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Press and Journal
6 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
New 'hidden gem' bakery sheds in Meikle Wartle attracting visitors from as far as Texas
It was a TikTok video that first inspired Jade Hay to start selling her homemade bakes from pink and blue sheds on the outskirts of Meikle Wartle. She initially thought it would be a fun way to share her cakes and cookies with locals and save up some money for a family holiday. But to her surprise, the baked goods have been a sell-out every single weekend. 'On the first weekend, I sold out in an hour and a half,' Jade told The Press and Journal. 'I thought it was a fluke, but every weekend since has been the same. 'Every week I still think the novelty will wear off, but it's been amazing.' The mum-of-two has always enjoyed baking as a hobby, but started taking it more seriously last year. 'I decided I wanted to do something for myself after having my kids,' she said. 'I had the baking option – and I also considered doing balloons for parties. 'So, I got all the stuff for both but the first time I tried the balloons, I knew they weren't for me.' Jade, 35, got stuck into improving her baking skills – working her way up from cupcakes to celebration cakes. She soon launched The Flour Mill Bakery and started receiving orders for birthdays and other events. 'I was really enjoying that but I felt I wanted to do something else,' she said. 'I got the inspiration for doing the sheds from TikTok. 'I'd seen a lady down in England doing something similar. 'And I thought I hadn't seen anything like that in my area.' The Flour Mill Bakery sheds first opened in March and the sweet treats have been a sell-out every week. Jade bakes six different types of cookies and cakes from Thursday evening through to Friday evening in preparation for selling on Saturdays. 'I do the baking, the packaging, the labels and the clean-up – though sometimes my husband, Allan, will help with the mess!' Customers are travelling from across the north-east – and much further afield – to buy the goods. 'The thing that amazes me is how far people come from,' she said. ' They've travelled from Stonehaven, Brechin, the Broch. 'I've had quite a few folk come who saw my page on TikTok, as the video from the first weekend went quite viral. 'That seems to be the best way to spread the word. 'We even had a group from Texas – I couldn't believe it. 'They were so lovely – and shocked at how busy it was.' Jade, who is mum to Eddie, five, and Maisie, four, tries to mix up the bakes each week and has even adopted different themes. She is operating the sheds with an honesty box and customers have the option to pay with exact change or card. 'I make New York-style cookies, which are really popular,' she said. 'And for the cakes, old school flavours do really well. 'The more traditional cakes like a Victoria Sponge will go first. 'I'm into my third month and busy as ever. 'It has bloomed into something amazing.'
North Wales Chronicle
20-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- North Wales Chronicle
UK strawberries large size warning to supermarket shoppers
A bright and sunny March and April have been perfect for British strawberries, mostly grown in polytunnels. As a result, plants are yielding giant 50g berries. It's not just about size - the flavour is excellent too - with a great flavour and a natural sweetness. Even better, many supermarkets have so many berries, they are discounting prices, so customers can make the most of the summer staple. @AldiUK are stocking Giant British Strawberries..... huge Ricky Zeiderman, culinary director at BergHOFF GB, says: "The strawberries hitting shelves this month are larger and sweeter than we usually see, and that's down to a mix of warm spring sunshine and cool overnight temperatures. It's a weather pattern growers love because it pushes both size and flavour at once. "What most people don't realise is that these plumper strawberries are actually brilliant for more than just puddings. Because they hold their shape and work beautifully when roasted with balsamic, stirred into risottos for a sweet-savoury twist, or even grilled on skewers for summer barbecues. "When the fruit is this good, it's worth thinking beyond just cream and meringue." Giant. Strawberries. To celebrate the bumper strawberry harvest, Ricky has come up with this budget-friendly Victoria Sponge recipe. "With the price of home baking soaring in recent years, baking a sponge has turned from an affordable treat to a costly indulgence," he says. "When looking for a budget meal and dessert, try this delicious food with butter cream and fresh strawberries. Switching out some ingredients will make a vegan cake. Recommended reading: 200g plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder, instead of self raising flour 150g margarine, as a butter replacement (also keeping cake fresh) 150g brown sugar, instead of caster sugar 3 tbsp vegetable oil for extra moisture 2 eggs or ½ cup yogurt as a cheaper alternative ½ tsp vanilla essence instead of pure vanilla extract 100ml milk, oat milk, coconut milk or alternative for a vegan option 100g jam, strawberry jam and raspberry, home-made or cheaper works great. 100ml whipped cream or 100g Greek yogurt for a cheaper cake recipe Optional Topping: Strawberries and icing sugar for dusting (Image: ASIFE) Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper in preparation for the completed batter. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar until light and incredibly fluffy. Beat in the eggs (or yogurt if using an egg replacement for vegan option) and vanilla extract or essence. Adding a splash of lemon juice can add another flavour. Sift in the flour and baking powder gradually, folding gently. Add the vegetable oil and milk, mixing until smooth for great success and better taste. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely on a cooling rack or in the fridge before layering cakes. Spread strawberry or raspberry jam over one sponge, then top with whipped cream or Greek yogurt before placing the second sponge on top, and topping with giant strawberries. Dust with icing sugar and serve. It's tempting to buy a load of punnets while strawberries are this good - and on offer. To maximise their shelf life, take them out of their punnets and lay out on kitchen roll in a single layer. Inspect them and get rid of any mouldy or squidgy ones (these make the rest go bad). Pop them in the fridge and keep them as dry as possible - excess moisture and humidity is the enemy here. Moisture encourages mold growth, which is why it's important to weed out the bad berries first, then give the rest of the batch an extra layer of insurance with kitchen paper. Your berries should stay plump and fresh for at least 3 or 4 days this way. If you need to keep them longer, or you have a serious glut, it might be worth making jam or making compote and freezing it in batches.
Powys County Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Powys County Times
UK strawberries large size warning to supermarket shoppers
Aldi, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Morrisons and M&S are among the supermarkets selling giant strawberries, following a bumper British harvest. A bright and sunny March and April have been perfect for British strawberries, mostly grown in polytunnels. As a result, plants are yielding giant 50g berries. It's not just about size - the flavour is excellent too - with a great flavour and a natural sweetness. Even better, many supermarkets have so many berries, they are discounting prices, so customers can make the most of the summer staple. @AldiUK are stocking Giant British Strawberries..... huge — Kevin Fortey (@GiantVeg) May 15, 2025 Ricky Zeiderman, culinary director at BergHOFF GB, says: "The strawberries hitting shelves this month are larger and sweeter than we usually see, and that's down to a mix of warm spring sunshine and cool overnight temperatures. It's a weather pattern growers love because it pushes both size and flavour at once. "What most people don't realise is that these plumper strawberries are actually brilliant for more than just puddings. Because they hold their shape and work beautifully when roasted with balsamic, stirred into risottos for a sweet-savoury twist, or even grilled on skewers for summer barbecues. "When the fruit is this good, it's worth thinking beyond just cream and meringue." Giant. Strawberries. — Wretched Ink (@WretchedInk) May 7, 2025 What to make with giant strawberries To celebrate the bumper strawberry harvest, Ricky has come up with this budget-friendly Victoria Sponge recipe. "With the price of home baking soaring in recent years, baking a sponge has turned from an affordable treat to a costly indulgence," he says. "When looking for a budget meal and dessert, try this delicious food with butter cream and fresh strawberries. Switching out some ingredients will make a vegan cake. Recommended reading: Ingredients 200g plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder, instead of self raising flour 150g margarine, as a butter replacement (also keeping cake fresh) 150g brown sugar, instead of caster sugar 3 tbsp vegetable oil for extra moisture 2 eggs or ½ cup yogurt as a cheaper alternative ½ tsp vanilla essence instead of pure vanilla extract 100ml milk, oat milk, coconut milk or alternative for a vegan option 100g jam, strawberry jam and raspberry, home-made or cheaper works great. 100ml whipped cream or 100g Greek yogurt for a cheaper cake recipe Optional Topping: Strawberries and icing sugar for dusting Method Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper in preparation for the completed batter. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar until light and incredibly fluffy. Beat in the eggs (or yogurt if using an egg replacement for vegan option) and vanilla extract or essence. Adding a splash of lemon juice can add another flavour. Sift in the flour and baking powder gradually, folding gently. Add the vegetable oil and milk, mixing until smooth for great success and better taste. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely on a cooling rack or in the fridge before layering cakes. Spread strawberry or raspberry jam over one sponge, then top with whipped cream or Greek yogurt before placing the second sponge on top, and topping with giant strawberries. Dust with icing sugar and serve. How to store strawberries It's tempting to buy a load of punnets while strawberries are this good - and on offer. To maximise their shelf life, take them out of their punnets and lay out on kitchen roll in a single layer. Inspect them and get rid of any mouldy or squidgy ones (these make the rest go bad). Pop them in the fridge and keep them as dry as possible - excess moisture and humidity is the enemy here. Moisture encourages mold growth, which is why it's important to weed out the bad berries first, then give the rest of the batch an extra layer of insurance with kitchen paper. Your berries should stay plump and fresh for at least 3 or 4 days this way. If you need to keep them longer, or you have a serious glut, it might be worth making jam or making compote and freezing it in batches.
Leader Live
20-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Leader Live
UK strawberries large size warning to supermarket shoppers
A bright and sunny March and April have been perfect for British strawberries, mostly grown in polytunnels. As a result, plants are yielding giant 50g berries. It's not just about size - the flavour is excellent too - with a great flavour and a natural sweetness. Even better, many supermarkets have so many berries, they are discounting prices, so customers can make the most of the summer staple. @AldiUK are stocking Giant British Strawberries..... huge Ricky Zeiderman, culinary director at BergHOFF GB, says: "The strawberries hitting shelves this month are larger and sweeter than we usually see, and that's down to a mix of warm spring sunshine and cool overnight temperatures. It's a weather pattern growers love because it pushes both size and flavour at once. "What most people don't realise is that these plumper strawberries are actually brilliant for more than just puddings. Because they hold their shape and work beautifully when roasted with balsamic, stirred into risottos for a sweet-savoury twist, or even grilled on skewers for summer barbecues. "When the fruit is this good, it's worth thinking beyond just cream and meringue." Giant. Strawberries. To celebrate the bumper strawberry harvest, Ricky has come up with this budget-friendly Victoria Sponge recipe. "With the price of home baking soaring in recent years, baking a sponge has turned from an affordable treat to a costly indulgence," he says. "When looking for a budget meal and dessert, try this delicious food with butter cream and fresh strawberries. Switching out some ingredients will make a vegan cake. Recommended reading: 200g plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder, instead of self raising flour 150g margarine, as a butter replacement (also keeping cake fresh) 150g brown sugar, instead of caster sugar 3 tbsp vegetable oil for extra moisture 2 eggs or ½ cup yogurt as a cheaper alternative ½ tsp vanilla essence instead of pure vanilla extract 100ml milk, oat milk, coconut milk or alternative for a vegan option 100g jam, strawberry jam and raspberry, home-made or cheaper works great. 100ml whipped cream or 100g Greek yogurt for a cheaper cake recipe Optional Topping: Strawberries and icing sugar for dusting (Image: ASIFE) Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins with parchment paper in preparation for the completed batter. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the margarine and brown sugar until light and incredibly fluffy. Beat in the eggs (or yogurt if using an egg replacement for vegan option) and vanilla extract or essence. Adding a splash of lemon juice can add another flavour. Sift in the flour and baking powder gradually, folding gently. Add the vegetable oil and milk, mixing until smooth for great success and better taste. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake tins and bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely on a cooling rack or in the fridge before layering cakes. Spread strawberry or raspberry jam over one sponge, then top with whipped cream or Greek yogurt before placing the second sponge on top, and topping with giant strawberries. Dust with icing sugar and serve. It's tempting to buy a load of punnets while strawberries are this good - and on offer. To maximise their shelf life, take them out of their punnets and lay out on kitchen roll in a single layer. Inspect them and get rid of any mouldy or squidgy ones (these make the rest go bad). Pop them in the fridge and keep them as dry as possible - excess moisture and humidity is the enemy here. Moisture encourages mold growth, which is why it's important to weed out the bad berries first, then give the rest of the batch an extra layer of insurance with kitchen paper. Your berries should stay plump and fresh for at least 3 or 4 days this way. If you need to keep them longer, or you have a serious glut, it might be worth making jam or making compote and freezing it in batches.
Western Telegraph
20-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Western Telegraph
UK strawberries large size warning to supermarket shoppers
A bright and sunny March and April have been perfect for British strawberries, mostly grown in polytunnels. As a result, plants are yielding giant 50g berries. It's not just about size - the flavour is excellent too - with a great flavour and a natural sweetness. Even better, many supermarkets have so many berries, they are discounting prices, so customers can make the most of the summer staple. Ricky Zeiderman, culinary director at BergHOFF GB, says: "The strawberries hitting shelves this month are larger and sweeter than we usually see, and that's down to a mix of warm spring sunshine and cool overnight temperatures. It's a weather pattern growers love because it pushes both size and flavour at once. "What most people don't realise is that these plumper strawberries are actually brilliant for more than just puddings. Because they hold their shape and work beautifully when roasted with balsamic, stirred into risottos for a sweet-savoury twist, or even grilled on skewers for summer barbecues. "When the fruit is this good, it's worth thinking beyond just cream and meringue." What to make with giant strawberries To celebrate the bumper strawberry harvest, Ricky has come up with this budget-friendly Victoria Sponge recipe. "With the price of home baking soaring in recent years, baking a sponge has turned from an affordable treat to a costly indulgence," he says. "When looking for a budget meal and dessert, try this delicious food with butter cream and fresh strawberries. Switching out some ingredients will make a vegan cake. Recommended reading: Lidl, Tesco, Iceland, Asda supermarket recall warnings Amazon is cutting prices for one week only Greggs announces major changes in its stores Ingredients 200g plain flour + 2 tsp baking powder, instead of self raising flour 150g margarine, as a butter replacement (also keeping cake fresh) 150g brown sugar, instead of caster sugar 3 tbsp vegetable oil for extra moisture 2 eggs or ½ cup yogurt as a cheaper alternative ½ tsp vanilla essence instead of pure vanilla extract 100ml milk, oat milk, coconut milk or alternative for a vegan option 100g jam, strawberry jam and raspberry, home-made or cheaper works great. 100ml whipped cream or 100g Greek yogurt for a cheaper cake recipe Optional Topping: Strawberries and icing sugar for dusting (Image: ASIFE) Method
