Best Breads in Greater Vancouver

[Florin]

Here are some tips for all of you bread lovers out there:

If you have an uncomfortable feeling that someone has put a spell on you, the remedy is availabile at your nearest boulangerie. Wrap a piece of bread in a clean white napkin, give it to the first person you meet in the morning. The spell will be lifted.

Always burn any bread crumbs that have fallen from the table. If you don't, there is a strong possibility that you will have to return after your death to spend eternity gathering up bread crumbs with your eyelids, or with a bottomless basket.

(From Confessions of a French baker: breadmaking secrets, tips, and recipes by Peter Mayle and Gerard Auzet)

Enjoy!

Florin

[Ornivea]

The Georgia Straight Best of Vancouver results are in! Or are they? No matter how hard I tried I wasn't able to find the Best Bakery (bread) and the Best Bakery (patisserie) categories. In the end I was able to figure out that Cobs had won in the best bread category (a sad day for bread in Vancouver!), because of their ad thanking everyone for voting for them. Wake up Terra Breads! You guys used to win this one easily year after year.

O.

[Ling]

Who makes the best brioche in the city? I love eating it and I'm more often than not too lazy to make it.

[Explorer]

Have you tried Thomas Haas Bakery in North Vancouver. He makes a brioche-like pastry which he used to provide for Senses as well.

[Ling]

No, I don't think so. So the brioche is not available at Sen5es anymore? North Van is a little far for me to drive for brioche.

[canucklehead]

No, I don't think so. So the brioche is not available at Sen5es anymore? North Van is a little far for me to drive for brioche.

←

What!? A trip to NV too far for brioche and chocolate? This is not Ling that I know - where is she and what have you done with her you imposter?

[Ling]

^It is out of the way...that's like an hour drive for me in each direction! I can get it down the street from Henry's place at Macrina when I'm in Seattle.

Edited September 28, 2006 by Ling (log)

[PearL]

^ I just had dinner at Diva and the foie starter was served with a generous basket of brioche - is this provided by Haas, do you think?

[jay b]

I know this is a old topic but i am the baker at michael's artisan bakery at 15578 24 avenue surry.If you are interested i make a choc .bread , brioche and a wide range of artisan breads .Some of the specialty breads [choc bread ,brioche,cranberry orange and anise bread ,black and green fougasse bread]i make on friday saturday and sometimes during the week.

[Ornivea]

Good news for us healthy-eating folk. Transilvania Bakery has switched completely to certified organic flour without upping the price. From what I can tell the new flour produces the same great texture and flavour. Yum!

O.

[Kloom]

Bread is another one of those weak areas in the lower mainland. Good bread can be had but where they are found is few and far between. It is not an option in large swaths of our local geography. Near where I live, Antonino's on 4th used to make terrific Italian breads but since moving to Granville Street, he has told me he has cut down considerably bread making in favour of sandwiches and muffins. The same problem for finding good croissants. They can be had but one needs to make a commitment to go to a place like Senses to find them. The same problem is true for finding a good brioche, a bread which does not keep at all and required eating within half a day of purchase. Lastly, where can one buy unsalted bread, the pride of Tuscan bakeries?

Edited November 20, 2006 by Kloom (log)

[Kentan]

Serious props to both Peppyre and Lemon Curd for suggesting (quite a few years ago now...) Fieldstone Artisan Breads. Yum, yum and yum! I bought a loaf of their outstanding Cranberry and Currant Country Bread and I've eaten my way through most of it already. Fieldstone website

When I arrived at the store it was almost closing time and they had only 3 or 4 loaves left. I'm glad to see that such a great bakery is doing so well in what I would consider a bit of a remote location in Crescent Beach, near White Rock. It shows that people will find you if you make a great product. They're located in a strip mall at the northeast corner of 128th St and Crescent Rd - there's an Esquires coffee shop in the same mall.

I also tried a couple of their sweets - both superb. The Florentine was bar was nice and chocolatey and not too sweet. I also bought a massive piece of their great orange cake (made with real orange) for only $2.75. I contrast this with the measly pieces I get at MacKinnon's that are a third the size for the same price.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Kentan (log)