This is Mildrith, the oven of the Happy Monk Baking Company, a clay and straw mixture with a firebrick hearth. She is the heart and soul of our baking enterprise. So why is she called Mildrith?

One of the workers on the oven, Jacques Marmen, wondered several times whether the oven was a male or female … or perhaps non-binary? We both had a strong belief that she was female. But what would her name be? That was the big question.
Richard Miscovitch, the author of From the Wood-Fired Oven, speaks of naming his oven, “Fornax,” after a Roman deity of the furnace. Tongue in cheek, he says he often says a brief prayer to the goddess when he places a load of bread into the oven, asking that there be enough fire and heat to bake his bread.
Not long after our oven was finished, the name came to me. (She whispered it to me!): Mildrith. Some know her as Mildred.
Mildrith is close to the Old English spelling and pronunciation of her name. The modern version of the name is Mildred.
A few years ago, I wrote a novel, a medieval adventure yarn, named The Song of Oswald. It is about two brothers, a monk, named Richard, and a Robin Hood figure, named Oswald. Oswald is hired by a corrupt abbot to steal the bones of a long-dead saint in France and bring them back to his abbey in Kent. The saint I had in mind was St. Mildred of Thanet, and called her that in the book. Many great adventures follow, but the saints bones don’t make it back to Kent. The novel, alas, has yet to be published (another story), but inspired an interest in medieval monasticism … and, perhaps the name of the Happy Monk Baking Company.
Here is why the oven is named Mildrith.
St. Mildred, who lived in Anglo-Saxon England (early 700s), was the daughter of a Mercian King and his wife, St. Ermenburga. At an early age, Mildred’s mother sent her to be educated by an abbess at Chelles, France, where many English women gentry were trained in the religious life.

A young nobleman, related to the Abbess of Chelles, asked for Mildred’s hand in marriage. The abbess was in favour of the union, but Mildred was not. She told the abbess that she was in France to follow the religious life, not to be married. The abbess could not prevail. All her advice turned to threats and then physical blows. Nothing could persuade Mildred from marrying the nobleman. Finally, the abbess threw Mildred into a large hot oven. After three hours, the abbess opened the oven door expecting to find ashes. Mildred was standing there, unscathed and radiant, and walked out past the shocked abbess.
The nuns and other faithful venerated Mildred as a saint; but the abbess continued to abuse her, kicking and scratching her. In one exchange, she tore out a handful of Mildred’s hair.
Mildred was able to send her mother a letter, enclosing some of the hair that had been torn from her head. Queen Ermenburga immediately sent ships to fetch her daughter. She returned to her village of Minster-in-Thanet in Kent and eventually became an abbess herself.
An 11th-century hagiographer, a monk named Goscelin, called her “the fairest lily of the English.”
I was inspired by the story and decided to use some of it in The Song of Oswald. When my wife and I visited Minster-in-Thanet in 2015, we visited the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. I confided to the Vicar that I had written of St. Mildred, but seeing how Mildred is still revered in the town, I realized I couldn’t use her name, and so gave her a different one so as not to offend the good people of Minster.
I am not a religious baker, but I do hope the loaves that emerge from my oven are as radiant, unscathed and miraculous as St. Mildred.
HAPPY MONK BLOG: An Approachable Manifesto: A loaf designed for the grocery shelf, but with honest-to-goodness artisan credentials. (May 24, 2023) [ See LinkTree in Proifile ]
May 24
![HAPPY MONK BLOG: An Approachable Manifesto: A loaf designed for the grocery shelf, but with honest-to-goodness artisan credentials. (May 24, 2023) [ See LinkTree in Proifile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
HAPPY MONK BLOG: An Approachable Manifesto: A loaf designed for the grocery shelf, but with honest-to-goodness artisan credentials. (May 24, 2023) [ See LinkTree in Proifile ]
Morning coffee ritual, Saturday morning. Drinking Moving Coffee, eating Happy Monk Sprouted Einkorn Sourdough bread, and spending a lot of time setting up this photo. Thanks for the coffee tip, @jomosenpai, it’s really good!
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#coffeelover #coffee #pourovercoffee #pourover #coffeetime #coffeelover #coffeecoffeecoffee #ceramiccoffeecup #ceramiccoffeemug #coffeeaddict #einkornsourdough #einkornbread #einkornsourdoughbread #einkornbaking
May 20

Morning coffee ritual, Saturday morning. Drinking Moving Coffee, eating Happy Monk Sprouted Einkorn Sourdough bread, and spending a lot of time setting up this photo. Thanks for the coffee tip, @jomosenpai, it’s really good!
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#coffeelover #coffee #pourovercoffee #pourover #coffeetime #coffeelover #coffeecoffeecoffee #ceramiccoffeecup #ceramiccoffeemug #coffeeaddict #einkornsourdough #einkornbread #einkornsourdoughbread #einkornbaking
It’s been a long time since I baked with Einkorn flour, the most ancient of the ancient grains. It’s called “Farro Piccolo” in Italian, or ‘little farro’. A later variety of Einkorn is called “Farro Grande” (large farro)… otherwise known as Spelt. (Einkorn left, Spelt right) Here endeth the lesson.
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#einkorn #einkorngrain #einkornbread #einkornbaking #tasteofeinkorn #spelt #speltgrain #speltflour #ancientgrain #ancientgrains #ancientgrainbaking #ancientgrainflours
May 16

It’s been a long time since I baked with Einkorn flour, the most ancient of the ancient grains. It’s called “Farro Piccolo” in Italian, or ‘little farro’. A later variety of Einkorn is called “Farro Grande” (large farro)… otherwise known as Spelt. (Einkorn left, Spelt right) Here endeth the lesson.
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#einkorn #einkorngrain #einkornbread #einkornbaking #tasteofeinkorn #spelt #speltgrain #speltflour #ancientgrain #ancientgrains #ancientgrainbaking #ancientgrainflours
Happy Monk Tidings - April 26, 2023 🍞: Baker`s Choice: Polenta-Rosemary Sourdough; Blog: A Baker`s Summit in the Loire Valley - [See LinkTree in Bio ]
Apr 26
![Happy Monk Tidings - April 26, 2023 🍞: Baker's Choice: Polenta-Rosemary Sourdough; Blog: A Baker's Summit in the Loire Valley - [See LinkTree in Bio ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - April 26, 2023 🍞: Baker`s Choice: Polenta-Rosemary Sourdough; Blog: A Baker`s Summit in the Loire Valley - [See LinkTree in Bio ]
Such a sunny, cheerful thing to hold freshly milled dried corn for polenta-rosemary bread — this week’s baker’s choice! On a sunny spring day, too, with our out-of-control cherry tree in fine fettle. In two days, those blossoms will be little more than litter on the grass and driveway
#polenta #polentabread #driedcorn #woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #breadmaking #breadmaking🍞 #sourdough #sourdoughbread #coboven #earthoven #earthenoven #penderisland #southpenderisland #happymonkbaking #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries
Apr 25

Such a sunny, cheerful thing to hold freshly milled dried corn for polenta-rosemary bread — this week’s baker’s choice! On a sunny spring day, too, with our out-of-control cherry tree in fine fettle. In two days, those blossoms will be little more than litter on the grass and driveway
#polenta #polentabread #driedcorn #woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #breadmaking #breadmaking🍞 #sourdough #sourdoughbread #coboven #earthoven #earthenoven #penderisland #southpenderisland #happymonkbaking #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries
Happy Monk Tidings - April 5, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Hot Cross Buns; BLOG: Falling in Love With Bread; ANNOUNCEMENT: Next Week Bread Day is on Wednesday, April 12; ALSO: Come see the Happy Monk Bread Oven this coming Sunday, April 9; [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Apr 5
![Happy Monk Tidings - April 5, 2023 🍞 - BAKER'S CHOICE: Hot Cross Buns; BLOG: Falling in Love With Bread; ANNOUNCEMENT: Next Week Bread Day is on Wednesday, April 12; ALSO: Come see the Happy Monk Bread Oven this coming Sunday, April 9; [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - April 5, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Hot Cross Buns; BLOG: Falling in Love With Bread; ANNOUNCEMENT: Next Week Bread Day is on Wednesday, April 12; ALSO: Come see the Happy Monk Bread Oven this coming Sunday, April 9; [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Today’s wood-fired splendour. A Whole Spelt Pan Loaf with a drizzle of maple syrup and the old Happy Monk stand-by, the Salish Sourdough.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #sourdough #spelt #speltbread #sourdoughbread #penderisland #southpenderislands #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany
Apr 1

Today’s wood-fired splendour. A Whole Spelt Pan Loaf with a drizzle of maple syrup and the old Happy Monk stand-by, the Salish Sourdough.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #sourdough #spelt #speltbread #sourdoughbread #penderisland #southpenderislands #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany
Happy Monk Tidings - March 29, 2023 🍞 - BAKERS CHOICE: Whole Spelt and Maple Pan Loaf; BLOG: Spring: Two Ways of Seeing - [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Mar 29
![Happy Monk Tidings - March 29, 2023 🍞 - BAKERS CHOICE: Whole Spelt and Maple Pan Loaf; BLOG: Spring: Two Ways of Seeing - [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - March 29, 2023 🍞 - BAKERS CHOICE: Whole Spelt and Maple Pan Loaf; BLOG: Spring: Two Ways of Seeing - [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - March 22, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Birdseed Bread; BLOG: Couldn`t We Enjoy Winter a Little Longer? EXTRA: "Haulout" A film about walruses on brink. [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Mar 22
![Happy Monk Tidings - March 22, 2023 🍞 - BAKER'S CHOICE: Birdseed Bread; BLOG: Couldn't We Enjoy Winter a Little Longer? EXTRA: "Haulout" A film about walruses on brink. [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - March 22, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Birdseed Bread; BLOG: Couldn`t We Enjoy Winter a Little Longer? EXTRA: "Haulout" A film about walruses on brink. [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - March 15, 2023 🍞 - Greetings! This week`s BAKER`S CHOICE: Anadama Bread; BLOG: The Enduring Promise of Bread Machines ~ [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Mar 15
![Happy Monk Tidings - March 15, 2023 🍞 - Greetings! This week's BAKER'S CHOICE: Anadama Bread; BLOG: The Enduring Promise of Bread Machines ~ [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - March 15, 2023 🍞 - Greetings! This week`s BAKER`S CHOICE: Anadama Bread; BLOG: The Enduring Promise of Bread Machines ~ [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - February 22, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Sprouted Rye and Seed Bread; BLOG: The Shipping Forecast on BBC 4; SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: No bread next week! https://mailchi.mp/4ea4d30316bb/happy_monk_tidings_feb22_2023
Feb 22

Happy Monk Tidings - February 22, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Sprouted Rye and Seed Bread; BLOG: The Shipping Forecast on BBC 4; SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: No bread next week! https://mailchi.mp/4ea4d30316bb/happy_monk_tidings_feb22_2023
Happy Monk Tidings - February 15, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Cinnamon-Raisin Sourdough; BLOG: The Magic of the Grouse; VIDEO: How Bread Was Made in 1962; FINAL REMINDER: New Delivery Times/Prices - [Campaign URL]
Feb 15
![Happy Monk Tidings - February 15, 2023 🍞 - BAKER'S CHOICE: Cinnamon-Raisin Sourdough; BLOG: The Magic of the Grouse; VIDEO: How Bread Was Made in 1962; FINAL REMINDER: New Delivery Times/Prices - [Campaign URL]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - February 15, 2023 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Cinnamon-Raisin Sourdough; BLOG: The Magic of the Grouse; VIDEO: How Bread Was Made in 1962; FINAL REMINDER: New Delivery Times/Prices - [Campaign URL]
Luminous bannetons.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbakery #woodfiredbread #earthoven #earthenoven #bannetons #banneton
Feb 14

Luminous bannetons.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbakery #woodfiredbread #earthoven #earthenoven #bannetons #banneton
Sesame Sourdough bowling alley.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #coboven #Mildrith #Mildriththeoven #woodfiredovenbread #sourdough #sourdoughbread #bread #realbread #sesamesourdough #sesame #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #sourdough #sourdoughbread #penderisland #southpenderislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany
Feb 8

Sesame Sourdough bowling alley.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #coboven #Mildrith #Mildriththeoven #woodfiredovenbread #sourdough #sourdoughbread #bread #realbread #sesamesourdough #sesame #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #sourdough #sourdoughbread #penderisland #southpenderislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany
Happy Monk Tidings - February 8, 2023 🍞 - Baker`s Special: Spelt-Honey Sourdough; Happy Monk Blog: Into the Murk; REMINDER: New delivery hours and prices; [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Feb 8
![Happy Monk Tidings - February 8, 2023 🍞 - Baker's Special: Spelt-Honey Sourdough; Happy Monk Blog: Into the Murk; REMINDER: New delivery hours and prices; [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - February 8, 2023 🍞 - Baker`s Special: Spelt-Honey Sourdough; Happy Monk Blog: Into the Murk; REMINDER: New delivery hours and prices; [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - February 3, 2023 🍞 - HAPPY MONK BLOG: Save Something From The Time Where We Will Never Be Again; BAKER`S CHOICE: Sesame Sourdough; NOTE: New Delivery Times and New Prices [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Feb 1
![Happy Monk Tidings - February 3, 2023 🍞 - HAPPY MONK BLOG: Save Something From The Time Where We Will Never Be Again; BAKER'S CHOICE: Sesame Sourdough; NOTE: New Delivery Times and New Prices [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - February 3, 2023 🍞 - HAPPY MONK BLOG: Save Something From The Time Where We Will Never Be Again; BAKER`S CHOICE: Sesame Sourdough; NOTE: New Delivery Times and New Prices [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - December 14, 2022 🍞 - Baker`s Choice: Fruit Sourdough Pan Loaf; Happy Monk Blog: The Year in Bread ... and Gratitude! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Dec 14
![Happy Monk Tidings - December 14, 2022 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Fruit Sourdough Pan Loaf; Happy Monk Blog: The Year in Bread ... and Gratitude! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - December 14, 2022 🍞 - Baker`s Choice: Fruit Sourdough Pan Loaf; Happy Monk Blog: The Year in Bread ... and Gratitude! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - December 7, 2022 🍞 - Baker`s Choices: Fig and Fennel and Rye-Currants; BLOG: The Noble French Baguette; Last Bake next week! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Dec 7
![Happy Monk Tidings - December 7, 2022 🍞 - Baker's Choices: Fig and Fennel and Rye-Currants; BLOG: The Noble French Baguette; Last Bake next week! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - December 7, 2022 🍞 - Baker`s Choices: Fig and Fennel and Rye-Currants; BLOG: The Noble French Baguette; Last Bake next week! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - November 30, 2022 🍞 - Bakers Choice: Cranberry-Pecan Sourdough; BLOG: Tassajara Wisdom/Perfect Loaf Mastery; REMINDER: Happy Monk holidays fast approaching! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
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#theperfectloaf #perfectloaf #perfectloaf #maurizioleo #tassajarabreadbook #tassajarabread #tassajaracookbook
Nov 30
![Happy Monk Tidings - November 30, 2022 🍞 - Bakers Choice: Cranberry-Pecan Sourdough; BLOG: Tassajara Wisdom/Perfect Loaf Mastery; REMINDER: Happy Monk holidays fast approaching! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
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#theperfectloaf #perfectloaf #perfectloaf #maurizioleo #tassajarabreadbook #tassajarabread #tassajaracookbook](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - November 30, 2022 🍞 - Bakers Choice: Cranberry-Pecan Sourdough; BLOG: Tassajara Wisdom/Perfect Loaf Mastery; REMINDER: Happy Monk holidays fast approaching! [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
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#theperfectloaf #perfectloaf #perfectloaf #maurizioleo #tassajarabreadbook #tassajarabread #tassajaracookbook
Happy Monk Tidings - November 16, 2022 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Spelt & Toasted Buckwheat Sourdough; BLOG: Mysticism and Bob Dylan; Extra: Happy Monk Search [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Nov 16
![Happy Monk Tidings - November 16, 2022 🍞 - BAKER'S CHOICE: Spelt & Toasted Buckwheat Sourdough; BLOG: Mysticism and Bob Dylan; Extra: Happy Monk Search [ See LinkTree in Profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - November 16, 2022 🍞 - BAKER`S CHOICE: Spelt & Toasted Buckwheat Sourdough; BLOG: Mysticism and Bob Dylan; Extra: Happy Monk Search [ See LinkTree in Profile ]
Just rockin’ the Olive Sourdough at 4:30 a.m. in the morning. Into Mildrith’s fire they go!
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bakerslife #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #breadmaking #breadmaking🍞 #sourdough #sourdoughbread #coboven #earthoven #earthenoven #olives #olivebread #olivesourdoughbread #penderisland #southpenderisland #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries #penderisland
Nov 13

Just rockin’ the Olive Sourdough at 4:30 a.m. in the morning. Into Mildrith’s fire they go!
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bakerslife #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #breadmaking #breadmaking🍞 #sourdough #sourdoughbread #coboven #earthoven #earthenoven #olives #olivebread #olivesourdoughbread #penderisland #southpenderisland #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries #penderisland
Cinnamon-Raisin bread, an enduring Happy Monk favourite. And here’s proof of Mildrith’s (the wood-fired oven) recent health check, as she just baked 41 loaves of this (and another 40 of Seed Feast) with lots of heat left to spare. Long live Mildrith and long live Cinnamon-Raisin bread!
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#cinnamonraisinbread #cinnamonraisin #woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #breadmaking #breadmaking🍞 #sourdough #sourdoughbread #coboven #earthoven #earthenoven #penderisland #southpenderisland #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries #penderisland
Nov 6

Cinnamon-Raisin bread, an enduring Happy Monk favourite. And here’s proof of Mildrith’s (the wood-fired oven) recent health check, as she just baked 41 loaves of this (and another 40 of Seed Feast) with lots of heat left to spare. Long live Mildrith and long live Cinnamon-Raisin bread!
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#cinnamonraisinbread #cinnamonraisin #woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #bbga #artisanbread #breadhead #breadmaking #breadmaking🍞 #sourdough #sourdoughbread #coboven #earthoven #earthenoven #penderisland #southpenderisland #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbakers #southerngulfislandsbakeries #penderisland
[…] Mildrith, the oven, is barely two months old at the time of this writing, but many have asked me to share some of my experience. Lots dream of building a pizza oven, but few get around to doing it, I’m told. My motivation was to build the Happy Monk Baking Company around this oven to sell bread at the Pender Island Farmers Market and/or to launch a bread subscription service on the Island. […]
[…] Mildrith, the oven, has been confounding, these past few weeks. She gives me enough heat for a single load of bread, but once that’s done, there’s nothing left. No heat left over for the next load! I need to build a second fire to get it up to temperature for the next bake, and that can take up to two hours until I can lay in another load of bread to bake. […]
[…] last load of bread is about to come out of Mildrith. I’ll let it cool awhile, package it up, then make the delivery rounds on Pender Island. The […]
[…] was still 400ºF plus heat inside of Mildrith when I went to light the fire for this morning’s bake. Starting from a cold oven, it can take […]
[…] and delivering. At this point, I’m bleary-eyed from being up since earliest morning stoking Mildrith’s fire, baking and trying to stay ahead of the chaos in the kitchen. But the promise of these last […]
[…] virtues of Mildrith are no secret to readers of these pages. She’s the wood-fired oven behind the Happy Monk […]
[…] been a baker in the art walk. Some of the organizers were intrigued, I imagine, with the birth of Mildrith, the cob oven, the post and beam log structure that provides her shelter, and the wood-fired breads […]
[…] bread in Mildrith, the wood-fired oven, is an ongoing experiment. I know her better every time I bake, and she […]
[…] walls of Mildrith’s dome were close to 800ºF when the mouse appeared the first time. He was standing on hind legs on […]
[…] first task is to revive the fire in Mildrith, to get the oven ready for the morning bake. It takes at least two hours before the first load of […]
[…] do I call the wood-fired oven Mildrith? You can read about that here. If you’re interested in the longer story of how the oven was built, check out this earlier blog […]