It’s time to honour Mildrith, the wood-fired oven of the Happy Monk Baking Company. I haven’t spoken of her much in recent months, but she has been at my side every bake day and more, going on six years. Mildrith is my constant companion, steady, true, the holder of bread-heat and embracing warmth. She is silent except when she roars.… Continue reading
When Jennifer and I started the Happy Monk Baking Company, the world seemed larger — too big, it seemed, for a small fish like me. I set my sights on selling bread to anyone who wanted it up or down Gowlland Point Road, South Pender. There was a neighbourhood email list, and that was my market.… Continue reading
I often hear it in my voice, talking about bread. The proselytizing tone when I evangelize about its value to civilization, its symbolic meaning (“I am the bread of life,” quoth Jesus in John 6:35. “Whoever comes to me shall not hunger …”), its ability to create connections and community (“Let us break bread!”), its elemental simplicity (“Flour, water, salt!… Continue reading
It’s time to put away the baker’s peel again. But just for a while.
A short restorative for Jennifer and me to catch up on our sleep, reconnect with old friends and family and rejuvenate our creative juices.… Continue reading
A blog and Instagram post I made two weeks ago got a significant “click response” from Internet surfers beyond Pender Island. It was about the recent Wonder Bread commercial gracing the television airwaves.
Nowhere in the commercial was the word “bread” used. The ad was all about the “Wonder” brand and focused on arts and crafts products that used the yellow, blue and red balloons on the Wonder logo.… Continue reading