Quiet 'French Revolution' baking in Bay of Plenty

A quiet revolution is taking place in the countryside near Te Puke where two surfers turned bakers are bringing a taste of la belle France to western Bay of Plenty tables.

Rachel Ormsby and Ronan Ferey began their small commercial operation last year, working out of two containers on the lawn of the farmhouse where they live with Rachel's father.

They had been seeking work that matched their environmental ideals but it wasn't until they went to Ferey's native France in 2003 that they hit upon the idea of an artisan's bakery.

Ormsby says: "The way we bake is truly the French artisan's way.

"We were learning from the older generations in Brittany where there are quite a few organic bakeries and a real wood-fired oven culture in baking."

Arriving back "penniless", the couple saw a gap in the market and decided to create Flaveur Bakery but are managing growth carefully.

"We want this to be all about the product, keeping it to a size we can manage and making a living," says Ormsby.

An oven imported from France ensures consistency in the baking of the bread which, although not certified organic, strives to meet that standard.

They bake only wholesale and to order delivering bread six days a week to retailers and restaurants in Mount Maunganui, Tauranga and Te Puke.

The day really begins the night before when they tend to their leaven which was made before they went to France and fed by Ormsby's mother for the two years they were away.

A leaven is an ancient wild yeast "starter" comprising "flour, water and nature" that is worked several times a day to keep it active.

Ferey begins baking seven types of bread about 4am, finishing some four hours later when they start to pack and sort the bread. The whole process is repeated in the afternoon.

Ferey, who had toyed with the idea of becoming a professional surfer, recalls the first months with a shudder. "We're into a rhythm now, although our social life is pathetic. But we still get some time to surf, which is a bit of relaxation."

So far their bread isn't available further afield because of transport and packaging costs.

Finding a constant supply of high-quality organic flour has been another hurdle and the bakery uses New Zealand and Australian flour.

A fellow baker advised them to keep their range small and do it well - advice which has so far stood them in good stead.

- BAY OF PLENTY TIMES