Lara's Loaf Sourdough School

For my birthday week, my husband and I booked this sourdough course to suit both a confident home baker and a complete beginner. From the start, Mike and Lydia made us feel welcome in their relaxed, well-organised home. The teaching balanced the “why” (sourdough science) with plenty of hands-on practice, without ever feeling overly technical. Although I bake most weeks, I’d struggled with consistency, and the clear, practical tips helped me pinpoint what to change. We baked loaves at 70%, 75% and 80% hydration (learning how handling changes), plus croissants, pain aux raisins and focaccia. Everything turned out consistently well, and the pain aux raisins were the best I’ve had. The step-by-step guidance on lamination and homemade crème pâtissière was calm, detailed and genuinely achievable. We left with new skills and noticeably improved technique we’re already using at home. Hospitality was a highlight too: great food and wine (Lydia is a fantastic cook), a very comfortable room and bathroom, and the thoughtful extra of a guest living room upstairs. I’d happily recommend this course to anyone wanting confidence, better technique and results they can reliably recreate, whether you’re a beginner or have baked for years

Mike and Lydia have been making bread and other delicacies for many years and it shows. They were very generous with their time and were patient with us. It was great to be able to benefit from their experiences and get first hand knowledge of how to make the bread and starters. Mike’s theoretical and practical lessons coupled with Lydia’s hands on way of teaching make the course a lot of fun. We were able to participate in all the steps involved in making sourdough bread and even touched on croissants and focaccia.

What an incredible time! Mike and Lydia are excellent teachers. They promised I would have a great handle on baking to which I was sceptical at first. I can safely say I left the experience fully confident in my ability and I can't wait to get home and start baking my own breads and pastries.

The family really leave it to you to decide how much practice you want. I was the only guest at the time and got loads of one on one time.

Expect to be welcomed into their home and to be part of the family. They have 3 beautiful children whom made the experience that much more wholesome.

The food and wine provided was top tier. Lydia is an amazing cook and Mike is always up for making excellent coffees or opening a bottle of wine to chat bread into the night. 100% recommend this experience. Will hopefully come back for a refresher course one day!!

Mike and Lydia are gracious and attentive hosts and very knowledgeable about every aspect of sourdough bread making. The accommodation was very comfortable and Lydia is a very good cook. They made me feel like a part of the family!

Every aspect of the long fermentation and sour dough processes were explained with frequent hands on practice. From flours to temperature to baking and through to eating we were deeply involved in it all.

Having only two students gave us many opportunities to get our hands on the dough.

First of all, Saleres is a quaint peaceful village surrounded by beautiful mountains. The landscape is breathtaking! The perfect place to get away from noise, traffic and crowds. As soon as I arrived at the Sims' home, Mike and Lydia did everything possible to make stay comfortable and pleasant. I felt like another member of the family!

During the workshop, I received one to one instruction from both Mike and Lydia. Not only did they share their knowledge and tips as artisan bakers, but also made sure I had enough practice so I could replicate all the recipes back at home again. Mike and Lydia's passion for baking was contagious! They are both excellent instructors and hosts.

Mike and Lydia are extremely knowledgeable about sourdough and baking in general. It was really fun to learn from them. They make you feel at home, so the whole learning experience becomes enjoyable. The location is great too!

Very hands on experience

Happy to focus on skills that needed improvement. A lot of bread making which was fantastic

This is a dream vacation! The location is nothing short of idyllic, the hosts charming and accommodating, and they have so much to teach you about artisanal bread and pastry making. It would be a delight in any time but in the midst of a pandemic this is the perfect place for a getaway. You can easily access local sightseeing or you can limit your contacts to the household and focus on the bakery and Lydia's wonderful cooking! Mike even made sure I had a COVID test before my flight. I can't wait to take the fruits of this trip home with me.

I enjoyed my experience learning how to make sourdough bread. Mike and Lydia were excellent instructors and hosts. I felt very welcomed by the family and enjoyed spending time with them.

Mike took me sightseeing one morning which was very enjoyable.

Thank you again for your kindness and hospitality.

Mike and Lydia were very knowledgeable instructors and offered excellent hospitality, who made us feel very welcome in their home. The sourdough products we made were delicious. Lydia is an excellent cook who provided us with a variety of delicious meals. The house is very picturesque and has a lovely sun terrace that overlooks the Lecrin Valley.

We were just going to learn to bake artisan bread but learned much more than that. Mike and Lydia made us feel like part of their family. Mathew and Lara were fun to share our days with and Lydia fixed great meals with one dinner of Nigerian cooking.