THE humble loaf has been rather like gold dust in these recent trying times and now a new trend has emerged during the lockdown - baking your own bread.

It’s a staple?

Bread remains one of Britain’s favourite foods, with 99% of households buying bread – around 12 million loaves are sold each day in the UK. In store bakeries produce about 17% of bread, with the remainder by local high street bakeries.

Variety?

Over 200 different kinds of bread are produced in the UK, according to the Flour Advisory Bureau (FAB), from butter rich brioche and farmhouse loaves, to crisp baguettes and crumpets. Sandwiches account for 50% of bread consumption; whether bought or made-at-home.

The best thing since?

Sliced bread was first introduced into the UK in the 1930s after US inventor, Otto Frederick Rohwedder, created the first slice-and-wrap bread machine in 1928 and sold it in a baker in Michigan. Within five years, of all bread sold in the US was sliced and wrapped and the phrase ‘the best thing since sliced bread’ was born.

Panic-buying?

The pre-lockdown hysteria saw bread become one of the main products to vanish from store shelves, but of course, it doesn’t last for long.

And so?

Brits have begun making their own, clearing the supermarket shelves of flour in order to do so, while a visit to the supermarket under allowed lockdown conditions will ironically likely see a fairly well-stocked bread aisle now.

But bakers are having a blast and social media timelines are peppered with pictures of freshly baked batches of everything from a simple loaf to artisan breads.

Celebrity fans?

They include US actress Jenna Fischer, who starred in America's The Office, and the BBC’s technology correspondent, Rory Cellan-Jones, who are among those to post daily bread-making updates online.

It’s about more than the outcome?

Bakers are being open about the love of the process and turning to it as a way of soothing the soul.

Now FAB - which since 1956 has been providing information on all matters relating to flour and bread in the UK - is working to promote the baking of bread as a way to self-care.

Bake to stay sane?

That’s what FAB says, simply: "Bake to stay sane during Covid-19 self-isolation," adding: "As many a Christmas has shown up – being cooped up in close proximity with ones family for any extended period of time can have a negative effect on levels of happiness and sanity. Learning to bake, or improving your baking skills is our solution.

“It provides a much required focus; gives you the opportunity to set and achieve goals and learn new skills; you get to spend quality time with your family and housemates - or if you’d prefer – you get to spend quality time in the kitchen away from your family and housemates! And the icing on the cake – you end up with a house that smells amazing and something scrummy to eat.”

MAUREEN SUGDEN