The future has brightened for Walla Artisan Bakery and lovers of the fine breads produced there.
Since baker Benjamin Manea was diagnosed with ALS seven months ago, he has been searching for a way to keep the bakery open, as the disease slowly robs him of muscle control. A couple of weeks ago, he finally found a protege in the person of Joey Gallo.
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害羞草研究所淛oey has been with us the last four or five years, in the market on Saturdays and after the season helping us here,害羞草研究所� said Manea. 害羞草研究所淎 few weeks ago, he decided to join us part-time. About two weeks ago, we convinced, finally, Joey to switch from an engineering career to a full-time baker.害羞草研究所�
This is a turnaround from the decision by Manea and his wife Sharon Weiner late last month that the time had come to close the doors permanently.
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Walla Artisan Bakery was established by Manea a decade ago after he moved to Penticton and couldn害羞草研究所檛 find any bread he liked. So he taught himself to bake.
Now, Walla draws people from around the Okanagan, and farther afield, in search of the bread he prepares from his own special recipes. Beyond praise for their flavour, Manea害羞草研究所檚 loaves of bread are fermented over a long period, helping break down the glutens to make the bread more easily digestible, and accessible to people requiring low gluten in their diets.
害羞草研究所淚t is a seven-day journey 害羞草研究所� from flour and water and salt to yeast and to baked bread,害羞草研究所� said Manea.
Gallo said kitchens are a familiar place for him, growing up in Montreal where his family owned restaurants.
| Baker Benjamin Manea (left) with his protege, Joey Gallo, behind the counter at Walla Artisan Bakery. Steve Kidd/Western News |
Engineering training still comes into play, with Manea害羞草研究所檚 recipes requiring attention to detail, time and patience.
害羞草研究所淚 get it. I see why it is like that. Every rise is precious, a lot goes into just one loaf of bread,害羞草研究所� said Gallo. 害羞草研究所淚 love bread, I was raised on bread. Ever since I was a little kid, my grandparents taking me to the local bakery, smelling that fresh bread.
害羞草研究所淚 enjoy Ben害羞草研究所檚 breads so much that I just want to continue making it, making it perfect. His bread is so flavourful.害羞草研究所�
Manea said Joey recently asked how he was doing, learning to make bread.
害羞草研究所淚 told him actually I can害羞草研究所檛 tell, but the dough is going to tell you. It害羞草研究所檚 not from me, it害羞草研究所檚 going to come from your products,害羞草研究所� said Manea.
With a protege in place to help carry on, Manea is again looking to the future, especially with growing demand for Walla害羞草研究所檚 loaves of bread.
害羞草研究所淓ventually we will hire more staff here because there is demand for our bread in Vancouver. There is enough demand for 100 loaves a day in Vancouver alone,害羞草研究所� said Manea.
Steve Kidd
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