The best thing since sliced bread: organic sliced bread!
So what’s better than sliced bread? Organic sliced bread! But it’s tricky to find, especially made locally from locally-grown ingredients. We spent the past few weeks doing our homework and finally found the perfect partner, who for many years now has baked great sliced bread that Quebecers can be proud of. This week we’ll introduce you to Boulangerie St-Méthode.
Boulangerie St-Méthode was founded in 1947 by Joseph Faucher and his wife Mariette Robert. At the time they had very little money to invest but they put all of their energy into the bakery, and it’s thanks to that passion that Boulangerie St-Méthode grew to become a major player in Quebec.
With time things changed: they bought new equipment, the bakery grew in size, and more healthy breads were created. But one thing has remained the same throughout: for over 60 years now, the Fauchers have always put a great deal of passion into their breads. In fact, St-Méthode still uses the family’s original homestyle recipes.
In recent years, St-Méthode has also focused on making breads that are first and foremost healthy, but even today the bread tastes the same as it did in the 40s when Joseph and Mariette Faucher handmade it every morning.
The bakery takes its name after a little village in Quebec. “St-Méthode where the whole Faucher family is from as well as where the idea was born. It’s a very special place,” Emily Conway from the Anjou team told me.
They’ve stayed true to their roots, striving to support local agriculture and only partnering with local farmers. One of these partnerships, with Les Moulins de Soulanges, came about because “their values aligned with ours: authentic, local and sustainable,” Emily explained.
While many companies of their size would switch to importing wheat, Boulangerie St-Méthode continues to source 100% of their wheat locally. If you drive through Victoriaville, Dummondville or Thedford Mines during certain times of the year, you’ll see entire fields of wheat that are set aside specifically for use in St-Méthode breads, with large blue signs proudly proclaiming, “This wheat is grown for Boulangerie St-Méthode!”
Boulangerie St-Méthode now offers a wide variety of breads under three different brands: Les Grains St-Méthode (fat-free and without added sugar), Campagnolo (made with Extra Virgin olive oil) and La Récolte de St-Méthode (artisanal and organic breads). “Our products are healthy and are made in a homemade style. This is what makes us unique,” Emily told me with pride.
We added four types of sliced bread to the Marketplace selection, so don’t hesitate to try all of them and let us know what you think! And if you want some simple spreads to add to a grilled cheese or sandwich, check these out.
When we asked Emily what’s her favorite thing about Boulangerie St-Méthode, she said, "The Faucher family makes you want to eat healthy by making such great breads!"
We’ll leave you with this quote and happy eating!