Welcome to my website! Here’s the quick and dirty . . .
The purpose of this site is threefold:
- To provide advice and insight that will help you take your baking ability to the next level.
- To give voice to my own perspective, my own observations and my own intuition.
- And to keep it entertaining, as well as enlightening.
Through reading these pages, you’ll begin to see baking from a deeper perspective. Whether you’re looking for ‘the bigger picture’ or the tiniest detail, you’ll find it here.
So Who’s This Site For?
All are welcome, of course. But this blog is written with a bent towards the professional and the serious enthusiast. In addition, ‘foodies,’ ‘bread heads,’ hobbyists, and pretty much anyone interested in a deeper understanding of bread baking will find plenty to sift through.
So Just Who Am I, Exactly?
“I’m Trevor. Nice to meet ya.”
But I’m guessing you’re more interested in my credentials. Perhaps it’s best to start with what I’m not:
- I am not a bakery owner, baking instructor, or culinary school graduate.
I have authored no books(update: okay, so I have written the popular and influential, “Open Crumb Mastery“),created no world famous recipes(update: well, I do see quite a few folks baking Champlain Sourdough), and have received no Masters Certification.- In fact, I’ve never even apprenticed in Europe.
So what am I then?
I’m a professional. An artisan. I have over 15 years worth of bread baking experience in production environments ranging from high volume to low. You could call me a journeyman . . . a working class baker.
And I’m obsessed.
Obsession is a wonderful thing. It illuminates a subject in ways most will never see. If you ever truly wish to learn something in depth, seek counsel from the obsessed.
At Breadwerx, I’m that counsel.
So that’s my true credential. But if you’re curious, here’s a bit more about me . . .
I’ve spent most of the last 15 years in the beautiful state of Vermont. I even lived in a little red barnhouse for a spell . . .
And in a state known for great bread and great bakers, I’ve had the privilege to learn from some of the best.
The bulk of my formative years were spent at “Klingers Bread Company“, one of the larger artisan bakeries in Vermont. It’s part of the Michael London family of bakeries . . . needless to say, his methods and techniques have been very influential to my own style of baking.
I’ve also been fortunate enough to work with Chuck and Carla Conway at the famous “O Bread” bakery in Shelburne Farms. They’ve been there for nearly 40 years and were baking organic before organic was even a thing. Chuck’s bread is some of the finest you’ll find anywhere, and much of my style was formed there as well.
I even had the honor of working alongside Gerard Rubaud during a short week-long apprenticeship. While my stay with him was brief, much of the old French master’s philosophy and appreciation for the little things rubbed off on me. And watching him in action was both a pleasure and a wonderful learning experience.
Those aren’t the only places I’ve baked, but they’ve been far and away the most influential in developing my own style. The methods and ideas you’ll find here at Breadwerx are a bit of them and a bit of me.
A mix.
So there you have it. If you’d like to know more about my own personal baking journey, then click here. And if you want a better idea of my baking philosophy, then click here and here. These articles shine a light on just what I’m all about . . . and by extension, what this site’s about.
Cheers!
Trevor J. Wilson