Laura Elliott

Location: United Kingdom

Profession: Home Baker

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About

My name is Laura. I'm a friendly, optimistic and conscientious mum working full time and spending the rest of my time engaged in my personal (and family) passions of making curious food, drinks and collecting raw ingredients to make them (as well as lots of admin!). I love food but really if I eat out or at home, the environment and the people around me are probably more important as to whether I actually enjoy the meal or not. I enjoy and drink and a chat, reading, wild swimming (any type of swimming!) and a good challenge. Personally I'm curious about this course because I feel my body and mind changing as I enter my 40s; lower energy, confidence, disruptive hormones, gnawing guilt, temper, aches and pains are all 'niggles' that I love the idea of being able to magic away with the perfect loaf. I can't say I'm an avid baker all the time but I've grown up baking, mainly with quick yeast (sorry!) and also love brioche, challah and...well most breads. Spending 3 days on this course, focussing on something for 3 whole days feels like an enormous luxury but I rarely do anything without a strong sense of purpose and meeting Vanessa was a gift.

My Work

I am based in Northampton, in Queen's Park. I run the Food Library; a small, independent food business with an emphasis on environmental and food sustainability. From our house and a workshop directly opposite called 'the Workshop for Sustainability', my partner Michael and I grow our own fruit and vegetables, make produce such as preserves and liqueurs, run a monthly dining club and collaborate to create other events & workshops practicing self-sufficiency and good food ethics such as foraging, fermenting, cheese making, cooking with fire and growing, all of which come with a delicious meal. Oh, and it's all inspired by our ever-growing book collection on all things food!

Passionate about Baking as Lifestyle Medicine

I'm am a staunch believer that when my immune system crashed after breast feeding my son, it was kombucha that brought me back to health. Since then I have endeavoured to incorporate fermented and wild foods into my daily routine and enjoy the creativity, flavour and adventure that such a pursuit brings to my life and learning - as well as reducing food waste and bypassing big food chains.

My Community

I feel that this will be part of the ongoing story that is the Food Library, informing our quest to really understand where our food comes from and the impact that it has on our health. Bread is a much less explored concept as a health pursuit for me - but the principle of sourdough as a ferment, incorporating ferments and generally learning more about how to tailor that to health needs is really captivating.

How I use BALM Protocol

I will endeavour to carry forward the learning to existing and new customers, most of whom are also passionate about food that can improve health, joy, pleasure and self-sufficiency. Vanessa also suggested to start thinking about a bakery, which is something we could do from the Food Library and I'm interested in exploring in more detail.