“Old-fashioned bread” at Chez L’Boulanger
The world of bread is a diverse one.
That includes Nepalese paratha made with whole-wheat atta dough, properly fermented San Francisco sourdough with an “ear” baked crunchy from a measured and expert slash with a razor blade, or thin-crusted Afghan bolani stuffed with potatoes and leeks and served with yogurt.
At the other end of the spectrum are simple sliced sandwich loaves, often the best for grilled cheese or a classic PB & J snack – both for kids of all ages.
In this part of the world, and perhaps somewhere in between the artisanal variety and the mundane is a unique bread that Chez L’Boulanger bakes daily and calls “Old Fashioned.”
According to owner and baker Julie Charbonneau, the loaf is among the bakery’s best selling products in what is a wide range of baked goods and ready-made foods.
The name reflects an appeal to old-timey, comfort-food goodness, according to Charbonneau.
“It’s called Old Fashioned because it’s home-made and grand-maman-style,” she says.
Founded more than a decade ago by Charbonneau and a partner, Chez L’Boulanger, located on Laurier Street, prepares fresh baked goods like the Old Fashioned bread, frozen meals, lunch boxes and special-occasion meals.
Peer into their chest freezers and cooler cases and you’ll discover Swedish meatballs and chicken à la King as well as humbler chili and veggie quiches. Lasagna as a ready-made meal for busy young families is extremely popular as is the chicken pot pie, says Charbonneau.
In terms of sweets, there’s cookies and Danish, but the bakery also makes pouding Chômeur, a depression-era “poor man’s cake” with maple syrup that you find at a sugar shack.
The majority of Chez L’Boulanger’s business comes from catering, however. Lots of catering …
For more about L’Boulanger, visit EAP.
