August - September 2009

...love what you eat!

B E T T E R

D O U G H D I V I D E R

What makes the Vemag Dough Divider so special? Versatility and weight accuracy The Vemag Divider adds versatility to every production line and is perfect for all types of breads, buns, rolls and English muffins. It features a positive displacement double screw system that is the most gentle extrusion divider on the market. The Vemag is easily adjust able to produce a range of exact-weight portions, dough absorptions and crumb structures. See for yourself – c all us today for a free DVD or to set up a demonstration

Batch after batch, the Vemag consistently produces precise weight portions at 1% standard deviation

The Vemag Dough Divider produces uniformly spaced dough portions onto the conveyor, eliminating doubles and downtime It can be easily converted to a two-lane set-up to produce up to 200 cuts per minute

The Vemag does not require mineral oil, saving thousands of dollars annually while eliminating product air pockets and surface blisters

The Vemag is easily adjustable to produce a wide range of portion sizes – from 5g to 20kg

The Vemag is easily adjusted to produce b oth open-crumb and uniform tight-crumb structures.

The Vemag can handle absorption rates from 45% to 95% – from stiff bagel doughs to soft English muffins

Artisan Deck Ovens Artisan Deck Ovens

“...our bread has never looked better!”

St.John's Bakery is an artisan bakery specializing in leaven style hearth breads with generations old methods employed.Our search was for an artisan deck oven to replace our existing deck oven and to accommodate a larger production volume.

As a small but growing bakery this was a major decision for us,it was very important that the company we chose could give us plenty of attention and answer all the many questions we had.

We're very particular about our bread,how it should taste and look.The salesman at G.Cinelli-Esperia® patiently answered all our questions and clearly outlined the many options available to us and helped us focus on what was important for us,he was willing to wait while we investigated the alternatives - we left no stone unturned!

That attention,along with the quality and yield of the oven,the responsive service available to us after the sale, along with competitive price only validated the high level of confidence we found nowhere else!

The service from start to finish has been excellent.The installation team was on-time,efficient,and careful.They follow up on every question and detail and make sure that we are pleased and comfortable with our investment.

The steam production is fantastic,the flexibility this oven affords us is beyond our expectations and our customers have reinforced our own observation that our product is now better than ever!

Truly a great company to deal with and our bread has never looked better!

Marc Van Beusekom – St.John’s Bakery

At G.Cinelli-Esperia Corporation®,high quality does not only begin and end with the equipment we provide.You can expect to receive complete service from expert advice to help guide you prior to your major decision and post sale service and support second to none - a vital component of any decision.We service and support what we sell and work toward becoming a positive part of your success.

We offer the discerning client high quality Steam Tube,Cyclothermic, Industrial Electric and Modular Electric Deck Ovens available to meet any need.All ovens can be furnished with Manual,Semi and Fully Automatic or Fully Integrated loaders.

Contact our knowledgeable and friendly sales staff - all willingly available to arm you with the information you need to make an informed decision. Total satisfaction through quality and service is our goal.

G.Cinelli-Esperia Corporation 380 Chrislea Road Woodbridge,Ontario L4L 8A8

Tel:(905) 856-1820

Toll Free:1-800-665-EMCO (3626) (U.S.and Ontario residents only)

Fax:(905) 850-2989

See our full bakery and pastry line-up online: www.cinelli.com

As we walk through life’s education process,inevitably most people wisely settle for the best. If it’s too late for us to be your first, we welcome the opportunity of being your best!

inquire.

Comeseethedifference qualitymakes!SINCE1972 Comeseethedifference qualitymakes!SINCE1972DealerInquiriesWelcome

By BR i AN HARTZ

STiLL iN TRANS-iTioN

In early July the popular magazine Consumer Reports released a survey saying there was little to no difference in the flavour and quality of Wendy’s, McDonald’s and Burger King’s french fries made without trans fat. According to a report in the July 9 Detroit Free Press, the magazine “had taste testers sample medium orders of fries from three outlets of each chain. The testers had sampled the fries previously, when trans fats were used. The fries at Wendy’s came out on top, with a rating of ‘very good’; they were described as having a big potato flavour with a light crispy surface and a soft inside.”

This, at long last, is encouraging news for bakeries struggling to come to terms with Ottawa’s tough new restrictions on the use of trans fats. It’s been four years since the government first got involved in the trans fat debate and it’s still a sensitive and much-debated topic among food manufacturers – and it was thrust back into the spotlight in June when the food industry’s trans fat reduction grace period expired.

At Bakersjournal.com we put up a poll asking whether the government should force food makers to eliminate trans fats from their products; surprisingly, the result was nearly a split. Of course, our polls are unscientific – they’re meant to be conversation starters and by no means should they be taken as a true measure of how bakers feel about a particular issue. I mention this one purely because of the unexpected result and the expiration, on June 20, of the food industry’s two-year grace period for voluntarily reducing trans-fat levels to less than five per cent of a product’s total fat.

}Since December 2007, food producers have been required to state trans-fat levels on product labels. Instead, some have turned to ingredients such as palm oil – which is loaded with saturated fat – to escape the trans-fat stigma. However, as reported by the Canadian Press on June 15, researchers at the University of Guelph and Dalhousie University in Halifax have discovered that full hydrogenation of crops such as soy and canola can produce a much healthier, non-trans fat with potential applications for the baking industry.

The industry is not doing a very good job of voluntarily reducing trans-fat levels to the government-mandated levels, and we don’t want to see bakeries start getting fined for noncompliance.

“What we are trying to do is find a replacement for a fat that can laminate properly, because when you put a fat inside the sheet of dough and then fold it and compress over and over, you need a fat that can stand that pressure,” says professor Alejandro Marangoni of the University of Guelph.

They’d better hurry, because the industry is not doing a very good job of voluntarily reducing trans-fat levels to the government-mandated levels, and we don’t want to see bakeries start getting fined for noncompliance. In fact, as of February 2009 when the latest set of data from Health Canada’s Trans Fat Monitoring Program were released, less than half (about 40 per cent) of the bakery products tested met the desired ratio of trans fat to total fat. The program tested 80 products across seven categories – croissants, danishes, pies, tarts, cakes, brownies and doughnuts – from a fairly wide range of bakeries large and small. By far the most troublesome product category was croissant, in which the trans-fat levels of only a quarter of the products were less than five per cent of total fat.

So, what should be done to speed up this shift in the industry? More importantly, what do you, the baker, need to cope with it? We’ll be taking a more in-depth look at fats in our October issue, but until then please feel free to pass along any ideas, comments, frustrations, etc., to editor@bakersjournal.com, and we’ll do our best to make sure your voice is heard.

Happy reading,

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009 | Vol. 69, no. 7

editor | Brian Hartz editor@bakersjournal.com 1-888-599-2228 ext. 250

technical editor | John McColl, Puratos Canada jmccoll@puratos.com

national advertiSing Manager | Stephanie Jewell sjewell@annexweb.com 705-826-2254 1-888-599-2228 ext. 268

SaleS aSSiStant | Barb Comer bcomer@annexweb.com 519-429-5176 1-888-599-2228 ext. 235

prodUction artiSt | Brooke Shaw groUp pUbliSher | Martin McAnulty mmcanulty@annexweb.com

preSident | Mike fredericks mfredericks@annexweb.com

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SHICK

Complete Ingredient Processing Solutions

When it comes to moving and storing dry ingredients, we can handle it.

Delivery, Storage & Inventory

Conditioning (Drying/Cooling)

Sifting

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Shick provides the best services in the industry to support our automated ingredient handling systems.

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Liquid Fermentation Systems (Liquid Brew Systems) A system is only as reliable as the components from which it is made.

• Single Source Responsibility for Service, Replacement or Training

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A single source for all your liquid processing needs.

When your recipe calls for just a little of this or that, a Shick system will ensure product consistency and quality.

Shick understands the customer’s process, plant layout and unique production schedule.

Installation – Mechanical & Electrical, Site Supervision & Subcontract Management

Commissioning – Installation, I/O Checkout, Field Engineering/ Support, System “Dry Run” Testing, Pre-Production Testing

Training & Support

briefly | New prez at Dealers Ingredients | Lallemand busy with acquisitions | DecoPac names dealer of the year | Big Apple award for Dufflet | for more news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com

Lallemand acquires GB ingredients, Lake States yeast

MONTREAL – It’s been a busy summer for Lallemand as the Canadian yeast producer has acquired GB Ingredients Ltd (GBI) from Cie des Levures Lesaffre, and Lake States Yeast Co., a division of the Wausau Paper Group.

GBI operates a yeast business in the United Kingdom and Ireland from its factory based in Felixstowe. The Felixstowe yeast plant is one of only two existing bakers’ yeast plants in the U.K. and is also the largest one, with capacities to produce bakers’ and distillers’ fresh cream and compressed yeasts as well as instant dry yeast for the European and world markets.

Lake States Yeast is a leading producer of inactivated torula yeast operating in Rhinelander, Wis. It will operate as a separate unit within Lallemand, but its product portfolio will be integrated into the Lallemand Bio-Ingredients division, complementing the inactive yeasts and yeast extracts produced in Montreal, Salutaguse (Estonia) and Grenaa (Denmark).

Lallemand Inc. is a privately held Canadian company specializing in the research, development, production, marketing and distribution of yeast and bacteria. For more information, please visit www.lallemand.com.

DecoPac honours L&M with award

DecoPac’s 2008 Canadian Distributor of the Year award was granted to L&M Bakers Supply Co. of Toronto. DecoPac congratulates L&M on a very successful year.

Harvey takes reins at Dealers ingredients

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Chuck Harvey has been appointed president and CEO of Dealers Ingredients Inc., effective June 1, 2009.

Prior to joining Dealers, Harvey was president of Sundial Communications, a strategic planning and performance Management consulting firm. At Sundial, he helped clients from a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, financial services, avionics,

transportation and logistics, retail, and distribution.

While at Sundial, he served as president of Ontario’s largest industrial and commercial cleaning company. Harvey assumes leadership of Dealers from Alex Robinson, who will continue to his involvement in the company as chairman of the board of directors.

Dufflet big winner at U.S. food show

NEW YORK – Toronto’s Dufflet Rosenberg has been praised as the city’s queen of cake, and now her reputation has been further burnished with a Gold at the 37th SOFI Awards on June 29 in New York. The Specialty Outstanding Food Innovation Awards, or SOFIs, were announced at the 55th Summer Fancy Food Show; presented by the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT), they honour the outstanding specialty foods and beverages of the year in 33

categories. Rosenberg, who runs Dufflet Pastries on Queen Street West in Toronto, plus two other GTA locations, took gold in the confection category. Her winning creation was an almond and pistachio version of her popular Caramel Crackle. According to a report in the blog Toronto Life, celebrity chef and host Ming Tsai handed the Oscar-like trophy to a shocked Rosenberg, who has won three Silver SOFIs in the past four years.

Above: Dufflet Rosenberg, foreground, and her business partner Daniele Bertrand.

iBA sending strong signal to industry

MUNICH, Germany – IBA, an international bakery trade show, has more than 990 companies booked for its Oct. 3-9 expo in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Fifty-six percent of exhibitors are international. Some countries, including Canada, will have an even bigger turnout than last time.

“IBA 2009 is sending a strong signal. The industry has recognized the uniqueness of IBA and is therefore using the 2009 event to celebrate many product premieres,” says managing director Dieter Dohr.

IBA’s growth promises an

increased range of products and services and more trends to see, across all the three main segments of the fair: production technology, raw materials and sales. The new, greener generation of ovens, systems and machinery will be on display. Small baking businesses can profit from this new technology just as much as larger ones, because energy-saving products help reduce costs significantly in baking, refrigeration, freezing and fermenting operations.

Tickets for IBA 2009 are now on sale at www.iba.de.

From left: DecoPac sales management consultant Mel Lopez, L&M Bakers Supply Co. president Sheba Grinhaus and DecoPac senior licensing/ marketing manager Jamie Miller.

Bakery on Main expands into Canada

GLASTONBURY, Conn. – Bakery on Main has expanded its family of gluten-free (GF) products into Canada. The company’s gluten-free packaged granola has established itself as the number one GF granola at natural foods stores in the United States with a 63 per cent share.

“Our granola has become one of the most trusted gluten-free brands within the celiac community in United States,” says founder Michael Smulders. “Our customers in the United States have been spreading the word about our products to their friends and families in Canada letting them know how delicious our Gluten Free Granola is.”

Bakery On Main produces its GF granola in a state-of-the-art facility that is kosher-certified by the Orthodox Union. Its granola is produced under strict Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) in which extensive procedures are followed to make sure that no gluten is present in its finished products. Random samples of raw materials and finished products are tested for traces of gluten residue at a thirdparty lab and test results are available for each production run.

For more information, visit www. bakeryonmain.com.

P & H to replace flour mill

ACTON, Ont. – The P & H Milling Group, a division of Parrish & Heimbecker Ltd., is moving ahead with plans for a new milling unit in Acton, Ont. This facility, designed and built by Buhler Inc., will replace the Hayhoe mill in Woodbridge, Ont., which was lost in a July 2008 fire, and will complement the existing milling unit in Acton. When completed this autumn, total capacity at the facility will be 8,000 cwts per day.

This additional milling capacity will further strengthen P & H’s supply network and support regional growth. It will also provide additional opportunity to wheat farmers in the immediate and surrounding area.

The P & H Milling Group is a food products company with sales in Canada, the United States and internationally, with production facilities in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia.

ogryzlos honoured for cookbook

TORONTO – The cookbook Niagara Cooks: From Farm to Table by Niagara food and wine writer Lynn Ogryzlo and her husband, Jon Ogryzlo, has won second place in the Best Local Cookery Book In The World competition at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in Paris.

Bakers Journal recently featured a cover story about Lynn Ogryzlo (“Adventures in Taste,” May 2009).

Niagara Cooks was competing against cookbooks from 106 other countries. The 2009 awards included cookbooks published in 2008.

“This is one of the most difficult categories in the competition,” says Edouard Cointreau, president of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.

Cointreau created the cookbook awards in 1995 to help readers find the best of the 26,000 food and wine books produced every year. The Ogryzlos attended the gala awards ceremony, held July 1 in Paris, along with friends and family.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards are based in Madrid, Spain, and are held in a different country each year.

For more information, visit www. cookbookfair.com.

Donations sought for Vancouver island community bakery project

Baking Association of Canada member Jonathan Knight is seeking help for a Vancouver Island community bakery project. Specifically, he is asking for donations of five-strap bread pans. He writes: “In case anyone wants stacks of greasy, dusty pans vacated

from their back room, [I’m] looking for about three dozen five-strap 4- by 8-inch or 41/2- by 8 1/2-inch pans for a bakery project for folks with disabilities in Hazelton, B.C.”

If you can help, please reply to jonathanknight@whale-mail.com.

By

STAR PoWER

Interest in cooking shows and personalities is reaching new heights, but how can you harness this cultural phenomenon for the benefit of your business?

It’s been said that we’ve become a society of “food voyeurs” reading about and watching beautiful culinary creations while filling our bellies with junk from the fast-food drivethrough window. Food TV has a robust roster of shows dedicated to the exploration of unique delicacies and the stars of these shows have become much more than mere hosts. Indeed, many of them have become icons, making personal appearances, writing books and even landing gigs as spokespeople for brand name product lines.

This is stuff usually reserved for golf pros and Olympic athletes and it speaks to the public interest in all things tasty. But there is a huge upside for our industry if we look closely at this phenomenon. But will all this hoopla turn voyeurs into participants?

}products in the U.S. grew at an annual rate of eight per cent between 2004 and 2008 in dollar sales. Anna Olson, a longtime prominent personality on the Canadian Food Network, recently began a partnership with Home Depot to be its kitchen expert. Her popularity as a highly visible culinary personality is an ideal catalyst to help home cooks develop their skills and appreciation for new foods.

“I really enjoy the process,” says Olson. “By facilitating that exploration in home kitchens through the Food Network and as kitchen expert with Home Depot, I believe it helps increase awareness for quality ingredients and foods.”

If you’re offering in-store workshops or seminars, you might notice a shift in your participants and in their level of knowledge. Nicolette Novak of the Good Earth Cooking School in Beamsville, Ont., has been offering hands-on seminars led by chefs for several years now. She’s noticing that seminar

The more people can identify with these chefs, the more they want to go to their places, buy their books, have some kind of contact with them.

Food-related television has been around for decades. The popular 1970s program “Galloping Gourmet,” taped in Ottawa, ran for 440 episodes, which were then syndicated internationally. At its height of popularity, “Galloping Gourmet” was seen by as many as 200 million around the world. Today’s Food TV looks at food from every possible angle and features hosts from a huge range of cultures and nationalities. But again, questions arise: Does all this viewing translate into consumer demand for bakery innovation?

Ruth Reichl, editor of Gourmet magazine, says that in our celebrity-obsessed culture, many diners are seeking a personal connection as much as a good meal.

“The more people can identify with these chefs, the more they want to go to their places, buy their books, have some kind of contact with them,” she says.

The sales figures nod to the cachet these highly visible chefs wield. MarketTrend: The U.S. Market for Chef- and Foodservice-branded Food Sold at Retail report reveals that the market for chef-and restaurant-branded food

participants are coming to class with a higher level of knowledge than those in the past.

“We’re trying to de-mystify the kitchen here so people can feel comfortable in exploring new foods. I see people asking for things like Confit and grapeseed oil, so the publicity offered by the Food Network and high-profile culinary personalities does appear to have awakened more people to the food scene. It has also helped the industry shed its blue-collar image. The public now appreciates that it is an art form.”

Olson has also noticed a change in the demographics of people attending her seminars.

“Years ago the people who attended my seminars were primarily females. Now I’m really noticing a lot of couples coming, and young people too. When I say young, I don’t just mean 14- to 21-year-olds, I’m talking about six- and seven-year-olds. This is particularly exciting because they’re watching the Food Network with their parents and this is the next generation of culinary consumers preparing to emerge.”

This widespread appeal for the culinary arts appears to be borne out by the statistics. The July 15, 2009, episode of the reality show “The Next Food Network Star” generated unprecedented ratings for Food Network and was the most highly rated telecast in the network’s history. The show is in its third season. Garnering almost 2.6 million total viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research, the eighth installment of the program tied as the highest rated ad-supported prime telecast of the night among adults 25 to 54. The series has significantly increased total viewership numbers for the premiere in each season that it has aired, season three being no exception with 4.7 million total viewers tuning, a 21 per cent increase over season two. With that many eyeballs on a show about cooking, you can bet that interest in the culinary arts will be piqued.

Making one’s living in an industry that’s hot and trendy is a good thing for business. As for how to turn this fanfare into opportunity for growth, one only needs to look at how the trend is playing out. Offer seminars for couples, kids and whole families as a way for people to spend time with each other. Watch the shows when you can to pinpoint menu items that may be of interest to your customers and then promote them “As Seen on Food TV” (with your own twist of course). Promote the fine ingredients, freshness and innovation you possess. After all, a little star power goes a long way. / BJ

Michelle Brisebois is a marketing professional with experience in the food, pharmaceutical and financial services industries. She specializes in helping companies grow their brands and can be reached at briseboismichelle@sympatico.ca.

Anna Olson and Home Hardware marketing director Jack Baillie.

In September, a white chocolate version will be available on the market.

Here it is, life size

Small and beautiful as beads of caviar, delicious as only chocolate can be: that’s the new Crispearls™ in a nutshell. The biggest surprise comes when you taste them. With their crunchy heart of toasted biscuit, you can even mix them in chocolate mousse, ice cream… Crispearls™ are your new tool for creating taste, texture and decoration.

BRIAn HARTz

Like a rock

COBOURG, Ont. – Some people believe we make our own luck, usually through hard work. If that were the case with Millstone Bread, it’s easy to see how this humble artisan bakery would succeed on its own steam.

But the amount of good fortune that’s come its way since it was founded four years ago is truly staggering – and couldn’t have happened to a more deserving family.

For Doug and Jill Lawrence, Millstone Bread is truly a labour of love – and the fulfillment of a dream that started when Jill was offered early retirement from her position as a marketing manager with Bell Canada. Up to that point, Doug – who has a degree in culinary management from George Brown College – had been a stay-at-home dad. Over the years, he had grown dissatisfied with the quality of the bread he was bringing home from supermarkets when he did the family’s grocery shopping.

Convinced he could do better, Doug took baking courses at King Arthur Flour Co. in Vermont and, alongside the late blacksmith, baking traditionalist and brick oven expert Alan Scott, built wood-fired bake ovens in British Columbia and New Mexico (Scott passed away in January 2009 at age 72). With Jill able to take a year off thanks to her Bell buyout, and Doug schooled in the time-honoured ways of baking in a wood-burning oven, the former Toronto couple devoted themselves full-time to starting Millstone – and getting away from the frenetic pace of life in the big city.

A loaf of raisin walnut bread sits ready for sampling on the counter at Millstone Bread (opposite); Doug Lawrence pulls a tray of freshly baked chocolate chunk brownies from the oven (above).

}Everything is done right here in plain sight – we have nothing to hide; customers can watch their bread being made. This leads to a high level of trust with our customers.

They settled in Cobourg – a picturesque town on the shore of Lake Ontario, about an hour and a half east of Toronto – opening Millstone in the unheated, un-airconditioned, smaller half of a one-story building that also houses a laundromat.

“My grandparents had retired in Cobourg,” says Doug, “and I had a lot of fond memories of it from when I was younger.”

However, the town of 18,000 had grown considerably over the years, especially in the lakeside area near

Millstone. The renovation of the next-door public park – including the installation of a new wading pool/skating rink – and the construction of several phases of upscale lakeside condominium buildings has played a big part in getting customers through the bakery’s door. So much so that Doug and Jill have barely had to spend any money on advertising.

“It’s funny – we had money set aside for ads,” Doug says, “but when it became clear that it wouldn’t be needed, we used that money to help buy out our half of the building from the owner of the fish and chips shop that used to be here.”

Now, they own the building and can fully control the future of the business. But don’t expect them to get involved in franchising

– Jill insists that much of Millstone’s appeal lies in its simple approach, calling it “anti-corporate” baking.

“It’s all pure and simple food. There’s nothing unpronounceable,” she says.

“We have about four suppliers, and everything is done right here in plain sight – we have nothing to hide; customers can watch their bread being made. This leads to a high level of trust with our customers. Of course, it also means bread comes out of the oven when it’s ready –not a minute before – so the customer might have to wait if we’ve run out of a certain item.”

She adds that Millstone is proud to be associated with trends such as Slow Food, eating locally, organic ingredients and trans-fat free.

“We are at the very essence of what’s known as the 100-Mile Diet,” she says. “Toronto is the farthest we go for supplies and ingredients. We use mostly

Doug Lawrence checks the brick oven at Millstone Bread (top); The exterior of Millstone Bread on Albert Street in Cobourg, Ont.

organic flour – usually stone-ground – and trans-fat has never been an issue because we use only butter and canola oil.”

Millstone also boasts an excellent record of social and environmental responsibility, says Jill.

“We chose not to install heating or air-conditioning, not only to save money and cut down on energy consumption, but also because if our ancestors could make bread this way, why can’t we?

“We also give our scraps away to local farmers and all of our leftover bread and sweets go to the area food banks. On Saturdays, the Salvation Army will pick up our leftovers, freeze them, and then distribute them to soup kitchens during the week.

Doug says much thought and planning went into what kinds of breads and sweets Millstone would offer, but he still managed to do some experimenting in the first few months the bakery was open. But, with the shop open to the public only four days a week (Wednesday through Saturday), he says it’s extremely important to have a set schedule. For example, Wednesday’s lineup consists of Crusty French, Flax Rye, Coarse Farmer’s, Cinnamon Raisin Walnut and Vollkornbrot (a moist, dense, 100 per cent rye they make monthly by request).

“It still seems like we have more breads than we have days of the week [to bake them on],” Doug says. “Operationally, we’re finely tuned now, but it wasn’t easy at first having never worked in a bakery before.”

Co NT i NUED o N PAGE 39

Ha L a L Food o pportunities

The baking industry, like most food industries, is and should always be open to new market opportunities. However, new ventures can involve a lot of start-up research effort and expense.

An understandable concern is that the market has been properly identified. In these challenging economic times, it is important to go into markets that are recession-resilient.

Thanks to Canada’s growing diversity, there are consumer food preferences, beliefs and lifestyles that present opportunities for the baking industry. Today’s food shoppers are involved consumers. They are not only interested in what they eat; they also want to know what’s in the food and how it’s made. New market ventures require a lot of investigative analysis to identify consumers and their preferences.

Industry may not appreciate the fact that in Canada some large untapped markets come with a lot of ready-made, up-front consumer information. The estimated $1 billion Canadian halal market is a case in point. This market is slowly growing beyond niche status and, on some fronts, is poised to become mainstream. Bakery companies contemplating the halal market may be surprised to learn that there is more consumer data available than they think.

}The bottom line is that many foods (particularly non-meat categories) and ingredients in the Canadian marketplace are inherently halal, but are not certified.

generation status, age, education, income, language usage, etc. The following are some figures on Canadian halal market size by province:

Canada’s Muslim population (halal • consumers) will soon be approaching 1 million

Over 80 per cent live in Ontario and • Quebec (63 per cent in Ontario and 18 per cent in Quebec)

Major concentrations are in metropol- • itan areas, e.g., Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton

MARkET SIzE AnD SCoPE

Canada collects religious affiliation information as part of the census process. Hence, there is good official data available on the Muslim population in Canada. Industries wanting halal consumer information do not have to look too hard. They can get assistance from a food-sciencebased certification agency such as Halal Product Development Services (HPDS).

A wide variety of demographic information can be derived from census data, such as population numbers and projections, geography (province, city, postal code), ethnicity, origin, immigration and

Muslim Population of Canada 2006*

*Derived from Stats Can

The Toronto area will soon have • approximately 10 per cent halal consumers

ConCEPTUAlIzInG HAlAl PRoDUCTS

Some people think halal applies to meat products only. In fact, it applies to all food types whether of plant or animal origin. Understanding halal is essentially appreciating halal consumers’ food needs and buying requirements. Canadian halal consumers come from various ethnic backgrounds, but they have common faith-based dietary needs. Those needs are

The halal market is growing beyond niche status and is poised to enter the mainstream.

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Serving the baking industry with a complete line of Nutritional and Functional Ingredients – Specialty Phosphates, Inulin & Oligofructose, Nutritional Dairy Ingredients, Preservatives, Starches & Proteins, Baking Powders & Leavening Agents, Hydrocolloids, Alginates, Flax and many other ingredients.

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based on content and process.

The word halal is of Arabic origin and refers to foods and ingredients that are permitted according to the Islamic faith. Various food sources are permitted and not permitted. The major exclusions are pork and pork-derived products.

As far as foods of plant origin are concerned, most are permitted except intoxicating and hazardous plants. Also not permitted are alcoholic drinks and intoxicating substances.

For those animal species that are permitted (e.g., beef, chicken, mutton), there is a prescribed slaughtering protocol. The same requirements apply to food additives. Some additives may have pork derivatives or may be derived from permitted animal species that were not slaughtered according to halal protocol.

The bottom line is that many foods (particularly non-meat categories) and ingredients in the Canadian marketplace are inherently halal, but are not certified. Many bakery products are halal, and those that are not may need only an ingredient substitution. The substitution simply involves using a plant-derived version of the same ingredient or additive.

Halal Permitted Content Exceptions (Not allowed)

• Pork and pork byproducts

All animal foods

• Not slaughtered by halal ritual

• Other animal species (not applicable in Canada)

All plant foods

Email: sales@pizzeys.com www.pizzeys.com

Intoxicating and hazardous plants

All drinks and beverages Alcoholic and intoxicating drinks

Food additives Except those from non-halal sources

MAInSTREAM HAlAl BAkERy PRoDUCTS

The mainstream baking industry can get into the halal market with minimal investment and minimal adjustment. New products don’t necessarily have to be developed. Many current bakery products are probably halal-compliant and just need certification to reassure the consumer.

To get an idea about faith-based product opportunities, one has only to look at all the kosher bakery products on the market. Baking companies wanting to “go halal” may already be making halal compliant (but not

certified) product or may need only a minor ingredient or additive substitution (not a change) in the formulation.

InDUSTRIAl IMPlICATIonS foR THE BAkInG InDUSTRy

A certification agency has experience with the baking sector and can help a company make an existing product halal-compliant or develop a new halal product.

The baking industry should have little difficult fitting halal products into their operations. Companies may already have a halal production mindset without realizing it, as producing a halal product is essentially the same as producing an allergen-free product and keeping it that way.

Once a halal product has been formulated and processed, various checkpoint controls are required to ensure there is no co-mingling with non-halal products. The following points should help allay concerns some companies may have as they contemplate the halal bakery goods market:

First, a dedicated plant or line is not required to produce a halal bakery product. With proper checkpoints, GMPs and HACCP-type protocols in place, halal processing can be done in an existing plant where other product types are processed.

Second, industrial halal food processing fits into the Canadian food regulatory framework. There is nothing different about halal bakery products or how they are processed other than the exclusion of certain ingredients as well as co-mingling control.

Third, a halal-certified bakery product can be the same product that the company is already producing for the general market, but with the added benefit of reaching the lucrative halal market as well.

CERTIfICATIon AnD ConSUMER ConfIDEnCE

Most Canadian halal consumers prefer one-stop shopping and essentially are looking for a halal version of mainstream food products currently available in Canadian supermarkets … and this applies to bakery products as well. Halal consumers are involved food purchasers and need assurance that the foods they buy will fulfil their faith-based dietary requirements. Certification labelling gives that assurance and provides industry with access to a growing halal market – a market that is durable and has been around for 1400 years. /BJ

On the web: Halal Product Development Services: www.halalproductservices.com

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By MARy lUz MEJIA

d oes p ie take t H e c upcake?

With one bite of an icing-crowned cupcake, the glamorous gal pals on the TV hit “Sex and the City” launched an enduring cupcake trend (not to be confused with a fad that comes and goes like 1980s stretch-neon clothing).

Once Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha devoured sweet confections made by New York City’s Magnolia Bakery in 2000, they ignited a cupcake revolution. Bakeries everywhere ramped up to keep pace with growing demand. But that was almost a decade ago, and some are wondering if we are stuck in a cupcake-iced time warp.

Indeed, there are rumblings that a new tasty rival is vying for customers’ loyalty, and its name is pie.

To get to the last crumb on this delicate debate, we put the question to top bakers and chefs across the country, asking for their front-line input and observations. In the world of baking trends, there are definite opinions on the subject.

But first, a little trend-inducing Psychology 101, brought to you in part by New York Magazine writer Adam Sternbergh in his piece “Sweet and Vicious” (published in 2005). In it, he writes that the cupcake’s rebirth was attributable in some part to “the girly-girl culture that spun up around ‘Sex and the City’; and a regressive nostalgia that spurs adults to seek out the comfort foods of some idealized, vanillascented childhood (a notion Jennifer Appel [owner of Magnolia Bakery] understands; she holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology).”

In Canada, few have the retro-nostalgia of cupcakes baked and packaged quite like Lori Joyce of Vancouver’s Original Cupcakes. Her pretty pink shop, which opened seven years ago, was the first North American cupcake-branded concept bakery. In Joyce’s estimation, there’s no sign of the cupcake trend slowing down.

“Generation after generation, we will continue to celebrate birthdays, weddings and countless other celebrations, and what

better way than with an individual portion of a colourful and sweet cupcake? No knife, no plates, unlimited decorations and flavours; the ideas and occasions are limitless,” Joyce says.

It’s true that a cupcake’s appeal is multi-faceted – it’s portable, not nearly as messy as most pies, and is small enough (usually) to be relatively guilt-free. But if cupcakes are going to continue playing the

nostalgic, back-in-the-good-old-days trump card among customers, the timeless pie has a few aces up its sleeve, too.

After last September’s severe market downturn, our new recessionary reality hit. At this time people did what they usually do in times of crisis: they turned to comfort – especially in food. Restaurants across North America featuring budget-friendly menus laden with comfort foods have

A lemon meringue pie from Wanda’s Pie in the Sky in Toronto (left); Miniature cherry pies present a strong challenge to cupcakes (right).

A selection of offerings from Lori Joyce of Vancouver’s Original Cupcakes

sprung up faster than you can say “mac ’n’ cheese!” And desserts? Well, they just scream “apple pie please!”

When economic conditions force families to cut back on spending, for many, this means forgoing foods that have little nutritious value. Toronto’s doyenne of desserts, Dufflet Rosenberg of Dufflet Pastries, says, “Fruit pies have always been in demand and have their own following, even more with the trend toward health-conscious desserts. Customers might take a break from buying a dozen cupcakes, but one pie can serve a family and sneak some fruit into their kids’ diets.”

On the food trends side, the locavore mantra – which includes eating seasonally and sustainably – continues to gain credence and momentum with Jane and Joe Public. If it’s local, seasonal fruit you want in your desserts, pie’s got that market cornered. Chef Brad Long, owner of Toronto’s Veritas Restaurant, says, “I’m a big fan of the pie –simplicity, clarity, to the point and, if need be, a great way to preserve fruit. Cupcakes are all about the surface – the decoration and frills. Pie is all about what you can’t see – integrity hiding inside a feathery crust. It’s back in a big way!”

Kyla Eaglesham, a baker and owner of Toronto pastry shop Madeleines, Ice Cream and Cherry Pie, agrees.

“When we talk about commodities and the economy, pies are making a big comeback, along with conservative values,” she says. “We have made pies for people’s weddings, and bonbonnieres of individually boxed three-inch or fiveinch pies are popular around here. It is a great gift and people usually appreciate the ‘home-made’ quality.”

Wedding pie instead of the traditional wedding cake? You bet!

“I have done wedding pies for a number of weddings,” says Wanda Beaver of Toronto-based Wanda’s Pie in the Sky. “We’ll do pies and put them on tiers – or in one case, one on each table. I made a whole spread and everyone got a slice of three or four pies.”

Pastry chef and baker Bettina Schormann of the Ancaster Old Mill in Ancaster, Ont., was the recipient of miniature fruit pies at a recent wedding and thinks the idea is delightful – and very Canadian.

“In Canadiana terms, the pie has a lot of cultural significance – from the Shoofly pie to mincemeat. People have always looked to the past for inspiration. It’s what I’ve always done,” Schormann says, adding that

at least 15 pecan pies are being consumed every weekend at Ancaster Old Mill’s Sunday brunches.

Perhaps Rosenberg is the voice of reason in this debate.

“In my opinion, fruit pies and cupcakes fall into the comfort category,” she says. “I personally love and sell both!”

There’s certainly room for the two treats, but for those who want a taste of something nostalgic that’s also almost virtuous and luscious, Beaver claims that pie wins the

argument hands-down.

“I’ve always been a real proponent of pies being one of the perfect desserts,” she says. “It’s like something your mom, grandmother or aunt made; it’s a homey thing.”

It can also be as girly and beautiful as cupcakes.

“Take one of my favourites, for example, the Lemon Meringue Pie,” says Beaver. “It’s the Marilyn Monroe of pies – tart, blonde and voluptuous!” Cupcakes, eat your heart out! / BJ

THE

Use less yeast

MEASURE

More resistant to cold water F a s t e rfermentation

Tcanadian Baking on t H e cutting edge

he bakeries on this year’s ‘Who’s Who’ list, as in any other year, demonstrate innovation and excellence – a willingness to do things differently and go the extra mile. However, our choices for 2009 are perhaps more varied than ever before. You’ll find the following businesses strongly focus on the needs and wants of today’s consumer – a first-hand demonstration that the path to success lies in meeting niche demands for specific baked goods with consistency and flair.

DISAnTo fooDS lTD:

BRInGInG BACk TRADITIon

Many of us with Italian blood are familiar with taralli, a rustic pretzel that’s been part of the culture for generations. But those outside the Italian community are also beginning to fall in love with these simple peasant snacks – made with only flour, water, white wine, oil, yeast and salt – thanks in large part to Marco DiSanto.

“It gives me great pleasure to hear from clients who say the product makes them think of when they were kids in their grandma’s kitchens, making home-made taralli,” says Disanto, president of DiSanto Foods in Winnipeg, Man. “It’s something

they’ve lost and now they can have back.”

It’s not just the traditional aspect of the product that makes it so appealing, however; it’s also the flexibility and all-natural ingredients. “It pairs very well with fine cheeses and spreads for gourmet snacking,” DiSanto says. He began making taralli commercially four years ago after receiving encouragement from friends and family. Salted, onion, fennel and whole wheat-flax seed flavours will soon be joined by grape seed. Besides being sold locally, DiSanto tarallis line the shelves of the high-end, Minneapolisbased Lunds Byerlies chain, and smaller packages will

Disanto Foods’ range of Taralli Italian-style pretzels.

soon be ready for vending machines, gift baskets and even airlines. In addition, an organic version is being served within a program that provides locally grown and locally made healthy snacks to day-care centres.

Being open to different opportunities such as these is an important part of DiSanto’s success. He also believes one has to be flexible, open-minded, passionate and goal-oriented. “The rest will take care of itself,” he says.

ARTISAno BAkERy CAfé: QUAlITy IS THE kEy

Finding a café where the baked goods are made from scratch isn’t easy, but people in the Toronto and Oakville areas are lucky. Three Artisano Bakery Café locations serve a varied menu that includes everything from breakfast crepes, pizza and innovative sandwiches to soup, pizza and pasta. Artisano has

From left: Steven Lukawski of Market-Wise Nutrition (distributor of Artisano Bakery Café’s line of Superbreads); Caroline Pohorly of Joseph’s Estate Winery, which developed the grape-skin flour used in the Superbreads; Artisano corporate baker Richard Crossman; Artisano director Michael Simeone; and Joseph Pohorly, proprietor of Joseph’s Estate Winery.

built quite a reputation since its beginnings in 2006. “We are constantly on guard to keep our quality high and give value to the customer,” says corporate bakery manager Richard Crossman. “We’ve found that people are willing to pay for high quality when there is good value.”

Artisano’s newest line of products, launched at the end of June, includes a baguette made with grape-skin flour, cranberry almond bread containing cranberry flour and chia bread made with flour milled from the ancient Chia seed.

“We are constantly researching and developing new products to present to our customers,” says Crossman. “Artisano’s philosophy is based on providing new tastes and flavours combined with familiar ones to give our customers the best experience we can.”

}Another good example of this philosophy is the new multigrain pizza crust made with grape-skin flour. This flour provides a hearty purple colour as well as beneficial nutrients, Crossman says, including the super antioxidant resveratrol.

i love baking as an art form because there are no boundaries. There is unlimited knowledge out there … to continue learning and growing, and there are always new techniques and applications.

“We are also about to implement a heat-stable probiotic culture in our line of new breads,” he adds.

PATISSERIE lA DEMI CAloRIE:

PRoVIDInG A HoME

CHEf ExPERIEnCE

When you hear about something as ingenious and innovative as Galettine Moment, it’s hard to believe it came about by accident. However, Jacques Raymond – the owner of Patisserie La Demi Calorie in St-Hyacinthe, Qué., –can vouch for that. After all, he was there.

In an attempt to create a convenient premium home-baking product, Raymond had been experimenting with

cookie dough. He’d hoped to hit on a cookie that could be baked with a short burst in the microwave. When he removed the cooked dough, however, he found it was too hot to hold, so he quickly draped it over a glass. When it hardened – taking the shape of the glass – Raymond knew he was onto something big.

Marrying flexibility (you can make cones, bowls and other shapes), convenience and high quality (all butter, three specialty varieties) together in an enjoyable experience for the home chef, Galettine Moment has been a smash success from the start. The box is six-sided to highlight how the product is flexible and creative. “People like to have fun with it and play with it,” Raymond says.

On its first day of sales in November 2008, Galettine Moment sold out at a Quebec Metro store. It won the 2009 Grand Trends and Innovations Award at the SIAL Montreal

A selection of Joseph Montinaro’s fine desserts at Dolcini By Joseph (above); Joseph Montinaro of West Finch Bakery and Dolcini By Joseph (right).

food show. Sales of the product and also the technology in provinces outside Quebec, in the U.S. and overseas are on the horizon.

WEST fInCH BAkERy: InSPIRATIon SET fREE

In 1992, at the age of 25, Joseph Montinaro decided to join his father Brizio at his bakery. “Initially, I just wanted to help my father continue to create a stable and loyal clientele enticed by our traditional Italian pastries, cookies and cakes,” he says. However, a trip to an international pastry convention in Italy in 2003 changed everything for Montinaro.

“It completely opened my mind and eyes to a new world,” he says. “Upon my return, I rid the bakery of 90 per cent of the products we’d been offering, and focused on new flavours, new techniques, and new fashionable plated desserts.” He and his wife Maria opened a second location called Dolcini by Joseph in Kleinburg, Ont., in 2007.

Montinaro constantly comes up with new ideas, enjoying the inspiration that stems from creative customer requests. “Some of the new techniques and products that we now use include velvet sprays using cocoa butter and couveture to beautifully cover desserts, and liquid nitrogen to quickly freeze sorbets,” he says. “We use algaenates and xantham gums to uniquely gel our purees.” Always

Patisserie La Demi Calorie’s ultra-flexible Galettine Moment.

concerned about delivering the highest quality, Montinaro uses various imported freezing machines to capture ingredients at their peak of freshness.

“I love baking as an art form because there are no boundaries,” he says. “There is unlimited knowledge out there for me to continue learning and growing, and there are always new techniques and applications.” He says that even if it sounds cliché, it’s true that his greatest joy comes from seeing how much his clients

enjoy and appreciate his work.

“I try to create things that are not just dessert but are visual and sensory experiences as well,” Montinaro says. “I get to travel more now, and see what my colleagues are doing, experience different things that motivate me, and work alongside some of my peers.”

kooTEnAy BAkERy CAfé: Co-oPERATInG foR SUCCESS

Although the products made at Kootenay

Bakery Café Co-op in Nelson, B.C., are much the same as those found in any bakery, “Our ingredients and methods are often different,” says member-owner Cynthia Olivas. “First of all, we source all ingredients according to the main criteria of being organic and local,” she says. “The fact that we use a lot of alternative grains such as spelt, kamut, oat and rice flours also means we have to use different baking methods.”

Spelt pie crusts and danishes, for example, start with a traditional formulation, but then specific adjustments must be made. “More and more, we’re being asked to produce wheat-alternative products,” Olivas notes.

That the eight year-old bakery and café is a co-op also sets it apart. “Our guidelines allow us to work as a group, even though we are individuals with diverse opinions,” she says. “This co-op aims to provide sustainable employment, contribute to the local economy through purchasing locally and providing nutritious food, be active in the community, and support fair trade and sustainable agriculture.”

Community enthusiasm for the venture has been tremendous. “Locals not only shop and eat here regularly, but have lent capital through the purchase of Preferred Shares,” says Olivas. “The staff members at KBCC are also very involved

Dustin Eagleston and Natalie Phillips making bread at Kootenay Bakery.

Veterans returning for another round but call goes out for new talent as well | By

BRIAn HARTz

t eam canada gearing up

Team Canada did not qualify for the last Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie (Bakery World Cup), in 2008, but Alan Dumonceaux, Bill Clay and Tracey Muzzolini are aiming to change that for the next edition of the prestigious baking competition.

Dumonceaux, chairman of the baking program in the School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT), is heading up Team Canada’s effort to be a factor in the competition and is looking for one more participant as the regional qualifier, known as the Louis Lesaffre Cup, approaches.

Returning to the team are Clay, owner of Bodhi’s Bakery in Nanaimo, B.C., and Muzzolini, co-owner of Christie’s Mayfair Bakery in Saskatoon, Sask.

To be held at the next International Baking Industry Exposition, Sept. 26-29, 2010, in Las Vegas, the Louis Lesaffre Cup requires teams of three to produce a specific number of baked goods in categories such as baguette, specialty and ethnic breads, Viennoiserie, artistic design, and savory selection, within a set amount of time. The competition provides a great opportunity to identify and showcase regional talent and places a spotlight on the skill, passion and pride paramount to the artisan baking profession.

Clay says potential competitors should not feel overwhelmed by the challenge of representing Canada and spending time away from their business, but rather, they should welcome the opportunity for personal and professional growth.

“I got asked at the last minute to go to the

last competition, in Mexico,” he says. “I stepped into someone else’s shoes. I had never made a bread showpiece in my life and had only 90 days to get ready. My formal training was as a pastry chef and I had just sort of fallen into baking, but being part of Team Canada made me realize that artisan bread baking was my true calling.”

Muzzolini, who competed in the bread category in the previous Louis Lesaffre Cup, concurs, saying the experience made her a better baker and a better person.

“I am a more confident person and baker as a result of the Team Canada experience,” she says. “For me, this is a huge achievement.”

Both Team Canada veterans cited the opportunity to travel and interact with – and thus learn from – fellow bakers as

Team Canada competing at the previous Louis Lesaffre Cup, in Mexico. From left: Tracey Muzzolini, Bill Clay and Didier Julien.

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By Jo HN Mi CHAEL

DES

FiBRE FUNDAMENTALS

Continuing our series on the basic ingredients for baking, what are the types of dietary fibres normally used in baked goods, what is their functionality, and what effect do they have on health?

There have been many discussions and arguments among scientists and regulators regarding the definition of dietary fibre.

Recently, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) has adopted a new definition of fibre designed to harmonize the use of the term around the globe. The American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) provides the following definition, which includes oligosaccharides:

Dietary fibre is the edible part of plants or analogous carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine.

}adhere to the regulations of the targeted country. Fibre ingredients that are permitted for food use may not necessarily be recognized as fibre by Health Canada. Therefore, if we are making a fibre claim we should use those that are recognized as such. The fibre ingredients permitted for use in Canada are listed on the CFIA website: www.inspection.gc.ca.

The food regulations in Canada also state that: The amount of dietary fibre is one of the 13 core nutrients that must be declared in the Nutrition Facts table [item 10 of the table to B.01.401]. The amount of both soluble fibre and insoluble fibre may be separately declared as additional information [item 10 and 11 in the table to B.01.402].

It is well understood that there are two types of fibre. Soluble dietary fibre that will dissolve in water, and insoluble which will not dissolve in water. The total fibre content from most naturally

Many new fibres, especially soluble, are appearing in the market. As we gain further understanding of the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics, the use of such fibres in foods will expand.

Dietary fibre includes polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lignin, and associated plants substances. Dietary fibres promote beneficial physiological effects including laxation, and/or blood cholesterol attenuation, and/or blood glucose attenuation.

What to include as a dietary fibre varies in the various definitions, particularly in the case of oligosaccharides and the degree of polymerisation (number of monomers). The definition adopted recently by CAC states that the carbohydrate polymers must have 10 or more monomeric units. A footnote included in the provision suggests the “decision on whether to include carbohydrates from three to nine monomeric units should be left to national authorities.”

The AACC definition, however, does not restrict the number of monomeric units to higher than 10.

This article will not extensively discuss the definition of dietary fibre. As formulators of food products we should always use ingredients that are permitted in Canada, and in the case of exports

occurring plant sources consists of both types in varying amounts. However, manufactured or processed dietary fibres may exclusively contain one or the other. Soluble and insoluble dietary fibres perform different functions and have different effects on formulation of food products. These different types of fibres also provide different health benefits.

The health benefits for soluble and insoluble fibres are numerous and they are well documented and substantiated with credible scientific research. Some of the health benefits include:

Cardiovascular health:

• Soluble fibre has been proven to reduce blood cholesterol levels, thus helping in the reduction of heart disease. In order to reinforce this relationship in the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has approved health claims for beta-glucans from oats and barley as well as fibre from psyllium husks.

•

Gastrointestinal health: Insoluble

fibre maintains regularity as a bulking agent. Some fibres are also fermented in the colon, providing substantial benefits. Basically they can function as prebiotics, increasing the number of beneficial micro flora in the gut (probiotics) and enhancing the gastrointestinal system and immune system.

Weight management: Fibre fills

• you up and breaks down much more slowly (if at all) than other carbohydrates. A study of more than 74,000 nurses in the U.S. showed that women with the highest dietary fibre intake gained an average of 3.5 pounds (1.52 kilograms) less than women with the lowest levels of fibre intake.

Cancer: Fibre has been associated

• with preventing specific types of bowel and breast cancer. In one study, it was concluded that individuals with a low average intake of fibre could reduce their risk of colorectal cancer dramatically if they doubled their fibre intake.

Type 2 diabetes: Individuals with

• Type 2 diabetes and those with a pre-diabetic position can maintain a healthier blood sugar level with higher fibre consumption, because

Beans and lentils are a great source of fibre.

fibre is slower to breakdown into glucose than other carbohydrates such as starches.

Some natural sources of insoluble fibre include wheat bran, whole grains and some vegetables. High amounts of soluble dietary fibre are found in oats, barley, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and some fruits and vegetables.

A plethora of manufactured, extracted or processed fibre ingredients are available in the market. Such include white or light-colour insoluble from oat hulls and various brans. The market demand for high dietary fibre light colour foods led to the development of whole-grain flours and bleached fibres. Such ingredients expand the use of fibre in many food categories.

Many new fibres, especially soluble, are appearing in the market. As we gain further understanding of the benefits of prebiotics and probiotics, the use of such fibres in foods will expand. These new ingredients include inulin and other fructo-oligosaccharides, short chain fructo-oligosaccharides (scFOS) and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS).

Health Canada recommends that Canadians consume approximately 25 grams of dietary fibre per day; however, it is likely that on average we consume only a fraction of that per day. We need to convince consumers to eat more soluble and insoluble fibre. To achieve this we need to incorporate more fibre into mainstream food products and at the same time maintain the good taste and texture of these foods. / BJ

Funding for this report was provided in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Adaptation Council’s CanAdvance Program.

Dr. John Michaelides is Guelph Food Technology Institute’s director of research and technology. For more information, or fee-for-service help with product or process development needs, please contact GFTC at 519-821-1246 or gftc@gftc.ca.

CoRRECTioN

In Jane Dummer’s latest Final Proof column, “Don’t Be Dysfunctional” (July 2009), a copy-editing mistake led to the implication that insulin is a prebiotic. The correct term is “inulin.” Bakers Journal regrets the error.

in the business. Their participation in creating any profit is rewarded through regular profit-sharing.”

The Kooteny Bakery Café Co-op continues to explore new ways to meet its mandate. For example, this year it became a member of a local Grain CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group, through which it will purchase a ton of locally grown grain. In the near future, the co-op might also purchase the building it currently operates in. “Whatever the future brings,” says Olivas, “we’ll encounter it together.”

kATIE’S fARM: BAkED TREATS

foR fURRy fRIEnDS

Hearing about baked goods made with organic grains, fruit, veggies, cheese and spring water can certainly make one’s mouth water – and even more so if you’re a dog or cat! In Clam Harbour, N.S., you will find Katie’s Farm, Canada’s only certified organic dog and cat treat and dog food bakery that grows ingredients such as eggs, garlic, herbs, and vegetables right on the premises. The pet treats and food contain no meat, wheat, salt, sugar,

corn or soy – instead, they’re bursting with organic grains such as spelt (purchased from a local mill) and organic fruit, veggies, cheddar cheese, cashew butter, sunflower seeds, oil, milk and more.

Owner Jude Major started the bakery in 2002. “I had been making treats and food for my dogs for years,” she says, “and one day when I was walking, I thought ‘why not?’” She sells at the Halifax Farmers’ Market and wholesale to stores, and ships the product across Canada. Major has also been approached to

create specialty products. “Through the power of the web, I was contacted and now manufacture private label parrot treats for Avian Organics in Crofton, B.C.,” she says. “These don’t have any milk or cheese, but have everything else. They’re a pretty rosy colour, and made in a bagel shape so the parrots can hold them.” / BJ

Treena Hein is a freelance writer based in Pembroke, Ont. She won the 2008 Star Prize awarded by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists.

incentives for taking this plunge onto the world stage. And while it’s certainly tough for a baker to be away from his or her bakery, thanks to donations and sponsorships, most of the costs associated with the competition and its preparation are covered.

}“You get to work with different personalities and be exposed to new styles,” says Clay. “You get to travel across this great country getting ready and then travelling to the qualifier. And all it costs you is time.”

support this effort. Also, as Canadians, we need to swallow our humble pie and go into the competition with a winning attitude. There is absolutely no reason why we can’t

you get to work with different personalities and be exposed to new styles. you get to travel across this great country getting ready and traveling to the qualifier. And all it costs you is time.

make it to Paris in 2012 and be on that winning podium!”

second place and is looking for people to step up and embrace this chance to burnish Canada’s reputation in the global baking industry.

Muzzolini comes across as a baker with something to prove this time around, after Team Canada missed out on being in the top 12 teams that went on to compete in Paris.

“[We have to] practice, practice, practice in as many different venues as possible,” she says. “Each individual has to practice on their own, then practice together as a team as much as possible. Bringing in experts in each category to offer coaching to each team member is crucial. We need to raise the sufficient funds and find sponsors to

Looking back on the previous campaign, Clay doesn’t rue the stiff competition that prevented Team Canada from advancing; instead, he appreciates how it brought out the best of his abilities.

“I got to hone my skills on the world stage and compete against the best in the world in artistic showpiece,” he says. “Like any competition on the world stage, you’ve got to bring your ‘A’ game. It’s the same thing in baking as hockey or football. There’s no second place, so you strive to be the best. We came in second place in Mexico, it was unfortunate, but c’est la vie.”

Muzzolini, for one, is not satisfied with

“I would say to any serious artisan baker out there who is looking to challenge themselves to raise their own skill level, this is an amazing opportunity,” she adds. “The travel aspect is fabulous, and you are treated like royalty. But the truth is that you get out of it what you put in. You have to be willing to dedicate a lot of personal time to practice and develop products. You have to be prepared to push yourself and take criticism. [But] it is a lot of fun and a great, lifechanging experience.

“[I want to] showcase Canadian talent to the rest of the world. It was my experience that internationally, people don’t think we can make good bread here. I want to show them that we have talent and passion for bread making.”/ BJ

The 2012 Bakery World Cup takes place at Europain in Paris. For more information, including an application form for Team Canada, contact Dumonceaux at 780-471-8693 or adumonce@nait.ca.

Call our Canadian Distributors to request our catalog:

BakeMark of Canada

3202 - 9th Street S.E. Calgary, Alberta T2G 3C3 (800) 663-CAKE (604) 303-1700

Cake Top Inc.

151 Carling View Drive, Unit 2 Etobicoke, Ontario M9W 5S4 (800) 584-9883 (416) 798-1777

Catalog Sales Division (800) 428-4413

L & M Bakers Supply Co. 2501 Steeles Ave.W., Unit 1 Downsview, Ontario M3J 2P1 (800) 465-7361 (416) 665-3005

Nicholson Equipment Ltd. 3975 Kitchener Street Burnaby, B.C.V5C 3L9 (800) 668-3722 (604) 291-1901

Nicholson Equipment Ltd. 11640 - 147th St. Edmonton, AB T5M 1W2 (800) 661-9026 (780) 451-6262

Traynor's Bakery Wholesale

191 Victoria Ave.S., Hamilton, Ontario L8N 3C8 (800) 263-9239 (905) 522-2730

Vincent S.Varietes Ltd.

433 Rue Saint Paul LeGardeur, Quebec J5Z 4C7 (800) 263-1687 (450) 585-1687

Vixit Products Ltd.

290 Henri Bourassa Ouest Montreal, Quebec H3L 1N7 (800) 463-8782 (514) 337-0814

BAKERS

An exclusive insurance program for Ontario bakers. Get the coverage you need at competitive rates.

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By BRIAn HARTz

g rand organic opening

TORONTO – June 22 dawned darkly for Toronto as 24,000 city workers went on strike, but Organic Oven made some much-needed good news as it welcomed customers to its new North York café during a grand opening complete with a blessing and ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Although it had been operating since May 13, owner Peachy Yutangco chose a picture-perfect summer day to officially launch the retail arm of the Brampton, Ont.-based maker of high-quality, organic, gluten-free baked goods, many of which are also dairy-free and vegan.

Yutangco, a baker who came to Canada from the Philippines about 14 years ago, founded Organic Oven in 2001. Over the

past seven years, the company has had success as a wholesaler, providing its breads, cakes, pies, cookies, bagels, muffins and other delicacies to supermarkets as well as specialty and gourmet grocers such as Whole Foods, the Big Carrot and Noah’s Natural Foods.

During that time, the company has attracted attention from organizations such as the Canadian Celiac Association, whose Toronto chapter president, Mary Culver, was on hand for the grand opening and helped cut the ribbon. Also cutting the ribbon was Yutangco’s daughter, Precious, who will run the Organic Oven café while Peachy continues to oversee production and wholesale.

“We were doing fine as a distributor,” says Yutangco, “but the stores didn’t have enough room for all our products. So, essentially it was a space issue [that led to the retail outlet]. Sometimes we’d be lucky enough to have an entire shelf to ourselves at smaller specialty stores, but we really wanted a location where we could sell our entire range.”

That claim is backed up by shelf after shelf stocked with the company’s breads and buns, which include: brown rice bread, raisin carrot loaf, cornbread, banana bread, lemon loaf, plain rice and multigrain rice bread, hot dog buns, rice buns and pizza crusts; bagels: multigrain, cinnamon raisin and cheese; cupcakes: carrot cake and chocolate; muffins: apple cinnamon, organic banana, organic banana chocolate chip, chocolate, organic carrot, vegan chocolate and vegan wild blueberry, and

cookies: plain shortbread, chocolate chip, vegan quinoa plain, almond shortbread, vegan quinoa chocolate chip, ginger snaps and gluten-free, vegan shortbread. All products are made at the Brampton bakery except for the muffins.

Yutangco, a chemical engineer by training, seems content to let her daughter be the face of the new café, as she is more interested in the creation of new products and perfection of existing ones. She also seems to have found her niche after years of toiling in odd jobs as a single mother and newcomer to Canada.

“I’ve always had a talent for converting [traditional] recipes,” she says. “And I thought it would be better to specialize in these kinds of products rather than try to appeal to everyone.”

Yutangco says Organic Oven used to focus on whole wheat-, spelt-, rye- and kamut-based goods, but that the company has gradually moved toward gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free, vegan, sugar-free and other specialty items, mainly because of customer demand. In 2005, the business moved from its original location on Rambler Drive to a new facility on Melanie Crescent, providing an ideal opportunity to switch to a completely gluten-free operation.

“We want to make things that people want and that make them feel good,” Yutangco says./ BJ

Organic Oven Café is located at 3189 Yonge St., Toronto, just north of Lawrence Avenue. For more information, visit www.organicoven.com.

Gluten-free

The recently opened Organic Oven bakery café at 3189 Yonge St., Toronto.

But the biggest challenge, he says, is the sheer amount of time he and Jill have to put in. They routinely work at least 14-hour days, six days a week. Their daughters help out a lot during summer and part-time during the school year, and they have two other employees, only one of whom is full-time.

“It takes a lot of prep work and time in the shop, of course, but also doing things like sourcing wood for the oven. We don’t have much room on-site for storing wood, so we have to have a good delivery system in place,” he says.

“Also, for the oven, you need to have a fire going just about every day of the week in order to retain the proper level of heat. Sunday is usually the only day of the week I don’t come in and light a fire. On Sundays I’ll make home-made marmalade for the shop, but on Mondays and Tuesdays I’ll get the oven going as we build up to Wednesday.”

When Bakers Journal visited on a Wednesday in June, the day’s bread baking had already been done earlier in the morning and Doug and Jill had moved on to sweets, such as chocolate chunk brownies and date bars.

“We can do only so much bread,” Doug says. “We’re kind of hemmed in by the size of the oven. We’re producing about 60 per cent bread and 40 per cent sweets at the moment.”

As we spoke, a steady stream of customers came into the shop to pick up their favourite loaf, or a scone or brownie to go with their coffee. Each one raved about Millstone.

“These people are fantastic,” says loyal customer Wayne

Donaldson, who lives in one of the nearby condos. “And this place is great. I moved into the condos about five years ago, and I’ve been coming [to Millstone] since it opened. I always take some of their bread with me when I go visit friends in Toronto. I especially like the plain scones on Saturday mornings, and their Millstone Hearth bread is just great.”

When Millstone Bread first opened to the public almost four years ago, Doug and Jill gave away canvas tote bags emblazoned with the bakery’s logo as a way to promote their new venture. However, Jill says, they underestimated how quickly Cobourgians would make Millstone a part of their lives, and the bags soon became a much sought-after collector’s item around town.

“We have very loyal clientele,” Doug says. “You always know who’s coming in on what days. And the traffic steadily builds throughout the week to Saturday, which is by far our busiest day.”

So busy, in fact, that some customers will pay in advance for an order of their favourite Saturday loaf so they can stop by and pick it up without having to stand in line.

To sum up: No advertising; huge demand for product and merchandise; pre-payment on advance orders.

Lady Luck has truly blessed Millstone Bread, but no one could say they haven’t earned it. / BJ

8On the web: Millstone Bread: www.millstonebread.com The 100-Mile Diet: www.100milediet.org

Shop, Supermarket) ❏ Baking Wholesaler ❏ Restaurant, Caterer ❏ Hotel, Resort ❏ Institution, Hospital

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From Comfort Green piping bags to the new BW series of OHAUS bench scales, Bakers Journal keeps you “in the know.” for more on new products for the baking industry, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Automated pouch packaging for a full range of product sizes has been made more efficient with the new Multivac B310 belted vacuum chamber system. The B310 is the first belted system to offer a tilting lid to facilitate easier and more ergonomic cleaning, maintenance and height adjustments. It is also engineered with innovative valves to increase performance, speed ventilation and reduce energy consumption. Powered by a built-in Busch booster pump and an external Busch vacuum pump, the B310 is equipped for the most demanding packaging jobs.

For more information, call 1-800-8008552 or e-mail: muinc@multivac.com.

oHAUS BW Series bench scales

PINE BROOK, N.J. – OHAUS Corp., a manufacturer of balances for foodservice, industrial, laboratory and specialty markets worldwide, announces the OHAUS BW wash-down compact bench scale, which allows users to perform portioning, packing and general weighing in both dry and wash-down environments.

With an internal sealed rechargeable lead-acid battery, NEMA 4 / IP65

housing and a highspeed display, the OHAUS BW Series offers durability and dependability in an affordable design. The BW Series is available in four models. Each model also includes an option for single or dual display.

For more information, call 973-377-9000 or visit: www. OHAUS.com.

Comfort Green piping bags by one Way Plastics

One Way Plastics B.V. of the Netherlands, a manufacturer of disposable piping bags, has invented a textured (rough) outer rubber-type coating for its multi-layer disposable piping bags. This new application gives the piping bag the feel and appearance of an

old-fashioned cloth bag. Comfort Green disposable piping bags are slip-proof, even when hands are greasy or wet, says the company.

One Way Plastics Ltd. is the Canadian distributor. For more information, call 877-264-9750.

Multivac B310 belted chamber

• BAG CLOSURES & LABELS • BAG CLOSING EQUIPMENT • KWIK LOK TAGS

RICHARD RUNTE richardr@kwiklok.com

1039 GRANDE CAROLINE, ROUGEMONT, QUEBEC J0L 1M0

TELEPHONE: (450) 469-2554 FAX: (450) 469-3085 CELL: (450) 531-2002

176 SHELDON DRIVE, CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO N1R 7K1 TELEPHONE: (519) 623-5140 FAX: (519) 623-1421 1-888 KWIK LOK (594-5565)

Manufacturers of: Depositors, Transfer Pumps, Metal Detector Conveyors, Conveying Systems, Custom Built Equipment, Baking and Proofing Racks and Used Equipment. Sales and Service 381 Bradwick Drive, Unit #1

Tel: 905-660-4040 Concord, Ontario L4K 2P4 Fax: 905-660-1930

• E-mail: info@megartsystems.com

• Web site: www.megartsystems.com

ALBION BAKERY SUPPLIES

(416)

Fax: (416) 252-9993

- 8 Connell Ct., Toronto, ON M8Z 1E8

¦ advertiser index ¦ ¦ classified ads ¦

ABI

Ashworth IBC www.ashworth.com

Baking Association of Canada 11 www.baking.ca

Barry Callebaut Canada 12, 13 www.callebaut.com

CG&B Insurance 37 www.cgbgroup.com

Cinelli 4 www.cinelli.com

CSB-System 31 www.csb-system.com

Custom Baking Products LLC 35 www.custombakingproducts.com

Dawn Foods OBC www.dawnfoods.com

Dealers Ingredients 35 www.dealersingredients.com

Deco Pac 37 www.decopac.com

EM Bakery Equipment 38 www.emequip.com

Fiera Foods IFC www.fierafoods.com

Fleischmann’s 11 www.fleischmanns.com

iba/Canada Unlimited 39 www.iba.de

Kaak Group Inc. 17 www.kaakgroupus.com

LeSaffre Yeast 24, 25 www.lesaffreyeastcorp.com/sample

Lockwood Manufacturing Inc. 27 www.lockwoodmfg.ca

McCall’s 16 www.mccalls.ca

Mimac Glaze Limited 23 www.mimacglaze.com

National Starch 33 www.foodinnovation.com

Pizzey’s Milling 20 www.pizzeys.com

Product Showcase 44

Professional Directory 40-43

Quadra 19 www.quadrachemicals.com

Reiser 3 www.reiser.com

Revent Incorporated 16 www.revent.com

Rondo 30 www.rondo-online.com

Satin Fine Foods 27 www.satinfinefoods.com

Shick 7 www.shickusa.com

Ads

BARTLIFF’S BAKERY AND RESTAURANT FOR SALE – Family owned since 1902. One of Clinton, Ontario’s landmark businesses including building, business, all equipment/chattels, a turnkey operation. Gross $650,000, Asking $259,000. Contact: Pat Chipchase, Broker, ReMax Land Exchange Ltd. 519-482-9100

website: www.remaxlandexchange.ca

SUCCESSFUL BAKERY FOR SALE – Established for 15 years in southern B.C. Gross over $300k/ year+. Good customer base including some wholesale accounts. Open to offers. Call Richard for more information: 604-869-7059.

VICTORIA BAKERY! ARE YOU A BAKER? – High volume, high traffic, low overhead. Quality, wellmaintained equipment, compact, efficient facility. Experienced staff. Owner retiring. NDA required. Call: 250-744-7679

e-mail: patrickmartin49@gmail.com

FOR SALE: Bakery small town mid-western Ontario. Busy downtown location. Retail/Wholesale. Large restaurant and resort customer base. Quality, wellmaintained equipment. Great potential for growth. Sales +$325k/year. Owner selling, young family moving on. Asking $145,000. Call: 519-923-0239.

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industrial (continuous). Toronto, meals commissary. $12.-$17.50/hr. Call Food Industries Recruiters at 416-733-2696 up to 11 p.m., Andy.

By S TEPHAN

A DiVERSiTy oF TASTES

Finding wisdom and inspiration from a Portuguese custard tart and Somali delights

When my parents moved back to the city after two decades of country living, they settled in a culturally diverse neck of the suburban Toronto woods – and that’s putting it mildly.

A young Portuguese family had owned the house my parents decided to buy, and that brings me immediately to the Portuguese bakery four blocks away. It’s nestled in a small plaza, with a dry cleaner on one side and a fish ‘n’ chips shop on the other. Here you’ll find the greatest custard tarts, a unique and glorious specialty, in my fanatical opinion. They’re as good as the best I’ve ever eaten, and I’ve easily eaten more than my fair share.

}All of the continents are well represented among the neighbours up and down my parents’ new street. However, to see the area’s true cultural preponderance, you would swing by the plaza at the intersection of the two main thoroughfares nearby. You’d spot it right away. Forty per cent of the residents are Somali.

custard tart, probably because no one has seen fit to invest the time it would take to master them, apart from their skilled Portuguese masters. Why bother? Why try to re-invent the wheel?

Similarly, I wouldn’t make Korean walnut cakes, Greek lookoumades, French mille feuille or those prune doughnuts from the Polish deli that my husband loves so much.

If I opened a café in my parents’ new neighbourhood, I’d want to offer the area’s Somalis something from their own culture, which made me wonder. What is the Somali equivalent to that tart, a culinary totem whose quality survived decades and whose essential techniques are not easily mastered?

Cursory web research unearthed some surprises, including the reminder that Italy colonized the country for nearly 80 years. That’s plenty of time for a culinary osmosis, and that’s exactly what turned

i have never had a lousy Portuguese custard tart, probably because no one has seen fit to invest the time it would take to master them, apart from their skilled masters. Why try to re-invent the wheel?

up in a series of homemade YouTube cooking shows, in which a Somali chef demonstrated Italian dishes in his native tongue.

Portuguese custard tarts

names: shushumoo (cookies), bukut (biscuits), keek (cake), sambus (pastry). For my imaginary shop – which I’m financing with other people’s imaginary money, by the way – I would find a good Somali bakery, and cut a wholesale deal to keep my pretend shop stocked with these little treasures. Forget the margin loss. My customers would be happy. They’d be impressed. They’d tell all their friends. They’d keep coming back.

In that same plaza is a chain doughnut shop bursting with a Somali clientele, making it a mock-Mogadishu pocket of transplanted East African café society. It’s fascinating. I think of Ehsan Sairally’s piece on page 18 of this month’s issue, and I imagine the doughnut shop franchisee determining which of his offerings can pass for halal as a better way to cater to his customers.

Which makes me think about Portuguese custard tarts again. They come to mind a lot, and each time I hear myself say, “Whoa, thank you, whoever you are, for inventing these lovely things, for teaching your apprentices to make them so well and for keeping them great into perpetuity, I hope.”

I have never had a lousy Portuguese

Most enjoyable to watch was this gentleman’s tiramisu, his narration peppered with occasional English words – ladyfingers, mascarpone cheese, brandy. Brandy? Perhaps he was hoping that his audience went beyond gourmets who follow a strict halal diet.

Unapologetically, I would say that I couldn’t be a fan of his tiramisu, only because the pale coffee he used for dipping his ladyfingers was clearly not espresso, and that’s one of my tiramisu non-negotiables. Espresso and real mascarpone.

He also had an episode on making a marinara sauce and zuppa inglese, which translates literally from the Italian as “English soup,” a tongue-in-cheek comment on how frequently the English eat custard.

My research did unearth some of the native Somali sweets and their pretty

Following that entrepreneurial bromide – sell your strengths and buy your weaknesses (my weakness being authentic Somali sweets) – I would make pizza the way traditional Italian bakeries do: light on toppings and doughy, because an Italian bakery worth its salt seizes every opportunity to share the magic of what they can do with flour, yeast and water.

Finally, most importantly, the pizza would be halal, which would be dead easy.

Which brings me back to the Portuguese custard tarts, a lovely place to be, each bite a humbling reminder that this pastry is good because it was rendered by a master’s touch.

Thinking about what jewels I could sell in my shop that my clientele would love, and which I could produce with adequate quality, I came up, ironically, with tiramisu, which I could make halal easily enough. Come to think of it, tiramisu is something I could metaphorically knock out of the park, with pleasure.

I just realized. My personal Portuguese custard tart is tiramisu. Who knew?/ BJ

The Industry’s Original CB5 Baking Band® is Still Inspected with 22 Quality Checkpoints to Guarantee True Tracking and a Long Operating Life.

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For perfectly baked products, rely on the performance of Ashworth’s Original CB5 Baking Band ®

In 1959, twenty-two St. Mary's College students set the world record by cramming into a phone booth.

Pecan Pie

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