Were Bros Organic Bread

 

I make all my bread on site in small batches.

 

I make two types:

Organic Seeded Sourdough Bread

Organic Sprouted Buckwheat Bread (gluten free).

 

These are both available by the slice or by the loaf.

 

The name Were Bros is taken from my great great great granddads company, who made soft drinks in Christchurch in the 19th century. My dad likes to collect the old bottles, which is where I got my logo.

 

 

KARIKAAS - Butter & Buttermilk

 

Karikaas is a small factory in Loburn, Canterbury. There they make dutch style cheeses made in a traditional manner. In their early years the milk was supplied from the Christchurch Milk Company, but now the owners of Karikaas has developed a relationship with a local farmer from where they get their milk. Their products are made without any additives are "proud of the quality of our products and the fact that our ecological foot-print is as low as is reasonably possible in today's legislative environment".

 

I use the butter on top of all my bread and the buttermilk goes into my sourdough.

 

 

ORIGIN EARTH - Milk, Chocolate Milk, Sheep Feta, Cream Cheese

 

Origin Earth is a dairy company in the Hawkes Bay. All the milk can be tracked back to the farm that it came from, which are all less than an hours drive away from the factory. Although the milk is not organic, the farmers work on the same philosophies as organic by biologically managing trace elements and microbial life in the soils. Within hours of collection, their fresh milk undergoes the absolute minimum processing that is legally required outside of the farm gate in New Zealand. Origin Earth milk is pasteurised, but not homogenised, which means that just like old-fashioned milk you will notice some cream separation.

 

The Chocolate Milk is made with cow's milk with organic and fair trade chocolate and cocoa powder from Hawke's Bay chocolatier La Petite Chocolat, then adds a dash of Hawke's Bay honey and a drop of Heilala vanilla extract and that's it.

 

 

Crescent Dairy Goats - Goats Cheese, Ricotta

 

Crescent Dairy Goats is small family run business creating 1-2 cheeses a day using the fresh milk from their organically farmed goats in Kumeu. They say "Each cheese varies from day to day and season to season. It is influenced by the way the goats feel, the way the weather feels and the way the cheesemaker feels."

 

The goats have a dry season in winter, so no fresh cheese is made from May-July. I use Origin Earth cheeses when the goats cheese is unavailable.

 

 

Ngamara Farm - flour

 

Ngamara Farm is in Marton, by Whanganui. There they grow organic beef and wheat. Their flour is 100% wholewheat and is stoneground. They only grind the flour after I place the order which results in a more flavoursome bread.

 

 

Fish 4 Ever - sardines

 

A UK based company promising "good canned fish". They care about the sea, and also their fishermen and women and their communities. They want good working conditions and fair pay for both the canners and the fishers. They choose to work with whole fish in small factories where most of the work is done by hand and believe that canned fish is a great source of food, is convenient and has very little waste!

 

All their fish is caught sustainably using selective methods, and can trace the fish from catch to can. None of the fishing methods damage the sea habitat and they do not catch any endangered species. They support local fishing boats, fishing not far from the ports of origin and never buy fish off long distance water fleets. "We support certification and campaign for better management and government systems for the sea."

 

 

Taharangi Honey - HONEY

 

I get the honey from my boyfriend Elliott's parent's place in Tauhoa on the Kaipara coast. Dave and Lynette's property is covered with manuka and other native trees and they have a few beehives. Taharangi is māori for horizon. It is my favourite honey!

 

Dave and Lynette also have a few fruit trees and a magic vegetable garden. Whenever they have too much, they let me pick things like lemons, herbs and greens. Elliott likes to make relish and pickles, and sells them at the shop under the name Serjeant Pickles!

 

 

Relish the Thought - Jam

 

Kathy and Rachel live on the North Shore and turned a hobby into a business. They make jams and relishes with no additives, just sugar. They don't think sugar is bad, it is used to preserve the product and is a natural plant too.

 

Their Damson plum jam is my favourite and they use their own homegrown plums and from neighbouring properties. Sometimes people trade fruit for jams/relishes, and I think that's great.

 

 

Fix and Fogg - Peanut Butter

 

Fix and Fogg is a Wellington company making the best peanut butter! They get their peanuts from Queensland, Australia and slowly grind them with some Marlborough sea salt, then mix the bigger peanuts in by hand.

 

 

Waikato Free Range Ltd. - Eggs

 

I came across these free range eggs at Grey Lynn Farmers Market on Sundays. They come from Ngaruawahia and I pick them up weekly from the market.

 

 

Homegrown - Orange Juice, Lemon Juice

 

Homegrown produces unpasturised juice from their own orchards in the Hawkes Bay. Its just 100% squeezed juice.

 

 

Fruit World - Fresh organic produce

 

I have become friends with the lovely staff at Fruit World in Ponsonby over the last few years. When I told them I was opening a shop they were happy to help out and can get organic produce for me too.

 

Because NZ has a smaller market for organic produce and colder weather than other countries, organic produce is not always available but when possible I buy organic produce. And if not, I try get produce from NZ.

 

 

Ceres Organics - Organic dry goods

 

Ceres is a distributor of organic goods, and has been around since the late 80's where it started off as a co-op out of Juliet's garage. It is now a large distributor of organic goods in NZ and Australia. It is from here I get my dry goods from, like seeds and grains.

 

 

Avocado to you - Avocados

 

These organic avocados are grown at Cooks Beach on the Coromandel Peninsula on a 15 hectare orchard with around 2200 mostly Haas avocados. They are not refrigerated after they are picked, they are just packed and sent straight out!

 

 

Coffee Supreme - Filter Coffee

 

Supreme Coffee believe that rather than searching for bargains, they source great coffees, pay a sustainable price to their producers, and develop long-term relationships. I am only serving filter coffee because I like the taste of it compared to espresso, because it has not been pressed under high pressure and heat it is less acidic. This results in a lighter tasting coffee that is more floral and not as bitter!

 

 

Innocent Packaging - CUTLERY, PLATES, & COFFEE CUPS

 

My packaging comes from Innocent Packaging, they are an Auckland based company that sells recyclable and compostable packaging. All the packaging I use is compostable. I liked the idea of using straw plates and I bake and serve bread. Wheat straw is usually treated as the agricultural waste that remains after the grain is extracted from crops. Because I have We Compost picking up my rubbish, it can be turned into compost in a few months!