KHAKU, winner of our student baking competition, is a busy, inspiring baker who, among other pursuits, operates a cake business.
ON THE COVER
Meet Maliha Khaku, an exceptional young baker who wowed Bakery Showcase with her award-winning Mother’s Day-inspired cake! See page 8.
B.C.’s Maliha Khaku took a creative risk and picked up a prestigious award on her professional baking journey
DEPARTMENTS
easy ways to bring more customers into your bakeshop this fall
Many bakers view damaged starch as a flour quality parameter that “damages” product quality. However, damaged starch content in flour provides beneficial effects to help bakers produce top-quality products. Learn more from expert Hikmet Boyacioglu of KPM Analytics at bakersjournal.com.
MALIHA
BY COLLEEN CROSS
CELEBRATE AT YOUR BAKERY!
Promoting your bakery-café or restaurant as a place to celebrate with high-quality ingredients can help attract generation Z customers (those born between the midto-late 1990s and the early 2010s) who are looking to mark special occasions.
When the research firm Technomic asked gen Zers who recently visited a restaurant to describe the meal occasion, at least half said it was a planned visit for a special event or impromptu celebration. Operators should market themselves as destinations for this type of splurge spending. Promote a festive, lively setting for get-togethers. Offer filling menu options that highlight the quality of your ingredients. Play up creative flavours and preparations your customers can’t easily replicate at home.
There is great value in giving your customers a fun, surprising or indulgent experience. So many people looked forward to and savoured their bakery treats during the pandemic. Never underestimate the power of your business to uplift and supply daily joy!
Popular booking platform Eventbrite.com recommends a few bakery event ideas to engage your community and increase business. Pop-up shops – offering a limited-edition item or introducing a new baked product – are a great way to create memorable products and experiences for customers. Try hosting a “pupcake” pop-up near a dog park or grooming salon, or partner with pet supply shops to sponsor and cross-promote the event. As for timing, the holidays are an ideal time to host a pop-up while people are looking for the perfect gift for their loved ones. A winter wonderland-themed event can appeal to any hungry, holiday shopper.
Teaching customers baking skills through paid workshops is another way to create an experience for individual foodies or groups.
}There is great value in giving your customers a fun, surprising or indulgent experience. Never underestimate the power of your business to uplift and supply daily joy!
Diana Cline, owner of Diana’s Cucina and Lounge in Winnipeg, has had success with workshops and events at her pizzeria. Cline has hosted a unique event to combine self-care and healing with the power of art and pizza. The popular night begins with a presentation on self-care. Then Cline teaches pizza making, dough making and highlights the natural ingredients that go into her award-winning pizzas then ends with a painting session led by a local artist and buffet of eight best-selling pizzas.
Joy Bakery in Simcoe, Ont., makes the most of holidays and special days like May the Fourth. Recently they held a Harry Potter Day, where they set up a special booth and offered themed treats throughout the day. The team cleverly built anticipation through social media posts. Joy also recently sponsored a comedic Shakespeare-in-the-park type event at their local summer festival.
Emphasizing celebrations is not just for the bakery-café. Developing products with celebrations in mind – including baking kits, customizable cakes and mini sizes of best-selling treats, such as mini cheesecakes or items for dessert charcuterie boards – are just a few ways commercial bakeries can make the most of special occasions. Most important of all, celebrate your bakery’s own milestones by involving your community. Though you make it look easy, running a bakery is challenging, hard work, and all anniversaries are fine reasons to celebrate! / BJ
SEPTEMBER 2023 | VOL. 83, NO. 5
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briefly | Valley Bakery of Burnaby, B.C., closing after 66 years; Lactalis Canada acquires dessert manufacturer Marie Morin Canada | For more news in the baking world, check out our website, www.bakersjournal.com
Baking entrepreneur appointed small business minister in Cabinet shuffle
In a significant Cabinet shuffle, the Prime Minister has appointed Lawrence MacAulay minister of agriculture and agri-food and welcomes Rechie Valdez, a baker and entrepreneur, as minister of small business.
The Hon. Rechie Valdez was elected as the Member of Parliament for MississaugaStreetsville in 2021. She has been a member of parliamentary committees and associations.
Minister Valdez, the first Filipino-Canadian woman elected as a Member of Parliament and appointed to Cabinet. After 15 years working in corporate banking, she opened her first baking business, Chietopia, became a published baker, competed in the #TheBigBake on the Food Network Canada and was co-owner of a fusion dessert company.
IBA to host international baking competition, Canadian delegates
The best bakers from 12 countries will compete for the gold medal at “The iba.UIBC.CUP of Bakers” in Munich as part of IBA, a trade fair for the baking and confectionery industry.
The associations have named their candidates for the international competition. In teams of two, 12 nations will compete: Peru, Japan, France, China, Greece, Germany, Korea, Iceland, Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Italy.
Delegates from the Baking Association of Canada will attend along with bakeries from Canada. To learn more and to register, visit iba-tradefair.com.
Kamloops, B.C., bakery extends deadline to enter succession contest
For $1,000, qualified Canadian entrants can own Erwin’s Fine Baking & Delicatessen, located in Kamloops, B.C.
The family business announced a deadline extension for its skills-based contest until Sept. 22. The contest originally launched on May 23 as Erwin’s owners announced they are handing over their business through a skills-based contest.
As co-owners of Erwin’s Fine Baking, Robyn and Shawn Haley look to retire, they devised a skills-based contest to identify the ideal candidate who can uphold the bakery’s legacy with the same passion and dedication that has defined it for over five decades.
To participate in the contest, individuals must be Canadian residents, aged 19 or older (with the exception of Quebec residents). To enter, qualified candidates must write an essay explaining their understanding of taking over the bakery and include details about their baking, business and management experience.
Since its establishment in 1971, Erwin’s Fine Baking has specialized in handcrafted baked goods prepared with traditional European methods.
The selected candidate or candidates will acquire a thriving business and take over the lease of the building, all the equipment, materials, recipes and inventory including raw, finished and storefront.
Submissions may be made online through the website at ownabakerycontest.ca by Sept. 22, 2023, along with the contest entry fee of $1,000. Entrants can send any questions regarding the contest to info@erwinsbaking.ca.
¦ new products ¦
Versatile pistachio butters made with 2 ingredients or less Peppertux Farms introduces a decadent line of pistachio butters made with two ingredients or less using Turkish Premium Antep Pistachios and natural beet sugar. They are free from palm oil, emulsifiers, chemical preservatives, artificial ingredients and dairy.
The jars contain 5 to 7 grams of protein per serving and are vegan, gluten-free, keto- and paleofriendly.
Boz Inner Pistachio, a type of pistachio used to make baklava from Turkey as well as pistachio gelato from Italy, is behind the products’ consistency and flavour profile.
Savoury and sweet applications on crackers, toast, waffles and pancakes, in gelato, ice cream and frozen yogurt; and in cakes, frostings, doughnuts, muffins and croissants.
Peppertux Farms also recently launched larger packaging for bakers, ice cream and gelato makers, cafes and food-service customers.
peppertuxfarms.com
SDmatic 2 damaged starch analyzer helps bakers and millers control flour quality
KPM Analytics has released its Chopin SDmatic 2 automated damaged starch analyzer, which is officially recognized internationally and meets industry standards for measuring damaged starch.
Features include ease of use, lower cost of ownership and new analysis possibilities.
The SDmatic 2 features a seven-inch colour touchscreen that makes operation easy for any user. The software guides the user through the test and no specialized training is required to operate the device. Users may customize protocols by adjusting the required flour mass, iodine generation time and measurement time. This flexibility allows users to control testing based on their samples and makes it possible to develop protocols for wholewheat or non-wheat flours.
The SDmatic 2 analyzer helps millers guarantee that they produce flours to customer specifications. For bakers, it is a cost-effective tool for inspecting incoming flours and for understanding how to adjust production to ensure end-product quality.
kpmanalytics.com
WHISK AND REWARD
Maliha Khaku of Richmond, B.C., is a talented baking student, professional baker and cake artist who has picked up a prestigious award on her journey toward creative expression through baking.
The Vancouver Community College student took the cake at Dawn Foods’ Mother’s Day Celebration Student Cake-Decorating Competition at Bakery Showcase in May. She also took home $1,000 toward her education, a voucher toward journey baker certification and a handful of cake orders.
Celebrated pastry chef Bruno Feldeisen of the Great Canadian Baking Show, Dalana Fleming of The Cake and the Giraffe cake shop in Vancouver and Dawn’s talented technical chef Austin D’Souza served as judges.
Khaku’s cake stood out visually and in terms of theme, organization and technique.
}On a base of pretty, pastel suitcases sit a globe, a scrabble game with favourite trips spelled out with tiles and other souvenirs, together forming a spectacular tower marking family adventures and a daughter’s love for her mom.
Maliha Khaku’s eye-catching cake showcased her painting, molding, embossing, debossing, airbrushing and stencilling techniques.
The eye-catching cake showcased painting, molding, embossing, debossing, airbrushing and stencilling techniques.
“The cake highlights the importance of cherishing memories created with loved ones,” Khaku wrote in her description.
When she entered the competition, in which VCC and Vancouver Island University students competed individually or in teams of two, she planned to do a variation on an idea she saw online. Two weeks before the competition, she decided to do something original and personal.
Khaku and her family spent a nervous
evening wondering if the cake would fit into their car, but a neighbour with a minivan saved the day. “I sat in the back with the cake, holding it,” she says. “I brought it in three pieces and put it together at the convention centre.”
What adventures inspired the winning cake?
“We were just in Philippines and Bali, where we were able to swim with whale sharks and experience the culture. It’s very different from here. In Bali there were temples and offerings everywhere.”
She and her parents took the trip in December. “Every December we try and go somewhere as a family,” she says.
By good fortune, Khaku’s grandmother on her mother’s side, Kaniz
Somji, was in Vancouver on a visit from London, England, and at the Showcase along with mom Shaheena, to support the young cake artist and celebrate her big win.
We caught up with the busy young baker, who this spring completed levels 1 and 2 in the baking and pastry program and is working hard to get enough hours to achieve level 3 and take the Red Seal exam, which she hopes to do by March.
Khaku is working at the newly opened Daan Go Cake Lab in Richmond, B.C., as head cake decorator. Founded by MasterChef Canada champions Christopher Siu and business partner David Jorge. Daan go is known for its character macarons, exotic cakes and fancy croissants.
She is enjoying creating macarons with personality and especially looks forward to decorating the signature cakes alongside a team of about 20 bakers.
B.C.’s Maliha Khaku picked up a prestigious award on her professional journey | BY COLLEEN CROSS
Mother Shaheena and maternal grandmother Kaniz Somji pose with Maliha Khaku next to her award-winning cake celebrating cherished travel memories with mom.
The ambitious Khaku also operates her own baking business, @JustWhiskItbyM found on Instagram, which has grown significantly since she started baking for family and friends in 2016. For the past year and a half, she has been fulfilling an average of two orders a week. Many of her orders come through word of mouth by the Muslim and Indian communities, and hopes to spread further.
Since her appearance at Showcase, where she took a handful of orders, business has picked up. “I have four cakes this week,” she reports.
She rhymes off an order she has going out the next day for a two-tier cake, cake pops and cheesecake pops, and a lion cake she made recently for a preschool.
She has a 16-quart mixer and recently purchased her own custom boxes. In the past she used a four-quart mixer and is finding the new equipment a labour saver.
Khaku, who has a cheeky sense of humour, says the business name is a deliberate play on the word “risk.” She takes the long hours in stride. No stranger to challenges, Khaku has lived with a very rare kidney disease since she was born.
She also has struggled to focus and learned strategies to help her block out distractions.
“As a child, I liked sculpting and playing with clay, which is similar to fondant” Khaku says. “With my learning disorder, we discovered it helped me focus.” Later, she was assigned to a quiet classroom where she could sit and do her homework.
She tries to pinpoint her love of baking. “I like the precision. I like that it’s a science. I also did a culinary course first (level 1), but I just preferred baking. I’ve always liked baking. When I was young my mum would never buy cakes. We used to make our own.”
The Bakery Showcase competition was her first major victory. She has done a few small competitions in the local mosque. Working with her mother, she earned first place for a cake simulating a hamburger using buttercream when she was four. Wanting to experiment, she made another burger cake using fondant instead and won first place in the next competition. For a school competition she made – you guessed it – a burger cake. “I don’t know
what it is about burgers,” she says with a chuckle. “I think I like challenging myself to see if I can make it better.”
Khaku is the first person in her family to bake professionally and she wants to encourage others: “I have a younger cousin in Toronto, graduating high school, who just started baking this year. She had her first bake sale to celebrate Eid. I think she is influenced by me: if she has any questions, she’ll call me.”
Khaku knew she wanted to do cake-decorating as soon as she finished high school and pursued her passion even when others around her were less sure. She offers solid advice for a career in baking and for life: Don’t be afraid to take a risk. “I think no matter how much you struggle, things will always come up in your way. But sometimes those things are meant to be. You just have to try your best and go for it. Just follow your heart.” / BJ
For more photos and all the Showcase highlights, visit bakersjournal.com and at Facebook.com/BakersJournal
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INSPIRING BOOKS
Keeping customers happy is about maintaining a menu of favourites while introducing new products. Here we highlight new baking cookbooks that can inspire bakers to discover and create new favourites.
First up is Delectable: Sweet & Savory Baking by American pastry chef Claudia Fleming. Bakers and pastry chefs have waited years for Fleming to write something new. Her first book, The Last Course, based on her work at the renowned New York restaurant Gramercy Tavern, was published more than two decades ago. Delectable: Sweet & Savory Baking comes on the heels of closing North Fork Table and Inn owned by Fleming and her late husband Gerry Hayden.
In the first chapter, all about breakfast and breads, she shares her tricks for baking perfect scones. “Building layers to create flakiness, I create separate layers by cutting the dough into quarters and stacking them. I then roll out the layered dough, cut it and bake it.”
Her delectable Blackberry Shortcake recipe contains hard-boiled egg yolks, an old trick for making a rich and tender biscuit. It’s added to the food processor with the flour. Blackberry Shortcake is served with a blackberry reduction and Greek yogurt cream.
Fleming combines Italian prune plums into sumptuous desserts. Plum and Almond Cake’s sweet almond paste is balanced with the slightly acidic fruit. Meanwhile, White Cake and Plum Filling is a three-layer stack frosted with Italian meringue torched to a golden brown. Italian Plum and Hazelnut Torte features a hazelnut dough, hazelnut filling and plums, surprisingly topped with Pecorino shavings and black pepper.
Savoury recipes include Squash Blossom Tart and Chickpea Crackers. Her pretzels with a savoury seed combination include sesame, caraway and poppy. Fleming developed the recipe in the traditional Bavarian method but replaces lye with baked baking soda added to the pretzel’s pre-bake water bath.
The Artful Pie Project: A Sweet and
In The Artful Pie Project the black forest ham pithivier is beautifully presented with a decoratively knife-engraved crust of handcrafted puff pastry.
Savoury Book of Recipes by Canadian baker and writer Denise Marchessault, with artwork and photography by Deb Garlick, is a book to contemplate. “A pie is only as good as its crust, and there are plenty of options for fail-proof pastry made by hand or machine,” pens the British Columbiabased Marchessault.
The book begins with a variety of dough recipes from classic flakey pastry dough and sweet tart dough to chocolate walnut or roasted almond doughs, along with handcrafted puff pastry.
In the cherries and berries section, you’ll find recipes for sweet Bing pie with a lattice crust and a variety of galettes such as strawberry and raspberry or blueberry and blackberry.
As for vegetables, there is a hearty deep-dish vegetable pie with roasted zucchini, smoked tofu, kale and portobello mushrooms. The savoury ratatouille tart blends ricotta, feta and Parmesan spread over a baked crust topped with cooked Mediterranean vegetables and fresh vine-ripe tomatoes.
The deep-dish chicken pot pie is presented in a rectangular dish. The roux-based cream sauce is combined with cooked vegetables, thawed peas, fresh herbs, and roasted or poached chicken.
Rose Levy Beranbaum, award-winning author of must-have guides including The Pie and Pastry Bible and The Cake Bible has just released The Cookie Bible. The joy of reading these books is in the exacting details.
With My Dream Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe, she sets the tone using high-quality ingredients along with her brand preferences. Think pure vanilla, Valrhona, or Guittard dark chocolate chips. “Use A. A butter,” she advises, “as a lower quality would result in a lesser amount of brown butter. It’s also fine to use butter that is softened, not browned, but it will result in a less flavourful and puffier cookie.”
The Double Ginger Molasses Cookies call for ample amounts of crystallized ginger. Cinnamon, ground ginger and cloves give the cookies extra zing. Levy Beranbaum prefers a light molasses, most preferably the Grandma’s brand.
The gingersnap cookie recipe is scientifically adapted. Taking an original United Kingdom recipe gifted to her by a friend, Levy Beranbaum adds extra egg whites, along with additional leavening and salt. This allows for baking the same quality of cookies using flour processed in North America.
Choose your favourite shortbread cookies. Scottish Shortbread Cookies are traditionally baked in a round tart pan with removable bottom, then cut into triangles. With her Muscovado Shortbread Cookies, Levy Beranbaum adds extra butter, so the sugar does not override the classic buttery flavour.
Holiday Cookies is the most beautiful chapter in The Cookie Bible. You’ll find Holiday Cookie Cutouts, Gingerbread Folks, Christmas Wreaths, Bourbon Balls and European classics such as Spritz Cookies, Swiss Lebkuchen and Pizzelle. / BJ
Karen Barr writes about arts, culture and cuisine. She is a graduate of George Brown College and a Red Seal pastry chef.
Professional Course Guide for the baker
Are you looking to learn a new skill? Hone a specific craft? Welcome to the Bakers Journal Professional Courses Guide 2023. Continuing education is essential to today’s success. As new trends become mainstream and techniques continue taking tradition up a notch, it’s imperative to maintain a passion for
ALGONQUIN COLLEGE
Nepean, ON
• Two Year Baking & Pastry Arts Management 613-727-3932 www.algonquincollege.com
CANADORE COLLEGE, SCHOOL OF CULINARY ARTS
North Bay, ON
Canadore offers quality full-time programs including Culinary Skills – Chef Training and Culinary Management, as well as part-time and apprenticeship options. Our culinary training facility includes classrooms, experimental and production kitchens, and Canadore’s very own casual fine dining restaurant. We have award-winning chefs de cuisine and experienced professors that will train you hands-on for a career in this versatile industry. www.canadorecollege.ca
FANSHAWE COLLEGE
London, ON
Full time Baking and Pastry Arts Management Program and part time Advance Bake Patissier Program. For a full list of our culinary, tourism and hospitality programs fanshawec.ca/tourism
GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE CHEF SCHOOL
Toronto, ON
Continuing education programs and courses in baking arts, baking and pastry management, culinary management and culinary arts. georgebrown.ca/chefschool
learning. What better place to ignite your creativity than back in lab’s lap at school?
The institutions listed in the Bakers Journal Professional Courses Guide 2023 are proud to serve the baking community. Check out what our education system can do for you.
HUMBER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY & ADVANCED LEARNING
Toronto, ON
2-Year Diploma: Baking & Pastry Arts Management
Learn from expert Pastr Chefs in state-ofthe-art facilities
Culinary programs also include courses in Baking & Pastry Arts 416-675-6622 hrt.humber.ca
NIAGARA COLLEGE SCHOOL OF CULINARY ARTS
Located at the 125-acre Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara College’s School of Culinary Arts is in the heart of Ontario’s thriving hospitality industry and serves as a living lab for students including, leading-edge baking facilities, a 40-acre on-site vineyard, Teaching Brewery, Teaching Winery, Teaching Distillery, Teaching Spa, Greenhouse/Nursery, hop yard, and apiary.
Niagara College offers a 1-year Baking & Pastry Arts Certificate and is excited to announce that Fall 2024 will introduce a 2-year Baking & Pastry Arts Management Diploma which will provide innovative and experiential learning opportunities for future industry leaders.
Niagara College offers the following programs:
• Artisan Distilling
• Beverage Business Management
NORTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NAIT)
Edmonton, AB
NAIT is a leader in culinary education, with full-time, part-time and apprenticeship options:
Please note that both the Culinary Skills/ Management and Baking programs are now continual intake. CFWI will be accepting students in September, January and May. https://www.niagaracollege.ca/culinaryarts/
SOUTHERN ALBERTA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (SAIT)
Calgary, AB
At Canada’s number one culinary school, embrace your appetite for inspiration in the kitchen through hands-on learning in programs like our new Baking and Pastry Arts diploma. Apply now. SAIT.ca/PastryArts
BAKING CONNECTIONS!
Vancouver Bakery Showcase calls to mind the lyrics from the song “Together” in the musical Gypsy:“Wherever we go, whatever we do,/We’re gonna go through it together.”
Together we learned so much about what consumers are looking for in their local bakery, how bakeries are showing leadership in sustainability and where the bakery industry is heading.
More than 1,400 attendees and more than 175 exhibitor booths filled the aisles of the Baking Association of Canada’s Bakery Showcase Vancouver in May, the first hosted in the city since 2017. From the diverse education sessions to the busy trade show floor to the exciting demonstration and competition areas, attendees had no shortage of ways to connect, learn and be inspired.
The event kicked off with a well-attended BAC annual general meeting in which the board executive outlined ambitious plans for membership expansion and government advocacy. Watch the BAC Bulletins, become a member and follow @bacnational on social media to keep up to date on the important work the association is doing on your behalf.
}Pastry chef Aron Weber, department head at VIU, shares his insights and experiences keeping bees.
“There are sourdoughs out there specifically made for brioche, steam buns, Japanese emperor buns. It’s a world of creativity.” – Jan Willem Groen, Puratos
From education sessions and demonstrations key themes emerged.
CELEBRATING WOMEN IN BAKING
An in-depth conversation with Zoya Thawer, finalist on the Great Canadian Baking Show, revealed how the practising doctor handled baking competitively and brought her East African roots, a touch of India and family traditions – learned from her mother, also attending – to her baking. One of her favourite ingredients to use is poppyseed, as used in her brown butter and white poppyseed friands with marmalade glaze and poppyseed bark.
Fans of the GCBS had the perfect chance to meet respected chef, author and television star Bruno Feldeisen at the BAC’s booth where Feldeisen signed books and chatted with bakers. Chef Bruno also helped judge our Mother’s Day Celebration Student Cake-Decorating Competition, sponsored by Dawn. Showcase opened on Mother’s Day and we leaned into the theme with two excellent panels, Women in Baking brought to you by Ardent Mills and Women in Pizza: Canada Edition! Successful entrepreneurs talked motivation, challenges overcome, the importance of mentorship and professional achievements.
The Women in Baking panel hosted by
Elaine O’Doherty, marketing lead for panel sponsors Ardent Mills Canada, brought together Mary Mackay, vicepresident innovation and production of product development for Terra Foods Inc., Vancouver; Babette Kourelos, cookbook author and owner of Babette’s Bread, Langley, B.C.; and Tracey Muzzolini, co-owner of Christies Bakery, Saskatoon. Muzzolini highlighted what qualities make a strong and respected baker, team member or entrepreneur in the industry. McKay, a member of Les Dames d’Escoffier, described how the non-profit champions women in the food, beverage and hospitality industries. Kourelos encouraged entrepreneurs: “Do not be afraid to reach out to other women in the industry. Most of the time, you will be met with friendly, positive and generous responses. Make it clear that you want to
Notes from the Executive Director
Happy summer, everyone, and here’s to a successful upcoming fall season!
My usual seasonal message of course, encourages you and your staff to stay cool and keep hydrated. The bakery is always hot! And on a technical note, for the yeasted baker, keep a control on your fermentation!
The Baking Association has been very busy. There were a few days to catch our breath after the successful Bakery Showcase in Vancouver, before we were planning for the next edition in Toronto May 5-6, 2024, and signing a contract for Montreal in May of 2025!
On a regional level, a full slate of networking events, both social and educational, have been keeping us busy. 2023 is the first full year since the pandemic and one thing is certain, bakers want to gather. We have more town halls planned for Sept. 11 in Barrie and Sept. 19 in Moncton (register using the QR code on page 14). Please check out our events page on baking.ca to see what events are planned in your area.
It’s not all fun and games at BAC! We take our advocacy and government relations work very seriously and are engaged on several files with our ministerial partners. We are currently running a survey on labour market, staffing and training issues to advise the government on challenges facing our baking industry. Please take a few minutes to complete this at https://www.surveymonkey. com/r/3QM23ML. The more information we can share with the policy makers, the more they push our concerns to the top of the list.
We are also continuing our work on these other important issues: Grocery Code of Conduct, Single Use Plastics, FOP Labelling, as well as Allergen Management and Flour Categorization and Fortification as well as other important issues pertaining to our industry, especially relating to sustainability and supply-chain concerns. We collaborate with other Canadian food producer/supplier associations to add a strong voice to this huge sector. If you have any concerns, large or small, about regulatory issues, please do not hesitate to
reach out to us directly (info@baking.ca Office: 905-405-0288).
We would like to welcome our newest member of the BAC board, representing Atlantic Canada, Rosalyn Hyslop. Rosalyn comes from a solid governance background as well as being co-owner of Mrs. Dunster’s Bakery in the Maritimes. At the same time, we say farewell and thank-you to her husband Blair Hyslop, who served energetically and enthusiastically on our board for two terms from 2017 until this May.
One more important farewell is to Jack and Dianna Kuyer of Valley Bakery, Burnaby, B.C. Jack started in his parents’ bakery when he was just a kid. The bakery has served the local area for 60 years and is a wonderful example of the stand-alone, full-service Canadian bakeries that were on every high street in towns across Canada. Jack is and has for many years been involved in the BAC BC Chapter as well as holding high-level positions with BAC National and its predecessor, Bakery Production Club, in the 1980s and ’90s. We wish Jack and Dianna a healthy and happy retirement. They will be sorely missed! There is a nice piece on CBC news about Jack’s retirement here: https://www.cbc.ca/player/ play/2255698499926
Martin Barnett, Executive Director Baking Association of Canada mbarnett@baking.ca
The BAC’s mission is to empower our members in providing nutritious and delicious baked goods to consumers in Canada and around the world through leading public policy, knowledge transfer and networking.
New BAC national director BAC chapters host fall events
A Night at the Races is back!
Jack Kuyer, Valley Bakery
Register now for exciting BAC chapter fall events!
The Baking Association of Canada chapters have been busy planning in-person events. Register now for these exciting educational, networking, social and fundraising events.
BARRIE EVENT
Calling All Bakers!
COME AND JOIN US FOR A GATHERING OF LOCAL BAKERS, PASTRY CHEFS, CHOCOLATIERS, PIZZAIOLI AND BAKERY INDUSTRY PEOPLE
Ontario and New Brunswick host Town Hall gatherings
SEPTEMBER 11TH 2-5 P.M.
GEORGIAN COLLEGE
Atlantic Chapter Golf Tournament Fundraiser
Enjoy a day of golf, networking, dinner and prizes – all to raise funds to support scholarships for our baking and pastry program students!
AThe meeting will be informally structured with an opportunity for open discussion between attendees.
This is an opportunity to network with local bakers and artisans as well meet other allied support people to discuss industry issues, challenges and successes.
The Baking Association of Canada is sponsoring these meetings, and we look forward to engaging with the grassroots of our wonderful baking and pastry community.
GEORGIAN DINING ROOM
fter hosting two successful Town Hall gatherings in Victoria and Winnipeg, the Baking Association of Canada is excited to host two fall gatherings of local, pastry chefs, chocolatiers, pizzaioli, bakery industry suppliers and government representatives. The first will take place in Barrie, Ont., at Georgian College on Monday, Sept. 11. The second will take place in Moncton, N.B., at New Brunswick Community College on Monday, Sept. 19.
There is no charge for attending and refreshments will be provided.
1 Georgian Dr., Barrie, Ont. View Map
The agenda will include:
• Introductions
• Announcements
• Panel discussion
• Education Regulatory
• Hiring and training
• Local event planning
REGISTER NOW
These gatherings are rare opportunities to network with local bakers and artisans as well meet other allied support partners to discuss industry issues, challenges and successes. The meetings will be informally structured with an opportunity for open discussion between attendees.
Register now at baking.ca or scan the QR code For more information, email info@baking.ca
The BAC invites bakers to highlight the best of your bakery by taking part in our popular “Show & Tell”!
The informal agenda will include introductions, announcements, a panel discussion, discussion of education, regulatory affairs, hiring and training, and local event and next-steps planning.
Network with local bakers and artisans, meet other allied supporters and discuss industry issues, challenges and successes.
As sponsor of these meetings across Canada, the BAC looks forward to engaging with the grassroots of Canada’s vibrant baking and pastry community.
There is no charge for attending and refreshments will be provided. Register now at baking.ca!
Barrie, Ontario
Sept. 11 • 2 to 5 p.m.
Georgian Dining Room at Georgian College 1 Georgian Drive, Barrie ON L4M 3X9.
Athar Shah, economic and business advisor (Bakery, Cereal, Ingredients, Edible Oils and Fats) for the Labour, Trade and Economic Development Branch of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is set to attend.
Moncton, New Brunswick Sept. 19 • 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (noon)
Join
New Brunswick Community College 1234 Mountain Rd., Moncton NB, Lecture Theatre A-2020 (second floor of the A building).
Join us on Sept. 18 at Lakeside Golf and Country Club, Lakeville, NB E1H 1A7.
Register and meet your team starting at 11:30 a.m. Shotgun start (modified ball format) at 12:30 p.m. The cost to register is $175 ($65 for dinner only). Register now at baking.ca!
B.C. Chapter presents demo and dinner with Chef Christophe Bonzon
On Nov. 1 at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, B.C., Chef Christophe Bonzon will demonstrate how to craft entremets, chocolate bonbons and chocolate garnishes, and discuss how the bakery streamlines production for fine pastries.
An award-winning executive pastry chef and owner of Chez Christophe in Burnaby, Bonzon has studied under some of Europe’s grand masters in pastry and chocolate in his native Switzerland, Australia and France. Don’t miss this informative session, which includes a gourmet buffet dinner produced and served by VIU’s culinary students. Register now at baking.ca!
Demonstration: 2-7 p.m.
Dinner and networking: 7-8 p.m.
Location: VIU – Building 185 (Bakery)
Cost: $50 per person (tax included)
Includes: Demo with Christophe Bonzon and buffet dinner
Rosalyn Hyslop joins BAC board
The BAC welcomes Rosalyn Hyslop to its national board of directors. Rosalyn is a social entrepreneur passionate about her family, the company she co-owns with her husband, Blair, and the communities they do business in. Mrs. Dunster’s has grown to be the largest commercial bakery in Atlantic Canada with distribution to over 800 stores and restaurants in Atlantic Canada, Ontario, Quebec and Maine. Rosalyn has been named one of the Top 50 CEOs in Atlantic Canada four times and in 2023 was named CEO of the Year by Atlantic Business Magazine. She lives in Quispamsis, N.B., with Blair and their children Josie, Emma and Noah.
Woodbine Racetrack, 555 Rexdale Blvd, Etobicoke, ON, M9W 5L2
SEPTEMBER 21, 2023
COME AND JOIN US FOR A NIGHT AT THE RACES TO RAISE FUNDS FOR BAKING AND PASTRY STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS!
Enjoy an evening of races, networking, dinner and prizes – all to raise funds to support scholarships for our baking and pastry program students.
The event will begin with a reception in the Post Parade Room at 5pm, and the excitement of the horse races will last from 5 to 8pm. A sit-down dinner starts at 7 pm in the Post Parade Room, and of course there will be drinks and prizes!
Register now for the Baking Association of Canada’s Ontario Chapter Night at the Races event!
For sponsorship information: Contact Event Co-Chair, Christian Boisvert from Crosby Molasses christian.boisvert@crosbys.com 416-689-2325
PHOTO CREDIT: MICHAEL BURNS
Bakery Showcase Vancouver
grow and learn, and you are guaranteed to find an army of women willing to help you, guide you and walk some (or all) of the way with you. And when someone reaches out to you - make sure to return the favour and pay it forward.”
Tracey Muzzolini, co-owner of Christies Bakery in Saskatoon, commented, “I really enjoyed being on the panel and listening to Mary’s and Babette’s perspectives! I attended some of the other panels and they were all really interesting and informative! My mom and I loved our trip to Vancouver as well, including the boat ride!”
SOURDOUGH IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Puratos led a valuable and well-attended session on global trends in sourdough. Jan Willem Groen, product manager for Sapore Sourdoughs at Puratos, emphasized there is so much more to sourdough than the “San Francisco sour-sourdough” associated with the term. “There are sourdoughs out there specifically made for brioche, steam buns, Japanese emperor buns,” Groen said. “It’s a world of creativity.”
In a stimulating conversation with Karen Bornarth of the Bread Bakers Guild of America, Groen said the trend in Europe these days is to use sourdough in less traditional applications. In Italy for example, some bakers use sourdough to make panettone. Groen also identified other new trends, including sourdough croissants. “You might be wondering, what is the role of sourdough in a croissant? It’s not to bring a big acidic flavour. The flavour is still buttery and what you would expect from a croissant. First of all, it’s more authentic, it’s a slower recipe, so consumers are already aware that there’s more effort put into the dough. When you taste a croissant made with sourdough, you have the feeling you could eat two of them. It’s a bit like the principle of having lemon with schnitzel or fried fish – putting acid on the fat makes it seem more fresh. You could compare that with putting sourdough in your croissant – it brings the freshness.”
Technical advisors Michael Ranaudo
and Tony Amaro demonstrated how to incorporate Puratos’ newest whole-wheat sourdough (Sapore Leo) into a delicious whole-grain bread and other ways Puratos incorporates sourdough into their products to bring differentiation, health, taste and freshness.
SUSTAINABLE BAKERIES
During the session “What Does a Sustainable Bakery Business Look Like – and How Do You Get There?” the audience learned from Michelle Reid of B Corp what’s involved in pursuing certification and what it can mean for their bakeries, from driving business decisions toward balance and financial success to helping make you an employer of choice. Matt Cimon, president of Portofino Bakery and co-founder of Bond Bakery Brands, shared his experiences in becoming certified:
“Over the past couple years, we’ve done a number of things that you could call sustainable and eco-conscious and better for the environment. We’ve reduced our waste in our product returns, which was a massive area of focus for us, we’ve cut it by over half in the past 18 months, we’ve reduced our reliance on poly that we’re using in our packaging, we’ve started monitoring, what are things that we think are important like waste, and greenhouse emissions information that wasn’t even on our radar years ago. . . . But I think the biggest change that we’ve done is actually how we approach it. . . . We recognized
that we don’t know what we don’t know. There’s a lot of information out there. There are a lot of implications. So, similar to what we do for our food safety programs and some other initiatives, we brought in experts.”
Sylvestre Awono inspired bakers with his message of responsible ingredient sourcing. Awono is global business development manager of Cacao-Trace, the Puratos sustainability program that creates and shares value among chocolate chain stakeholders, and especially cocoa farmers, to improve their living conditions. Awono shared moving case studies of lives improved and led attendees through a tasting of sustainable chocolate products.
STAFFING YOUR BAKERY
Keynote speaker Mark Dyck, Rise Up Bakers podcaster, coach and founder of Bakers4Bakers.org forum, taught bakers, owners and operators a simple framework for finding the best stories to tell and the best place to tell them. “You opened your bakery or pizzeria because you wanted to build something special,” he said. How do you get your message out to customers who want to hear it? Dyck shared key techniques to help bakers tell better stories about their bakery and a simple framework for finding the best stories to tell and the best place to tell them.
Anastasia French of Living Wage for Families BC walked attendees through the steps involved in becoming a living
Mary Mackay of Terra Foods Inc., Babette Kourelos, of Babette’s Bread, Tracey and Janet Muzzolini of Christies Bakery visit after sharing their stories of entrepreneurship in a lively panel.
GREAT NEWS, REDPATH SUGAR IS NOW
wage employer and provided concrete examples of businesses who have made the transition. While not the easiest process to make in today’s economy, benefits include good publicity, improved morale, and the chance to live your values, recruit staff and lower turnover rate. French also noted it’s not an “all-or-nothing” proposition: even if you cannot maintain the commitment, you are welcomed back once you’re able to re-commit.
Karen Bornarth, executive director of the Bread Bakers Guild of America, gave a powerful talk outlining four important operational choices that put bakeries in a position to provide “good jobs”: focus and simplify, standardize and empower, cross-train and operate with slack. On the last choice, Bornarth recommended, “Have more labour hours on hand than what the workload requires to meet peak customer demand and give employees time to perform well and engage in improvement.” Bornarth, who has given many talks on the subject, urged owners to invest in high performance standards, ongoing training, professional development, career pathways, predictable schedules and fair pay.
INNOVATION IN ACTION
Baking professionals picked up techniques and ideas for their own baking from the skilled instructors at Vancouver Community College and Vancouver Island University. VCC’s Leanne Bentley took bakers on a journey with trending,
no-fuss travel cakes, Nav Sidhu focused on the elegant galette and Mark Burton shared his sourdough wisdom. On Monday, VIU’s Aron Weber shared his insights and experience keeping bees as a pastry chef and Ken Harper told the story of how students helped make a custom chocolate using Cacao Barry called Or Noir and provided delicious samples. VIU colleague David Nolan demonstrated bi-colour lamination by making Rose and Strawberry Croissants.
New this year, the exciting Canadian Pizza Summit and Chef of the Year Competitions co-located with Bakery Showcase. A new Chef of the Year West, Giuseppe Cortinovis of Vancouver, was selected by expert judges. Cortinovis’ winning “Nostalgia” pizza featured dough made using a combination of biga and autolysis. The innovative chef added a layer of aged parmesan cream and tomato confit before baking and topped the pizza with stracciatella cheese and arugula pesto made with sunflower seeds.
Thank you to our sponsoring partners, AB Mauri, Ardent Mills, Bakemark, Caldic, Dawn Foods, EM Bakery Equipment, FCC, Fritsch Multivac, Lallemand and Puratos for supporting this key industry learning and networking event. And thank you to all presenters, attendees and exhibitors for bringing your energy and ideas to the West Coast!
Our next Bakery Showcase is set for May 5-6, 2024, in Toronto! Save the date! Registration opens in the fall at bakeryshowcase.com. / BJ
*“Sustainably Sourced” and “Ethically Grown” for Redpath means that our raw cane sugar comes from suppliers who:
• respect and work towards the highest environmental, social, and governance standards
• uphold human rights
• have been verified through our rigorous Ethical Sourcing Program.
Please find additional information on our website –www.redpathsugar.com
Keynote speaker Mark Dyck (left) and Anastasia French of Living Wage BC have an in-depth conversation with bakers post session.
¦ concepts for success ¦
BY DIANE CHIASSON
FIVE WAYS TO BRING CUSTOMERS INTO YOUR BAKESHOP THIS FALL
As temperatures cool, it is essential to increase sales opportunity and maintain customer interest
Summer is ending, and the temperature is cooling off – it’s time for fall flavours. This new fall season will change customer traffic, and as colder weather sets in, many of your customers will opt for warmer meals and beverages. It is essential to increase sales opportunity and maintain customer interest. Here are five easy ways to bring more customers into your bakeshop this fall.
1. DESIGN A HEALTHY AUTUMN MENU
Your autumn menu will largely depend on the ingredients you have available, and there are many ways to design an autumn menu that best suits your business. Comfort food should be a staple of your fall bakery menu.
Try to embrace the pumpkin season, as pumpkin is the best-known ingredient associated with autumn. Pumpkin spice is on the minds of many throughout the fall and it goes with pretty much everything: pastry, bread, desserts, savoury dishes and drinks. Do something outside the box and add a selection of pumpkin spice treats such as cookies, cupcakes, doughnuts and chai pumpkin drinks that will catch your customer’s eye.
Another food item that you should include in your menu is apple. Apples can add a lot of depth, texture and exceptional flavour to your sweet and savoury dishes. Warm up this autumn season with apple comfort food recipes. Here are some fall menu ideas that feature apples: apple crumble, apple caramel Danish, apple strudel with oranges and cranberries, caramel apple cream tarts, apple cinnamon pancakes, spiced apple muffins, apple chicken with bacon and potatoes, apple and walnut pie, caramel apple galette, ginger apple almond cake and apple cinnamon multigrain bread pudding.
Add some savoury soups and stews to warm the heart. Many bakery operations love to offer butternut squash and thick vegetable soups. What about a creamy chicken soup with celery, carrots, and mushrooms or a leek and potato soup? You can add meatless food items by using hearty products like quinoa, lentils, chickpeas, beans and squash.
Incorporating other great hearty and healthy root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips, cabbage, beets and buttercup squash into your menu is a great way to add nutrients, fibre and exceptional seasonal taste. Try also to use all varieties of potatoes and think about offering hearty pot pies and skillet dishes.
Don’t forget to add some cozy cold and hot autumn drinks to your menu such as hot cider with pumpkin spice, pumpkin spice latte, blood orange fruit juice cocktails, and pear, pumpkin and ginger juice.
2. DECORATE YOUR SHOP
Decorating your bakery shop with fall flowers, leaves, pumpkins and small gourds is easy. Place some on your tables and near the register. Get your team members to help you decorate, and make sure that whatever they use complements your bakery’s existing décor. Update your menu board signs by using vibrant colours such as orange, yellow and red.
Use social media to announce special offers, deals, discounts or free delivery over a certain amount. Don’t forget to include customer testimonials and fun captions to make your bakery marketing strategy stand out. By regularly posting updates on social media, you will keep your customers and tourists informed and generate excitement about your store and products.
3. PLAN YOUR SIGNAGE AND WINDOW DISPLAY
Good and clear signage that clearly reflects your brand is very helpful, especially for new visitors! Make it exciting and appealing. Use creative window displays, banners or posters as an opportunity to let your bakery’s products and personality
shine. You could also put a blackboard at the entrance. It doesn’t require a lot of investment and it’s very effective.
If you are allowed to use a sandwich board, use it to promote autumn-themed baked goods, gift cards or gift bundles.
4. KEEP YOUR BAKERY SQUEAKY CLEAN
Your shop should be spotless and free of potentially harmful bacteria. Cleaning up your physical space will increase the chances of making an excellent first impression. Keep all utensils and surface areas clean.
Clean all the small and large equipment, such as the mixers, sheeters, bread slicers and proofing cabinets. Sweep your floor and wipe your tables, chairs and walls regularly.
Make sure your staff members’ uniforms, including shoes, are always clean. Hair should be kept away from the face with either a hair net or cap, and nails should be kept short and clean.
5. TRAIN YOUR STAFF MEMBERS
Try to have enough staff working on each shift, particularly during your busiest day and week like Octoberfest and Thanksgiving. Busy autumn periods can be hectic and quite stressful. Team training is an ongoing need for every bakery. With proper training, your staff members will know what to expect and understand what is expected of them.
By preparing your menu and bakeshop for fall, you can spread warmth, energy and a sense of community in your neighbourhood. / BJ
Diane Chiasson, FCSI, president of Chiasson Consultants Inc., has been helping foodservice, hospitality and retail operators increase sales for over 35 years by providing innovative and revenue-increasing food service and retail merchandising programs, interior design, branding, menu engineering, marketing and promotional campaigns. Contact her at 416-926-1338, send her an email at chiasson@chiassonconsultlants. com, or visit www.chiassonconsultants.com
2023 FROZEN DOUGH GUIDE & DIRECTORY
BAKEMARK CANADA
Canada Headquarters: 2480 Viking Way, Richmond, BC V6V 1N2
Corporate Headquarters: 7351 Crider Ave, Pico Rivera CA, 60660
Corporate Line: (562) 949-1054
Contact:
Richmond: Paul Boileau (604) 303-1700
Corporate Line Canada: (604) 303-1700
Calgary: Chris Rossnagel (403) 243-5493
Edmonton: Chris Rossnagel (780) 483-2831
Toronto: Darren Murawski (647) 821-9975
Laval: Stéphane Patry
Montreal: Montréal: Gilles René (514) 596-1998
Winnipeg: Chris Rossnagel (204) 774-2424
Website: www.bakemark.com
Products offered: Clean labelled and kosher dough conditioners for use in the production of frozen dough, par-baked and frozen baked goods.
Deliveries: Supply bakers across most of Canada from key locations in B.C., Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec.
Major customers: Wholesale bakery manufacturers, independent bakeries, in-store bakeries, foodservice and the food industry. Assistance offered: Sales, marketing and technical expertise.
Company comments: BakeMark Canada offers a variety of frozen dough conditioners. We also supply pre-made and par-baked products for your baking ease and convenience. Contact your local branch for all your bakery ingredient needs.
MIMI FOOD ARTISTIC DOUGH PRODUCTS
Address: 1260 Creditstone Rd, Vaughan, ON, L4K 5T7
Office Tel: 905-660-0010
Store Tel: 289-217-6269
Email: info@mimifoods.ca Website: mimifoods.ca
Products offered: Pizza Dough Balls in 8 different varieties and 7 different sizes ranging from 8oz – 32 oz (MiMi Brand All-Purpose Flour, Garlic Rosemary, Carbon Vegetable flour, Mulino Caputo “00” flour, Wholewheat flour, Focaccia, Gluten Free and High-inProtein) Ciabatta (4x6 wraps and buns), Flatbreads (12x4 and 14x5 various flavours: Garlic and Rosemary, White Plain flour, Wholewheat flour, Multigrain flour) Focaccia (6x9 and 12x9 Herb, Tomato, Pomodoro,
Potato and Onion) Panuozzo Buns (Slider size 2x2, 4x6 and 18x5 ) Pinsa Romana / Crokkia (4x6, 6x9, 12x9 White Plain flour) Par-Baked Pizza Crusts (8”, 10”, 12”, 14” 12x9, 12x17 Plain White flour, Wholewheat flour, Multigrain flour, Thin and Thick Crusts, Pressed and Non-Pressed) Sheeted Dough (8”, 10”, 12”, 7x7”, 11x15”, 23x15”) and also offering Gluten Free and GMO Free Pizza Crusts, Baguettes, Dinner Rolls, and Hamburger Buns in 4 flavours: Beetroot - Broccoli - Cauliflower – White. NEW: ARE OUR 300 g GLUTEN FREE RAW FROZEN PIZZA DOUGH BALLS in 3 flavours: Beetroot – Cauliflower - White.
Major customers: Foodservice + Hospitality Industry, Grocery Industry, Bakery Industry, Wholesale Bakery Manufacturers, Restaurant + Catering Industry
Assistance offered: Custom product development and packaging, customized pizza programs, training and support. Production Method: choice of production method that best suits the client. We offer: raw dough, par-baked, fully baked, topped, and/or fully customizable. Company comments: At MiMi Foods our motto is simple, “It’s All About the Dough”. Offering raw dough, par-baked, fully baked, topped and/or fully customizable quality artisan dough products with innovation at the forefront. Both BRC + HACCP Certified and an FDA registered facility. we are a full-service dough manufacturer from initial product development stage, all the way through to support and training. Manufacturing Pizza Dough Balls in 8 flour blends (MiMi Brand All-Purpose / Canadian Neopolitan “00” / Caputo “00” / Garlic Rosemary / Vegetable Carbon / Wholewheat / Focaccia / GlutenFree) sizes ranging from 8oz - 32oz. Try our Flatbreads - Focaccia - Panuozzo Buns - Roman Style Crusts and Baguettes - Parbaked Pizza Crusts - Sheeted Dough as well as our Gluten-Free options. For our walk-in customers we now have 2 Cash-N-Carry locations in Vaughan and Scarborough. Opento-the-Public, 6 days a week so be sure to get to know us. We look forward to discussing how our business can help your business.
OK FROZEN DOUGH
4145 Spallumcheen Pl., Armstrong, BC V0E 1B6
Contact: Bruce Glaicar
Tel: 250-546-0311
Email: bruce@okfrozendough.com
Website: www.okfrozendough.com
Products offered: Complete line of frozen bread and bun dough including white, whole wheat, multigrain, ryes, sourdough, pizza dough, and custom formulations.
Deliveries: Snow Cap and other major distributors across Western Canada. Company comments: OK Frozen Dough has been providing quality frozen dough for over 29 years. Our consistent quality product and reliable fill rate makes us a trusted supplier of in store bakery and food service programs.
OLYMPIC WHOLESALE CO. LTD.
75 Green Ct., Ajax, ON L1S 6W9
Tel: 905-426-5188
Email: info@olympicwholesale.ca
Website: www.olympicwholesale.ca
Products offered: Complete line of dry and frozen products for all your bakery needs including paper, cleaning supplies, cake decorating and frozen finished products. Suppliers of house brands: Olympic, Tasty, Bakers and our all natural Pure Foods Products line since 1936. A variety of spelt, organic, all natural and retail products are available. Areas serviced: All of Ontario (some northern areas excluded) and Quebec.
Assistance offered: Technical support from all manufacturers as well as providing technical documentation upon request. Company comments: Committed to Service Excellence.
RICH PRODUCTS OF CANADA LTD.
149 Rowntree Dairy Rd. Woodbridge, ON L4L 6E1
Contact: Peter Melnyk
Tel: 905-265-4300
Website: richproducts.ca
Product Offered: The products you need. The insight you rely on. At Rich’s, we offer a valuable variety of frozen dough products for all of your culinary creations. From Pizza and Breads & Rolls to Cookies and Sweet Goods, we have Gluten-Free, Gourmet and Plant Based options to satisfy any consumer demand.
Deliveries: National distribution through local and broadline distributors. Minimum orders vary across Canada.
Baking is a craft, one that has been celebrated by King Arthur Baking Company for more than two centuries. Their Baking School, an essential part of the King Arthur community, is now a book to cherish. It reflects a curriculum that has been honed and refined over the years, with instructors who are experts not just at baking, but at teaching baking. The recipes, notes, instructive photographs, and thoughtfully organized chapters here reflect this depth of experience. This is a cookbook for every baker, at every level.
| Item# 1682686157
BY JANE DUMMER, RD
SPOTLIGHT ON MILLET
It’s a sustainable, versatile, mild-flavoured, nutritious, gluten-free ancient grain with potential
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.
According to the Consulate of India in Toronto, millets make an important contribution to livelihood generation, food and nutritional security in various parts of the world. The humble millet has been grown in the Indian subcontinent for 5,000 years. These small-seeded, hardy crops are resilient in difficult climate conditions.
Dianne Wolters, vice-president product development, Everspring Farms concurs: “In terms of sustainability, millet is well suited to growing in hot and dry climates and can withstand drought conditions. It also requires less fertilizer than other crops and its fibrous root system is excellent for preventing soil erosion.”
}dants, B vitamins plus the minerals iron and zinc. It has a mild flavour and adds crunch when used as a whole seed. Millets are largely associated with Indian cuisine and used in several dishes including idli, a steamed, fermented savoury cake. However, North American uses and applications of millets are gaining traction especially in baking. Millet makes an excellent substitution for wheat when making gluten-free baked goods and breads.
Elaine O’Doherty, Canada marketing lead, Ardent Mills, describes the consumer market: “In recent years, consumers have increasingly sought out products that are perceived as healthier and more functional food choices that fit their individual needs. In fact, according to Ardent Mills proprietary research, 70 per cent of gluten-free eaters already report an interest in buying/eating baked goods
Millet provides fibre, protein, antioxidants, B vitamins plus the minerals iron and zinc. It has a mild flavour and adds crunch when used as a whole seed.
In addition to being sustainable, millet is a nutritious, gluten-free ancient grain. Red proso millet has been grown on Reynald Gauthier’s farm in St-Claude, Man., since 1991. Gauthier, known as the “Millet King,” is a fourth-generation farmer who embraced the opportunity to work with this ancient cereal crop. He explains: “Millet is probably one of the best crops that you can seed on your farm. It can be used as food for human consumption, cattle feed and bird food. At Millet King Foods of Canada Inc., we’re launching our seventh product for consumers this fall. The products range from red millet beer and waffle/pancake mixes to whole millet flour and whole millet seeds. The new product launch is Millet King Krunchies Premium Cereal, which is manufactured in Toronto and can be ordered via the MilletKing.com website.”
Millet provides fibre, protein, antioxi-
with millet and sorghum as an ingredient due to their perception of these grains. Because of this, its versatility and cost-efficiency, we at Ardent Mills view millet as an important part of our emerging nutrition product portfolio.”
Everspring Farms in Seaforth, Ont., has a variety of products including organic sprouted millet and sprouted millet flour. Wolters explains: “Using sprouted millet offers several advantages for baking applications. On its own, millet flour can be slightly bitter; however, the germination process helps to remove any bitter saponins and highlights the subtly sweet and nutty flavour of the flour. Sprouting can also reduce the level of phytic acid in millet, allowing our bodies to easily digest important minerals and enzymes. In terms of functionality, sprouted millet is light and crunchy making it an interesting addition as a topper or used in the dough to add a visual presence of whole seeds.”
O’Doherty says, “In the baking industry, we see millet most often used in the whole form as a topping and in
Pancake made with 100 per cent millet flour.
traditional or gluten-free multigrain-style breads or as a flour in gluten-free baked goods. Within Ardent Mills’ product portfolio, we offer proso millet as whole seeds, flour and in custom multigrain blends. Because of its golden colour, texture, cost effectiveness and functional properties, millet blends well with other grains and flours. As a seed its delicate crunchy texture is the lead functional benefit, which contributes to its use as an inclusion or enrobing seed. As a flour it contributes to a desired cakey crumb and may help reduce gumminess. This is perfect for gluten-free breads, wraps and flatbreads. When used in a fermented application, millet has a clean sour flavour, ideal for traditional or gluten-free sourdoughs.”
Millet is a tiny sustainable, versatile, mild-flavoured, nutritious, gluten-free ancient grain with immense potential. From gluten-free sourdough breads and mixes to toppings and inclusions in baked goods, the baking applications are vast. / BJ
Jane Dummer, RD, known as the Pod to Plate Food Consultant, collaborates and partners with the food and nutrition industry across North America. janedummer.com
Vemag Cookie Dough Depositor
n Go from hand-scooping to automated production without sacrificing product quality or eye appeal
n Gently handles dough, inclusions are not damaged
n Fast, easy changeovers
n Come run your product with us at the Reiser Customer Center
