A lunchtime wander through the Covered Market led to me quite literally stumbling across a new bakery (courtesy of a little old lady and her shopping trolley – of course I apologised whilst she perambulated merrily along). Aston’s Bakehouse opened last Thursday in Avenue Two, in what used to be the little wood trinket shop. Aston’s have been popping up at farmer’s markets and food festivals for a while, but Oxford is their first retail unit.
Displaying huge shelves with a jawdropping display of breads and cakes, the bakehouse is based in Lambourn, near Hungerford on Sheepdrove Organic Farm. The grain produced on that farm is then milled and used to produce their organic and artisan breads. Everything is freshly baked there before being delivered every morning to Oxford.
You’ll find sourdough, but have a choice of white, rye, spelt, potato and rosemary or an Italian ring, all made just with their own starter and no added yeast. There’s soda bread, wholegrain, sunflower and agave nectar, seven grain, walnut, ciabatta, cholla, foccacia and many more.
Over on the pastries table there’s pain au raisin, pain au chocolat, scones and cinnamon crodos – a cross between a croissant and a doughnut. Rich buttery brioche rolls and proper English muffins.
Then there are pies and thick stuffed quiches cut into slices. Lardy cake is a regional speciality, a bread dough with added lard and sugar which comes with coconut here. Lemon loaf, coffee, walnut and poppy seed loaf, carrot cake with or without frosting, vegan chocolate cake, French apple tarts and mince pies.
And to help you decide there’s even a little bread taster table with cubes of different varieties to dip into oils, vinegars, sea salt and herbs. I’m already planning a trip back to visit Aston’s and Oxford Cheese Company – a perfect accompaniment. With iScream and Ben’s Cookies just round the corner that’s dinner sorted!
Sadly, I was left unimpressed by this store. I love sourdough and went to investigate after reading your review. While looking in the window, one of the vendors stood to face me through the glass, trying to catch my eye – which felt intimidating, rather than an incentive to go in. The instant I stepped through the door, he asked how he could help, and having thanked him and declined, his colleague then asked me exactly the same thing 30 seconds later. This hard sell seems to be necessary though, as all the bread loaves were behind the counter and although the prices were clearly displayed, the name or description was in such small writing that I couldn’t read it (and my eyesight is fine). Similarly, although the cakes and rolls displayed on the customer side of the counter looked nice, not all were labelled or had prices. I left feeling frustrated and harassed – and consequently without buying anything. I hope this is only teething trouble, as I’d really like to like this store.
Hopefully it will settle down and they perhaps get a little less keen! I haven’t tried their bread yet, but will let you know when I do….