The Leclerc bakery

The meeting of two worlds

We’re at the counter. Sandwiches, Japanese fried rice, poke bowls, and sushi are on the menu. Is this an Asian restaurant? No, it’s more like a Kamouraska bakery that has drawn inspiration from the Land of the Rising Sun, where tradition meets innovation.

Quebec bakers of the past

From the earliest days of the colony of New France, bread, together with vegetables, was a staple. Given the important role of bakers, they were one of the first artisans to set up operations. Their workplace was located mainly in the city, and they had to be able to meet demand at all times.

Black and white photograph (1930s): three men building an outdoor bread oven. Background: branches covered with earth or mortar. Behind: wooden building with a shingle roof. Scene of artisanal construction of an outdoor bread oven.

Builing a bread oven.

Bakers worked with bread ovens. However, bread was not the only thing they made in them. After allowing an oven to cool for an entire day, it could be used again for cooking other dishes, such as pies, brioches, and even cakes. Surprisingly, bread ovens could also serve as smokehouses and for disinfecting feathers used to make pillows, mattresses, and cushions.

Sepia photograph: a woman and a man remove bread molds from an outdoor oven. In front of the oven: other bread moulds. Background: wooden house and vegetation.

Baking bread.

When it came to the composition of bread, the population of New France was quite content with a simple product made from grain ground into flour at the nearest mill: A few physical traces of this era still exist today in Quebec.

Black and white photograph: woman standing near an outdoor bread oven. She holds a long wooden stick. Oven made of wood and stone, worn shingle roof. Fence in the background, distant rural landscape. Atmosphere of a time when outdoor cooking was common.

Bread oven with a shelter.

In rural areas, bread was made mainly at home. At the turn of the 20th century, only 8% of Quebec housewives bought bread from a baker. It was common practice to bake bread in an oven located outside the house in order to avoid fires and extreme heat in summer.

Throughout the 20th century, various cultural communities have settled in Montreal and contributed to expanding the range of products available to consumers. Rye bread, bagels, pretzels, pita bread, naan bread, ciabatta, and tortillas are consumed regularly today. This was not the case a century ago.

Colour photograph: Interior of a traditional bakery. In the foreground, packaged bread is displayed on a wooden rack. In the background, a brick oven and hanging wicker light fixtures contribute to the bakery’s rustic and authentic atmosphere.

Inside the Boulangerie La Pocatière.

Returning to one’s roots A century-old family bakery in Kamouraska