Perhaps the snow will have vanished by the time this article is published [and perhaps not – Ed], but as I write a white blanket lies thick on the ground and the grey sky suggests that there is more of the white stuff to come. I would like, therefore, to begin by thanking all our hardworking farmers and food producers who are braving adverse weather conditions to keep our food flowing into the shops.

I feel very humble when I hear of farmers struggling to top up frozen water troughs for their cattle on an hourly basis because the water freezes so rapidly, and others attempting to harvest winter vegetables so that we can still enjoy putting food on the table.

Then there are all the drivers who gallantly struggle on slippery roads to get produce to the stores – I’d like to thank them too. There is another side to this coin, though – shoppers’ impatience and complaints on finding basics such as milk and bread not available because the delivery vans have been unable to get through.

Unfortunately, I have witnessed such complaints at my village store where staff have been working tirelessly to keep shelves topped up. One woman complaining about the shortage of bread was actually standing next to the flour section as she made her feeling felt. I was tempted to suggest she picked up a bag or two of flour and bake her own bread. Many believe bread making is difficult and takes up too much time. While I agree that you have to wait at least two hours from start to finish if you are making it by hand, you are not tied to the kitchen bench all this time. Two sessions of kneading for ten minutes is all it really takes. During the rest of the time the yeast is doing its work and turning a lump of dough into a delicious feast.

I have been using flour milled by FWP Matthews Ltd for my bread as they have such a fine selection from local grain and will deliver free if you order a reasonable amount. This award-winning company, which dates back to 1860s, is situated on the edge of the beautiful Cotswold hills in the charming village of Shipton-under-Wychwood. They source as much wheat locally as possible, but in additon to their Cotswold flours, they offer a wide range of premium French flours from Moul Bie. The company is certified by the Soil Association, as well being a member of the National Association of Master Bakers.

In the early days, the company concentrated on milling biscuit flour, for Huntley and Palmers and Peek Frean, using soft wheat grown in the Cotswold hills. As the market for biscuits declined in the mid-1960s, the mill began concentrating on milling bread flour for independent bakers — and have never looked back.

I like this company because it has a strong environmental ethos, and because, regardless of which of their many flours I use, it never disappoints.

I used their Cotswold Eight Grain strong flour mix to make the two loaves in the photograph, as it contains malted wheat flakes, rye and oat flakes, among other things, and tastes great.

Many of my friends, who have less time than I, now use bread makers and are thrilled with the results. They adore the fact that all they need do is tip in the ingredients and leave the machine to do the rest.

One friend just uses the machine for the mixing and kneading, then finishes the dough by hand to get the shapes she wants and that really lovely crusty finish that we all adore.

By setting the dial at ‘dough’ she can let the machine mix and knead the basic dough and then enjoy finishing it off herself.

She never fails to be seduced by the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread filling the house, particularly now when snow lies on the ground and we all need comfort food to keep us going.

It’s worth pointing out that if you don’t happen to have any yeast in the house you can try making soda bread, which is equally delicious. This is best eaten the day it is made. But that’s fine – it tastes so good, this isn’t usually a problem. It’s made by mixing bicarbonate of soda with the flour, salt and sugar and stirring in buttermilk, or live yoghurt.

No kneading is required once you have formed a soft dough, as the soda helps it rise when as it cooks. You don’t need strong bread flour for soda bread either; it’s made from normal plain flour.

I do realise that many people lead such busy lives these days that making their own bread is a luxury they can’t afford.

All I am saying is that it is worth trying to make your own bread if you have time, and something you won’t regret during this cold snap when we all need warm nourishing foods to help get us through.