I’m thinking of firewood and the “thrice enjoyed gift” when a cord of freshly cut fir arrives and is dumped by the woodpile. Behold what pleasure awaits!
The delivery of firewood itself is the first gift. The second is the satisfaction you have when it is stacked and put away. And the third is the bright flames in the fireplace and the warmth that fills the room.
In an early blog post, I said that a fourth gift is the chopping of the wood. It is still true for me. 1
Wood-chopping support
But I’ve recently been the happy recipient of wood-chopping support from Roy Villa. He’s a reasonably new Penderite and, with his partner Laurel, are long-time Happy Monk bread customers. Roy just stepped forward one day and offered to do my wood-chopping, and I was bowled over!
Roy’s been coming to our woodpile every second week and chopping two weeks’ fuel for Mildrith, the wood-fired oven. Mildrith takes more “bite-size” pieces of firewood than what the Greenangel Choppers deliver, and Roy’s the man for that. In an hour or less, he’s chopped and moved a lot of wood!
He arrives on his chosen day, heads straight to the woodpile and starts to chop until it’s time to go home, about an hour later.
In a way, he’s been doing work that I enjoy myself. But the gift is that I can focus more on bread making, the core of the Happy Monk operation. I can’t overstate how satisfying it is to see a plentiful fuel supply for Mildrith’s firing. It’s magic!
Those who make it possible
I can’t thank Roy without also thanking the long list of other Happy Monk suppliers and supporters. These are people who provide services and expertise that keep us running and get our bread to the community.
Like the Greenangel Choppers, who are hyper-attuned to Mildrith’s fuel needs, and who can show up with a load of wood at the drop of a hat.
Like Eve and John Pollard, who offer the front porch of their house as a bread pick-up location for the Port Washington, Hope Bay and Hooson Road neighbourhoods.
How about Josie Spaxman, who cleans our flour-dusted, dough encrusted kitchen as soon as the bread is out the door. And what a sheer pleasure it is to return and find it spotless, warm and inviting.
Can’t forget Suzanne Stirling, who’s been tending the pick-up locations at Port Washington and the Magic Lake area … and Carrie McCarthy and her son Leighton. They were the original bread distributors/helpers. (Watch for more of Suzanne in the coming weeks!)
A cast of thousands
There have been other suppliers, like Mary Rehrer and Andy Nowak of Black Rabbit Farm for their delicious apples and poppy seeds. Michel and Brenda Clairo and their amazing apples, Stuart and Wendy Scholefield for applewood and pick-up truck services. Friends Matt Vasilev and Katie Selbee of Twin Island Cider for the exquisite cider that moistens the crumb of Happy Monk Pender Island Apple Bread.
I love the folks at Nootka Rose Mill, too, who provide such great flour and grain service with a smile and timely advice. Jen, Erika and Byron have been steadying influences and have saved me from a few mistakes
It takes a cast of thousands to make a business thrive, and I am indebted to all these people. And to all those who’ve bought the bread and loved it, but who have also been gracious with my flat, burned and misshapen loaves!
Thank you one and all!!
![Happy Monk Tidings - September 22, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Harvest Bread; Blog: Sourdough September and the Real Bread Campaign [ See link in profile ]](https://i0.wp.com/happymonkbaking.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed-pro/img/placeholder.png?w=980&ssl=1)
Happy Monk Tidings - September 22, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Harvest Bread; Blog: Sourdough September and the Real Bread Campaign [ See link in profile ]
A horizontal world, an endless beach with long rollers, sandwiched beneath a low sky ceiling … and hundreds of surfers. Chesterman’s Beach, Tofino.
Arise, ye loaves from your slumber!
Arise, ye taste buds of want.
For reason in eating now thunders,
And at last ends of the age of cant!
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#internationale #woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #seedbread #seedfeast #rusticbread #rusticbreads #firewood #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakery #artisanbread #breadhead #sourdough #sourdoughbread #penderisland #southpenderisland #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany
Post to The Happy Monk Baking Company
Happy Monk Tidings - September 1, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Sprouted Rye and Seed Bread; Blog: We're all rich when you think about it; South Pender Growers and Makers and Heritage Market; The Happy Monk Holidays - [ Link in profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - August 25, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Cinnamon-Raisin Bread; Blog: Marriage, Laurie Anderson and the Weddings of Pender; and more! [ See links in profile ]
300 hamburger buns for friends’ wedding, Aug. 21. A great honour to be asked to do this and be part of the feeding of the guests. The buns were used not for hamburgers, but spit-roasted pulled pork. The reception was glorious, held at the far end of Pender Island’s retired airstrip, now a farm, in all its rural splendour. I was too tired to stay, but enjoyed a glass of wine, talking to the mother of the bride and a few of the happy guests. Marriages are good news stories!
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #coboven #earthoven #Mildrith #Mildriththeoven #woodfiredovenbread #buns #bunstagram #bunsbunsbuns #hamburgerbuns #bread #realbread #naturallyleavened #baker #bakersofinstagram #bakery #artisanbread #breadhead #sourdough #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #weddingfeasts #penderisland #southpenderislands #happymonkbaking #happymonkbakery #happymonkbakingcompany
Happy Monk Tidings - August 18, 2021 🍞 - This week's Baker's Choice: The Approachable Loaf; Blog: A Benediction on Mount Norman. [ See links in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - August 11, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Polenta and Rosemary Sourdough; Blog: Here's to the Homely Loaves! [ See Linktree in Profile ]
Lo! The mighty Seed Feast! Favoured by Happy Monk customers the Pender Islands over! These loaves, just rolled out of Mildrith, are hot and fragrant with seeds, nuttiness and bready wholesome-ness. O for a steamy slice and a schmear of butter! That I may eat “and leave the world unseen, and with thee fade away into the forest dim.” (Apologies to the ghost of John Keats).
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#seedfeastbread #seedbread #seedybread #sourdough #sourdoughbread #woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredovenbread #woodfiredbread #coboven #earth.oven #bread #breadlove #baker #bbga #happymonkbaker #happymonkbaking #naturallyleavened #artisanbread #realbread #breadpoetry #rusticbread #penderisland #southpenderisland
Happy Monk Tidings - August 4, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Volkornbrot (German Rye) with Sunflower Seeds; also Seed Feast; Blog: Why Eat Ancient and Heritage Grains?; Goin' Fishin' Soon! [ See Linktree in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - July 28, 2021 🍞- Baker's Choice: Sprouted Kamut; Blog: Mildrith's Body of Miracles; Goin' Fishin' - [ See Link in Profile ]
This is as dark as these loaves are gonna get in the falling heat of Mildrith, the wood-fired cob oven. They’re good enough for me. She’s already baked 53 loaves throughout the morning, and this will be her last labour of the day. Right now, the clay walls are about 420ºF, not enough heat for another load. If I were more organized and more energetic, I’d have a bunch of cookies lined up to bake or, better yet, a few pan loaves of dark rye bread that could bake the rest of the day. She’s a miracle, Mildrith is, and she’s helped feed hundreds of Pender Island residents over the past two-and-a-half years. Saturday is a rest day for the Happy Monk baker and a day of gratitude. And this Saturday, I’m directing my gratitude at Mildrith, the wood-fired oven!
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbread #clayoven #clayovenbaking #coboven #cobovenbaking #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlove #bread #seedbread #bakersofinstagram #bakerslife #penderisland #southpenderisland #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbc #happymonk #happymonkbakingcompany #happymonkbakery
Moonset and high tide, South Pender Island at 3:50 a.m.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbread #clayoven #clayovenbaking #coboven #cobovenbaking #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlove #bread #bakersofinstagram #bakerslife #penderisland #southpenderisland #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbc #happymonk #happymonkbakingcompany #happymonkbakery
Happy Monk Tidings - July 21, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Bird Seed Bread; Blog: Rye Bread: The Agony and the Ecstasy [ See link in profile ]
Whole Rye and Spelt Sourdough with generous scoops of seeds and great texture. Mildrith loves these rye loaves … I wish we had smell-o-vision to smell you what I mean.
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#ryebread #wholegrain #wholegrainbread #speltbread #woodfired #woodfiredoven #clayoven #clayovenbakery #clayovenbread #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbread #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlove #bread #bakersofinstagram #bakerslife #penderisland #southpenderisland #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbc #happymonk #happymonkbakingcompany #happymonkbakery
In the early light of dawn, Mildrith oven-springs sourdough, caramelizes crusts gold and brown and leaves heavenly smells as evidence. Inside her hot clay dome, 12 boules of Salish Sourdough are on the final stage of their journey. Behold the steam rising out of the chimney!
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #clayoven #clayovenbakery #clayovenbread #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbread #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlove #bread #bakersofinstagram #bakerslife #penderisland #southpenderisland #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbc #happymonk #happymonkbakingcompany #happymonkbakery
Happy Monk Tidings - July 14, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice this week: Rye and Spelt Sourdough; Blog: Pleasure and Worry in the Summer Heat; Gratitude for Pender Island Fire Rescue; Happy Monk Search-Ability [ See link in profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - July 7, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Sourdough Sandwich Loaf; Blog Redux: Aunty Betty's "Brown Bread"; [ See newsletter link in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - June 30, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Spelt and Honey Loaf; Blog: These Waters, This World Around Me - [ See Link in Profile ]
Happy Monk Tidings - June 23, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Deli Rye Bread; Blog: Summer Stars; and Who invented No-Knead? [ See link in profile ]
Dawn at the Happy Monk Baking Company, Friday 4:18 am. Olive loaves tumbling out of Mildrith, the wood-fired oven, and a few beautifully shaped Salish Sourdough.
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbread #olivebread #olivebread🍞 #oliveoilbread #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #breadmaking #breadbaking #bbga #breadbakersguild #breadlove #bread #bakersofinstagram #bakerslife #penderisland #southpenderisland #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbc #happymonk #happymonkbakingcompany #happymonkbakery
Happy Bloomsday from the Happy Monk - June 16, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: An Earthy Olive Loaf; Blog Redux: The Terroir or Wine and Wheat; A Letter from Carrie and Leighton; [ See link in profile ]
Cinnamon-Raisin loaves, they get it on! Can’t keep their hands off each other when they’re a little too close in the oven. Monkey business!
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#woodfired #woodfiredoven #woodfiredbaking #woodfiredbread #sourdoughbread #sourdoughbaking #cinnamonraisin #cinnamonraisinbread #cinnamonraisinsourdough #breadsex #breadporn #showusyourfuckedloaves #breadmaking #breadbaking #breadlove #bread #bakery #bakersofinstagram #bakerslife #bakersandspice #penderisland #southpenderisland #southerngulfislands #southerngulfislandsbc #happymonk #happymonkbakingcompany #happymonkbakery
Happy Monk Tidings - June 9, 2021 🍞 - Baker's Choice: Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough; Blog: Chasing the Perfect Loaf - [ See link in profile ]
This blog post is worth re-reading if only to be reminded of the exquisite poem, “The Scent of Fresh Wood” by the Norwegian lumberjack poet, Hans Børli.↩
😁❤..Best bread ever!!