<p>In this episode, I sits down with Sara Assad-Mannings, the co-owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bunheadbakery.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Bunhead Bakery</a>&nbsp;in Herne Hill. Specializing in sourdough buns that blend traditional baking with vibrant Palestinian flavours, Sara’s creations tell a story of home, culture, and resilience. Sara shares her journey from working in TV to launching a beloved bakery during the pandemic, and discusses how she explores her Palestinian-British identity through the rich and flavourful food she creates.</p><br><p><strong>Key Takeaways</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Food as a Gateway to Identity:</strong>&nbsp;Sara explains how creating BunHead gave her the confidence to explore and take ownership of her Palestinian heritage, connecting with her identity through ingredients like allspice and sumac.</li><li><strong>The Power of a Pandemic Pivot:</strong>&nbsp;Sara's journey into professional baking began after a planned job fell through at the start of the 2020 lockdown. This led her to create what would become a successful business, starting with sourdough deliveries from her dad's house.</li><li><strong>Community is Built Through Sharing:</strong>&nbsp;From memories of large, communal family meals in Palestine to the design of her own supper clubs, Sara believes food is a powerful tool for bringing people together and fostering connection.</li><li><strong>A Balanced Approach to Flavour:</strong>&nbsp;Disliking overly sweet baked goods, Sara focuses on creating a sophisticated balance in her buns. Her use of salt and complex spices results in bakes that perfectly hit the spot between sweet and savoury.</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Episode Highlights:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>01:52</strong>&nbsp;- Sara discusses her Palestinian-British heritage.</li><li><strong>04:50</strong>&nbsp;- The story of how the 2020 pandemic lockdown led to the birth of BunHead Bakery.</li><li><strong>12:05</strong>&nbsp;- Sara breaks down her signature bun flavours, each representing a different part of her life and heritage.</li><li><strong>27:15</strong>&nbsp;- Sara shares food memories from visiting Palestine, highlighting communal eating and her love for a traditional breakfast.</li><li><strong>32:08</strong>&nbsp;- Sara reveals the three ingredients she could not live without and how they connect to her identity.</li><li><br></li></ul><p><strong>About the Guest</strong></p><ul><li>Instagram:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thebunheadbakery/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@‌bunheadbakery</a></li><li>Website:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bunheadbakery.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.bunheadbakery.com</a></li></ul><p><strong>Episode Links</strong></p><ul><li>Za'atar:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://yaffaproducts.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yaffa</a></li><li>Palestinian Olive Oil:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.zaytoun.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zaytoun</a>&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;<a href="https://othmana.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorTdMXc_h9lPY8yQDeeI1fBLqUEGg94AGEd7fdE2rYi7sw77GRD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Othmana</a></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>Connect with Dixie:</strong></p><p>Instagram: ⁠@dixierocksfood</p><p>Website: ⁠<a href="https://dixierocksfood.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://dixierocksfood.substack.com/</a></p><p>Substack:&nbsp;<a href="https://rootsfoodtalks.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://rootsfoodtalks.substack.com/</a></p><p>This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by Lucy Lucraft (<a href="http://lucylucraft.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://lucylucraft.co.uk</a>&nbsp;).</p><p>If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review.</p><p><strong>Connect with Dixie:</strong></p><p>Instagram: ⁠@dixierocksfood</p><p>Website: ⁠https://dixierocksfood.substack.com/</p><p>Substack:&nbsp;<a href="https://rootsfoodtalks.substack.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://rootsfoodtalks.substack.com/</a></p><br><p>This episode was written and recorded by me and produced by&nbsp;Lucy Lucraft (lucylucraft.co.uk)</p><p>If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5* rating and review!</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>