In what I refer to as my “previous life” (pre-Lepp Farm Market), I regularly baked buns for my family. They weren’t healthy whole wheat buns but fluffy white buns perfect for slathering with jam or, my personal favourite, peanut butter and Roger’s Golden Syrup. But now, a recipe I thought was etched into my brain vanished from memory as I hadn’t made them in the last four years. A call to my long-time friend Jan was required.
Isn’t it exciting that you are never too old to learn something new? As the photo proves (more about that photo later!), I’ve been baking since I was six or seven.
But to use a modern quote, I was today years old when I learnt that using Anita’s Flour greatly improves the end result. In starting Lepp’s Bakehouse (2518 W Railway Street), our bakers experimented with different flours in their bread. Surprisingly, they discovered that the products made with Anita’s Flour rose higher and had a better “crumb” than the rest, and they’ve been using Anita’s exclusively ever since.
So I put my own special family recipes to the test and achieved the same results. My New Year’s fritters were softer, my buns rose higher, and most importantly, my family reported this year’s paska (a traditional Easter bread) to be the fluffiest they’d ever enjoyed. If that comment doesn’t win you over, then nothing will.
Naturally, I went to their website to crack the code of my fluffiest-ever paska. As written on their website, “Our process is traditional. Our grains come from Canadian farmers and are milled right here in Chilliwack, BC. By keeping temperatures low and taking our time, we keep the whole grain nutrition intact. Whole grain goes in, and whole grain nutrition comes out”. Their website does an excellent job explaining their careful choice of the best quality organic Canadian grains and their unique milling process. As is often the case, the benefit of supporting small-scale producers such as Anita’s is that the ingredients are chosen with care, and the end product is fresher when it arrives in your home. We know you’ll agree if you’ve tried our crusty Bakehouse sourdough loaves and delicious baked goods.
Now, back to the photo. My older siblings were very good sports and would purchase my Easy-Bake Oven iced cakes for a whopping 25 cents each. But still, so many questions! Why is my step stool covered in tin foil? Why am I dressed in a rainbow of clashing colours? What happened to that vintage radio tucked in the corner? Why is my older sister sporting those amazing bubbles in her hair and standing so placidly beside me? After careful questioning, she informed me that she was definitely not my sous chef, and she was heading to her Grade 8 Christmas banquet and that there were even sparkles in amongst the bubbles. Aren’t vintage family photos fun and oh-so-humbling?
Whether you enjoy the Bakehouse’s delicious baked goods or purchase the flour for your own baking, we know you will also be converted by the difference using Anita’s Organic Mill’s flour makes.
Now, onto some recipes to get you started.
