Bread / Rise and Loaf
Bread week #3
Top: Larissa Haas, along with her husband Jim, run Rise Up Bakery where they consistently turn out spectacularly delicious bread in their wood-fired oven. They supply a few retail outlets, but have a window in the small brick bakery so that the community can come and buy still-warm fresh bread. The building is part of Barre VT's Old (aka Socialist) Labor Hall, whose dogged supporters championed refurbishing and bring back the bakery. (You can read that story here.)
Larissa and Jim, responding to ad ad for bakers, moved from Ukraine before war, found a new home and business in hardscrabble Barre. Then, of course, came Covid, and this summer disasterous flooding that swept into their building. The community again rose up (get the theme?) and helped get them get the ovens running.
I’m sorry I don’t remember who the baker in the bottom shot is. But in photo, taken at a Bread Festival in Waterbury VT, she stands before the resident turtle-shaped wood-fired oven, where she baked that beautiful loaf.
I have a wonderful photo of Dorigen's Saler cows having Rise Up dessert. Maybe a few days after people would have enjoyed it but also a great testimonial to no loaf going to waste!
Thanks for the beautiful and inspiring photos and comments on this post-election morning! Rise Up indeed!