Thinking About Baguettes... π₯
Every summer I seem to fall back into a baguette obsession.
Maybe it's the warmer weather, maybe it's all the sandwiches and outdoor meals, but I've been baking a lot of baguettes lately, and it's making me think about running a special for myBaguette Course again later this month.
If you've ever wanted to learn how to make bakery-quality baguettes at home, this course covers everything from mixing and fermentation to shaping, scoring, steaming, and troubleshooting.
Inside you'll find:
β’ 7+ baguette styles including levain, poolish, whole grain, rye levain, and baguette de tradition
β’ Hand mixing, KitchenAid, and spiral mixer tutorials
β’ Detailed shaping and scoring videos
β’ Printable PDF and Excel formulas
β’ Chocolate and squid ink bonus baguettes
β’ A bonus interview with MOF Alexandre Laumain
I'm planning a short enrollment period from July 19β21, and newsletter readers will get first access along with the best pricing.
If you'd like me to send you the details when enrollment opens, join the waitlist below.
Victoria Bakery & Food Highlights π
First off, thank you to everyone who sent recommendations before the trip. We couldn't hit every spot on the list, but we managed to visit quite a few and had an amazing time.
A quick shoutout to Porter Airlines for sponsoring the trip. Having a direct flight from Toronto to Victoria made travelling with the family incredibly easy. No connections, no rushing through airports, and way more time to actually enjoy the weekend.
The food scene in Victoria is honestly incredible.
For seafood, the standout was Red Fish Blue Fish. Easily some of the best fish and chips I've ever had. Fresh, simple, and exactly what you want when you're on the coast.
We also had an unforgettable dinner at Marilena CafΓ© & Raw Bar. The seafood tower was outstanding and the whole experience lived up to the hype.
One of my favourite lunches was at The Fish Store at Fisherman's Wharf where we enjoyed beautiful spot prawns right in the middle of spot prawn season.
As for the bakeries...
Working Culture Bread was probably the highlight for our family. Their bread was excellent, but what really stood out was how kind they were with the girls. They even gave them a tour of the bakery, which absolutely made their day. It's a bakery deeply rooted in naturally leavened bread, local grains, and thoughtful craftsmanship.
Fry's Bread was another favourite. A small family-run bakery built around a wood-fired oven, producing rustic breads with incredible character. You can feel the passion the moment you walk in.
Fol Epi continues to be one of Canada's great bakeries. Beautiful pastries, excellent bread, and a bakery that helped shape artisan baking in Victoria long before artisan bread became mainstream.
Duo CafΓ© & Bakery was the perfect breakfast stop. Great pastries, excellent coffee, and one of the nicest morning views we found all weekend.
We also squeezed in afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress, explored a handful of other bakeries and restaurants, and honestly packed a lot into a few days. There's no way I could fit everything into one newsletter.
The only thing that didn't quite go according to plan was whale watching.
Apparently there's about a 98% chance of seeing whales.
We found the other 2% π
The good news is we received a voucher to come back and try again. Honestly, the girls still had a blast on the boat and loved the whole experience. I was secretly hoping for one of those life-changing core memory moments where whales breach beside the boat, but I guess we'll have to save that for our next trip.
Keep an eye out next week because I'll be sharing the full Porter Airlines collaboration video with all of our favourite stops, behind-the-scenes moments, and a few places that didn't make it into this write-up.
Pizza Night π
We just got a beautiful wood-fired oven at work, which means I've been spending a lot more time playing around with pizza dough lately.
This one was topped with salami and shallots, baked directly on the hearth, and finished with that smoky flavour that only a wood oven can give you. The more I work with pizza dough, the more I appreciate how much flavour and texture you can get from a handful of simple ingredients.
The good news is you don't need a wood oven to make great pizza at home.
And one quick question...
I've linked the video tutorial below, but if you'd like me to include the full written formula and process for this pizza dough in next week's newsletter, just hit reply and let me know.
If enough people are interested, I'll type everything out and share the complete recipe next Friday.
The Bread Everyone Asks For π§
you've been around here for a while, you've probably heard me talk about jalapeΓ±o cheddar sourdough.
It's easily one of the most requested breads we bake and one of the first loaves to disappear whenever it's on the menu.
The combination is pretty hard to beat. Tangy sourdough, sharp cheddar, and just enough jalapeΓ±o to keep things interesting without blowing anyone's head off.
It's also one of those breads that turns a simple sandwich into something memorable.
If you're looking for a weekend baking project, this is a good place to start.
What I'm Listening To π§
I've been listening to a lot of podcasts lately while mixing dough, driving, or cleaning up the bakery, and one I've really been enjoying is Things Bakers Know, the King Arthur Baking Podcast.
This week I listened to their bagel episode featuring Carlos Perez of Boil & Bake in California. They discuss everything from New York versus California-style bagels to shaping, boiling, flour selection, and what makes a great bagel.
Even if you're not a bagel baker, it's a fun listen and a good reminder that there are often many different ways to approach the same bake.
If you're looking for something baking-related to listen to on a walk, commute, or while mixing dough, I'd definitely recommend giving it a listen.
βListen to the Bagel Episode Hereβ
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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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