Old World Breads and the History of a Flemish Baker

Charel Scheele grew up in the family baking business during the hard times of the German occupation of the Netherlands during the Second World War. He describes his experiences both tragic and humorous. He found out that the steady rhythm of kneading the dough was soothing to the nerves and that punching the dough relieved frustrations. The added benefit was a tantalizing and delicious loaf of bread that he could share with others and thus increase his joy despite the hard times.

In this bo...