Gesundheit mean good health or wellness, the perfect name for a local, family owned bakery that makes all its baked goods from the finest ingredients and use no sugar, oil or preservatives. Andreas and Katherine Miller along with their four children have been proudly running Gesundheit Bakery since 2005. People stop by the farmers markets to pick up their freshly baked goods that are made daily, by hand. We had a chance to chat with them to find out more about this special bakery.
Q. Baking without sugar, oils, or preservatives, it must have it’s difficulties. Why do you choose to do this?
We make all of our products fresh each day. The fact that we don’t use any oil, sugar or preservatives is just part of the reason we are in business in the first place. Our goal has always been to make a product that is fresh, tasty and healthier than a lot of baked goods on the market today. We live in a time when so much of the food we eat is full of additives, sugars and fats that are just not good for us. Our products are made by hand in the old European tradition where there is no need for all the added stuff. There are no difficulties with our process, just simple ingredients used by real people to make quality products.
Q. What are customers first reactions when they try your bread and find out it’s make without sugar, oils and preservatives?
We have a lot of people ask us each year about how it is possible to make bread without oils, sugar or preservatives. Having grown up in a European bakery, my question would be: Why is it necessary to add all this extra stuff
Q. It’s obvious you both have a passion for baking, what is it that pulled you in?
My passion for baking started at an early age. Back in Germany in the late 70’s and early 80’s (when I was a young kid), my Dad was very heavily into farmers markets, selling baked goods and I have very fond memories of that time. When we immigrated to Canada in 83′ it was only a couple of years until my dad started his first bakery here in the little town of Lac La Hache. With the exception of only a few years, baking has been my passion ever since.
Q. Tell us your family favorites; what you sell could you not live without in your families?
Family favorites? Well, my wife Katherine grew up in Mission BC, so her favorites are the more traditional breads that most people who grew up here are used to. As for me, my absolute favourite bread that we make is our Whole Grain Bread. I like to refer to this one as the brick. Our family enjoys a variety of the breads we make. When it comes to bread, sometimes it all depends on what you are going to have with it. If we are having Spinach Dip for example, we just must have the Double Baked Swiss Bread. If we are going to be having something for toast with butter and jam, we might look at the Light or Medium Rye Breads
Q. Why do you do most of your business through farmers markets?
Farmers Markets allow us to put our products into the hands of the end consumer. We can answer questions and even make recommendations. Attending the Farmers Markets is the most enjoyable part of our business to me in terms of promoting our products.
Q. What is the five-year plan for Gesundheit Bakery?
Gesundheit Bakery will continue to make the best products we can. Our commitment to make our products from scratch using only simple Canadian ingredients has a few challenges to it. We live in a time where most of the food we consume is made in mass quantities in large facilities and in most cases more by machine that by people. Over the next 5 to 10 years and beyond, we will make sure that we stay true to the commitment we made right from the beginning. Make a great tasting product with simple ingredients.
CONNECT WITH GESUNDHEIT BAKERY
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THIS WEEKS INSTAGRAM WINNER
Thank you to everyone who played along in this week’s Instagram giveaway for a chance to win a $10 credit to the Port Moody Farmers Market. This weeks winner is Alyeasha. Congratulations and please send an e-mail to admin@makebakegrow.com to claim your prize. Another giveaway will go live on our Instagram account starting Monday, come back and play along for your next chance at winning!