OXBOW - Irene Jacinto raced into Just Bread Inc. 45 minutes after opening, looked around and exclaimed, “I came late!”
That’s one thing to know about Oxbow’s newest bakery. If people aren’t there by opening time, they might miss what they’ve come for. The bread sells quickly.
Edith Berntson moved to Canada from Germany in 2021.
“I hated the bread here,” she said.
Berntson could not get used to it, so she started making sourdough breads that she was accustomed to.
Her friends loved her bread and would often remark, “You should consider selling this bread.”
She followed their advice. She started with 23 bread products at Lampman’s Farmers Market and things spread quickly from there. Within two months, she was selling 80-100 loaves at various markets three to four times a week.
Berntson decided that she was selling enough to justify having her own bake shop. On Sept. 1, Just Bread Inc. opened up at 303 Main Street in Oxbow. The bakery is open two days a week, allowing her to continue selling at markets.
Her hours are noon-6 p.m. Thursdays, with various types of breads, bagels and buns. On Sundays, the store is open from 9 a.m. to noon. Both days, hours are while supplies last.
Bread is not generally available on Sundays. Customers will find more in the way of buns, bagels, baguettes and focaccia. This is to keep the German tradition alive where men go out early on Sunday to pick up fresh items for breakfast.
All products are sourdough. They’re made from a mixture of wheat flour and locally-sourced organic whole grains, such as spelt, einkorn and kamut khorasan. All grains are milled by Berntson.
She seems to have found a niche. Her product is in high demand. But she’s not resting on her laurels. She’ll be taking part in Oxbow’s Culture Days on Oct. 1; two days later, she will be offering a bread-making class at Oxbow’s Expressway Family Centre and in November, she’ll be holding a bagel-making class in Alameda.
Once the plumbing and wiring permits are finished, she’ll be making her product on-site, sending the aroma of fresh bread wafting down Main Street. She plans to open a coffee bar and she is willing to stock sweet baking products from other local bakeries.
She offers loyalty cards, where you can get your 10th product free. You can also pre-order by phone, Facebook Messenger and Instagram Direct at justbreadinc. Her phone is listed at those sites.
Unlike Jacinto, Lanny Martindale got to the bakery on time, getting what he came for.
“We like her jalapeno cheddar bread. We’ve been buying Edith’s bread for a few months. Everything delicious. I hear that from everybody in town,” he said.
