Would you like to make a smock like the one Holgate millers wear? Here it is. The design is basically an 18th century man’s shirt (think Poldark). A 5/8” seam allowance is included in these dimensions. It’s assumed you have experience of sewing. Everything is cut from rectangles. Fabric pieces Cut from white cotton or cotton/polyester such as a sheet: One rectangle for front, 26” wide by 30” long (or your preferred length plus 2” for hem). One rectangle for back, same size. Two rectangles for sleeves, 23” wide and as long as the distance from your shoulder to knuckles. Two Read More …
News – what’s happening at the mill?
Santa at the Mill
Our very popular Santa at the Mill event is returning this year. Come and visit Santa, indulge in mince pies and hot mulled apple juice and see our mill beautifully decked out for the festive season. £5 per child including a present from Santa, adults free but donations welcome for mince pies and juice. There is no need to book but you may have to wait at busy times. We are open on Saturday 1st, Sunday 2nd and Saturday 8th December from 2pm to 4pm and Sunday 9th December from 10am – 12pm and 2pm – 4pm
Holgate Windmill at St Crux
Instead of a milling day last Friday the Holgate Windmill Preservation Society were at St Crux Hall in the centre of York for a fundraising event. For the second year we provided home made food in the café and sold a selection of bric-a-brac outside and just like last time we were blessed with some lovely sunny weather. In the café we sold tea and coffee together with a wide selection of home made cakes together with leek and potato soup and filled sandwiches using bread buns baked by one of our commercial outlets, Ainsty Farm Shop – using Holgate Read More …
September Open Days
Come to Holgate and visit the oldest five-sailed windmill. Built it 1770 it worked continuously to 1933 when it fell into disrepair. It is now fully restored and producing delicious stone-ground flour once again. You can explore all four floors of the mill on Saturday 1st, Sunday 2nd, Saturday 15th and Sunday 16th September. Adults £3, children £1. Under 5s and HWPS members have free entry. We are open from 11am – 4pm. Don’t forget the mill shop is open every Saturday morning from 10am – 12pm for flour, exclusive wooden bread boards, spatulas and coasters, plus aprons, tea towels Read More …
August Open Days
Enjoy a sunny day in our historic windmill. This weekend we are fully open so you can explore all four floors of the mill. Join us on Saturday 4th or Sunday 5th August. Adults £3, children £1. Under 5s and HWPS members have free entry. We are open from 11am – 4pm. The mill is also open on Saturday 19th, Sunday 20th and Bank Holiday Monday 27th August. Come and see our fascinating new exhibition on the unique multi-sailed mills across the country. Don’t forget the mill shop is open every Saturday morning from 10am – 12pm for flour, exclusive Read More …
Spelt Rolls
The addition of spelt flour adds texture and taste to these rolls. I make the dough for the rolls using the bread maker. Although this takes longer than making it by hand (around 3 ¼ hours in my machine) this produces a good quality “smooth and silky” dough which is easy to handle. Oven at 220C, fan 200C Ingredients 1 tsp easy bake dried yeast 9 oz strong white flour 9 oz Holgate wholemeal spelt flour 1oz butter 1½ tsp salt 330 ml water Method Weigh the ingredients and put them into the bread pan in the correct order for your machine. Insert Read More …
Naan Breads
Ingredients 125g self raising flour 125g strong Holgate Mill wholemeal flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon black onion seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 3 rounded tablespoons plain live yoghurt 115ml lukewarm water 50g melted butter and a little crushed garlic (to brush on naans after cooking) Method Put the flour, salt, pepper, baking powder and seeds into a mixing bowl. Add the live yoghurt and lukewarm water a little at a time gradually working the mixture until you have soft sticky dough. (As the dough can be quite messy to handle I Read More …
Easter Biscuits
These biscuits are very easy to make so good for children. Makes about 18 biscuits. Oven at 200C. Ingredients 4oz margarine 3 oz caster sugar 1 egg, separated 6 oz Holgate Windmill flour 1 oz cornflour 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger or allspice 1 tablespoon milk 2 oz currants 1 oz mixed peel caster sugar for dusting tops Method Cream margarine and sugar together until light, then add egg yolk. Add Holgate Windmill flour, cornflour, spices and mix into the creamed mixture. Add enough milk to make a pliable dough, then mix in currants and peel. Roll out dough Read More …
Bloom!
Join us at the mill on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th July as we take part in York’s first horticultural festival. Bloom! celebrates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Ancient Society of York Florists, the world’s oldest horticultural society. There are events for all ages taking part across the city. Visit their website at www.bloomyork.com At the mill you can join in with craft activities, search for and identify the wild flowers, grasses and minibeasts surrounding the mill, and learning about bees from Steve Gray, a local beekeeper and the mill’s honey supplier. Usual admission fees apply.
‘Slow’ Cottage Loaf
This loaf is made in two stages beginning with a ‘pre-ferment’ which is made the evening before. The longer rising period helps the loaf to develop more flavour and reduces the amount of yeast that needs to be added. Ingredients 300g Holgate Windmill wholemeal flour 200g strong white bread flour ½ teaspoon fast action dried yeast 1 teaspoon salt 325ml lukewarm water 25g butter Method Stage 1: To make the pre-ferment put 150g of the wholemeal flour and 100g of the strong white flour into a baking bowl together with all of the yeast and 250ml of the water. Mix Read More …