Here we are at the Corradino Correctional Services Building at the inhouse bakery, where the oldest oven on the island still remains. Built in 1908, the foundry that constructed the oven brought all the pieces over from England in order to build it. The oven itself and the prison bakery has seen many changes throughout the years, including the amount of bread being baked each day. Ronald Bugeja, the prison historian gives us great information on the history of the oven as well as the bakery itself. They now use a gigantic wood fire oven to accommodate the mass amounts of loaves of bread needed to be baked each day for the residents, by the residents themselves.

We also spoke with resident Alfred Bugeja, who gave us insight on the many ways that this building has served its people of the prison and the hospitals around the island throughout the years with the bread. He was also very honest and humble to speak directly to the younger generation not to follow in his footsteps and do all that you can to follow the rules of the law. He encouraged people to do good things and live a good life. The programme began in thanks to the European Social Fund, which funded the machinery to be brought in to the prison in order to be able to bake the bread in-house. The current programme began just over a year ago, where alongside the officers, the inmates were taught how to make the bread through a specific training course.

I also spoke with a priest who works with the residents. He said that this bread was the best in the world. When the prison bakery opens its doors to the public for selling the bread, which is only done on Good Friday every year, people line up around the block to get a taste of this delicious handmade bread. Upon my leaving, they gave me some bread to try and I have to fully agree with the priest. I tried the bread in a small loaf as well as a beautiful Ftira that one of the lovely residents made for us. Those who work in the bakery do get paid a small amount each week for their work. From there, they are able to buy extra toppings to make their bread into their desired hobz biz zejt. On this day, they made for us a ftira with ham, cheese, butter, and tomatoes.

As for watching the men make the bread, it was absolutely incredible. They have this thing down to a precision of music, math and science all rolled into one beautiful loaf of bread. It was like watching a symphony; the way they have this down to such an art form. It’s a routine among the men that creates perfect harmony. The measurements are exact and the sizes of each loaf were the same. The man at the head of the large table, who separates the dough into manageable pieces, even weighs on the scale the blade he holds to cut it with before beginning any new round of dough. 150g exactly, that’s how he can measure the weight of everything else beyond the handheld chopping blade. Chop, Chop, Chop goes the handheld blade that cuts through the dough and separates into pieces. He cuts into the dough and chops it up and quickly tosses it down the centre of the table. Men are on both sides of the table; 4 or 5 on each side. They each grab a piece of dough as they come, they quickly circle their hands and make their dough ready for the oven. Perfectly rounded loaves ready to go into the wood fire oven at 500 C!

Each loaf is perfectly sculpted and placed into a large floured tray. The chop, chop, chop sounded like a perfect beat of 1,2,3. You could get lost in it. Without realising it, they could easily slide into a meditative sort of  practice by the way the sounds of the swishing and swiping and chopping in exact beats play over and over again. They move with swiftness. It’s intoxicating to listen to and experience. So fast the beats all go, but all in the perfect order over and over again. I was very impressed with the routine these men have created and very grateful that the prison offers something so special to residents who qualify to learn it.

Thank you, to all, who allowed us to come inside and share this time with each of you. This was a very special opportunity and we are honoured to have been part of this experience.