Backyard Bakers
Photo by Kristina Anderson
Backyard Bakers Photos courtesy Bread Alone
Artisan bread baking on the rise in Holualoa
The couple bakes everything from French baguette and batard to sourdough and Kalamata olive.
the oven starts at a high of 600 degrees, drops to 450 and then warms up to 500 as the batches of bread bake. The baking is timed to the minute and nothing is wasted. “We even save the splinters and dry them out so they can be used for the next fire,” says Carla. Most of the recipes originate from a well-known New York bread maker and are modified to fit their needs, according to Lewis. “There has been a lot of trial and error involved in getting it just right.” Living almost entirely off the grid on a small section of a 16-acre farm, the Draxlirs enjoy the pastoral company of many friendly farm friends including flocks of chickens and wild turkeys, goats, cats and a few cows. “Our basic philosophy is that we bake what we like to eat ourselves,” Lewis said. “Bread can be a good thing to eat depending on what’s in it. And we know we’ve added only the healthiest ingredients to ours: Water, salt flour and yeast.” For information about ordering artisan breads, contact Lewis and Carla at [email protected]. AH
GREAT AMERICAN SELF STORA; 4.7383 in; 5.25 in; Black plus three; 000051914r1
Captiion Lewis keeps the oven around 500 degrees for the best results.
Carla Draxlir prepares dough for baking.
P.A. Harris Electric; 4.7383 in; 5.25 in; Black plus three; 000052092r1
Lewis Draxlir removes freshly baked loaves from his hand-built stone oven in Holualoa. He and his wife Carla got hooked on bread baking when they worked the Portuguese stone oven at Kona Historical Society.
By Kristina Anderson
T
here’s not much time for loafing around when you are as dedicated to creating artisan breads as Holualoa residents Lewis and Carla Draxlir. In fact, it takes a full day of planning, preparation and hands-on labor to make a variety of delicious loaves that include dark rye, batard, whole wheat, Kalamata olive/rosemary and French baguette. Known for its dark colors, artisan breads are best baked in a stone oven such as the one that the Draxlirs built and operate on their small Holualoa farm. “I have always loved baking,” explains Lewis, who worked as a carpenter in Kailua-Kona before experiencing a serious injury about four years ago. “Coming to this farm fit in with my healing and recovery, offered lower rent and gave me the chance to learn as
16 at home in west hawaii/ january 2012
much as I could about baking artisan breads.” Using knowledge gleaned from working the Portuguese stone oven at the Kona Historical Society, as well as designs he picked up from a book called “The Bread Builders,” Lewis built his own stone oven in their backyard. He and his wife Carla usually bake breads in two batches totaling about 60 loaves. They spend almost all day Saturdays making loaves for special orders or to sell at the Sunday South Kona Farmers Market above Choice Mart. “I admit to being a purist,” says Lewis about the time-consuming process of crafting genuine artisan breads from scratch. He creates several organic sourdough cultures the night before, and in the morning heats the stone oven from wood they have gathered and split themselves (No propane allowed!). Burning for five hours, at home in west hawaii/ january 2012 17
Backyard Bakers Photos courtesy Bread Alone
Artisan bread baking on the rise in Holualoa
The couple bakes everything from French baguette and batard to sourdough and Kalamata olive.
the oven starts at a high of 600 degrees, drops to 450 and then warms up to 500 as the batches of bread bake. The baking is timed to the minute and nothing is wasted. “We even save the splinters and dry them out so they can be used for the next fire,” says Carla. Most of the recipes originate from a well-known New York bread maker and are modified to fit their needs, according to Lewis. “There has been a lot of trial and error involved in getting it just right.” Living almost entirely off the grid on a small section of a 16-acre farm, the Draxlirs enjoy the pastoral company of many friendly farm friends including flocks of chickens and wild turkeys, goats, cats and a few cows. “Our basic philosophy is that we bake what we like to eat ourselves,” Lewis said. “Bread can be a good thing to eat depending on what’s in it. And we know we’ve added only the healthiest ingredients to ours: Water, salt flour and yeast.” For information about ordering artisan breads, contact Lewis and Carla at [email protected]. AH
GREAT AMERICAN SELF STORA; 4.7383 in; 5.25 in; Black plus three; 000051914r1
Captiion Lewis keeps the oven around 500 degrees for the best results.
Carla Draxlir prepares dough for baking.
P.A. Harris Electric; 4.7383 in; 5.25 in; Black plus three; 000052092r1
Lewis Draxlir removes freshly baked loaves from his hand-built stone oven in Holualoa. He and his wife Carla got hooked on bread baking when they worked the Portuguese stone oven at Kona Historical Society.
By Kristina Anderson
T
here’s not much time for loafing around when you are as dedicated to creating artisan breads as Holualoa residents Lewis and Carla Draxlir. In fact, it takes a full day of planning, preparation and hands-on labor to make a variety of delicious loaves that include dark rye, batard, whole wheat, Kalamata olive/rosemary and French baguette. Known for its dark colors, artisan breads are best baked in a stone oven such as the one that the Draxlirs built and operate on their small Holualoa farm. “I have always loved baking,” explains Lewis, who worked as a carpenter in Kailua-Kona before experiencing a serious injury about four years ago. “Coming to this farm fit in with my healing and recovery, offered lower rent and gave me the chance to learn as
16 at home in west hawaii/ january 2012
much as I could about baking artisan breads.” Using knowledge gleaned from working the Portuguese stone oven at the Kona Historical Society, as well as designs he picked up from a book called “The Bread Builders,” Lewis built his own stone oven in their backyard. He and his wife Carla usually bake breads in two batches totaling about 60 loaves. They spend almost all day Saturdays making loaves for special orders or to sell at the Sunday South Kona Farmers Market above Choice Mart. “I admit to being a purist,” says Lewis about the time-consuming process of crafting genuine artisan breads from scratch. He creates several organic sourdough cultures the night before, and in the morning heats the stone oven from wood they have gathered and split themselves (No propane allowed!). Burning for five hours, at home in west hawaii/ january 2012 17
