Early mornings in front of Mildrith, as I sweep out the ashes and load the hearth with bread, I feel the presence of St. Francis, the saint statue resting on the wall of the oven shelter.
It’s little more than a block of concrete cast into the likeness of St.… Continue reading
This could be the best 100% Rye Bread ever made on Pender Island.
There can’t have been too many over the years. I made it last weekend with rye grain grown in Pender Island soil, specifically that of the large Gorsefield off Craddock and Southlands Drive, South Pender.
The Rye was planted by Vince and Katie, the new owners of the Gorsefield.… Continue reading
Most days, making bread happens by rote, with a tight schedule of measuring, mixing, shaping, and baking. My mind can be tranquil while my hands are a blur, punching and kneading the dough. Or slicing off chunks with the bench knife, balancing them on the weigh scale, and turning them into sensuous rounds.
Not much distracts me from this sort of reverie.… Continue reading
It’s easy to make bread!
You know the drill: flour, water, salt, yeast. Mix it into a nice dough, let it proof, and throw it in the oven. You don’t really need a recipe if you’ve made it a few times.
You can be sure that that amorphous mass in the bowl or dough trough will undergo a divine transformation.… Continue reading
Just over 10 years ago, Jennifer and I moved to Pender Island from Vancouver.
It was a cold, windy November day. The power went off for a few hours. A neighbour came down the driveway while we waited for the moving truck to arrive. “Welcome to Pender Island,” he said. “You better get used to this weather!”… Continue reading