The next day, Rémi and Lucienne go to the bakery. Noëmie is happy to join them. Lucienne quickly understands that cleaning is Noëmie’s territory and turns to Rémi to tell her what to do. Rémi explains the bakery’s schedule and daily operations. He takes over from Claudine at six o’clock. That is when the loaves must be placed on the shelves. The bakery opens at seven, but customers sometimes knock on the door earlier.
“Six o’clock! You get up early!”
“I suggest you arrive at ten. A bus passes in front of the house and takes you to the next street, almost directly across from the bakery.”
Lucienne says she would rather follow him. She does not sleep much. In any case, she will see. In the middle of the morning, Rémi prepares the baguette sandwiches, usually about thirty; he may have to make more, depending on demand. And there are always special orders.
The pastries are prepared elsewhere but baked on the premises. Rémi shows her the frozen pieces of dough, chocolatines and croissants. He takes them out of the freezer at the end of the day so they have time to rise before Claudine puts them in the oven during the night.
“And are they as good as fresh ones?”
“You have to choose your supplier.”
After the croissants, it will be time to prepare the poolish. Rémi explains that it is a mixture of more or less equal parts flour and water, inoculated with a little yeast. The mixture ferments for about ten hours. The sugars released in this way make excellent white bread and delicious baguettes. He lists the breads produced each day. Lucienne worries about a woman working alone at night. There is no danger: Claudine has a belt whose colour and discipline he cannot remember. Besides, Hector is across the street, a strongman. Claudine can call him at any time. Hector is a waiter in the neighbourhood.
Noëmie continues cleaning with the diligence of a factory robot. Lucienne is impressed. Customers appear at the door. Rémi eventually puts up a small sign announcing that the bakery will reopen the next day.
“You’re popular!”
“My bread is good, Lucienne. I had a good teacher. Here is my book of formulas, which my Fernand kindly copied out for me before I left. I would have liked him to come with me, that one.”
“Why didn’t he?”
Rémi puts the book back in the cupboard and slams the door. Noëmie jumps, but quickly resumes her infernal pace.
“Because he is like this cupboard, its doors very, very tightly closed.”
“Oops, I touched a nerve there.”
“You certainly did!”