Alternative Bread Company

Bread Shop

It’s hard to believe that the Alternative Bread Company stall in the English market has been established for tweleve years. Packed as it is with modern day breads to beat the band, it could almost be one of the newest additions to the array of epicurean delights this cult food market now offers Cork city shoppers. But no, this place is part of the culinary furniture of the market, and no wonder. You’ll find everything from a tradition Irish buttermilk soda bread to Polish Chleb, which is proving very popular with the city’s growing Eastern European population. Sheila says she’s even had grown men comment that her Polish bread reminds them of the bread from back home. It’s never good to see a grown man cry, but in this case, absolutely warranted!

Sheila Fitzpatrick has been in the food business for thirty years, many of those spent working in London as the personal assistant of British Celebrity Chef Brian Turner. When she came to Ireland, she wanted to remain very much in the high-end food business, and started ABC with business partner and expert baker Paul Walsh. The company gradually grew from a two-man band to an outfit employing 130 people, baking and supplying hand made breads to the retail and wholesale trade. But three years ago, Sheila took the active decision to downsize, and concentrate on artisan breads solely for the stall at the English Market. She has absolutely no regrets, saying it has made it possible to source unique breads from individual master bakers, to ensure her customers get the very best quality and variety, which was always the ethos here from the start.

Sheila handpicks her Cork based suppliers according to what they have to offer. Polish bakers made the Chleb, which is why it’s so authentic. Former business partner Paul now has his own bakery and still supplies Sheila with a superb range of yeast breads especially to her requirements. A selection of German breads including Bavarian pretzels and rye are made by German baker Thomas Heuneburg of Kinsale, who also bakes bread especiallly for the Alternative Bread Company. Of course there’s a great selection of crusty white yeast loaves such as Skull, Duck and Bloomer. In Cork, they love a good old Burnt Crust Loaf, made simply with best quality flour, water, yeast and salt. ABC’s version gets them running for miles to pick one up. Needless to say, it’s a best seller. Serving Cork’s Jewish community, she stocks Cholla and unleavened bread. Sheila is now getting a customised bread and wheat-free cakes from The Natural Food Company in Blackrock, Cork and from Peter Keolett in Kinsale. In fact she stocks a variety of fresh gluten-free cakes and bread.

On any given day here, you can expect to find a wealth of treasures like the delicious Italian Ciabatta, rustic French Baguettes, Corn bread with Chilli, Stoneground wholemeal, Cheese and Tomato Sourdough, ordinary Sourdough, Multi Grain and Seed breads, Sundried Tomato and Fennel, Crusty Granary, Wholemeal with Poppy Seeds, Hazelnut Loaf and a superb choice of health breads which includes Black Seed Bread with Golden Linseed, Sunflower Seed and Sunflower oil, Omega 3 bread, Spelt Bread, Rye and Sourdough Rye, Health Loaf with pinhead oatmeal, wholemeal and molasses and much more. Sweet things include Cherry Scones, Fruit Soda bread, plain and chocolate croissants and Sultana Loaf. On special occasions like Patrick’s Day, Sheila will commission her bakers to create another Cork favourite, the Golden Drop. At Halloween you’ll find Pumpkin bread and Christmas will bring a host of seasonal baked goods onto the stall and bread orders for christenings, communions and Bar Mitzvah taken.

All the bread arrives fresh each morning, and at the end of each day, whatever is left, goes to the Cork Simon Community, a charity Sheila has supported since day one. So you can be guaranteed that whatever you buy on any day has been baked and supplied in the peak of condition. This stall is one of the biggest and best in the market, and right in the heart of things. Not to be missed. After you’ve stocked up, nip along to the stall next door and grab a freshly cooked designer sausage from fellow GFI member Declan O’Flynn. And the bread roll it will come in is supplied by guess who? That’s good neighbours for you!

Contact Details

To Contact a Member Directly, please click on the email or website below

Unit 22 The English Market
Grande Parade
Cork
+353 (0) 21 4251347
Email: fitzsheilam@hotmail.com

 

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