Bread, Etc. β What a Ride!
This Sunday night, I'll be attending the Taste Canada Awards, where Bread, Etc. is shortlisted for a Taste Canada Award!
What a ride it's been. No matter what happens this weekend, I just want to say a massive THANK YOU to everyone who has picked up a copy, baked from the book, shared it with friends, or supported me along the way.
I'll be at the awards on Sunday with my fingers crossed, but honestly, just being in the room alongside so many incredible authors is something I never imagined would be possible when I first started writing this book.
If you haven't picked up a copy yet, now's a great time! And if you already have one, there's a really easy (and free!) way to support me: leave a 5 star review on Amazon, Indigo, or wherever you purchased it. Those reviews make a huge difference in helping more people discover the book.
Seriously, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. I couldn't have done this without you!
You Asked, I Answered: How Do We Run Our Micro Bakery?
I get asked quite often how we operate our little micro bakery, especially since both my wife and I work full-time jobs!
The short answer? WhatsApp, a little planning, and a whole lot of flour!
We have a WhatsApp group with about 350 members, and we operate through what we call "drops." We'll give everyone a heads-up when we're planning to bake, share a photo of what's coming out of the oven, and offer a small pickup window for orders.
We aim to bake around 30 loaves a week, but depending on our schedules, some weeks we can push closer to 75-100! We also love making knots, cookies, pizzas, and other baked goods, although lately it's been mostly sourdough bread.
One of the biggest game changers for us has been our Simply Bread Oven. We absolutely love it, and it's allowed us to scale production beyond what was possible with our home oven. I actually wrote an article about our experience with it if you're curious about the setup.
It's a lot of fun, a great little side hustle, and honestly, one of my favourite ways to connect with people in our community. The best part is that we can scale things up or down depending on how busy life gets.
If you've ever thought about starting your own micro bakery, my advice is to start small, keep it simple, and build from there!
MOF Alex Laumain Is Coming Back to Canada! π«π·
I'm getting really excited to welcome MOF baker Alex Laumain back to Canada this January!
We're planning some incredible hands-on workshops covering everything from lamination to artisan breads, and trust me, it's going to be epic!
Here are the dates we're looking at:
- January 9β10, 2027
- January 14β15, 2027
- January 16β17, 2027
Right now, we're making sure there's enough interest to move forward with the workshops, so if you're thinking about joining us, please add your name to the waitlist!
Last time, the workshops sold out in less than an hour. Seriously! π So if you're interested, just click the link below to join the waitlist. That's it! I'll email you directly with all the details once registration opens. Nothing else you need to do for now!
This Week's Bake: Sourdough English Muffins π³
I didn't get much baking done this week, so I thought I'd dig into the recipe archives and share an old favourite!
These sourdough English muffins are one of those recipes that are surprisingly simple to make at home, and once you've had them fresh off the griddle, it's hard to go back to store-bought.
They're soft and fluffy on the inside, with those classic nooks and crannies that are perfect for catching melted butter. Toast them up, add a little jam, or turn them into a breakfast sandwich.
If you're looking for something fun to bake this weekend, give these a try!
This week in the micro bakery πΊ
Not a whole lot happening in the micro bakery this week! I decided to shut things down for a few days and take a bit of a breather after a busy stretch.
I did manage to mix up a batch of classic sourdough, which I'll be baking tomorrow. Depending on when you're reading this, it might already be out of the oven! Although I know some of you are pretty quick to open these emails on Friday morning. π
Also, a big thank you to everyone who sent over recommendations for Montreal last week! We had an awesome weekend celebrating my wife's birthday, eating some great food, and enjoying a little time away together.
One question for you this week: What kind of bread would you love to see me bake next? Is there a recipe you've been wanting to learn or a technique you're struggling with?
Just hit reply and let me know! I'm always looking for new ideas, and I'd love to hear what you want to see more of.
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Happy Baking,
MJD
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Want to learn more from me? Check out my online video resources π
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