This family-owned bakery prides itself on using traditional methods, with skills passed down through the family since 1887. Located in Cappoquin, in Waterford, this is probably the only place in Ireland where you’ll find award-winning home-baked bread being produced from a traditional Scotch Brick Oven.

The bread at Barron’s Bakery is baked on what’s called “falling heat’, which means it is slow baked in exactly the right conditions to produce light crisp loaves with a unique taste, texture and crust. Each loaf is placed in the oven by hand; using a long handled baker’s peel to place them right to the back of the oven, and then removing the loafs the same way.

In the bread making process, there’s little in the way of mechanics involved here, except for an industrial sized mixer to make the dough from unbleached French flour and yeast. Breads are hand moulded and proved naturally, which adds to the flavour and texture. Under the baker’s table lie ancient blackened bread moulds of all shapes and sizes, all of which have their own story to tell! Some of them date back to the 1940s, and have names like Ridgey Pan – a loaf tin with ridges in the base – and Long Pan.

Barron’s also bake the original Turn Over Loaf, in a two and a half foot long tin, which is then broken into pieces known as “hands of bread’. These special loaves are so-called because you can hold one hand of bread between the crook of your elbow and the base of the fingers.

Barron’s also make old fashioned butter loaves (a sweet version of a normal pan), traditional barn brack, seed loaves and traditional Irish brown soda bread. They also bake the famous Waterford Blaa – a soft bread roll brought to the area by the Huguenots, which is only produced in a small number of places in the county.

Over the years, they’ve extended their baking skills to include a huge range of desserts, so now you can stop in for truffle buns, gateux, or delightful little pastries. The magic doesn’t end there, with home-baked treats and hearty sandwiches available. Everything is beautifully presented and full of natural goodness.