In the beginning...

The Bread Doctor? The name gives one reason to pause. I am not registered with Facebook, and have never understood how anyone could have time to read or write a blog. These facts coupled with the reality of me writing this would suggest that miracles do occur. I decided to use this blog as a chronicle of a big adventure that I am about to embark upon. This adventure involves bread, pastries, chocolates and my family. I am a physician in a small town in Wyoming and have been married for 23 years to my loving wife and we have four children.

During my residency training, my wife gave birth to our daughter, Eleanor. She is one of the most happy children in our family and has been a joy in our family. Eleanor is deeply connected to her family and friends and loves spending time with them more than anything else, except watching movies. She was born with Down's Syndrome and has spent the last sixteen years putting forth great effort to master the everyday tasks of life and learning. As she has been getting older, I have been feeling a strong pull that some provision must be made for her to have a productive life after high school. As her father, I do not want her to wile away countless hours with inanimate electronic friends, or spend her adult years in a vocation surrounded by strangers, who may not care for her in the way that she deserves.  She is the most productive when she can work side-by-side with someone.  Recently, she peeled nearly a half-bushel of pears with me so that we could make pear-ginger preserves.  I have been thinking hard on how to include Eleanor in our future that will keep her productive.  I love baking and have gradually been working on cakes and breads through the years as well as pastries. 

 

Then, it hit me...why not consider opening a bakery for part of the week and continue to practice medicine the remainder of the week?  I do not have enough industrial baking experience and prompted me to explore training opportunities.  Today, I drove across parts of three states to come to Bend, OR to enroll in The International School of Baking for one month.  Marda Stoliar teaches a special class on "How to Start a Bakery."  I am here to learn about the specifics of the large scale formulas, techniques and equipment that will be necessary to try and make my dream come true for Eleanor and I to work side be side.  So, it is not a career shift, so much as it is a career splice.....The Bread Doctor.....wish me luck.  Class starts tomorrow.