Taste of Poland is proving popular

EAGLE-eyed readers may have noticed a rather strange advert in last week's "Gazette".

Under the recognizable banner of Maclean's Highland Bakery, it wasn't an advert for Land of Macbeth biscuits, morning rolls or even butteries, but the words 'Chleb Wiejski'.

Who could be at fault? Had Maclean's been too busy at work on their scones and pies to send a comprehensible advert? Or had the "Gazette's" work experience boy forgotten to use his spell check before we went to print?

Preparing to take another batch of crusty Polish bread out of the oven at Maclean's Highland Bakery are Polish worker Renata Bobrus, who provided the recipe, and fellow bakery worker Charles Shewan. Pic: Neil Ellison 01309 674421

Closer inspection revealed at least two words we could understand: "Polish Bread". Picking up the clue, we decided that rather than tackle the advert with a Polish-English dictionary, we would speak to director Carol Shewan at the bakery to try and unravel the mystery.

"We employ five Polish workers at the bakery, and one of them suggested that we try making traditional Polish bread," said Mrs Shewan.

"We decided to bake it using the recipe she had learned from her father, and, as she is also a language teacher, she said we could do a translation of the advert so that Polish people in the local area could understand it.

"The bread is quite different to traditional Scottish loaves, both in shape and texture, but this hasn't stopped the bread from Eastern Europe being a hit with customers. We've only been making it for a week, but it's already proving popular and it's been selling really well."

The bakery's proprietor, Lewis Maclean, explained a bit more about the new venture.

"We've got five Polish workers working for Maclean's, and we see many Poles journeying through the town en-route to other places. I wondered how we could get them to come into the shop, and we hit on the idea of making Polish bread. I spoke to a friend of mine who also produces it and he told me it was one of his best sellers."

In fact, Mr Maclean is one of only two Scottish bakers who sell the bread.

"It's made with rye flour, which gives it a chewy texture," said Mr Maclean.

"It's a bit like a German loaf but not as heavy. I think it's brilliant bread for toasting, and a lot of the local people who come into the shop are trying it and liking it."

The "Gazette" spoke to the young Polish woman who was at the centre of this baking mystery.

Renata Bobrus, a confectioner at Maclean's main bakery at the Greshop Industrial Estate, is originally from Lublun in Poland. She told us the recipe used by Maclean's was based on that used by her father.

"My father runs a grocer's back in Poland and he sells the bread in his shop. The recipe has been in our family for a very long time."

Miss Bobrus thought that there may be around 100 Polish immigrants living in the local area, and Maclean's hope to embrace them by offering them some produce they recognise.

Bakery manager Martin Farish was full of praise for Miss Bobrus and the Polish employees at Maclean's.

"Renata is a very good worker and we're very happy with her and all our Polish workers," he said.

"We had to change her recipe slightly but it's still basically the same. It's been selling very well in the short time we've had it."

And for those readers still confounded by the last week's advert, Miss Bobrus was on hand to give the non-Polish amongst us an English translation:

"Chleb Wiejski means Country Bread in English," she said.

Miss Bobrus also revealed that the advert was a challenge to local bakery goers to find out what they've been missing.

"The advert translates as 'Taste our Polish Country Bread. It's baked every morning – Scottish people don't appreciate good bread!'"

Could this be the end for cheese scones at Forres's most popular bakery? Only time will tell.

Source:forres-gazette.co.uk