Halso Bakery

[SBonner]

I recently tried some of the breads from the Swedish inspired Halso Bakery on Arbutus. The Cardamon bread is very tasty. Pop some in the toaster first thing in the morning and the whole house smells like spice. Any other e-gullet comments on this bakery?

Cheers,

Stephen

bakery website

[canucklehead]

I had suggested this place to the egullet Dessert Club (which is basically Mooshmouse, Ling, and Deborah trying put a professional veneer on their cake attacks).

I really like the bakery - they have what seems like (based upon comments from Swedish friends) very authentic Swedish goods. The baker looks like he is Chinese - but I have heard him speak Swedish to his customers. I've had the Princess Torte (with my god-daughter) and some of the sweet buns. Very good.

What makes me very curious is their Sandwich Cakes - which are seafood or meats sandwiches shaped like a cake - insanity! Now that, my friends, is a manly tea time (they ain't going to serve that at the Secret Garden).

Edited June 6, 2005 by canucklehead (log)

[Badiane]

What makes me very curious is their Sandwich Cakes - which are seafood or meats sandwiches shaped like a cake - insanity!  No that, my friends, is a manly tea time (they ain't going to serve that at the Secret Garden).

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Oh my God...you just changed my life! WOW!!!!! I want one of those! I'm going to make one this weekend, just because I can! I've never seen anything like it...my sister is going to have a cow!

With regards to the cardamom bread...is it filled in any way, like with almond paste or is it just a sweet yeast bread with cardamom added?

[*Deborah*]

I had suggested this place to the egullet Dessert Club (which is basically Mooshmouse, Ling, and Deborah trying put a professional veneer on their cake attacks). 

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What makes me very curious is their Sandwich Cakes - which are seafood or meats sandwiches shaped like a cake - insanity!  No that, my friends, is a manly tea time (they ain't going to serve that at the Secret Garden).

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I fear I am only a part-time member of this illustrious Club. Happily, my work schedule means that I am not available during the week !

Aren't sandwiches already shaped like (square) cakes?

[SBonner]

With regards to the cardamom bread...is it filled in any way, like with almond paste or is it just a sweet yeast bread with cardamom added?

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[canucklehead]

I had suggested this place to the egullet Dessert Club (which is basically Mooshmouse, Ling, and Deborah trying put a professional veneer on their cake attacks). 

What makes me very curious is their Sandwich Cakes - which are seafood or meats sandwiches shaped like a cake - insanity!  Now that, my friends, is a manly tea time (they ain't going to serve that at the Secret Garden).

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I fear I am only a part-time member of this illustrious Club. Happily, my work schedule means that I am not available during the week !

Aren't sandwiches already shaped like (square) cakes?

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Look and weep Meat Sandwich Cake. See what long Scandanavian winter nights do to a baker's mind. I can't tell decide whether this is the height of civilization or taking things one step too far. But with food - is there such a thing?

[*Deborah*]

Look and weep Meat Sandwich Cake.  See what long Scandanavian winter nights do to a baker's mind.  I can't tell decide whether this is the height of civilization or taking things one step too far.  But with food - is there such a thing?

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*Pink Tea Triad Alert*

*Pink Tea Triad Alert*

Ladies, we need to try this place out!

[Daddy-A]

Look and weep Meat Sandwich Cake.  See what long Scandanavian winter nights do to a baker's mind.  I can't tell decide whether this is the height of civilization or taking things one step too far.  But with food - is there such a thing?

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As a Norwegian, I don't often acknowledge the Swedes have offered anything worthwhile to the world. This may change all that.

Okay Lee ... I think the guys need to do this one justice. I'm thinking a ham-cake, a giant lobster and a keg of GI Kitsilano Maple Cream Ale.

A.

[Ling]

I forgot about this bakery being mentioned in the Sweets thread--I still want to try it out. That meat sandwich cake is quite amazing.

[Sam Salmon]

Been there/had a few things.

Cookies great, Cardamom infused Cinnamon Buns also well done.

The Rye Bread is uninspired however.

If you ever have the opportunity to be greeted by their 'Official Greeter'-a tiny cutie in stroller who often brunches there with her Mom in tow-you'll want to return just to see those tiny eyes sparkle

[Zucchini Mama]

Wow! Cardamom bread? I'm heading there today.

There's a great bookstore very close by, and I've been inside the bakery, but just never took the plunge. Definitely has tweed triad potential.

I like Arne's creative boy tea suggestions-sounds like a missing niche in the Vancouver dining scene! ;P

Zuke

[Zucchini Mama]

Can't Help Lovin' That Bread

On Friday my son and I headed over to Arbutus for lunch at the Halso Bakery (a block and a half south of Broadway). We tried the open faced sandwiches-his with lox and mine shrimp salad with sliced hard-boiled eggs. The sandwiches were between four and five dollars, and served on a soft white flatbread, about one cm thick. We were both happy with our choices, and I liked the dill in the shrimp salad. I would say these are more like afternoon tea sandwiches than lunch sandwiches. However, I saw the giant seafood sandwich cake and THAT looks like a picnic feast for 6-8. Then my friend M arrived and we started ordering the sweets. My boy wanted the green cylinder dipped in chocolate on both ends- I can't remember the name, and we also ordered the Cloudberry Cheesecake, Orange Chocolate cake, and a slice of the Lingonberry Roll.

I had licorice spice tea, and M had flowery Earl Grey. For those tea-grannies out there-the teas are served in a tea ball in a huge cup, with the hot water poured directly into the cup. The cheesecake was very dense, with the cloudberries as a seedy jelly on top, and a gram crust with lots of cinnamon. The chocolate cake was brownie-sized and light, with a hint of orange, -- not a dense heavy chocolate, just enough. Our favorite was the lingonberrry roll, which had a cream cheese-berry filling inside a perfect sponge.

The smaller desserts are around the two dollar mark, and the larger desserts around the four dollar mark. This is definitely a nice bright place to go for a different set of flavors usually available in Vancouver Bakeries. The owner was very friendly and looked to be Chinese Swedish? He has a lovely accent.

We completed our journey by perusing the wares at Fireside Books and my friend bought one that looked very interesting called Eat My Words, about women's lives revealed through the cookbooks they write.

I also took home a loaf of the cardamom bread and ate it after dinner with some apricot stilton from Oyama meats. This is a good mix. I just had some of the bread toasted for breakfast and just love the level of cardamom. (My son hated it--too spicy!) Thanks Stephen, for recommending it.

Edited June 11, 2005 by Zucchini Mama (log)

[tarteausucre]

I picked up the Halso Cardamom braid at Meinhardt's and ate it toasted with lovely Jerseyland organic butter. I finished the meal with a Thomas Haas Cardamom and Almond chocolate ganache. I swear I would wed those chocolates if I could. Life can't get much better! My cardmom spiced day has made up for the grey Vancouver skyline out my window.

[PlanitV]

Cardamom bread reminds me of a Danish roommate I had years ago. Her mom used to make the best cookies and desserts at Christmastime. A couple of the recipes came my way and Liz baked like a fiend. The house indeed did smell wonderful. I will have to dig those recipes out and try them again.

In the meantime, I will definitely go to Haslo, along with everyone else it seems.

Ahh, the Danes, the Swedes. Thank you!