How Our Hearts Were Stollen

"HOW OUR HEARTS WERE STOLLEN: A Partial History of St. Louis Bakeries" is a Local Interest book that gives a picture of St. Louis and its independent bakeries from the early 1900's to the present. This book has several major themes that are discussed and confirmed by two primary sources: First, samplings from the archive of 50 Years of Monthly Bulletins from the St. Louis Master Bakers Association. And second, 25 In-Person Interviews with current and past St. Louis bakers. These interviews were recorded and then transcribed, and are now readable within the book itself. The 50 Years of Monthly Bulletins are delightful sources that were edited by an interesting person who freely shares his quirky and folksy opinions. But, he is also an editor who creates a charming window into the world of the mid to late 1900's in St. Louis.

The 25 In-Person Interviews were all one to two hour long conversation performed by the author who later was able to edit them down to a reasonable length preserving the most essential sections of the dialogue. Each of these interviews were unique to the baker and the individual bakery. Yet, all of them contained many similarities. Every baker interviewed had the same kind of personal pride in their bakery, in the high quality and loyalty of their workers, and in the personal relationships that they had with their customers.

The central discovery of the author was of a community of bakers that shared their lives and their families as a "family of families !" This entire "Bakery Book Project" took over 10 years to complete and was every bit a labor of love for the author. He would be completely fulfilled in this project if he knew that the readers of this book enjoyed meeting the bakers and their bakeries as much as he did !