Need bread? Like to help others? You're in luck! The "House of Bread 1921" reopens after the summer holidays

I've talked about the Società Umanitaria, before. It's a super space and place, where you can take inexpensive, but great, classes for work and/or fun, and meet interesting people, and maybe even make some wonderful friends. It's always been focussed on the socially useful, and so they recently resurrected "La Casa del Pane 1921,"...More......

...which provides practical work experience for the disadvantaged by teaching them how to make bread. Amazing, but true, there are ever fewer bakers in Italy, these days, because it's hard work getting up hours before the crack of dawn every day.

The bakery program aims to cover as much of its costs as possible by selling the bread to the general public, and that's where you benefit, too. The prices are reasonable (though, rightly so, not cut-rate, don't expect to get something for next to nothing), the bread is wholesome, and you'll walk away feeling smugly happy with yourself.

How can you beat that?!

Reopening Monday the 2nd of September, open Monday to Friday 11 A.M. to 5 P.M., you can buy bread, foccaccia and--as I recall--simple sandwiches and pizza by the slice.

Getting there won't take you through the gorgeous part of the ex-monastery, so don't think that you're lost. (For that, enter--at least until the work on via Daverio is finally finished--at via San Barnaba, 48.)

The bakery entrance is at via Pace 10 behind the Tribunale (Milan's main justice court). The courtyard looks a bit industrial. Head pretty much straight through to the second courtyard, and in the glass-paned walkway there's a small unassuming door marked with a small sign "La Casa del Pane 1921". You'll think you're in the wrong place because the first room is small, dark and used for storage, but just keep heading straight back. A couple of rooms later, and you'll be in the small, but light and cheery room where they sell the bread. (O.K., the signage and location could be better, but who asked us before opening it?)

For more info, call (in Italian) 02.5796.8300, or write (in Italian) to lacasadelpane1921@umanitaria.it.

Enjoy!