookies, with a cooked meal provided at lunch.

The most popular course is ‘Introduction to Breadmaking’, where groups make focaccia using authentic Italian 00 flour, baguettes with French T55 flour, spelt rolls and a regular seeded or walnut organic white artisan loaf. They are baked in a wood-fired or Rofco bakers’ oven, and guests take home the breads they make.

Louise says: ‘This course is ideal for beginners and those who have tried bread-making before but want a better understanding of the processes. They learn about various wheats and