Lochaber Farm

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Lochaber Farm

Sourdough bakery. Authentic Italian take away pizzas. Baking classes. Grass Fed Beef. Food and farm blog. Featured monthly in the Dundee courier

19/04/2026

When April arrives, I feel we are at the dawn of the year. Everything starts to feel new, fresh and more possible that it did during January and February.

My taste buds also crave a change of scene. I have been using this as a chance to train myself off biscuits and onto fruit salad. I think the key is to consider this as part of the meal and not an afterthought. The flavour combinations in a fruit salad can make the difference between something you’re eating because you ought to, to something you actually crave. I have come up with the following combinations that I wanted to share with you:

Mojito inspired salad - Cut a canteloupe melon and a couple of kiwis into chunks. Grate some lime zest over the fruit and add in some finely shredded mint leaves. Add in the juice of the lime. Mix.

Red summer salad - Mix some halved Scottish Strawberries with some whole blueberries. To dress, mix together 2 tablespoons rose water, 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Pour over the fruit and leave to infuse for half an hour.

Pina colada style salad - Cut a pineapple into chunks, then add in a tin of mandarins. To make a pina colada style dressing for this salad - whisk together ¼ cup lime juice, ¼ cup of coconut milk/cream, 2 tablespoons honey, and ½ teaspoon fresh ginger.

Carrot cake inspired salad - peel and dice a couple of apples, grate a medium sized carrot over the apple and mix. Add in a handful of walnuts and raisins, then sprinkle over some ground cinnamon and add in the juice of half a lemon. If you can like, you can add pomegranate to this salad for an extra appealing texture and appearance.

Hope these salads helps to refresh your Spring menu.

14/03/2026

When I’m teaching sourdough classes at the bakery, a questions I get asked so often is “what is discard starter and what can I use it for?”

Many sourdough recipes talk about taking half of your starter out of your container and weighing it into a fresh container, then feeding it with an equal quantity of flour and water to make up what you need for your sourdough loaf. The portion you leave behind is discard. If you always fed your total amount of starter you would end up a building up a vat of the stuff, so to save wasting flour most recipes suggest leaving some behind.

There are actually a number of ways that you can use this leftover portion of your sourdough starter and the nice thing is that not all of these need you starter to be active.

You may have seen the elegantly designed boxes of sourdough crackers on the shelves in your supermarket. These are so simple to make, are easier to digest that most crackers, and they can support your gut health.

To make a batch, heat your oven to 160oC. Take 200g of discard starter, add in 2 tablespoons of cooled melted butter and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Now add your choice of flavourings, such as dried herbs, grated cheese, chilli flakes, really anything you like. Mix until well combined, and then spread in a thin, even layer onto a baking tray lined with baking parchment. Sprinkle the top with some sea salt flakes.

Put your crackers into the oven for 10 minutes, until they are just starting to dry out. Remove and score them, either with a knife or a pizza cutter. Return to the oven for a further 20-30 minutes until they are golden brown. Let them cool completely before breaking into squares.

To find out more about our classes, follow link in bio.

12/02/2026

Lochaberfarm bakery started life in our home kitchen back in 2015. I was at home with three young kids, and had always been a keen home baker - I loved helping my mum to make bread in our Edinburgh tenement kitchen.

I was keen to make my own bread for my kids. When I first made sourdough I really wasn't sure they would like it, but they did, and actually kept asking for more. My husband loved it too and encouraged me by taking samples round local farm shops and cafes.

Very quickly I was making multiple loaves to order, learning as I went.

The operation moved to the bakery back in 2017 and the number of loaves I was producing increased significantly overnight.

Fast forward to 2026 and I now supply bread to a number of local farm shops and cafes/restaurants, plus teach sourdough classes at the farm, which I love.

There is so much information out there, it can be confusing to know where to start, there's nothing like being walking through the process together to make it easier to get the hang of.

There have been many many ups and downs along the way, but what has remained constant is the drive to produce great tasting bread with only flour, water and salt.

Big shout out to all my customers, without whose support none of the above would have been possible.

08/02/2026

In a recent radio debate, it was suggested that we should replace fish fingers on school dinner menus with sardines. I’m not totally convinced that they would have the same appeal, however, it did get me thinking that sardines are so often overlooked. Who else has a tin of slightly dusty sardines lurking at the back of their kitchen cupboard?

In addition to being inexpensive, and healthy, they store wonderfully. As if this wasn’t persuasion enough, they are also richly flavoured, packed with omega 3’s and a sustainable source of seafood, what’s not to love? They are a perfect choice to see us through the remainder of winter.

It is worth getting decent quality sardines; ideally preserved in extra virgin olive oil. Fishmongers have gourmet options available. However, there’s nothing wrong with the tinned version – a top end tin can set you back around £6, but a recent review of tinned sardines on our supermarket shelves for a few pounds a tin, are actually a pretty good all rounder.

Sardines are revered in Spanish and Italian culture. Here’s a traditional Sicilian recipe – make a crumb coating by whizzing together breadcrumbs, lemon rind, pine nuts, chilli flakes, garlic, Italian herbs, pecorino cheese and capers. Spread this mixture on a plate.

Pat your sardines dry with paper towel, then sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle paprika on the skin side, then press the fleshy side into your crumb mixture (as this mixture is a very strong flavour, we are only coating one side). Heat some olive oil in a pan, and once all your sardines are coated, fry them for 60 seconds skin-side down in your pan. Flip and cook the crumb coated side for 90 seconds. Finish by pouring the hot oil from the pan over your cooked sardines. Serve with buttered, toasted sourdough.

03/02/2026

Can't make it to one of our classes? Know someone who would love to learn to make sourdough?

We can help : we have sourdough making kits to use at home. These include: our own sourdough starter, a wood pulp banneton, a metal dough scraper,a plastic dough scraper, a lame for slashing your dough and a full set of instructions & recipes. These can be collected directly from the farm or posted to anywhere in the U.K.

22/11/2025

Late Autumn casting its long shadows...

NOVEMBER 22nd Dec

When my kids were younger, in a funny kind of way, I feel like there was more time. By this, I mean more time to be around the house and especially, pottering in the kitchen. My mother in law always says she remembers me with a toddler clinging to my legs, trying to make marmalade, jam, or whatever had taken my fancy that day.
We have now definitely reached the taxi service years, and the moments in between lifts never feel long enough to start lengthy kitchen endeavours.
But this year, I am determined to start the Christmas preparations with some kitchen potterings.
One thing I absolutely love is marzipan. I love it so much, it’s dangerous to have a packet in my kitchen cupboard that doesn’t have an immediate purpose. However, I have never tried making my own, until now.
To make, you will need 90g ground almonds, 70g icing sugar, 1 ½ tbsp water, ½ tsp almond extract, ½ tsp rose water. Put your ground almonds and icing sugar into a food processor, add in the water, almond extract and rose water and pulse a few times until the mix comes together. Remove and knead for about half an hour until it forms a smooth ball. The Marzipan will store well in the fridge for 10 days.
You can use this to get creative and make Marzipan fruits by shaping, painting with food dye, and adding a clove for the stalks. However, my favourite, which is a bit more unusual, is marzipan potatoes. These are simply small balls of marzipan, shaped to look like potatoes, and then rolled in cocoa powder to give a potato skin appearance. To me, the slight bitterness of the cocoa powder goes perfectly with the sweeter Marzipan. These are great served with an after dinner coffee.

04/10/2025

The recent spell of good weather has been easing us all into Autumn with a gentleness I could get used to.
Having learnt from previous experience, this year I reduced the number of courgette plants in the kitchen garden to two, which has been a good decision. I have not tired of them, and have actually recently planted more in the polytunnel for a continued supply.
However, whilst my attentions have been on a seamless transition from outdoor to indoor courgettes, the parsnips have quietly been going feral. I tried to pull one the other day, before realising how large it was, and instead had to opt for a garden fork.
The first use for them was with our Sunday roast – but unfortunately they have developed a very tough core. However, the outside parts are mellow and creamy and can easily be grated off the core.
I decide to instead try them in a parsnip, pear and ginger cake, which looked and tasted wonderfully autumnal. The creaminess of the parsnips paired well with the mellow juciness of the pears and the warmth of the ginger.
To make preheat your oven to 180ºC and line a 23cm round cake tin.
Grate 2 firm pears and 2 parsnips directly onto a clean tea towel. Squeeze to remove excess moisture.
Combine 225g wholemeal flour with 1 tsp baking powder, 1.5 tsp baking soda, 1.5 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger and 0.5 tsp salt into a large bowl. Add 80g ground almonds.
Whisk 3 eggs with 1 cup oil, 1 cup golden syrup the zest and juice of 1 orange anan1 tbsp fresh ginger. Add in grated pear and parsnip. Now add to flour mix and fold until just combined. Pour into prepared tin, bake for 40-45 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the centre.

19/09/2025

Hello Everyone. We are thrilled to announce that we will be holding an adult and child Halloween themed baking class on Saturday, 25th October, from 1pm to approximately 4 pm. It will be £40 per pair. There are spaces for 4 pairs. We will be making Halloween Pizzas, Toffee Apple Cookie Dough, and Halloween Brownies. There will be a break during the class and a drink and snack will be provided. Please email [email protected] to book or to find out more. 🎃👻🦇

02/09/2025

Scottish Food & Drink September, organised by Scotland Food & Drink, runs from 1-30 September 2025 to celebrate the nation’s food and drink heritage, and I am happy to support the initiative.

The month is a chance to champion the quality and variety of Scottish produce, support local producers and manufacturers across the sector and highlight Scotland's exceptional culinary scene. This year’s campaign theme is innovation - to spotlight Scotland’s dynamic and innovative food and drink industry.

I represent the Mid Scotland and Fife region where there is a wealth of high quality of local produce and numerous restaurants, pubs, and markets.

The fig and fennel bread I picked up from Lochaber Farm at their stall at in Kirkcaldy recently was delicious!

Where is your favourite place in the region to purchase our wonderful local produce, or culinary delight?

You can find out more here; https://foodanddrink.scot/events-and-membership/scottish-food-drink-september/

30/08/2025

Whilst on Arran last week, I decided to have my afternoon cuppa al fresco. It wasn't wet, which for West Coast Scotland definitely means all possible opportunities to be outside should be utilised. However, the still, slightly damp air brought with it the inevitable clouds of midges. Fortuitously, there was a giggling flight of swallows performing an aerial display above my head, stocking up on midges, ready for their imminent journey to Africa. Directly below, they were inadvertently providing a midge free zone.

What a wonderful symbiosis for me and the swallows! It made me think of the symbiotic relationship we humans make use of - the gut bacteria that live in all of us. The bacteria obtain nutrients and a stable environment, and in return, they help us in the digestion of food and also contribute to the production of essential vitamins.

This time of year is a wonderful one to create your own food that will naturally promote gut health and also preserve crops of vegetables to enjoy later in the year.

One such example is beetroot kimchi. Beetroot is ready for harvesting right now, having spent the summer soaking up the sunshine. To make your kimchi, take 3 raw, peeled beetroot and grate into a large bowl. Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 3 diced spring onions, 3 inches of ginger grated, 3 chilli's (optional), and 1 tbsp salt. Massage all the ingredients together well, then pack into a jar ¾ full. Cover the top with a circle of greaseproof paper, put a weight on top to hold the ingredients under the liquid, and then put the lid on. Leave at room temperature for 4-5 days, opening the lid daily to release any pressure. Beetroot Kimchi is incredibly versatile as a side dish with almost anything you like.

Address

Lochaber House
St Andrews
KY168PE

Opening Hours

12pm - 4pm

Telephone

+447748349513

Website

http://www.lochaberfarm.co.uk/, https://buytickets.at/lochaberfarm

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