G. Harvest was a man who experienced more in one month than most men experience in one decade.  His adventures inspire the breads that we make.  Next week we’ll be introducing our Spinach Wrap.  It’s a 100% whole grain bread that is loaded with Spinach, Cheese, and Italian Spices.  This loaf is perfect for a quick lunch, as an appetizer for a larger meal, or as your contribution to the party you’re attending this weekend.  Here’s the story behind it.

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On one of my earlier trips through Europe, I made a stop in Italy.  I intended to be there for one week but that week quickly stretched into three.  I was a young Cajun lost in the great sea of Europe and the joie de vivre of Italy called to me like a mythological siren of the sea.  Every day was a whirlwind of adventure with olive skinned women and olive oil covered food.  “Ciao, Bella!” became my calling card.  I left it scribbled on notes in kitchens as I snuck out of front doors.  I yelled it over my shoulder as I was occasionally chased out of apartments by boyfriends that women never told me about.  All of that ended when I arrived in Assisi.

The hometown of St. Francis of Assisi made quite an impression on me.  On an impulsive whim, I swore off evenings of decadent food, endless bottles of red wine, and the embrace of vivacious women.  I donated every Traveler’s Check I had left with me to the first church I found and vowed to hike back to Rome, relying on the generosity of strangers and the moving of the Spirit to provide for me.  I would experience Italy like Saint Francis did.

Two days later I arrived, ragged and starving, at the small village of Campello sil Clitunno.  It was past dark and there was no one out… except for that one older woman.  She spoke no English and the Italian I had become accustomed to speaking would have gotten me slapped if I spoke it to her.  The hunger in my eyes met the loneliness in hers and everything we needed to say to one another was communicated in that moment.  She beckoned me into her small home and directed me to the sofa in her living room.  The fire crackling in the fireplace warmed both my body and my heart.  I sat in silence and watched her prepare a simple dish for me in the kitchen- olive oil, garlic, red pepper, salt, and spinach.  She put it in front of me, alongside a slice of buttered bread, and did so with all the love and care of a mother giving her son his dinner.  I put my hands together in a gesture of appreciation and ate ravenously.

She fed not only my body on that night but also my soul.  My faith in my fellow man and my God was restored.  On the plane ride home I swore to capture the essence of that evening in one of my breads.

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Our Spinach Wrap will be available Tuesdays and Thursdays in August.