where to buy fresh yeast?

[Rob]

I have a German friend who is looking to buy fresh yeast in Ely/Cambridge
area. Apparently in Germany you can buy it at ordinary supermarkets and
it comes in foil-wrapped packets like butter. She has only been able to
find sachets of dried yeast for sale here, and says the difference is
noticeable. She has asked at bakeries and the bakery department of Tesco,
and they don't seem to be able to give her the name of a supplier, though
they will sometimes give her small amounts of their fresh yeast. She
doesn't want to take advantage of their generosity too often, however, and
would like somewhere the could buy it herself. Any ideas? She's making
Easter bread this weekend and would quite like to use the real thing
rather than dried.

[Tim Ward]

Post by Rob
She has asked at bakeries and the bakery department of Tesco,
and they don't seem to be able to give her the name of a supplier, though
they will sometimes give her small amounts of their fresh yeast.

Sainsbury's (Coldham's Lane) used to sell it, but then they stopped selling
it and gave you some for free instead, as you describe Tesco doing. I don't
know whether they're still doing that.

--
Tim Ward - posting as an individual unless otherwise clear
Brett Ward Ltd - www.brettward.co.uk
Cambridge Accommodation Notice Board - www.brettward.co.uk/canb
Cambridge City Councillor

[Gropius Riftwynde]

Post by Tim Ward

Post by Rob
She has asked at bakeries and the bakery department of Tesco,
and they don't seem to be able to give her the name of a supplier, though
they will sometimes give her small amounts of their fresh yeast.

Sainsbury's (Coldham's Lane) used to sell it, but then they stopped selling
it and gave you some for free instead, as you describe Tesco doing. I don't
know whether they're still doing that.

WE have given up using fresh yeast and go for dried, assuming that at
least it isn't battery-yeasted. Life is complicated enough without
cruelty to yeast. We make bread every other day, and the quality is
more to do with the flour than the yeast. There is a lot of crap flour
in the supemarkets. We live in a world where crap rules, whether we
like it or not. So far, Allinson seems the best.

GR

[danw]

Post by Gropius Riftwynde
There is a lot of crap flour
in the supemarkets. We live in a world where crap rules, whether we
like it or not. So far, Allinson seems the best.

If you are able, you should make the trip to Daily Bread which has a
very good selection of strong flours for breadmaking. The majority of
them are organic too.

Dan.

[A Plagued Lighthouse Keeper]

Post by danw

Post by Gropius Riftwynde
There is a lot of crap flour
in the supemarkets. We live in a world where crap rules, whether we
like it or not. So far, Allinson seems the best.

If you are able, you should make the trip to Daily Bread which has a
very good selection of strong flours for breadmaking. The majority of
them are organic too.
Dan.

Seconded - very good flour indeed.

[bob]

Post by Tim Ward
Sainsbury's (Coldham's Lane) used to sell it, but then they stopped selling
it and gave you some for free instead, as you describe Tesco doing. I don't
know whether they're still doing that.

I bought some from sainsbury's a few weeks ago. 25p for 50g I recall.
However, you have to be persistant and ask at the bakery counter until you
find someone who knows where it is kept.

bob

[Bob]

Rob wrote:

[snipped...]

Post by Rob
Any ideas?

I could be wrong, but I'm sure I've seen fresh yeast in the Daily Bread.

Cheers,

[Paul Oldham]

Post by Bob
[snipped...]

Post by Rob
Any ideas?

I could be wrong, but I'm sure I've seen fresh yeast in the Daily Bread.

Yup. I think so too. And they also sell the excellent Fermapan(sp?)
dried yeast, which is what we use in our machine.

[Sarah Cooper]

Post by Rob
I have a German friend who is looking to buy fresh yeast in
Ely/Cambridge
area. Apparently in Germany you can buy it at ordinary supermarkets and
it comes in foil-wrapped packets like butter. She has only been able to
find sachets of dried yeast for sale here, and says the difference is
noticeable. She has asked at bakeries and the bakery department of Tesco,
and they don't seem to be able to give her the name of a supplier, though
they will sometimes give her small amounts of their fresh yeast. She
doesn't want to take advantage of their generosity too often, however, and
would like somewhere the could buy it herself. Any ideas? She's making
Easter bread this weekend and would quite like to use the real thing
rather than dried.

IIRC Tesco make so little money on fresh yeast, that they said they are
happy to hand out small amounts for the asking. Holland and Barratt
certainly used to supply fresh yeast, adn there is another health food
shop on Bridge St that may be worth a try. Daily Bread is another
possible. Just for the amusement factor,you could try one of our local
breweries and use Brewer's yeast instead.

SCoop

[Duncan Wood]

Post by Sarah Cooper

Post by Rob
I have a German friend who is looking to buy fresh yeast in
Ely/Cambridge
area. Apparently in Germany you can buy it at ordinary supermarkets and
it comes in foil-wrapped packets like butter. She has only been able to
find sachets of dried yeast for sale here, and says the difference is
noticeable. She has asked at bakeries and the bakery department of Tesco,
and they don't seem to be able to give her the name of a supplier, though
they will sometimes give her small amounts of their fresh yeast. She
doesn't want to take advantage of their generosity too often, however, and
would like somewhere the could buy it herself. Any ideas? She's making
Easter bread this weekend and would quite like to use the real thing
rather than dried.

IIRC Tesco make so little money on fresh yeast, that they said they are
happy to hand out small amounts for the asking. Holland and Barratt
certainly used to supply fresh yeast, adn there is another health food
shop on Bridge St that may be worth a try. Daily Bread is another
possible. Just for the amusement factor,you could try one of our local
breweries and use Brewer's yeast instead.
SCoop

It might taste slightly different but most brewerys (e.g. Milton) have a
so much they're glad to be rid of it.

[Jon Green]

Post by Duncan Wood
It might taste slightly different but most brewerys (e.g. Milton) have a
so much they're glad to be rid of it.

A beer yeast isn't necessarily going to make good bread.

Jon

[Duncan Wood]

Post by Jon Green

Post by Duncan Wood
It might taste slightly different but most brewerys (e.g. Milton) have a
so much they're glad to be rid of it.

A beer yeast isn't necessarily going to make good bread.
Jon

I've found it works rather well, but I like quite a dense bread.

[danw]

Rob wrote:
[snip]

Post by Rob
would like somewhere the could buy it herself. Any ideas?

Daily Bread sell it, as does Arjuna on Mill Road.

HTH, Dan.

[Rob]

danw <***@googlesmailservice.com> wrote:
: Rob wrote:
: [snip]

:> would like somewhere the could buy it herself. Any ideas?

: Daily Bread sell it, as does Arjuna on Mill Road.

: HTH, Dan.

Thanks for the various suggestions. I have passed them on to her, and am
hoping that she has success at one of these places (as I have been
promised a loaf of the bread if she does!)

[Theo Markettos]

Post by Rob
Thanks for the various suggestions. I have passed them on to her, and am
hoping that she has success at one of these places (as I have been
promised a loaf of the bread if she does!)

A silly question, but if she's doing a lot of baking would it make sense to
get a little bit of fresh yeast (from whereever) and grow her own? Yeast in
warm sugared water will multiply as long as the water doesn't become too
alcoholic. I couldn't tell you quantities but they shouldn't be too hard to
find out. I wouldn't imagine the yeast would mutate significantly in only a
few generations...

Theo

(you might be able to do this with dried yeast - hydrate it and leave it to
grow. Couldn't say whether it's a different strain from the fresh stuff
though)

[Tim Smith]

Post by Theo Markettos

Post by Rob
Thanks for the various suggestions. I have passed them on to her, and am
hoping that she has success at one of these places (as I have been
promised a loaf of the bread if she does!)

A silly question, but if she's doing a lot of baking would it make sense to
get a little bit of fresh yeast (from whereever) and grow her own? Yeast
in warm sugared water will multiply as long as the water doesn't become
too
alcoholic. I couldn't tell you quantities but they shouldn't be too hard to
find out. I wouldn't imagine the yeast would mutate significantly in only
a few generations...

I just do what my cookbook recommends[1]; mix up some flour and water and
dried yeast until the flour starts to stick to the sides of the bowl, and
leave it covered in the fridge overnight. By morning it will be all frothy
and vigorous and ready to mix into the rest of the batch. I've had no
complaints[4].

[1] It's a metric translation of a 'merkin cookbook[2], and I suppose they
have to deal with bigger distances so there are much bigger areas in which
fresh yeast is unavailable.
[2] Nice for a wide variety or recipies, but with occasional omissions[3]
[3] It has no concept of steamed puddings beyond Xmas pudding, which it
doesn't even know to use ale for :-/
[4] Our german neighbour says I make better Stollen than her mother does.
Shrug. Obviously her mother didn't put enough brandy in it <evil grin>.

[Rachel Coleman]

Post by Rob
I have a German friend who is looking to buy fresh yeast in Ely/Cambridge
area.

Might be a bit late now, but I have several times bought fresh yeast from
Cambridge Health Foods on Bridge St.

Rachel

[DC]

Post by Rob
I have a German friend who is looking to buy fresh yeast in Ely/Cambridge
area. Apparently in Germany you can buy it at ordinary supermarkets and
it comes in foil-wrapped packets like butter. She has only been able to
find sachets of dried yeast for sale here, and says the difference is
noticeable. She has asked at bakeries and the bakery department of Tesco,
and they don't seem to be able to give her the name of a supplier, though
they will sometimes give her small amounts of their fresh yeast. She
doesn't want to take advantage of their generosity too often, however, and
would like somewhere the could buy it herself. Any ideas? She's making
Easter bread this weekend and would quite like to use the real thing
rather than dried.

Way too late I know but, the Continental Stores (aka Balzano's) on
Cherry Hinton Rd. nr. The Rock sell it.
--
DC