Baking Bread In Bamako
	Bread baking is a relatively new phenomenon in Mali. The French introduced bread during colonial times, and the popularity continues to increase. These are of course French loaves of bread, long and narrow. More and more bakeries continue to come into business. The ovens are almost all fueled by wood. This in turn contributes to deforestation and desertification, not to mention air pollution. These are reasons that I am investigating the potential for a commercial solar oven. But that will be another story. The bakery operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There is a wood pile behind the bakery. They split the wood, and then feed it into the large oven. Inside, they mix flour, baking powder (I think), and add ice to help make it rise. The ice is delivered and kept in a concrete storage container outside. They do not have refrigeration. A team of workers takes the resulting dough, measures it, and forms loaves to put in the oven. Afterwards, they sell the bread at a window in the front of the building. Also, several times a day, they load bread onto motos (small motorcycles) and deliver it to client restaurants and food stands around the area. One loaf sells for about 20 cents. Just outside the bread baking room, they have a television going, also 24 hours a day. It is directly across the street from my apartment. I used to resent the noise a lot. Now, as I see how hard the team works, in a heated room even when it is 118 degrees outside, I have more compassion. Also I have negotiated with them and bought them watermelons, and they are keeping the volume down a little for me. Every Sunday, I go to the local market, buy lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers. They I clean them well, with chlorox, and buy a hot loaf of bread when it comes out of the oven about 1pm. I make a sandwich. It is my most favorite lunch of the week! Here are some pictures to accompany the story.