Christmas cake recipe riddle for Luke Evans Bakery

One of the country’s oldest family run bakers is appealing for information from Derbyshire’s older generation to see if it can pinpoint exactly how long it has been producing Christmas cakes using the same recipe.

Luke Evans Bakery has established that the recipe for its Christmas cakes has been used for at least 50 years – but the current managing director David Yates believes it’s almost certainly been used for much longer.

Bakery foreman David Bond, who has been with the business for more than 47 years, was taught the recipe by Joe Evans – the fifth member of the family to run the bakery at Riddings near Alfreton.

“The Christmas cake recipe was passed over to David Bond by Joe Evans, who told him that Luke Evans Bakery had used the recipe for many years previously,” said David Yates. “But we’d love to know if there was anyone who could give us a more precise timescale for how long the recipe has been used.

“I suppose it’s feasible that it could have been used for more than 100 years. We were just wondering if there was anyone who could give us any more information about the history of the Christmas cake recipe. Perhaps they remember their grandparents or parents buying a Christmas cake and trying a piece.”

Founded in 1804, Luke Evans Bakery, which is an eighth generation baking business after Sarah Yates – the great granddaughter of Joe Evans – joined the company last year, bakes around 1,000 Christmas cakes each year, ranging from large luxurious cakes to smaller round traditional cakes.

Some of its wholesale customers also have a long history associated with the Christmas cakes.

Both Rita Bowmer’s General Store, on Belper Lane End, Belper, and Costcutter at Newton, near Tibshelf, now run by Peter Smith and formerly trading as Smiths of Newton and run by his father Frank Smith, known as Chug, have stocked the Christmas cakes for more than 50 years.

“I am 58 and I can remember Luke Evans when I was a little lad and I know we have been with them for over 50 years,” said Peter Smith. “The quality of the cake is excellent and the decoration is excellent as well.”

Luke Evans employee Philip Tomlinson, known as Sam, used to deliver to Chug when he was a van driver. Sam too has a long history of working for Luke Evans Bakery - he joined the company on 1st July 1967 and now has 44 years service.

Luke Evans Bakery sells direct to the public from its shop in Green Hill Lane and supplies around 300 trade and wholesale customers across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, East Staffordshire and further afield, including shops, schools, delis and Pride Park - the home of Derby County Football Club.

Fully trained craft bakers operate 24 hours a day turning out breads, cakes and savoury products.

www.lukeevans.co.uk

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New oven and prover as Luke Evans Bakery in Derbyshire continues to invest for the future

Derbyshire’s Luke Evans Bakery has invested £36,000 in new equipment as part of its on-going modernisation programme.

In a deal with Manchester-based, commercial bakery supplier Tom Chandley, a new 24-tray electric deck oven and a separate multi-rack proving unit have been installed at Luke Evans Bakery’s base in Riddings, near Alfreton.

The oven, which has the capacity to bake more than 260 standard loaves in about 40 minutes, sits alongside a similar oven installed five years ago and replaces another Tom Chandley Oven first installed in 1981.

Proprietor David Yates said: “The new oven and prover were bought as a package from Tom Chandley’s, with the provers being built on site by a company called Proven Limited.

“We are delighted to trade with a company like Tom Chandley, both by investing in our own country’s manufacturing industry, and by trading with a company with a rich pedigree in the bakery industry. Tom Chandley has been producing bakery ovens for more than 60 years.

“The increased capacity of the new provers, and the efficiencies gained by using more technically advanced ovens with improved insulation, will enable us to produce a more consistent product with a more even bake, to help us to demonstrate to our consumers the increasing advantages of buying traditional bakery products from their local craft baker.

“Obviously it is important for craft bakers like Luke Evans Bakery, which concentrates on craft baking, to strive for greater efficiency by improving products and productivity. This will enable us to share the advantages of these improvements with our stockists and our consumers.”

The acquisition of the bakery equipment follows investment in the office-based side of the business earlier in the year.

Set up in 1804, Luke Evans Bakery can call on eight generations of Evans family baking experience. Mr Yates’ daughter Sarah, 19, joined the business last year.

While proud of its heritage, Luke Evans is also embracing the future with a new website, online marketing tools and a bakery management software package together with the supporting hardware to drive it.

Luke Evans Bakery employs 50 staff and supplies around 300 wholesale and trade customers in Derbyshire, East Staffordshire, and Nottinghamshire including shops, schools and delis, as well as Pride Park – the home of Derby County.

Craft bakers work a shift pattern across 24 hours at its base in Green Hill Lane, Riddings, producing breads, cakes and savoury products. They also produce custom-made cakes for weddings, anniversaries and other special occasions.

Earlier this year, Mr Yates became a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers, one of the oldest guilds in the City of London.

The Company of Bakers has more than 350 members and many are master bakers or work in allied trades. It provides scholarships and prizes for young people in the baking industry and is committed to upholding the traditions and history of baking.

www.lukeevans.co.uk

Nottingham PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

City of London Honour for Luke Evans Bakery's David Yates

Derbyshire baker David Yates has become a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers, one of the oldest guilds in the City of London.

Mr Yates, proprietor of Luke Evans Bakery based in Riddings, near Alfreton, was admitted to the livery during the company’s July Court meeting at its headquarters in Harp Lane, just 200 yards from London’s Tower Bridge, right in the heart of the City.

He said: “I feel very privileged to have been accepted as a liveryman in this distinguished and ancient London livery, and shall endeavour to do my utmost to embrace and respect all the wonderful traditions and customs of the company, and to offer my support in any way that the Master, Clerk and the Court see fit.

“The sense of history is immense, in an institution that can trace its origins back over 800 years, yet at the same time the Worshipful Company of Bakers is at the forefront of promoting education within the bakery industry, as well as supporting many other charitable activities.

“I first became a freeman of the Worshipful Company of Bakers last year, and then proceeded to become a Freeman of the City of London which in turn entitles you to become a full liveryman of your chosen livery company.“

The Company of Bakers has more than 350 members and many are master bakers or work in allied trades. It is one of the oldest City of London liveries, or trade guilds, with records showing bakers making payments to Henry II as early as 1155.

Today, in a bid to promote education, the company provides scholarships and prizes for young people in the baking industry and is committed to upholding the traditions and history of baking.

Mr Yates was in fine company, when he was admitted as a liveryman, alongside City of London solicitor Polly Joseph, whose father Rex Joseph is a past master of the company.

Luke Evans Bakery supplies around 300 wholesale and trade customers in Derbyshire, East Staffordshire, and Nottinghamshire including shops, schools and delis, as well as Pride Park – the home of Derby County.

Set up in 1804 the bakery can call on eight generations of Evans family baking experience. Mr Yates’ daughter Sarah, 19, joined the business last year. Craft bakers work a shift pattern across 24 hours a day at its base in Green Hill Lane, Riddings, producing breads, cakes and savoury products.

www.lukeevans.co.uk

Nottingham-based PR company Perfect 10 PR www.perfect10pr.co.uk

Derbyshire baker Luke Evans Bakery helps Children’s Trust charity during National Doughnut Week

Tuck in and raise cash! Derbyshire baker Luke Evans Bakery is offering customers a sweet-toothed opportunity to help seriously disabled children -by eating doughnuts.

The company, based at Riddings, near Alfreton, will give the Children’s Trust eight pence for every doughnut sold during National Doughnut Week, which starts on Saturday May 7, 2011.

Over the past 19 years the special week has raised more than £700,000 and this year organisers hope to collect at least £50,000 for the Children’s Trust, a national charity which particularly helps children who are born with brain injuries or suffer brain damage as a result of an accident or illness.

Services across the UK range from special education for youngsters with profound and multiple learning disabilities to short breaks and long-term care.

Luke Evans Bakery proprietor David Yates said: “The trust’s work is so important and we are proud to join bakers up and down the country in this, the 20th National Doughnut Week.

“All we need now is our customers to play their part… by tucking into as many doughnuts as possible. We sell them individually or in packs of five, so what better way to raise money for a worthwhile cause?

“We hope our trade customers will do their best to promote doughnuts during National Doughnut Week, and that the general public will get behind our efforts too.”

Luke Evans Bakery is a family business established in 1804 and can call on eight generations of baking experience. It supplies around 200 trade customers in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, including shops, schools, delis and Pride Park – the home of Derby County Football Club.

It also sells direct to the public from its shop in Green Hill Lane, Riddings.

Fully trained craft bakers operate 24 hours a day turning out breads, cakes and savoury products.

Luke Evans Bakery can also make stunning cakes for every occasion… from weddings and birthdays to special anniversaries and retirements.

For more information contact the bakery on 01773 602764 or visit www.lukeevans.co.uk

Nottingham PR agency Perfect 10 PR wwww.perfect10pr.co.uk