Nasheed Qamar Faruqi

The discerning shopper has been on holiday. I apologise for the lull in my activities, but I have not been idle. I will soon be updating the blog with tips and images from Buenos Aires and beyond.

This first real post back is about that most essential of foods: bread. I’m not going to advocate particular kinds of bread over others; rather I am going to write about breads that are exemplars of their kind.

In terms of principles, I favour breads that contain only the simplest of ingredients, and are generally transparent about what’s gone into their making.

I’ve recently had the wonderful experience of Abu Noor pitta bread (white and brown) freshly baked, while in Bristol. It is fantastic and I thoroughly recommend it, if you can get your hands on it. Fluffy as if home baked and delicious. Bristol is also home to the famous Bertinet Bakery, and their white loaf really is the perfect example of honest English bread.

In London, I am very happy with my recent encounter with the somewhat expensive but very very good Fabrique bakery, in Hoxton. I suggest going early on a weekday to dodge the hipsters. My favourites are the rye and cranberry black bread and their toast shaped loaves of rye bread which are both truly outstanding. I’m going to commit an East London heresy and say that their bread is far more delicious than those I have sampled at the very respectable E5 bakehouse in London fields. Apparently they supply bread to Fortnum’s so I’m not alone. Fabrique’s croissants are also delicious if not entirely authentic….

Here are some more pictures to illustrate my point.