An early convert to the real bread movement, Joe Fitzmaurice began baking commercially for the family business, Blazing Salads, in 2000 and he developed a range of naturally leavened and yeasted organic artisan breads.
Their success soon led to him setting up the Blazing Salads Bread Company and then, following a move to the country - and Ireland’s only eco-village - in 2012, the unique Cloughjordan Wood-fired Bakery opened for business.
Joe produces a range of about eight beautiful handmade organic breads, flavoured only with natural sea salt - and without any of the artificial flour improvers, enhancers, colourings, bleachings or other artificial or chemical additives that are commonplace in most of the bread we buy today.
Not just a healthy product, they have gutsy flavour, a strong texture and keeping qualities that you just don’t get in ordinary commercial breads - far from needing to be eaten on the day of baking, some of Joe’s loaves need a couple of days to mature before they are at their best.
Very much a community product, Joe uses only local timber in his beloved, highly efficient Alan Scott designed oven, and he is working with Cloughjordan Community Farm (www.cloughjordancommunityfarm.ie) to develop a local source of grains.
The bakery’s Sourdough, Long fermentation, Spelt and Rye breads are available from Blazing Salads in Dublin and other selected retail outlets. Within the area, Joe operates a Bread Club for regular customers (20% discount for regular prepaid order, for collection from local bookshop); see website for details.
