Baking bread, teaching both feed his enthusiasm
Shawn Rediske started cooking out of a need: He was hungry and figured he should learn. When he struck out with the first bread recipe he tried, his mom gave him a copy of “Bread Alone” by Dan Leder. His baking took off from there.
When Rediske and his wife, Rae, opened Water House Foods in Lake Mills in 2008, they had a clear mission to focus on local ingredients. They knew nothing about running a bakery and cafe. In the decade since, they’ve taught customers around the state to bake breads, cookies and scones, while a growth in local milling and flours has continued to energize them.
He found that his logical, problemsolving approach to teaching works well. The Rediskes now offer classes year-round, including scones (their most popular class), plus rustic breads, bagels and wheat-free baking. Additionally, they teach at Parkview Bed and Breakfast in Reedsburg, in collaboration with the Eco-Justice Center in Racine, and at Madison Area Technical College. For a schedule of classes, go to waterhousefoods.com.
Becoming a business owner
I was working as a product engineer, and I had a colleague, he was first-generation (French-American). One weekend after baking bread, I brought it in and gave some to him. He’s a really sweet, smart, low-key guy.
He comes in the following day and actually grabbed me by the shirt and said “That’s the best loaf I’ve ever had!” I said yeah, whatever.
His wife actually took it to Brick Street Market (now closed), and the proprietor said we want to carry your breads. This was about a week before Rae and I were going to go to Cornwall for our 10-year anniversary. So I called in sick and baked my head off, baked everything I could.
I went on vacation, came back and we had our first order. That was great, except we didn’t have a business yet. That’s how everything started.
Becoming a baker
I decided I needed to learn to cook because I was hungry. Bread was something I always wanted to learn to do. I picked up “Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone” by Deborah Madison. That is my favorite book.
Rae is vegetarian, and (I thought) if I’m going to cook, I’m going to do it right. The book had a recipe for bread. I made that. This sucks. I made it again, figuring it was me. No. It sucked.
I mentioned it to my mom, so my uncle found this book, “Bread Alone,” and recommended my mom get it for me. The first loaf I made out of that book didn’t suck. It’s not me.
The book is by Dan Leder, A UWMadison guy, who was pursuing a philosophy degree. He didn’t want to be a philosopher and wanted to work with his hands.
Making mistakes
I’m entirely self-taught through cookbook authors and a whole lot of really bad, dumb mistakes. All edible though, because even a bad loaf of bread is better than most stuff you buy at the supermarket.
Current favorite
The one I have been most surprised by in the past couple of years is a German bread, a vollkornbrot. It is heavy and dense … the flavors will actually change the longer you hold the bread. This bread was designed for trips across the Alps, to go with heavy cheese and meats.
Know your strengths
Based on response, I’m a better teacher than a baker. That isn’t a denigration of my baking, but I just really like to teach.
I’ve always said I’d like to go out of business because everybody who would buy bread from me is making it themselves.
Time off
Tuesday is getaway day. We live right above the restaurant. When we are out of the city, we are different people.
Local focus
We started wanting to make bakery with 100% local ingredients. I was stunned at the beginning to not find local flour… When Gilbert (Williams at Lonesome Stone Milling in Lone Rock) came on the scene, it was like manna from heaven. To have that followed kind of in rapid succession by these other millers, like Meuer Farm doing emmer, spelt and einkorn. Wow!
Great grains
It is about feeding yourself and those closest to you. How better to do that than engaging with local producers?
That means John Limbach at Grafton Stone Mill and Charlie Tennessen (of Anarchy Acres), and Lonesome Stone’s Gilbert. There aren’t that many places in the country that are having this kind of renaissance. Getting people to try these different grains and finding something they might like is really exciting.
Lesson learned
Making things pretty is really a requirement. I can take two loaves of the same bread, one scored perfectly and one not so much. The one that scored perfectly sells first every time.
Memorable mistake
I had a student who was working for us, making scones. She made the first batch, they came out too dark, salty and a bit off. It turned out she had swapped baking soda for baking powder. That failure changed our process.
Bread baking basic
There is not one person who cannot shape a loaf of bread. It is in our DNA.
Scones sell
Our most popular class is our scones class. They are our most popular pastry by far. They outsell bread about eight to one.
Fork. Spoon. Life. explores the everyday relationship that local notables (within the food community and without) have with food. To suggest people to profile, email nstohs@journalsentinel.com.