CRABBES CREEK SOURDOUGH
It’s the fragrance of burning wood which seduces me first. Before me, flames roar in the
low-domed, three-meter-deep brick cavity, which is where Jon and Gina Hutton bake their
hundreds of beautiful sourdough loaves. From a wheelbarrow, Jon feeds log-ends of
Australian hardwood into the gaping maw – they have 23 tonnes of it delivered annually
from a saw-mill in Grafton. I’m really at the coal-face, and the heat within the small bakery
is rising.
Three times a week the oven is fired up in order to bake enough bread to supply the
markets. They’ve been at it for over 18 years now and it’s still just the two of them, a couple
from Sydney’s Northern Beaches who, almost on a whim, purchased property at Crabbes
Creek and proceeded to create both a business and a home.
Too hot for the bakery now, we have relocated, adjacent, to that home, to one of the
wooden decks which flow seamlessly from the open-plan house, all lofty ceilings and heavy
wooden beams, brick wall and carved wooden furniture, all of it made by Jon. I want to
move in.
It’s a little paradise, the fruit of years of hard work, and maybe the day will come when Jon
and Gina get to slow down and enjoy it. For now, it’s the beating heart of the business, the
place where their ancient grain loaves (khorasan and spelt), their pumpkin and linseed, and
dark rye and macadamia and honey – sturdy, hearty, rustic breads with a devoted following
which includes me, a khorasan-tragic – are pumped out.
For Christmas, I plan to make Bread Sauce using khorasan, by simmering 600ml milk with 50g
butter, one chopped onion, 6 cloves, 6 peppercorns, 2 garlic cloves, 1 bayleaf and 3 thyme
sprigs. Strain that and return the liquid to the pan then add 100g breadcrumbs and simmer
for several minutes before stirring in 4 tbs cream and freshly ground nutmeg. Season to
taste then serve.
