Fat is consumed by his two passions - calypso and baking.
Born on Statia, William Schmidt (affectionately known as Fat) looks much younger than his 67 years.
He left school after at 14 and helped his father in the country by tending the animals. From a musical family, his real introduction to music came when he lived next door to the maker of steel pans. Interested in the art, Fat started to make them himself.
His calypso career blossomed in 1955 when he visited Curacao and founded Amstel Steels. Then on to Aruba where he continued to play in the band. A stint in St. Thomas preceded his return to Statia in 1986 when he started to pursue his other passion - baking.
Fat is a traditional stone oven baker and amazingly, self-taught. As Fat explains, "it (baking) was always in me!". He started with a small oven, and he is now using his third oven. The traditional oven is fired by wood - the wood types used depend on the required temperature. Fat's oven is one of the last examples of this traditional oven.
All his baking is done to perfection without the assistance of thermometers or timers. His creations are all based on his sense of smell and his own "feel" of the heat of the oven.
Among his specialties are johnny cakes (light and heavy), coconut drops and bread pudding (a mix of sweet potato and pumpkin). On baking days there is always an eager line-up of those waiting for the taste treats.
His music continues to capture the hearts and challenge the minds of Statians. His latest CD entitled the Mighty Fat - St. Eustatius Best is typically creative calypso embracing Fat's love of island political commentary.
Fat is consumed by his two passions - calypso and baking.
