The Adventure of the BakeHouse

Day 17

2012-02-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

This week found Tom finishing the hearth bed and me busy test baking. By the time Sunday evening arrived, both Tom and I felt a great sense of satisfaction with all that had been accomplished.

I was encouraged when I woke up to find my starter incredibly active and ready to do it's work!

The life of our bread.

I spent all day Thursday baking bread with the flour I had received from General Mills. With each step of my dough mixing process I was pleased with the dough development and finished loaves.

Whole Wheat

Kalamata Olive

Until the oven is finished, this is how I'm baking my test loaves.

I've approached a local Gourment Food/Health Food Grocer to see if they would be able to bring in the General Mills product for me. They were very willing to see if they could help us in our search, now we all have to be patient as we wait for the suppliers to respond.

Tom was up early Saturday with his focus on finishing the hearth bed, get the concrete shelf in place and get the sides of the oven laid out. He also wanted to make sure that we had enough bricks. When you have to purchase and receive your oven supplies from 600+ miles away, you always have this queasy feeling that you've not ordered enough material, even when you double and triple check your layout. Well, this did indeed happen with the Lumnite! Remember a few Blogs back when Tom was able to get the firebrick and Lumnite because of a trip to Phoenix for his employer? Ughhhh!

So I called Mason Mart in Phoenix and they did indeed have 3 more bags and could ship them via freight. The hitch . . . the cost of shipping 3 bags would cost us more than we paid for the original 6 bags that Tom originally picked up! Yikes. We were in a bind for sure. That extra shipping money we would have to spend was allocated for other material. We really didn't want to waste the money on shipping, and even a drive to Phoenix would have been costly with the gas prices as they are.

Then up to the plate comes the home run pitcher! A friend from our church was willing to pick up the 3 bags of Lumnite for us this past week because he and his father were taking a trip to Phoenix. What's even more amazing is that the place that they needed to go to was only 7 miles from Mason Mart! This is pretty incredible when you consider just how big Phoenix is! So a big THANK YOU to Arnold and his dad. And I'll be able to return the favor since his wife, Nancy, is involved in a fund raising dinner that will need bread :)

Now with this issue solved - Tom was able to better focus on the job at hand.

Hearth bed completed - CHECK.

Refractory mix for the baking chamber.
10 parts Sand + 3 parts Lumnite + 1 1/2 parts Fire Clay
CHECK.

Dry mixing the refractory mix so it's all ready to go this
coming weekend - CHECK.

Side walls set up dry - CHECK.

Day's end. CHECK :)

Can't wait to bring you next weekends progress! Thanks for stopping by - Kath

Flour Samples Arrive . . .

2012-02-22T16:36:00.000-07:00

I received quite a bit of curiosity in regard to our search for a supplier for our flour, so I only thought it fitting to share today's delivery with you. I had contacted three Flour brands: King Arthur, General Mills and a company in California that handles Central Milling Flour. Imagine my surprise when I arrived home today to find 150 pounds of Artisan Flour direct from the General Mills plant in Kansas City, MO! I had spoken to their Rep. for the Southwest region last week - and she did mention sending me sample flour, but I didn't expect 150 lbs. of it!

So the test baking will begin in earnest. I've been using General Mills conventional flour which goes under the Gold Medal name in grocery stores and I've found the dough to responds fairly well. I'm anxious to see how the dough responds to their flour that is milled specifically for Hearth Breads!

A very generous gift from General Mills!

I pulled out my flour buckets from the original BakeHouse. It's hard to explain, but it felt good to go through the process of opening the bags and emptying the flour in to the buckets.

I'll be sure to share the results of the test baking - thoughtfully, Kath

A visit to Wednesday's Farm Market

2012-02-22T12:51:00.000-07:00

I took some time today to head over to the Las Cruces Farmer's Market. Once we start firing the oven, we will be able to bake, but not large volumes, so the Wednesday market will be a nice fit as we work to grow in to the Saturday market. I thought I'd share a little of Las Cruces with all of you - Enjoy.

Throughout Las Cruces you will discover
artistic expression.

The market hosts a wide selection of local Artists.

The Folk Art at this market is awesome!

Open air musicians are tucked in
and around the vendors and they add to the
festive atmosphere of the market.

Happy Cacti

Spring colors are arriving to the Sunny Southwest.

What would New Mexico be without the Ristras!

Thoughtfully - Kath

Day 16

2012-02-21T10:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a turning point for the construction of the BakeHouse oven. The laying of the oven's hearth bed has now begun and we are excited for you to see the baking chamber come to life. To think that Tom is now laying the firebrick that the BakeHouse breads will be baked on is just so exciting!

Our morning started with the reveal of the slab that is to become the shelf that sits in front of the oven opening. We were so pleased with the way it turned out - and it proved to be much more economical than purchasing real stone.

Notice the little bit of ice that formed - it was chilly in the morning!

The form and the slab. The slab slipped right out!
It's amazing what you can do with concrete!

Here you can see the support blocks in place. The concrete slab
is ready to now be lifted in to place.

The concrete slab is now in place which allows for Tom to start
laying out the firebrick for the hearth bed.

The hearth bed is held in place with a simple mixture of Fire Clay and Sand. A slurry is mixed and used like mortar to set the firebricks in place. The use of this slurry allows for hearth bed bricks to be replaced if they break.

Fire Clay and Sand are mixed in to a slurry.

With a notched trowel, the mixture is spread on to
the hearth bed and the bricks are put in place.

The brick is then tamped into the slurry to set it.

Tom makes sure each brick is not leaning.

The top of each brick is also checked
so that the hearth bed is flush
and level.

The weekends work complete.

This coming weekend should find the hearth bed completed. The next step will be for the side walls to be put in place. Las Cruces is starting to reveal itself in that she's tired of winter and each day is deciding to bring the temperatures up to almost 70°. The mornings are still chilly, but by 9am it's already time to remove your sweatshirt - perfect oven building weather :)

Only a few more days until Saturday - we look forward to sharing our weekend's work with you. Thanks for taking the journey with us. We've heard from so many of you. It so encouraging, thank you.

Kath

Day 15

2012-02-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

This week was one of those in between weeks. A lot of things were accomplished, but not a lot of them could be photographed. The meeting on Friday morning with the Board of Health in regard to the commercial storage unit for our flour went very, very well. We've secured a unit that has a great location to receive deliveries. And just to give you an idea of how wonderful this solution is for flour storage, it's within walking distance from the location of the BakeHouse! My hope for this week is that I'll be able to secure a company who will supply and deliver our flour needs.

Before Tom started with the next project, he did knock out
the hearth bed form. To his relief, all the cut out pieces
released themselves with no problem.

Tom's main focus was to get the slab that sits in front of the oven opening poured. We used Blue stone for our oven in New Jersey. Tom really wanted to try something new and had been doing a lot of research on Concrete Counter Tops so he thought he'd give it a try on a small scale. We both felt it was a great solution.

A Melamine coated bookshelf was used to create the form.
This will assist in creating a nice smooth finish to the concrete.

We used blue painters tape to create a barrier for the silicone.

Silicone was added around all the edges and corners to create a softer
edge for the concrete slab.

Form is now ready for cement.

Once the application of silicone was complete, the form sat overnight so that it would be completely dry when we filled the form with cement.

We woke up on Sunday morning with the sound of ice pellets hitting our roof! The cold front, that is now on it's way to the East blew through early in the morning. It was a bit chilly all day, but not so cold that we couldn't pour the cement.

Bradley's first meal of Ice Pellets!

The pour went rather quickly compared to pouring the hearth bed!

Tom taps the form along all sides and bottom to encourage
air pockets to surface.

Once half of the form was filled with cement,
re bar is added for added strength.

To finish the project, the cement was screeded and troweled just like the hearth bed was. We're both excited to see the final outcome when the form is pulled off.

With this small part of the project completed, we now enter the next phase in the building of the oven. We are really excited about getting to this point since Tom will now actually be starting to build the baking chamber of the oven!

Thanks again for checking and enjoying the journey - thoughtfully Kath

Day 14 1/2

2012-02-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

FLOUR ANYONE?

What a strange question you ask. Flour is in every grocery store you walk in to. Assorted sizes and varieties are lined up like soldiers on the shelves in the baking isle. Even convenience gas stations and dollar stores have flour! Well, since our blog is about the total journey, I thought I'd share with you what I as the baker have been doing while Tom has been building the oven.

When the BakeHouse was in New Jersey, the one aspect of getting our bread to the market that was most stressful was making sure we had a consistent supply of top quality flour. It sounds simple, but depending on where the baker is located dictates the level of stress.

Seems that our location in NJ put us just outside the distribution radius of the suppliers that I wanted to purchase flour from. So that forced us to have to become our own distributor. We purchased our flour in bulk from a big distribution center in MA and then we had to rent a cube van and travel to Newark, NJ to pick up our 3,500 lbs of flour at a time! Then I'd drive 60 miles back home and we'd spend the evening unloading, by hand, all the flour, take the truck back to the rental place and then home! Yikes.

Just before we left New Jersey for New Mexico, very dear friends of ours (Shout out to Glenn & Dawn in Blairstown, NJ) realized our plight and Glenn donated his time and truck and picked up, delivered and helped us unload flour. His business, a delivery company, was just around the corner from the warehouse in Newark that received our flour! What a blessing that was!

Here the flour supply was stacked - this photo is showing our
supply at about half of what we would order.

So as Tom is working on the oven, I've been spending hours on the phone with flour reps from various companies trying to secure our flour supply. Since bread is the only focus of the BakeHouse, the quality and consistency of the flour is of ultimate concern. And like New Jersey, it seems that Las Cruces, NM is also just outside the distribution radius of the flour company that I want purchase flour from.

Since our property and set up are located on a smaller footprint than in New Jersey, storing flour posses a new challenge. I'll be meeting with the Board of Health this Friday to go and look at a commercial storage unit in which I would store my bulk flour.

What's great about talking to all the reps is that you find out what's going on in our country in regard to the wheat market. We discuss how the wheat harvest will be affected by the weather, the economy and what is going on around the world. Wheat is so important in sustaining us - it's has been from the beginning.

"Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For He has strengthened the bars of your gates; He has blessed your children within you. He makes peace in your borders, and fills you with the finest wheat." (Psalm 147:12-14)

It's interesting when you're passionate about what you do - even though this part of the journey is stressful, it's not negative stress, it's sorta like the stress when you're training for an athletic event. You have good days and bad days, but you have the goal to focus on and that gives you the drive and determination to see it through.

I know that when we sell our first loaf of bread to our first Las Cruces Farm Market customer, my heart will swell with joy in knowing that my determination to get the best quality flour to bake our bread with will have been well worth the effort!

Thanks for checking in - thoughtfully - Kath

Day 14

2012-02-06T20:25:00.000-07:00

This morning Tom and I wake up with a great sense of accomplishment. Tom confessed that he'd been concerned all week about pouring the hearth bed foundation since he'd changed two major elements in the construction, the support system and then the insulation. In the end, he's very, very pleased with the outcome.

Our week started out with getting all the re bar tied into place.

Next Tom built the hearth bed form. Then he had to cut a slot for each piece of re bar to go through. There was a lot of detail work to this form which you can see in the following photos.

A slot was cut out for each piece of re bar to allow for
the re bar to pass through the form walls.

Several layers of duct tape were added to the sides of each
cut out so that they would stay in place during the pour.

The cut outs were put back in place. Now when the concrete is poured it
will not flow through to the outside of the form.

Here you can see the space that needs to be left open
and clear of concrete. This will allow for the expansion and
contraction that will occur each time the oven is fired.

Tom then built a protective box around the ash dump so that it too would stay clean when the concrete was poured.

Bradley giving Tom moral support as Tom checks
the support structure. Petie on the other hand
prefers to be a sunbather.

Now we were ready to start mixing cement and pouring.

While Tom was mixing cement, I dumped mixture into the frame.

We'd screed each section as we went across

In the end, my hands proved to be the best tool to work the cement
around and under the re bar making sure there were no air pockets.

With the pour complete, now it was time for Tom to start troweling. It was fascinating to watch the surface of the cement become smooth as Tom worked the trowel over the surface.

As Tom ran the trowel over the surface the last few times he added just a hint of water to keep the surface moist. At the day's end we covered the whole oven base since the weather forecast had the evening temperatures dipping down to freezing.

I did take the tarp and covers off the oven today as well as wet the cement. The covers and tarp were put back on the base this evening since the temps were again going to dip down to freezing.

And this morning I was able to go to the Mason Supply Yard and pick up the Red Brick that Tom will use for the chimney and the face of the oven!

Tom did take the form off the oven base this evening. He did it in the dark with a headlamp on! I'll be sure to post some pictures tomorrow so that you can see how it all turned out. Thanks again for stopping by. Thoughtfully Kath

2012-02-05T14:15:00.001-07:00

The pour is done!

2012-02-05T12:35:00.001-07:00

We're starting to pour the hearth bed - a little breezy but otherwise a perfect day!

Day 13 1/2

2012-02-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

With the dwindling daylight, Tom inserted the last of the Foamglass into the oven base. I had the hard job of walking over the top of the Foamglass to even out all the panels. This whole experience with this insulating product has been very interesting.

This also marks a very exciting time in the oven's construction. The next phase will now be to pour the cement/luminte mixture over the Foamglass with re bar embedded for strength. And then . . . Tom starts laying the firebrick!

I also met with the electrical contractor yesterday to go over the work we need done for the project. My spiral arm mixer is 3 Phase. A buck booster is used to bring our standard electrical service up to 3 Phase in the prep room. We also went over the specs to have electric run out to the BakeHouse oven building and Tom's workshop. So there it is, with the increasing daylight in to the evening, it enables us to work during the week which is very exciting.

I've also taken my 3 cultures out of dormancy. They are very cranky, but with scheduled TLC they come around quickly. I've promised them that this is it - no more cold storage. My plan now is to start making small batches of bread a few times a week, baking them in my Cloches. I'm looking forward to the the schedule - I've missed it very much. The quietness of the morning, the familiar sounds of each task and the satisfaction of watching the dough come to life.

Thanks again for stopping by and we'll catch up with you all this weekend! Thoughtfully Kath

Day 13

2012-01-29T18:24:00.003-07:00

Day 13 turned out to be more productive than we initially thought. Tom was able to get the final frame bracket in place, and the beginning stages of preparing for the hearth base have begun.

These pictures show that there is only one layer of Cement Board. In the end, two layers were actually used. Using two layers will make up some distance that will be needed when cement is poured for the hearth base.

FOAMGLASS!
Finally, the day arrived for this funky product to be put in place. It has an odd smell, like sulfur. It's rigid, yet soft. Strong but fragile. It reminds us of pumice stone but not as hard. And when you put it in place, and it rubs together, it reminds me of finger nails on a chalk board!

The Foamglass was very easy to cut.

We still have one more shipment of Foamglass coming. It will be place directly on top of the first layer. We're hoping that the shipment will arrive early this week so that Tom can start to work on the forms for the hearth base cement pour next weekend.

We want to take this time to welcome all our new followers. We really are encouraged by all the inquiries we've received and we enjoy keeping you up to date on the progress of the BakeHouse.

So until next time - be well - Kath

Day 12 1/2

2012-01-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

Paper Work!

Day 13 looks like it might be a challenge in coming together. Only 1/2 of the Foamglass order arrived yesterday and we're not sure if the rest of the order will come in time for Tom to get the base in place. The forms actually have to sit on top of the Foamglass, so he's planning on doing what he can if the second shipment doesn't make it from California.

In the meantime . . . I decided that it was time to go through all the BakeHouse order forms & flyer's that we used in New Jersey and get them all updated with our new information. In doing so, it was like taking a trip back in time. As I updated the Wholesale order forms for the NJ Shops that carried our bread, I did get a little bit of a lump in my throat. The bread forged so many precious friendships. I'm grateful for the age of Social Network that enables us to keep in touch so easily! So a shout out to Michelle at Nature's Harvest in Blairstown, NJ; Brant and crew at The Health Shoppes in Morristown and Chester, NJ and Reid and crew at the Sussex County Food Coop in Newton, NJ. And to all the customers that enjoyed our bread, you are all in my heart as we're rebuilding the BakeHouse here in New Mexico. Thoughtfully - Kath

Day 12

2012-01-23T06:42:00.000-07:00

A change in the plan . . . . .
All week long Tom had a plan in his head on how he was going to create the support for the hearth bed. With the Foamglass arriving this Tuesday he wanted to get the support base welded and the forms cut and inserted so that next weekend we could pour the cement base and insert the re bar for the hearth bed. Well, Friday night came and Tom realized that although his idea of a steel support base was what he wanted to do, working with a rigid welded frame would not give him any flexibility to work with the little inconsistencies of the block foundation. And in the end not allow for him to get the support base level.

Our 2006 Oven Base

This is what Tom did with our original oven in 2006. After the base of
cement mixed with vermiculite was poured and the hearth bed set, the wooden
base was then removed from the bottom.

Now that it was Saturday, and all of the contractor supply houses closed for the weekend, we found ourselves at the Big Box stores getting the SuperStrut product that Tom decided would be a better choice for base. We ended up buying out the product at both Home Depot and Lowe's!

Tom cuts the channels to length

Each channel is bolted to the side of the foundation wall

The channels are all bolted together

The frame taking shape

Securing all the channels

An almost completed frame. Just a few more channels will need to be added.

In the end, we're pleased with the change in plan. With just a little more work to finish the support frame, Tom will be able to build the forms this coming weekend and then we'll plan on pouring the hearth bed on the weekend of 2/4.

Thanks for stopping by and we look forward to getting you next weeks update.
Kath

Day 11

2012-01-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend was all about cement - one ton of it!

Before we could start mixing cement. Tom needed to cut out all the center supports of each block on top of the oven foundation so that they could then be filled with cement and re bar.

Once the center of the block was cut on each side, it was easily knocked out with a hammer.

A complete open channel now existed around the
top of the oven foundation.

With the channel clear - the re bar is positioned around the top of the foundation. This will act as a support when the oven expands and contracts with each firing. The re bar will help stabilize the oven so the walls are not pushed out.

The re bar was then removed so that the channel could be partially filled with cement. Then the re bar was repositioned on top of the wet cement and then covered with cement. It would be totally embedded as shown in the photos to follow.

Small notches are now created with the saw on the inside two opposite edges of the oven foundation so that re bar can be laid across the opening. The notches will also allow for expansion and contraction of the oven.

Tom confirming that the notches would be wide enough to allow for the re bar to move back and forth.

After all this prep work, we were ready to start mixing cement. We were thrilled to find out that one of Tom's co-workers actually had a cement mixer that he graciously offered for our use for as long as we needed. What a blessing.

The mixing station all ready to go

The first section to be filled with cement is the center support column. I used re bar to work the wet cement down in to the openings and help to remove any air pockets.

Hey - look what I was doing in 2006!

As I filled the channels with cement, Tom smoothed it out and positioned the re bar. He worked the cement in until we had it flush with the top edge of the oven foundation.

Smoothing out the cement in the channel.

Once finished, we had a nice smooth top.

We mixed and used a total of One Ton of cement!

After the cement had some time to set up, we took a piece of re bar and made an impression in the cement that will act as a channel for the re bar to be able to move as the oven contracts and expands when being used.

Time to say good night.

Tom and I are both very encouraged with what we got accomplished this weekend. Next weekend looks to be just as exciting and we look forward to sharing it with you. Thanks again for stopping. Thoughtfully, Kath & Tom

Day 10

2012-01-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

This week I started gathering all the document information that needs to be filled out and sent to Santa Fe for the BakeHouse. A visit to the Tax office and also my accountant proved to be wise since I found out that the offices in Santa Fe are running at least 3 months behind in getting new businesses their Public Regulation Commission number, which is needed before I can get our EIN number! If it all works out the way they foresee, we'll have what we need at least a month before we start baking!

Tom was also able get the load of Sand and Gravel mix that he'll need to finish off the oven foundation and to add to the Lumnite for the laying of the hearth bed. We found a company locally that sold the Sand and Gravel already mixed in the proportion we needed. It proved to be a lot more cost effective this way rather than buying the sand in bags and getting a load of gravel delivered like we had to do in New Jersey.

Copper doing his job of inspecting the load. He's such a Corgi.

The most exciting part of the day was they placement of the final block in the oven foundation!

The final block getting tapped in place

The finished oven foundation. It's still hard to believe that we're ready to move on to the next phase. The top row of block will now be filled with concrete and then Tom will start the foundation for the hearth bed. This week we'll be ordering the Foamglass Insulation and we're hoping that the Winter Storm that is rolling in tonight will work itself out and clear off for another beautiful weekend next weekend.

We've had to cover the sand and gravel pile since the rain,
wind and snow are suppose to start tonight. New Mexico
weather is a bit cranky lately!

We're looking forward to sharing the next phase of the oven construction with you. So until next weekend, thanks for stopping by. Kath

Day 9

2012-01-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR! After a wintry two weeks we celebrated New Year's Day with family and had clear blue skies and temperatures reaching 65°! What a treat. Even with the Christmas and New Year holiday, Tom was able to spend some time working on the oven.

Custom cut in block to fit over ash dump lintel

Center support column

The view of the BakeHouse from our bedroom window - it's so exciting!

Where the project stands at the end of New Year's Day

Bradley and Petie worn out from all the celebrating.
Tom was a bit worn out too. The remote is in his hands, but his eyes were closed:)

This coming week the Foamglass will be ordered and the final course of block will be laid. Then the hearth bed will begin! Thanks again for stopping by. Kath

Day 8

2011-12-19T12:15:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a blur. So much was going on all at once that I'm glad we were taking photos or I wouldn't have believed that it all happened! It started out with Tom going to Phoenix, AZ to pick up dumpsters and trash cans for the company he works for. It worked out really nicely since we needed to go to Phoenix to pick up the firebrick and the lumnite that we needed for the oven.

The pallet of fire bricks fit just perfect amongst the dumpsters.

Mason Mart in Phoenix, AZ was Tom's first stop.
Bruce was kind enough to hold our order for several weeks.

While Tom was in Phoenix I found myself at a friend's catering kitchen baking bread. The customer had specifically requested Sourdough bread for their catered affair. Fortunately I had taken my starters out of dormancy several weeks ago and they were active and ready to make bread!

This old behemoth has a way of keeping you very, very humble.
I only used the paddle attachment for a short time.
In the end, with careful monitoring, the dough did just fine.

It felt good to be standing at a bench again - I can't wait to have
my prep kitchen ready to go!

Then it was Saturday. We did have a beautiful day. I was able to unload all the fire bricks while Tom continued to work on the base of the oven. Tom is looking forward to having a full day to work on the oven without having to take part of his day traveling to get the roll off truck to transport all the supplies.

I had a constant companion in Copper while stacked the fire bricks.

Copper also kept an eye on Tom.

The days end.

The supplies are stacking up.

As I update the blog today, it is overcast, windy, cold and spitting a mix of snow and rain here in Las Cruces. All of our dear friends on the East Coast would laugh at how soft we all are! We get one day without any sunshine and we're all whining. It's pitiful! So we're not expecting any sympathy :)

Bradley is growing up fast. He's one of the most curious dogs we've ever met.
And he continues to be too cute!

Tom and I want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas.
Thoughtfully - Kath

Day 7

2011-12-11T18:32:00.000-07:00

It started out to be an East Coast Winter sort of week. We thought that Sunday's snow event was it and then Monday arrived. The morning started out sunny and dry, but as the afternoon progressed, so did the snow fall. I guess this is to keep us humble. Las Cruces was basically shut down on Tuesday as many of you might have seen on The Weather Channel. We've become softies.

Our patio set. You can get a tiny glimpse of the cement block way in the back.

Fortunately, the sun came out for the rest of the week and dried things up so that Tom could start laying block on Saturday. When the temperature in our backyard reached 55°, the memory of Tuesday had already melted away.

The Man Eater. This saw has been with us for almost 30 years!
It's like a trustworthy friend.

The corners of the oven are established.

Setting block.

The day's end. Tom wanted to get more done,
but the sun was setting fast.

We had to cover the block to protect it from
FROST!

We added the tarp for extra protection.

Bradley thought the tarp was a game.
He's just too cute for his own good

Tomorrow will be a very exciting day. Tom will be making the long trip to Phoenix, AZ for the company he works for. His boss has kindly allowed Tom to also use the time to pick up the Calcium Lumnite and also our Firebrick. We found it amazing how difficult is was to get these two items here in New Mexico. Fortunately we didn't have to go all the way to California!

We'll continue to keep you posted of our progress and thanks for stopping by - Kath

Day 6

2011-12-04T20:41:00.000-07:00

The weather report stated that there would be snow in the area on Friday night. We woke up Saturday and we couldn't even see the Organ Mountains because of the cloud cover. It ended up being overcast and drizzly most of the day, but then it happened . . . the clouds gently blew over and we were greeted with the view of the magnificent Organ Mountains dusted with snow!

The Organ Mountains

The snow line is obvious

Tom decided to make the best of the day, and with his employer's blessing, he was able to take a company Roll Off truck over to the local construction supply house and pick up all the Cement Block, Mortar and Re bar for the base of the oven.

All the supplies needed to start the base of the oven

Tom unloading while being overseen by Copper the Corgi

Copper making sure Tom is doing it right.
Our old wood cart is getting put to good use.

All stacked up and ready for next Saturday!

The days end. One experience that is amazing about storm fronts that come
through Las Cruces is that we're left with an amazing visual experience once they blow over.
It's as if God has revealed one of His many masterpieces for us to enjoy.

Thanks for checking in and sharing the journey - Kath

Day 5 and waiting . . . .

2011-12-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

Although we feel as though nothing is happening with the BakeHouse project, we've finalized several very important steps. The biggest one was finding a supplier for Foamglass insulation that Tom wants to use for the Hearth bed and also around the cladding of the chamber. We found a supplier in Tucson, AZ , which is quite fun since I lived there back in the 70's! Who would have thought that I'd revisit this place because of our business all these years later!

Marking out the corners of the Oven

The next search was for Thermocouplers and a better way to embed them in the cladding and firebricks. Tom wasn't thrilled with how they took a beating and we did have several of them fail after two years. Fortunately an Engineer friend finds this problem easy to solve - so we look forward to working with him on a good solution.

We saved the Temp Gauge from the original oven and will reuse it in our new oven

And we pulled out the original wood cart and did some maintenance on it.

Tom made the cart from the base of an old Wheel Barrow!

It looks like we'll not be able to make any outside progress this weekend since we're suppose to get some nasty weather over the next few days. Right now it's very, very windy and the Organ Mts are disappearing from the rising dust. So we'll patiently wait to start the next phase which is constructing the cement brick base. I can't wait to share it with you. Thanks for stopping by - Kath

Day 4

2011-11-21T19:59:00.000-07:00

Today the cement pad was poured. We were the only job that the mason could get done today since the weather turned stormy and wet! This caught us all by surprise.

The smell of the Creosote Bush, which is in the foreground, after it rains, is wonderful.
The Organ Mountains are in the background.

The plan is to start placing the cement block this coming weekend.
Thanks for checking in - Kath

A hard day for Bradley, he was neutered today.
He's not too happy about the cone either.

Day 3

2011-11-20T13:57:00.000-07:00

The digging is done and now we wait for the cement pour. It will either be tomorrow or Tuesday.

The complete footing

The Oven footing

Tom has been spending today laying out the oven. One of the things that is making this project extremely easy, even though it's late in the year, is the Las Cruces weather! The mornings are chilly (don't laugh my East Coast friends, we've become softies) starting out at around 35° to 40°. The afternoons get up around 75°. There is absolutely not a cloud in the sky and it's very, very dry. In fact we've had to keep wetting down the ground where the cement is going to be poured. Hopefully I'll be getting pictures on the blog showing the newly poured pad - thanks for stopping by. Kath

Creating a complete layout of the oven.

Day 2

2011-11-14T18:06:00.000-07:00

The morning started out with looking at all the construction photos we had taken of the original oven. Since we are making a larger oven for our New Mexico BakeHouse, Tom wanted to review the work he had done. I was glad that we took as many photos as we did for it's proved to be extremely helpful now.

Reviewing the construction photos of our original New Jersey Oven

Now that we knew the size of the oven, it was easy to start laying out the floor space of the BakeHouse.

The final forms are set and digging can now begin. In order to avoid having to go for a permit, we're only allowed to have a building that is 12' x 10'. By doing it this way we can avoid all the waiting, fees and inspections that are involved with going bigger. And since the prep room will be attached to the home, we don't have to worry about having anything but the oven, proofer and bench in the building.

After all the digging is done around the forms and rebar and mesh are added, we'll be ready to pour cement. Our goal was for this coming Saturday, but we're thinking that the following Saturday will be more realistic since we have day jobs to go to.

Thanks for stopping by

Kath

Our personal inspector approves.

Day One

2011-11-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

The BakeHouse project started with replacing the entry door that would be the entrance to the prep room. We think the door that was on the house was an original and you could see daylight around the edges. Tom was hoping that it would only be a 4 hour project, but we all know how those types of projects go! But he had great success and now the sand isn't coming through the bottom of the door!

Then it was off to Lowes to purchase the lumber needed for the forms for the cement pad that the BakeHouse building and oven will sit on along with the rebar and mesh.

Making a list and checking it twice.

Loading up

Thanks for checking in - Kath

The BakeHouse Project Has Begun!

2011-11-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

The rebuilding of the BakeHouse in Las Cruces, NM has begun! We are so excited. Today we'll be ordering all the Fire Bricks and also the high heat cement, Lumnite from Phoenix, AZ.

Tom and I will do the prep work for the concrete pad and the concrete contractors will come in about 2 weeks.

I'll be posting more often once we start digging and building. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

Kath

Our new puppy, Bradley is checking out our work.

Trying something new . . .

2011-08-20T06:11:00.010-06:00

BakeHouse Golden Corn with Hatch Green Chili!

Along with planning the BakeHouse in Las Cruces comes a time to test out new bread formulas. When living in Las Cruces, there is no choice in the matter, you MUST fall in love with the famous Green Chili from Hatch, NM and the Mesilla Valley. They've made there way to the Food Channel and a variety of special shows that showcase this regions most famous celebrity. It's going to take a couple of bakes to work out any kinks in the formula. I'll keep you posted on how it develops.

Three very sour & sleepy starters

This time of being a "home baker" has been a great journey of discovery. One of the things that I've enjoyed is getting to really "know" my three starters.

When I get ready to bake - I take them out of dormancy about a week before I actually need them. They are a bit sleepy and very sour, but they faithfully come back to life within two feedings and by the weeks end, they are bubbling and ready to go.

The main observation I've learned from my starters is that they prefer the 12 hour refreshments and only tolerate being forced in to dormancy. There seems to be an element of "stress" that the starters experience and it takes several refreshments for the stress to get worked out.

All this to say that the best part of baking bread is that the bread is always teaching the baker!

Thanks for checking in

Kath

It's a Winner!

2011-03-16T19:53:00.004-06:00

The Apple Pecan Sourdough won the hearts of the Judges at the Western Pecan Growers Association! I even have a Pecan Grower wanting to barter his Pecans for Bread - now THAT sounds like a tasty deal!

Patience and Practice

2011-02-27T05:25:00.008-07:00

Buenos Dias from Las Cruces, NM.
I was up at 3:30am this morning to bake off the 18 loaves of bread!

I'm grateful for the La Cloche clay bakers that I have - they are the closest I can get to what I pulled out of my Brick oven in NJ.

Speaking of the oven . . . yes, we are in the planning stages and we're really excited about it. It's amazing how long it takes to adjust to a big move and to closing down the BakeHouse in NJ.

In the meantime I'm putting our little kitchen to the test. It's amazing how creative you can get when you're passionate about something!

As you can see . . . it's very easy to convert a counter top to a bench:)

I find that I still do things the same way in regard to getting my Mise en place.

OK . . . I've had to really adjust to this mixer. And my husband Tom has become a pro at fixing it! I don't think it likes the demand I've put on it even though my mixes are very short . . . I think it also knows that I really, really miss my Big Boy Spiral Arm.

Here it is in waiting. The encouraging thing is that the mixer is waiting in the room that we hope will become my BakeHouse :)

And here's the last two loaves of the bake, Apple Pecan. I plan on entering this bread in the Western Pecan Growers Pecan Food Contest next weekend!

I'll let you know how it goes!

It's now 6:30am, the bake is done, sun is coming up and it looks like it's going to be another beautiful New Mexico Day! Be well everyone & blessings - Kath

We Made It . . . . !

2009-11-02T19:39:00.010-07:00

It took us 4 days to make it to our new home in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We left the East Coast just as the snow was rolling in and found ourselves traveling through the nasty weather front until we got outside of Arkansas. After that it was sunny and warm for the rest of the trip.

It was good to have the four days of driving across the country to take a deep breath and process all that had happened to us in the last 4 months. Even the dogs enjoyed the extended nap time they got during the trip!

It wasn't but a few days after we arrived in Las Cruces that the movers arrived with all our STUFF from New Jersey - it seemed that the load had multiplied while in transit. We didn't remember packing so many boxes!

One of the last items to come off the truck was my bread mixer. Needless to say, I was very relieved to see it roll off the ramp safely! And the BakeHouse starters are doing well in their new home. I've noticed a change in the overall aroma as they take on some new characteristics from their environment. They will be in dormancy for a few more weeks as we get settled in our new home. I'm looking forward to making my first batch of New Mexico Sourdough Bread.

And today we became official New Mexico residents. It's all still surreal and we keep feeling like we'll be getting on a plane to head back from our "vacation".

Las Cruces has welcomed us with clear skies, warm days and chilly desert nights. Our neighbors have welcomed us with the warmth and kindness so familiar in this beautiful city. And every morning as I take the dogs out for their morning walk, I'm greeted by the beautiful Organ Mountains.

We are finding that requests for bread are starting to come in as people find out about the BakeHouse arriving in New Mexico. We'll keep you posted!

Thanks for sharing our journey - thoughtfully Kath & Tom

The last bake . . .

2009-10-09T04:18:00.009-06:00

The day of my last bake on Saturday, September 26th has come and gone. There has been so much happening as we prepare to move to New Mexico that I've not had much time to reflect. As I share with you this morning my mind is scattered as we continue to sell items from our home and pack up for the moving company which arrives next Wednesday, 10/14! My last morning baking bread.

My best friend who knows me to the core :)

I was grateful that my last bake was on a weekend and I was able to have my husband Tom with me. Since he actually built our Alan Scott Oven, it seemed appropriate that we share the last day together. I also needed his support or I would have cried my way through the whole morning. With Tom by my side, we talked, laughed and cried together about our life with the bread.

The very last load goes in the oven.

With the tears comes letting go and looking forward. We talked about our plans to rebuild the BakeHouse in Las Cruces, NM. It will take time . . . but we are excited about the possibilities there. And I've discovered something about myself as a baker - I am completely dedicated to this method of baking and have a passion for the whole process from preparing the dough to firing the oven. I couldn't imagine creating and baking bread any other way. I look forward to what the bread will teach me in New Mexico and I look forward to what Tom and I will discover together as we enter in to this new chapter of our lives.

Thanks for coming along ~ thoughtfully

Kath

The student's bring great joy . . .

2009-09-25T04:52:00.012-06:00

Clemence Danko from France

It has been an exciting last week here at the BakeHouse. Today will be my last prep day and my last day to have a visitor. The amount of bread is tremendous as the shops are trying to get as many loaves as they can from the last bake tomorrow morning. I'm very grateful to have the helping hands of eager students!

Jeremy Thomas survives a 6 day crash course!

The joy I've received from each student is priceless. Their enthusiasm for this method of making a naturally leavened Sourdough bread convinces me that my desire to pass on this ancient way of making bread is important.

Janice Ewertsen gets some more hands on learning after just finishing the intensive 2 month Bread Course at FCI in NYC

Laszio from Hungary (left), Clemence's husband also joins the fun

as well as Jeremy's boss Brain (right) from Apple Ridge Farm in

Saylorsburg, PA.

When the teacher becomes the student . . . .

2009-09-04T06:53:00.011-06:00

Teaching a class about keeping a Sourdough Culture The Health Shoppe in Morristown, NJ in the Spring of 2009.

I've entered in to the final stretch of my bread making in New Jersey. It feels a little emotional. And to make things a little more challenging, I've been having to really monitor one of my Sourdough Starters since the weather in NJ went from Dogs Days to Cool Fall Days . . . sudden change in temperature and humidity does not make for a happy, robust Sourdough Culture.

What it has done is make me rely on years of experience of making bread to make the right decisions when I do face this type of challenge. Boy do I remember the beginning days. I could see that there was something wrong with the bread, but I didn't have enough experience to know what to do about it! Ahhh, the learning curve.

I've had the pleasure these last few bake days to share my work day with several visitors. As they spend the day with me, I observe so much that reminds me of my first attempts at becoming a baker of Sourdough bread. Back then I couldn't get enough information, and by the end of my visit with an experienced baker my brain felt swollen!

Now the tables have turned and while I'm sharing and teaching these eager baker's, I'm relearning myself! When these students leave the BakeHouse, my brain is swollen, the adrenalin is flowing and I can't wait for the next set of students to come so I can share and learn some more! I'm discovering that the benefit I get from sharing my skill is priceless. I have been truly blessed by this opportunity and I'm looking forward to sharing my last week of baking in New Jersey with 6 more students.

And this past week, one of my students, an avid home baker, told me that he will be gifting me with a Fig Tree to take to New Mexico. He's so enthusiastic and excited about what he's learned from his visit. He built his own brick oven in his back yard based on the oven his mother had in her home in Tuscany! I will look forward to staying in touch with him as I will need his help in cultivating the Fig Tree! Thank you Mario!

Thoughtfully

Kath

Letting go sets you free . . .

2009-08-18T17:36:00.023-06:00

The commercial range & suppression system come out. Sold to Pohatcong Memorial VFW Post 6701.

I've decided to call the last three weeks of this journey "The Big Purge".

At first it's stressful, there seems to be so many steps to getting rid of stuff, but then once the ball started rolling, before we knew it, a lot of things just disappeared right before our eyes!

What I wasn't prepared for were the little attachments I had to each of the items that went to a new home. These "things" had weaved their way into my mind and heart and when it came time to let them go - well - it was a little bit of a struggle. There was this question that would pop up each time the opportunity came to let the item go . . . . "What if. . . ? " You know that question, it has many forms, but basically it always whispers to us in the same way. "What if I'll need it?", "What if someone I know will need it?", "What if I can't find this item again if I end up needing it?", or the same question worded a different way . . . "Well maybe . . . " And it goes like this, "Well maybe I could get more money if I wait to sell it." , "Well maybe someone might need it and when they do, I'll have it.", "Well maybe I'm just not ready to give it up yet!"

Then if we continued to listen to these nagging questions long enough, they became toxic and start to sound like this "What will people think?", "What if it doesn't turn out?", "What if it's the wrong decision?", "What if I . . . . . fail?"

Wow, when that last question rears it's ugly head, that should make us stand up and take notice! That is the ultimate toxic question. It's the one that keeps all of us from letting go, believing in a new start, taking that step toward change . . .then the final blow, the "What if I fail?" when left unchecked turns in to "I can't". End of story, end of the road, end of the adventure. Once we submit to the "I can't" the forward motion comes to a complete stand still.

Are you willing to face the ultimate challenge ?

Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

¹Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Faith is like radar that sees through the fog.

~ Corrie Ten Boom, Tramp for the Lord ~

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

~ Martin Luther King Jr. ~

Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death. ~ Author Unknown ~

Thoughtfully

Kath

The Challenge of Change

2009-08-10T12:04:00.011-06:00

Hillsboro, New Mexico 2009

This week New Jersey is offering up her trademark hot and humid Dog Day's of Summer. As I prepare to move to New Mexico I will always remember the challenge I faced while making bread during New Jersey's steamy season. Measuring water temps, watching the Weather Channel, trying to get a feel for how the day would unfold and how it would affect my dough as it fermented. And trying to calculate just how much time I had to get the dough put up in to the proofing room was like a good race, setting a good pace to finish strong . . .

As my bread making in NJ comes to an end (only 7 weeks to go) I find that my mind wanders off to the desert Southwest where humidity is hard to find. The very fact that many folks use "swamp" coolers instead of refrigerated air should give you an idea of how moisture deprived the region can be. I know that this extreme environment is going to offer a whole different challenge to the art of making naturally leavened Sourdough Bread.

I marvel at how the smallest change can become a challenge and an opportunity to grow. Change in any form causes us to respond in some way, and through that response we discover some things about ourselves that we may never have known. Change makes us decide what we really believe in, what is important to us and what it is that we really need rather than what we want. I'm thinking of a line in Sheryl Crow's song Soak Up the Sun . . . "It's not having what you want - It's wanting what you've got".

Thoughtfully

Kath

Bake by day, pack by night

2009-08-05T10:46:00.007-06:00

Photo taken between Datil and Cruzville, NM on Hwy 12 crossing the Continental Divide in Southern New Mexico 10/2008

It's been a long time since I last moved. And I'm discovering that after being in one location for 23 years, we've accumulated a lot of "stuff"! I'm also finding an abundance of things that I've gathered from as far back as my early childhood (Fisher Price™ barn with mooing Silo, all animal intact. :)

What I am enjoying though, are the little trips down memory lane, the trips you take when you come across an item you've not seen in a long time. This past week I've been packing dishes and cooking equipment. What amazes me is that even after 26 years of marriage, I come across a baking dish or cooking utensil that was a shower/wedding gift. Then that thought makes me wonder, "Where is the person that gifted it to us? What path has their life taken?" and that question brings me right back to our current situation. If you would have told me a year ago when Tom and I were pedaling our bikes 750 miles through Southern New Mexico that in a year's time we'd be moving there - we would have both laughed! And then I think about a passage in the Old Testament of the Bible:

Isaiah 55:8 (NIV)

⁸ "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD.

I saved a little clip from the Star Ledger dated April 4, 2009 with a quote from musician Carlos Santana. He quotes: "Every time I tell God MY plans, he cracks up, he starts laughing."

Each day is an adventure, be sure to go out and be a part of it, you never know where it might take you!

Thoughtfully Kath

2009-07-29T13:21:00.007-06:00

As word gets out about the BakeHouse leaving New Jersey, several questions have surfaced that I will try and answer.

The first question is the most popular: What will happen to the oven? The oven stays here in New Jersey.

This then sparks the next question: Is the buyer of your property going to bake bread? The answer is, no.

The next question that follows: Well what are they going to do with the oven? And that my dear friends I cannot answer - but let me encourage you by sharing that the oven has made a strong impression.

I will be honest and let you know that I've not processed the reality of "leaving my oven" and "leaving our faithful bread customers" yet. It's as if the two of us, the oven and myself, are going through the day to day routine of firing and putting out BakeHouse Breads, but we've not yet reached that point of saying good-bye. I know the day that the oven is fired for the last bake will be a day of very intense emotions.

But with that said, I look back and marvel at what this little oven has taught Tom and I. Thinking back to the beginning, I remember how excited Alan Scott was of my plans to be a "Micro Baker", and how helpful he was to Tom as he built the oven. And of our dear friend and fellow baker, Robert Hunt, sharing with us that after 6 months, our new "little" oven would dry out and it would start to "hum along" like clock work. He was right, with the passing of time, the oven has become like the little engine that could, putting out 10,000+ loaves a season from it's humble 3' x 4' chamber. And I've learned the most valuable lesson for the baker of bread: "The Oven and Bread will always be my teacher, and I will always be their student". Thoughtfully, Kath

photo courtesy of: Carla Fernandez, NY, NY

2009-07-29T05:10:00.003-06:00

Good morning world. After considering all the different ways to keep everyone up to date on the happenings of the BakeHouse I've decided that having a Blog would be the most effective.

For those of you who have faithfully followed the BakeHouse via the web site you were able to access the information regarding our big move to New Mexico!

I only have 8 more weeks of baking as of Saturday! I can only imagine that it's going to fly by since we'll be baking, packing and finalizing the sale of our property in New Jersey. Little by little my customers are discovering that we will be leaving New Jersey. I have to say, they are all very excited for us and are very gracious with their encouragement, and they are always quick to add how much they will miss the bread. It's hard to communicate to them what that means to me and my family. It's a bitter sweet time and for those of you who follow along on this blog . . . thanks! We hope to take you on a wild adventure as we make our move to New Mexico in October 2009!

Thoughtfully

Kath the baker