{"id":980,"date":"2021-07-09T11:19:34","date_gmt":"2021-07-09T11:19:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/?p=980"},"modified":"2021-07-09T11:19:34","modified_gmt":"2021-07-09T11:19:34","slug":"use-your-plum-loaf","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pridemagazines.co.uk\/lincolnshire\/food-and-drink\/use-your-plum-loaf\/07-2021","title":{"rendered":"Use Your Plum Loaf"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s the teatime treat that every self-respecting Yellowbelly enjoys with a slice of Poacher Cheese or a generous smothering of butter…<\/h3>\n
\"Plum
Plum Loaf, courtesy of Myers Bakery.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By the time the sun has risen and the morning dew has burned off the fields around Horncastle, Rob Myers arrives at his family bakery. The fifth generation of Lincolnshire\u2019s Plum Loaf dynasty, Rob and sister Marie are continuing to champion this much-beloved staple of a Yellowbelly\u2019s teatime.\u00a0Rob\u2019s rude awakening, typically about six in the morning, is surpassed in its unruliness by the early start of the team of six bakers who had arrived that morning at 3am.<\/p>\n

Myers bakes over 80 different lines, which is vast compared to the usual number of lines made in-house by a family baker. As well as the usual array of artisan breads, though, Myers is one of only a couple of bakers left in the county which specialises in producing one of Lincolnshire\u2019s best-loved treats, Plum Loaf.<\/p>\n

The teatime favourite is also referred to as Plum Bread. That\u2019s not a misnomer because, says Rob, its base is a sweetened bread dough, rather than a cake one, i.e.: there\u2019s yeast in it.\u00a0What is a misnomer, though, is the word plum, since the recipe depends on sultanas, and mixed peel \u2013 no plums are harmed during the making of this delicacy!<\/p>\n

Based in Horncastle, Myers Bakery is believed to have made the earliest Plum Loaf, either inventing it or at least popularising it in the county.\u00a0It was in 1901 that Charles Myers left Derbyshire and relocated to Alford purchasing one of four windmills in the town at the time, one with six sails, which soon came to be known as Myers Mill. It was eventually dismantled in 1973.<\/p>\n

During his time in Alford, Charles baked his very first batch of Plum Loaves, with his sons Reg and Lewis. The family later moved to Mareham le Fen and finally to Horncastle in 1969 when the opportunity to purchase a shop and bakery arose. Derek (the son of Lewis, and so third generation of Myers) and his wife June, used their loaf and determined that the opportunity to set up shop in Horncastle was too good to pass up.<\/p>\n

Fourth generation Richard Myers joined the business in 1976, his brother Michael followed in 1979 and as soon as they were old enough to knead a decent dough, fifth generation Rob and Marie joined the baking dynasty too.\u00a0It was about 25 or 30 years ago that the Plum Loaf enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, with no particular reason that anybody can unequivocally attribute its comeback to.\u00a0Perhaps that was the time people began to value local food again, perhaps there was coverage on the TV or in the press at the time, or maybe we just all just remembered how delicious it is.<\/p>\n

In any case, its popularity continued and today the company makes in excess of 5,000 a week, mixing up batches of 80kg of wet dough at a time.\u00a0The exact recipe remains a closely-guarded secret and we\u2019re sworn to confidentiality in the respect of a few trade secrets on pain of being clobbered by a bunch of angry bakers wielding rolling pins.\u00a0What we can reveal, though, is that the recipe is basically faithful to its Edwardian origins, with just one or two tweaks to make it a little healthier.\u00a0After mixing, the dough is left to ferment, allowed to rise for two to three hours and then baked for an hour before sent to one of 50 local retailers.<\/p>\n

The company\u2019s tea loaf is a sort of sister product and as its name suggest, it\u2019s flavoured with tea \u2013 the particular brand of tea is important, hence it\u2019s another trade secret \u2013 but it\u2019s also made with a cake dough, and as a result, it\u2019s a little sweeter than a plum loaf.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve two boys, aged three and seven,\u201d says Rob. \u201cThese days Marie and I tend to deal with things like marketing and management, and rarely get into the bakery here, but at home I don\u2019t mind teaching the boys how to bake. We\u2019re not sure whether they\u2019ll follow us into the family business yet, but they\u2019ll certainly be customers in the future as they really enjoy a slice of Plum Loaf!\u201d<\/p>\n

There\u2019s another fan, too, in the form of The Queen. 2022 will represent Her Majesty\u2019s Platinum Jubilee, and perhaps Myers will once again gift The Queen a Plum Loaf, as Tattershall-with-Thorpe\u2019s Parish Council did back in 1977 when the monarch celebrated her silver jubilee. A letter on Myers\u2019 website indicates that The Queen asked for an \u2018encore,\u2019 although it\u2019s not clear quite what she made of the stuffed chine which was included in the hamper that was sent to her at Balmoral.<\/p>\n

As for the Myers family, producing in excess of a quarter of a million Plum Loaves a year doesn\u2019t seem to have stymied their enjoyment of Lincolnshire\u2019s finest teatime treat. Robert says that he prefers his to be simply sliced and enjoyed with butter \u2013 proper butter, though, not margarine. Other members of the family serve theirs toasted, with cheese \u2013 Poacher is a good accompaniment \u2013 or with slices of apple.<\/p>\n

However you enjoy it though, up to you. We\u2019re just grateful that Lincolnshire\u2019s very own teatime treat is still proving popular\u2026 loved by my own son, by Rob\u2019s two youngsters and doubtless many other families whose little ones will be keeping the Plum Loaf alive and toasty, to be enjoyed for generations to come.<\/p>\n

Find Out More: Myers Bakery with its caf\u00e9 and deli is based at Bull Ring, Horncastle, Lincolnshire, LN9 5HU. Call 01507 525871 or purchase a Plum Loaf online at www.myersbakery.co.uk, \u00a32.95\/400g.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Where to find Lincolnshire Plum Loaf…<\/h1>\n

We can recommend the following stockists of traditional Lincolnshire Plum Loaf<\/h4>\n

Myers Bakery in Horncastle:<\/strong> It\u2019s believed that Myers Bakery were the first to create the Lincolnshire Plum Loaf back in 1901. Today, the firm has a bakery, caf\u00e9 and deli stocking Lincolnshire produce in Horncastle\u2019s Bull Ring, 01507 525871, www.myersbakery.co.uk.<\/p>\n

Pocklingtons Bakery, Louth:<\/strong> The Pocklingtons Bakery Plum Bread recipe was created by Myra Pocklington in 1924. There\u2019s also a luxury version with added cherries and spices. The bakery is based in Louth\u2019s Market Place, 01507 600180, www.pocklingtons-bakery.co.uk.<\/p>\n

Welbourne\u2019s Bakery, Navenby:<\/strong> Cornelius Welbourne started making plum bread over 100 years ago, and it\u2019s still sold from the company\u2019s bakery on Navenby\u2019s High Street. Call 01522 810239 or see www.welbournesbakery.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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