He wheats his magic

aving open heart surgery at the age of 37 isn’t the best way to kick-start a mid-life career change. For James Partington, it led to his first foray into bread making. Partington started kneading dough as a form of post-op rehabilitation to strengthen his chest muscles; he would sell loaves to neighbours and friends from his driveway. His interest in the craft grew after he purchased a wood-fired oven and began experimenting with fermentation. After a year and a half, the same customers