Baked by Blanche: Sourdough bread features in Taste of Taranaki pop-up

Andrew Blanche of Baked by Blanche. Photo/ Supplied

Sourdough made in a Hāwera at-home micro-bakery is part of the Taste of Taranaki pop-up.

Baked by Blanche has been operating for around two years, and owner Andrew Blanche says being part of the Taste of Taranaki pop-up is beneficial.

"It gives businesses the chance to have their products in a location and see how they sell. The Taste of Taranaki Pop-up has been a great experience."

Andrew says starting the business was something he'd always wanted to do.

"It's been an interesting journey. Leaving school I followed in my older brother's footsteps and became a qualified baker. I spent an entertaining 15 years working in the hospitality scene in Wellington. I then followed a dream I had when I was 8."

He pursued a funeral directing career, moving to Auckland and then Hāwera.

After 15 years as a funeral director, Andrew says he was ready for a change.

"I was unsure of what I wanted to do. My wife Jo was keen on some homemade bread. She brought me a gift of a sourdough starter and some books. Soon he was making bread the old way, by hand and with passion."

He says creating sourdough is his passions.

"The most important ingredient in bread is time. Bread should be made over 32 hours, not quickly in six hours. If it's properly made it's better for you.

"We take an artisanal approach by respecting the process of bread making. We aim to use quality seasonal ingredients and local flours. Our goal is for the eater to enjoy the difference this makes to your bread. To savour the flavour and the passion that we put into each and every loaf."

He says the beauty of handcrafted loaves and the use of wild yeasts produce a product that changes with variances in weather.

"The colour and size may be different from day-to-day."

Andrew's sourdough is sold at markets and is available at the Taste of Taranaki Pop-up in Eltham.

■ A Pop-up shop in Eltham is showcasing some of Taranaki's best producers. From chocolates, honey, baking, and even hot sauce, there's something to suit everyone's palate. Over the next couple of weeks, the Stratford Press is profiling some of the businesses part of the pop-up.