WE are delighted to announce the arrival of a new “'seasonal'” stall in the shape of Faithfull’s Quality Baking who produce handmade luxury Christmas cakes. These cakes have been given time to allow their flavours to develop, using carefully selected vine fruits which are hand mixed and unique to Faithfull’s.

The cakes are available in a range of sizes with a selection of different toppingsto choose from: 4 four and 6 six inch traditional Christmas cakes; fruit, nut and drizzled icing Christmas cakes; Glazed fruit Christmas cakes; loaf Christmas cakes and, for the true fan, the original “Half and Half" cake. This cake is a great taste award winner – a luxury, hand-crafted Christmas cake, well matured, moist, rich fruit cake with that has the best of both worlds: marzipan and icing on one side and glazed fruits and nuts on the other.

Which side do you prefer? This six6 inch cake is presented on a board and finished with a festive tartan ribbon. It weighs in at 1.35kg in weight and will keep beyond Christmas and New Year.

Meanwhile, the judging for the World Bread Awards has been taking place in London over the past few weeks and Stroud-based The Artisan Baker was there. Thousands of loaves, 52 high profile judges and after days of tasting they scooped the following three awards: a Bronze Award for their Nelson Loaf; an already acclaimed loaf made from seeds, oats and organic flour, a Silver Award for their Gluten Free loaf, years in the developing, this gluten-free loaf is moist, flavourful and uses local rapeseed oil to bring it to life; and a Silver Award for their ciabatta, a delicious, long, soft, white loaf, delicately handled to produce an airy light finish.

Ori Hellerstein, owner and head pastry chef said: "We are thrilled to be acknowledged as a bakery who can compete with the best in the country. We have a great team of dedicated skilled pastry chefs producing some of the best bread in the country and I am proud of that."

You can buy the award winning loaves at Stroud Farmers Market every Saturday.

Also this week is Apple Day at the market with a great display of apples, freshly squeezed apple juice from the hand press and great apple specials all over the market. Bring some apples from your tree to be juiced and bring a bottle.