Baker's Spotlight February 13 2015, 0 Comments

We are so fortunate to be able to work with such amazing bakers!  This Baker's Spotlight is on Gail Moorhouse.

Gail has lived on her farm in Harrington Maine for over 30 years. Diving right into a life geared towards self sufficiency, the farm began with large organic gardens, a milking cow, pigs, sheep, chickens, cats, a horse, a pony, a goat and of course a peacock. Only the gardens and a scattering of animals remain, but so does the lean towards self-sufficiency. Gail has cooked on a wood stove for 35 years. Her wood cookstove also heats her hot water and serves as a source of winter warmth. She claims that there are many benefits to cooking on a woodstove including always having a surface available for anything from simmer to boil and for keeping the coffee warm! Gail currently enjoys baking dog biscuits for Bella Boos Blues in her wood stove.

Baking dog biscuits on a wood cookstove requires constant attention. The oven temperature fluctuates as the wood burns down and more is added. Even the type of wood used changes the heat. The wood and the damper control knob are carefully monitored. In addition, as the temperature inside the over is uneven, the trays of biscuits need to be rotated regularly. The timing is critical! Gail also greatly enjoys the outdoors. She has a women’s retreat business: www.inthecompanyofwomen.org , a fiber business: www.blackberrylanealpacas.com and a mail order wreath business: www.blackberrylanewreaths.com. She is also enjoying learning to play the Ukelele.